A Vitamin C serum is a integral step in an anti-aging skin care regime. Many of us use a Vitamin C, but the question is are we using the best one and in the best way for our personal skin care goals? There are many products out there, both medical grade and over the counter options, that fall under this category of antioxidants. Consider the following when shopping for your next Vitamin C topical skin care product.

See the C in Your Serum

With any active ingredient with promises of skin improvement, how it is delivered and what formulation it takes, matters. Vitamin C is known to be a more unstable ingredient in a skin care product. The goal for skin care companies is to include high quality, skin-friendly forms of Vitamin C that stays that way for a recommended use-up rate. For example, the Vitamin C serums we sell at clara are packaged in a quantity that should be used in 60 - 90 days. This means the product is fresh and potent for that time period, which results in better outcomes for the client.

Look for Vitamin C in the ingredients listed on the package. clara offers products containing Vitamin C made by Skinceuticals, Revision Skin Care, and our private label skin care - clara by Vanguard. Vitamin C is listed as:

• tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THDA)
• L-Ascorbic Acid

These are offered in various percentages depending on which serum is best for the skin type and skin concerns of the user. The serums may also include targeted ingredients for other concerns such as salicylic acid for reduction of oil oxidation for acne-prone skins (Skinceuticals Silymarin CF) to unique peptides that help reduce excess pigment that results in brown spots (clara by Vanguard's Regenerate moisturizer).

The right Vitamin C serum for you is the one that has the type of Vitamin C, in the right percentage, and the added benefits that are tailored for your unique skin concerns and goals.

The ABC's on How To Layer Products

Well made skin care products are designed to address the areas of the skin where they are meant to do the best work. This means that the order in which you use products should better serve what you are using to achieve the intended results. In simple terms, using products in a particular order does help them work better. 

A - aggressors 

B - balance and benefit

C - comfort and care

Think of it this way, step one in the morning and evening is meant to remove the environmental aggressors, and the products we use to protect us from them (sunscreens), from our skin. This is the cleansing step.

Step two is to balance the skin and add beneficial ingredients back into the skin. pH balancing toners, antioxidant serums, and peptide boosters are all examples of what products are applied next.

Step three is all about comfort. Moisturizers and then protection, in the form of sunscreen in the morning, are the final step. In the evening, products that combine both moisturizer and repairing ingredients, can simplify skin care into fewer steps. An example of a product that does this is clara by Vanguard's own Custom Bright Blend.

A - cleanse

B - toner and serums

C - moisturize/hydrate then SPF (AM) or repair (PM)

Let Us Help 

Vitamin C is a wonderful addition to a life-long skin care system. The known benefits of C are skin brightening, skin texture improvements, brown spot reduction, and smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. It does all this while also providing protection from the skin aging effects of free radicals. If it's time to see what C is right for you, please call us to schedule your free skin care consultation with an expert. 

If you schedule this appointment in November or December, enjoy 15% off your product purchases on the day of your consultation.

clara offers skin care consultations Monday through at our Briargate location. Coming later this year, consultation will also be available at our Vanguard Skin Specialists location on Bass Pro Drive in Colorado Springs.

Call Vanguard Aesthetics at 719-579-5555 to schedule a consultation with the clara skin care consultants.