Vitamin C is one of the most-searched-for beauty products. No surprise there—the superstar antioxidant can help brighten the complexion, even out skin tone, protect against environmental damage, erase brown spots, and even increase collagen production. There’s just one problem: Vitamin C can lose its potency just by opening the bottle of serum or moisturiser that contains it.
“Vitamin C is very unstable biologically as the molecule oxidises upon exposure to air, heat, or light,” explains dermatologist Dr Sandy Skotnicki. “Once oxidised it is not beneficial to the skin.”
Enter vitamin C powder, a powdered version of vitamin C that has all the above benefits without the instability. You just add the mix-as-you-go ingredient into your favourite serum or moisturiser, and presto!—the powder stays more powerful, lasts longer and supercharges products you already have. Win, win, and win, right?
Yes, on paper the powder is a total prize, but after doing some digging we found some downsides. Here's what you need to know before adding vitamin C powder to your beauty routine:
Concentration
Pro: Many of the powders on the market are 100% pure L-ascorbic acid, a form of vitamin C that is water-soluble. This is way more concentrated than your typical vitamin C serum, which usually contains 10% to 20%.
Con: More isn’t always better. “Vitamin C is not effective in concentrations less than 8% and may be irritating in concentrations over 20%,” says dermatologist Dr Fayne Frey. So if you’re adding powder to a teaspoon of serum, don’t mix in more than 1/5 of a teaspoon of vitamin C.
Mixability
Pro: You can mix vitamin C powder at home into products you already have—“and because you’re already using the product, the risk of irritation or becoming allergic to the product is low,” says dermatologist Dr Elizabeth Tanzi.
Con: Mixing it with your own products could reduce the powder’s potency. “Vitamin C may become inactive with some of the other ingredients you are mixing it with, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the vitamin C,” warns Tanzi, who suggests sticking to products with fewer ingredients. On the flipside, your product could contain ingredients that supercharge vitamin C. One study found that vitamin E and ferulic acid increase vitamin C’s effectiveness eight-fold.
Effectiveness
Pro: The powder is a potential miracle worker for brightening, tightening, and protecting skin.
Con: It can’t work unless it penetrates the skin—and for that you need to pair it with the right pH. “Vitamin C powders need an acidic vehicle to be absorbed and released into the skin and it’s hard to know the pH of your oil or moisturiser,” says Skotnicki. For ideal absorption, the optimal pH is 3 to 3.5.
Texture
Pro: Vitamin C in powder form has the extra benefit of exfoliation. The granular quality can gently remove dead skin cells for a glowing finish.
Con: Adding in vitamin C powder can turn your smooth serum sandy. “The powder usually feels gritty and does not mix well,” warns Skotnicki.
Cost
Pro: You don’t have to drop a fortune to try it for yourself. Sure, some powders on the market don’t come cheap but there are some available on the market for less that $20.
Con: You’ll know quickly if the powder irritates your sensitive skin, but you won’t get anti-aging benefits overnight. “As with any new product, you want to give it about a month before deciding on if it’s working for you,” says Tanzi.
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