Greatest Types of Vitamin C in Pure Skincare

Up to date: 18.03.25

Vitamin C is undoubtedly probably the most fashionable beauty components of all time.

Celebrated for its highly effective antioxidant and brightening results, it has remained a agency buyer favorite for years, so it’s no shock that so many formulators wish to embody it of their merchandise. Nonetheless, vitamin C can be notoriously unstable and tough to formulate with, and might generally trigger pores and skin irritation.

However right here’s the excellent news: there are a number of types of vitamin C obtainable in the marketplace that you should use that present related advantages whereas being extra secure and gentler on the pores and skin.

On this put up, we’ll stroll you thru these options, serving to you select the perfect type of vitamin C in your formulations. For those who’ve ever puzzled find out how to add vitamin C to your pure formulations or which kind to make use of, this put up is for you!

What’s vitamin C?

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is a vital vitamin for our well being, discovered abundantly in fruit and veggies. Since, in contrast to most animals, our our bodies can’t synthesise vitamin C, we have to depend on exterior sources, primarily by our eating regimen, to acquire it.

Past its well being advantages, vitamin C is a exceptional skincare ingredient that acts as a potent antioxidant, stimulates collagen manufacturing and helps even out pores and skin tone. It is usually probably the most extensively researched nutritional vitamins in skincare, with well-documented advantages, which is why so many individuals wish to formulate with it.

For those who’re curious to be taught extra about vitamin C and its quite a few skincare advantages, try this put up:

The advantages of vitamin C for skincare

The most typical vitamin C delusion

One of many greatest myths about vitamin C is that botanical oils or important oils include vitamin C. Whereas that is extensively unfold throughout the web, it’s merely not true.

Whereas sure fruits or greens are certainly wealthy in vitamin C, the vitamin doesn’t make its manner into oils. That’s as a result of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is water-soluble, so it might probably’t be current in plant oils.

Take rosehis, for instance. Whereas rosehips are recognized to include vitamin C, rosehip oil doesn’t. Don’t get us flawed: the oil has wonderful pores and skin advantages, however vitamin C just isn’t certainly one of them. That’s why it’s so essential to analysis your components and the science behind them whereas being aware of selling claims.

For those who’re enthusiastic about debunking extra vitamin C myths, learn this put up:

4 vitamin C skincare myths each formulator ought to know

Greatest types of vitamin C in pure skincare

Now that you already know that botanical oils don’t include vitamin C, let’s discover the completely different types of vitamin C you should use in pure skincare formulation.

Since you may’t precisely chop up fruit or greens and add them to your formulations (that may be a stability nightmare and solely one thing a DYIer would try!), you’ll want to use lab-synthesised vitamin C.

Whereas most pure formulators settle for this, it’s a must to determine whether or not you’re snug utilizing lab-made components. That can assist you make this determination and provide you with a fast refresh on the shades of pure, hearken to our very first podcast episode:

Episode 1: What does pure skincare imply?

Out there types of vitamin C in pure skincare

There are a number of types of lab-synthesised vitamin C you should use in your beauty formulations.

Whereas L-ascorbic acid is essentially the most biologically lively type of vitamin C, it is usually essentially the most unstable one. It shortly oxidises when uncovered to gentle, oxygen, or warmth. Ascorbic acid can be water-soluble, which means you may’t use it in your anhydrous (oil-based) formulations. Happily, there are different, extra secure types of vitamin C, obtainable, and we’ll discover them under. 

Take into account that vitamin C and its derivatives are superior components and that it is best to solely formulate with them when you’re a sophisticated formulator.

If you need to grow to be a sophisticated formulator, pre-enrol for our Superior Diploma in Natural Beauty Science.

1. Ascorbic acid (water soluble)

Pure vitamin C, also called L-ascorbic acid, is essentially the most biologically lively type of vitamin C. First remoted within the early 1900s, ascorbic acid is the unique type of vitamin C, and its highly effective results on the pores and skin are well-documented, which is why so many formulators wish to add it to their merchandise.

Structurally, L-ascorbic acid (LAA) is a weak sugar acid structurally associated to glucose. In our our bodies, it’s discovered each in its acidic and ionised varieties (as mineral ascorbates).

It acts as an antioxidant by donating an electron, which converts it to an oxidised state. Ascorbic acid is then oxidised to dehydroascorbic acid, which is recycled again to ascorbic acid and reused.

In skincare, you should use it as a brightening and rejuvenating agent. That is the way it works: ascorbic acid inhibits melanin formation, lowering hyperpigmentation, and performing as an antioxidant. It additionally performs a key position in collagen manufacturing by regulating, selling, and stabilising collagen construction.

Due to these advantages, many merchandise for mature pores and skin or hyperpigmentation embody vitamin C. 

Disadvantages of ascorbic acid

Sadly, ascorbic acid has its downsides. For one, it’s extremely unstable, which is an issue for us pure skincare formulators. When uncovered to gentle, warmth, or air, vitamin C shortly oxidises into dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) and loses its effectiveness. This response is reversible, but when the oxidation course of continues, DHAA can degrade irreversibly and generate varied compounds, together with erythrulose. 

Erythrulose, a self-tanning agent, reacts with pores and skin proteins, which explains why oxidised vitamin C can depart an orange-reddish stain on the pores and skin that received’t merely wash off. To be efficient and penetrate the pores and skin, ascorbic acid requires a low (acidic) pH of under 3.5. At this pH, the molecule carries fewer ionic fees, making it simpler to cross by the stratum corneum.

Please don’t fear in the event you can’t perceive all of this now. As you progress in your formulation abilities and data, it is possible for you to to grasp these ideas higher.

Recap

Whereas ascorbic acid is undoubtedly probably the most efficient types of vitamin C in pure skincare, it is usually essentially the most unstable.

Some claims about its efficacy can also require skilled testing and will classify your product as both a drug or a beauty, resulting in stricter laws. Earlier than formulating with vitamin C, it’s essential to grasp the precise laws in your nation.

Working with ascorbic acid requires superior formulation abilities. As a formulator, you’re accountable for guaranteeing your merchandise are secure, efficient, and secure. At all times strategy vitamin C formulations with warning and a deep understanding of its challenges.

2. Vitamin C derivatives: Stabilised vitamin C

For those who’re desperate to formulate with vitamin C however are involved about its instability, we now have some excellent news!

Lately, the wonder business has shifted its focus from merely extending the shelf lifetime of ascorbic acid to creating extra secure vitamin C derivatives.

These derivatives are compounds structurally associated to ascorbic acid, created by combining it with different molecules. This helps shield the vitamin from oxidation and degradation. Theoretically, these vitamin C derivatives are transformed again to ascorbic acid when utilized to the pores and skin, delivering the identical advantages.

The most typical vitamin C derivatives are esters, which consequence from the response between an acid and sometimes an alcohol. There are additionally different kinds of derivatives, like glucosides. These stabilised varieties provide a number of benefits for formulators, comparable to:

• Higher stability, as they’re much less delicate to oxidation than ascorbic acid
• The power to perform at greater pH ranges than ascorbic acid
• Much less potential for irritation

Vitamin C derivatives are additionally very versatile, as they arrive in each oil-soluble and water-soluble varieties, supplying you with higher flexibility in your formulations. Listed below are some vitamin C derivatives you may experiment with:

Water-soluble

• Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate
• Sodium ascorbyl phosphate
• Ascorbyl glucoside

Oil-soluble

• Ascorbyl palmitate
• Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate

For those who’re seeking to create an oil serum, balm, or butter for instance, you possibly can use ascorbyl palmitate or ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, that are esterified types of vitamin C which might be oil-soluble.

For those who’re a extra superior formulator and are snug formulating water-based merchandise, ascorbyl glucoside is likely one of the finest choices, as you’ll see within the part under.

The primary drawback of vitamin C derivatives is that, since they should be transformed again to ascorbic acid on the pores and skin, they are often much less efficient than pure vitamin C.

There are additionally fewer research to help their motion, as they’re nonetheless comparatively new to the market. Nonetheless, the analysis is promising.

3. AA2G: Probably the most promising vitamin C spinoff

Each type of vitamin C has its execs and cons. Whereas ascorbic acid is essentially the most researched and efficient one, vitamin C derivatives are extra secure. And among the many naturally derived stabilised varieties obtainable to you, ascorbyl glucoside (AA2G) is likely one of the most promising ones.

Properties

• INCI: Ascorbyl Glucoside
• A secure spinoff of ascorbic acid, produced by an enzymatic course of that mixes ascorbic acid with starch glucose
• White to off-white powder
• Water-soluble
• Efficient at a pH between 5-7, so it’s gentler for delicate pores and skin
• Naturally derived & Ecocert/COSMOS-approved

Advantages

AA2G presents first rate stability and has some scientific backing. Right here’s what we at the moment find out about its results:

• It has higher antioxidant exercise than different vitamin C derivatives, although not as a lot as ascorbic acid
• Research demonstrated AA2G converts into ascorbic acid in each lab (in vitro) and human (in vivo) settings
• It stimulates collagen synthesis in vitro
• It helps scale back UV-induced injury in vitro
• In human trials, it confirmed helpful results when mixed with different high-performance components

Formulation ideas

• Utility dosage: Verify along with your chosen provider as utilization info can differ. Normally, the really useful utilization charges are between 0.1-5 %.
• Formulation recommendation: Ascorbyl glucoside is straightforward to work with. You have to dissolve it in water and modify the answer’s pH earlier than including it to the remainder of the formulation within the cool-down part

Please observe that since this lively is extra secure at a near-neutral pH vary, it is best to choose a preservative that’s efficient at this pH too.

If you need to be taught extra about vitamin C and its completely different varieties, try our unique membership website, the Lab at Formulation Botanica, the place you may discover these components in-depth in our complete vitamin C Mini Lab.

Discover ways to formulate with vitamin C

We hope you loved this put up and located it useful! Vitamin C is a tremendous ingredient with highly effective advantages, however selecting the best kind in your formulation isn’t at all times simple.

Now that you simply perceive the variations between ascorbic acid and its derivatives, you’ll hopefully be capable of make extra knowledgeable choices in your skincare formulations.

Keep in mind, there’s no one-size-fits-all reply – every type of vitamin C has its execs and cons. Whether or not you select pure ascorbic acid or a secure spinoff, the secret is to search out what works finest for you and your formulation.

For those who’d wish to be taught extra about formulating with high-performance components like vitamin C, try our Superior Diploma in Natural Beauty Science, the place you’ll be taught superior strategies and be taught to formulate with superior components.

Alternatively, in the event you’re new to formulation, and aren’t certain the place to start, join our free on-line basis course and see simply how enjoyable and simple it’s to grow to be a pure skincare formulator.

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Jilly Schechter is a Tutor at Formulation Botanica, the place she helps our college students to grow to be higher natural beauty formulators. Jilly lives in Belgium and loves writing tutorials on find out how to make skincare and haircare.