The lowdown on one of skincare's hottest ingredients
We met Dr Sutina Nordin, founder and principal aesthetic physician of Enhanze Medical Aesthetic Centre, recently to find out more about vitamin C and its beauty benefits. There are many ingredients essential for maintaining a healthy, clear, smooth skin, and Vitamin C is definitely one of them.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can be derived from various foods such as citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberries as well as kale and cauliflower. It cannot be produced by the body, which is why it's important that we look for its nourishment elsewhere.
"Vitamin C is considered the most potent antioxidant for the skin," declares Dr Sutina. "It protects the skin against environmental stressors especially the UV rays, and prevents free radical damage that can cause collagen and elastin breakdown. Vitamin C also has lightening properties that work with glutathione, and the combination gives a potent lightening effect for the skin."
The amount of vitamin C required varies according to your needs. "If you have hyper-pigmentation, the concentration should be 15-20%. For normal skin, you only need less than 10%," says Dr Sutina
It's recommended to use vitamin C-fortified skincare daily for a more rejuvenated, fresher and youthful-looking skin.
"When it comes to vitamin C-infused skincare products, I tend to look for pure and stable vitamin C and in serum form. My favourite vitamin C serums are from Skin Ceuticals and the ZO Skin Health range by Obagi," said Dr Sutina.
See also: How To Incorporate The Beauty Roller And Gua Sha Stone Into Your Skincare Regime
