Skin Care Journey Part 3 Vit C (L Ascorbic Acid)

Vit C (L Ascorbic Acid)

Claims to lighten skin tone and brighten overall complexion and is proven to be one of the most effective topical skin lighteners out there.


Initially I was a little reluctant to give DIY Vit C a try due to the fact that I felt I was already placing enough products on my skin and did not want to complicate matters by adding another concoction:-) but I am very pleased that I did.

Due to the fact that Vit C oxidizes and becomes unstable and totally ineffective when exposed to sunlight, is the main reason it is so important to make your own serum (which is very easy). OTC serums containing Vit C are not only very expensive but also ineffective once opened and  exposed to the elements.

 Tell tale signs that your Vit C has oxidised is that it will take on a yellow tint.

The benefits of making your own Vit C Serum are:

• Very cost effective
• You can make a fresh batch daily or weekly
• It is always fresh (therefore always effective)
• Very easy to make
• Formula can be adjusted to you personally

How much you make is of course up to you. I choose to make a fresh batch every couple of days but there are others who choose to make enough for a couple of weeks and if that is your choice remember to place it in a dark container and also place container in your bathroom drawer so as to keep it as fresh as possible.

L Ascorbic Acid is applied in the a.m underneath makeup before anything else is placed on the skin. It is a potent antioxidant and helps not only lighten and brighten the skin but also helps sunscreen to do its job so much better. Once it penetrates into the skin it can stay there for up to 72 hours.

I personally found L Ascorbic Acid really does 'brighten' your skin and I noticed a significant improvement in pigmentation due to sun damage within the first week of using it along with my other skin care products which I described in Parts 1 & 2.


DIY Vit C Serum Recipes

Formula needs to be between 10% & 20% to be effective


1. Dissolve 1gram of L-ascorbic acid in 5 ml of water (preferably distilled), in small glass container using a stirrer. Make sure it is fully dissolved before proceeding to next step.
2. Add 5 ml of glycerin and mix.
3. Put in a sealed jar, (not clear glass as this allows light in, and light degrades vitamin C.) Store in cool dry place.

Alternatively, you can also make your own Vitamin C face cream or body lotion (I personally prefer this method)with the following:

Mix 1/8th tsp L Ascorbic Acid with 5 ml distilled water and stir until completely dissolved.

Add the above to 5ml (1 tsp)of your favorite unscented cream or lotion(I choose to mix this with CeraVe moisturizing cream)and remember to only make enough for a maximum of two weeks (preferable one week)so as to maintain the integrity of the Vitamin C.

I purchase my L Ascorbic Acid from http://www.lotioncrafter.com/ascorbic-acid-ultrafine.html it dissolves very easily and shipping is fast.

Update 10/27/11
Recently I have been adding the above recipe to either CeraVe or Cetaphil 'Lotion' rather than the cream as I was finding the cream a little to heavy especially under makeup.The consistency is perfect!

DIY Vit C SERUM PERCENTAGE LINK:
http://careprost-eyelash-growth-serum.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=vYvCSDMBAAA.rXgedMBOjipRj2NaO7GimA.TRzjKLpJSOLBcx9iWQofsQ&postId=7536887937421659488&type=POST