(Disclaimer: This applies to all my posts, but particularly for this one. You make not find the topic of skincare interesting, but I do, and if you are too, then welcome to this post.)
VITAMIN C
In 2017, I found the the benefits of topical Vitamin C. I used to associate Vitamin C with orange juice and something you consume as a pill to boost your immune system. But thanks to this new wave of self care in the form of skincare, and sites like Into the Gloss, and brands like Drunk Elephant (which I'll rave more about), information about proper skincare is more easily accessible.
I'm someone that gets a bit of hyper-pigmentation after a blemish or some sort of scab. I love the look and feel of having completely clear pores and skin (I mean who doesn't?). For example, I might be clear of acne (at times), but there is still spots of discoloration from either years or days past. Using Vitamin C in serum form has achieved this for me.
Vitamin C is a highly unstable ingredient. As I understand it, the active ingredient of that carries the benefits of Vitamin C actually comes in a powder form and there's actually different types. To borrow info from Into the Gloss, they state that "Vitamin C sounds simple, but there are actually several different kinds of vitamin C to be aware of. Ascorbic Acid is the most common when it comes to skincare—it absorbs the quickest and has the highest potency when applied topically. Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) is another water-soluble derivative of vitamin C that can be effective in lower concentrations. Then there's Ester-C, a trademarked form of vitamin C that's been amped up with Calcium Ascorbate. This one comes with a lot of claims, but not a whole lot of data backing up. When in doubt, look for Ascorbic Acid. That's really the one you want"
After trying a few mediocre Target and Whole Foods skincare aisle brands, the Ole Henrikson Truth Serum (which smells like oranges), the Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum, and my absolute favorite the Drunk Elephant Vitamin C Serum. I absolutely love this serum for it's effectiveness in brightening my skin. No one likes the smell of the Drunk Elephant Vitamin C serum, but I've really grown to love it because I associate the smell with such positive results. There are a few serums worth mentioning, but I haven't used others long enough to test effectiveness for myself.
Drunk Elephant as a brand is really quite commendable as they have really high standards for which ingredients they use and how those ingredients are sourced, (standards higher than most brands that you find at Sephora or the drugstore). The brand is named "Drunk Elephant" because one of their more common ingredients, Marula Oil, which comes, from the Marula plant found in Africa, is said to "make elephants drunk" when they eat it. Their products are free of toxins. Not to mention, I love all of her other products too. I used these serums in the morning under neath sunscreen, which is what yields to the best results.
Vitamin C also is said to boost collagen levels and fight against free radicals but I have no real way of testing that on myself. I just know that my skin has become significantly brighter. I'm excited to try the Vitamin C powder from The Ordinary because it is so affordable, but it seems kind of complicated to use. Another note is that it is often said that Vitamin C should not be used alongside Niacinamide because they can cancel out one another's potential benefits, but latest research shows that this may not be the case.
VITAMIN D
Last year, Vitamin D also blessed my life. In my "adult" life, I've finally gotten a primary care physician and when I got a blood test, I learned that I'm completely typical or normal, as far as what a blood test can show, except for one glaring thing. She said I was extremely Vitamin D deficient. To which I said, "OK, what does that even mean? Is that even a problem?" It was also surprising because I was living at in Texas at the time, and I thought I was getting a lot of sun. Apparently, I was far below the healthy range I was supposed to be in. I was prescribed a 5000IU daily dose of Vitamin D for three months. Let me tell you. Not to be melodramatic, but that daily dose of Vitamin D changed my life. Maybe I'm a hypochondriac. Maybe it was a type of placebo effect, but taking Vitamin D gave me so much energy and gumption for the day. It gave me mental and physical energy. My mood became super positive and regulated. Life just became brighter and better, and I have no doubt that raising my Vitamin D level helped me receive such an amazing result. I felt like someone as happy as the people you see in stock photos eating salad.
I love finding products or practices that work well for me--it definitely sparks joy! Skincare and holistic health makes me happy, because its a facet of self care. Here's to Vitamins C and D for making my life a bit brighter.