Here Are The 4 Skincare Ingredients Proven To Work

2. Vitamin C: The Brightening Powerhouse

Happy relaxed Black girl cleaning facial skin from makeup

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Vitamin C is an antioxidant that offers a multitude of benefits for the skin, but it’s most famous for its ability to brighten dull or uneven skin. It works by neutralizing free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage skin cells and accelerate the aging process. Additionally, vitamin C plays a crucial role in collagen synthesis, which helps keep the skin firm and youthful.

As a brightening agent, vitamin C helps to fade dark spots and eliminate hyperpigmentation, and discoloration caused by sun exposure or acne scars, Healthline notes. With regular use, your complexion can look more even and radiant. It can also reduce the appearance of sagging and protect against environmental damage from the sun.

To get the most out of vitamin C, apply it in the morning as the first step in your skincare routine, followed by sunscreen. Try finding a good cleanser with vitamin C that will help give your skin a jumpstart in the morning. Emma Craythorne, a dermatologist and founder of the bespoke prescription skincare company Klira, suggests cleansing twice a day to remove unwanted build-up, sweat, and pollutants from the skin in the morning and at night.

“The breakdown of those chemicals can cause a stress response in the skin, so it is important to get those things off,” Craythorne told New Scientist. “It is also important because our skin cells [are constantly replaced], otherwise you end up with bits of dead skin stuck to you like a crusty scale.”