Why Vitamin C is so good for your skin.

It’s well known that Vitamin C boosts your immune system, aiding you in fighting off those winter illnesses. But it’s so much more powerful than that!

Vitamin C is an incredible antioxidant that neutralises free radicals, protecting our cells from the oxidative stress of every day modern living (stress, alcohol, UV exposure and pollution etc).

But how does this relate to skin health? Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen!

As we age, our natural collagen production declines, so we need to boost our vitamin C intake to increase collagen, resulting in firmer youthful skin, healthier joints, cartilage and gut lining.

As an antioxidant, Vitamin C has been shown to protect against UV induced skin damage and photoaging and can assist in reducing pigmentation.

With the exception of guinea pigs and primates, we humans are the only mammals on earth who are incapable of producing our own vitamin C. Crazy huh! So, we have to acquire it through diet and supplementation.

That means, consuming fresh organic fruit and vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C such as citrus fruit, kiwifruit, blackcurrants, strawberries, melon, broccoli, kumara, capsicum, tomato and parsley.

For optimal skin health, supplement with vitamin C encapsulated in liposomes. This ensures the efficient delivery of vitamin C into the bloodstream where it can be properly distributed to cells, instead of simply passing through the digestive system. That’s why Lypo-spheric Vitamin C takes a proud position in my beauty cabinet, next to cleansers and serums; I can hand on heart say that I’ve noticed a difference in my skin firmness since taking this daily – it’s beauty from within.

You can also give your skin a vitamin C boost topically, with this face serum by Rohr Remedy containing Kakadu Plum, as well as Tamarind seed extract which is a natural source of Hyaluronic acid. Kakadu Plums have the highest concentration of vitamin C of any known plant in the world (800 times that of blueberries), and they also contain actives Gallic Acid, Ellagic Acid, and Glycosides which stabilises the high vitamin C content.

Lastly, wear a good quality zinc SPF sunscreen year-round to protect your skin from UV damage. I absolutely adore Josh Rosebrook’s Nutrient Day Cream, it goes onto your skin beautifully, perfect for everyday use.

Photo by Bruna Branco.