The benefits of Vitamin C on skin is well studied and clinically proven – its anti-oxidant effect cleans up free radicals from sun and environmental damage, protecting the skin from these stressors, and slowing down the process of skin aging – which in turn improves skin tone, skin texture, and the appearance of blemishes and hyperpigmentation.

Multiple forms of Vitamin C are used in skincare. Ascorbic acid is the original form of Vitamin C, while Ascobyl – or – Ascorbate are the esterified forms, which is essentially a compound added to slow the natural degradation of Ascorbic acid. The benefits of the various forms of Vitamin C are all the same. However, as Ascorbic acid is very unstable and degrade spontaneously, while the esterified forms, while more stable, still degrade over time, and especially when exposed to direct heat or light (notice how most of your Vitamin C products come in dark coloured bottles?), they tend to lose effectiveness over time.

A “second generation” Vitamin C product, or a Vitamin C precursor, that is stable in the bottle, and is converted into Ascorbic acid only when applied to the skin, is the best solution against the intrinsically unstable nature of Vitamin C.

Dr. Felix Li
9 April 2019