Anti-Aging Benefits of Vitamin C and Retinol
Vitamin C and retinol (vitamin A) are popular ingredients in topical skin care products. They're also essential vitamins to eat regularly throughout your diet. While topical products can target skin issues, skin health reflects internal nutrition - you may need both.
Today's article will explore the anti-aging benefits of vitamin C and retinol and how to use vitamin C and retinol together to optimize skin and overall health. Keep reading to learn more about:
- Anti-aging benefits of vitamin C and retinol
- How to use vitamin C and retinol together
- Liposomal vitamin C supplements
Anti-Aging Benefits of Vitamin C and Retinol
Vitamin C and vitamin A are important nutrients involved in anti-aging processes. Let's look at each.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is well-known as an antioxidant and for its role in immune health. Optimizing vitamin C levels brings many health benefits.
Vitamin C also plays a significant role in skin health. The skin contains high concentrations of vitamin C, which helps protect cells from UV radiation and promotes collagen synthesis. It also decreases melanin production, associated with hyperpigmentation (dark spots common to aging skin). Overall, robust vitamin C levels can help prevent the visible signs of premature aging. (Source 1)
"Overall, robust vitamin C levels can help prevent the visible signs of premature aging."
While topical vitamin C skincare products are widely available and supportive of anti-aging benefits, nutrition is also critical for skin health. A deficiency of vitamin C (scurvy) leads to skin issues, including thinning skin, bleeding gums, and poor wound healing. (Source 1)
Good dietary sources of vitamin C include:
- Bell peppers
- Oranges and citrus fruits
- Kiwi
- Broccoli
- Strawberries
- Brussels sprouts
- Rose hips
- Vitamin C supplements, especially liposomal vitamin C (Source 2)
Retinol
Retinol is an active form of vitamin A and another important anti-aging nutrient. As a topical skincare product, retinol is well-known and researched for its anti-wrinkle and anti-aging benefits. It's also commonly prescribed by dermatologists as an acne treatment. (Source 3)
"As a topical skin care product, retinol is well-known and researched for its anti-wrinkle and anti-aging benefits. It's also commonly prescribed by dermatologists as an acne treatment."
Data from skin imaging and biopsies suggests that topically retinol improves skin structure and hydration by promoting collagen synthesis. Like vitamin C, vitamin A also has antioxidant properties. (Source 4)
As discussed, optimizing nutrition status reflects in skin health, and vitamin A is no exception. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient that you can consume in its active form (retinol) in animal foods like liver, fish, dairy products, and eggs. The body can also convert a small amount of carotenoids, including beta carotene, into retinol. Carotenoids are found in plant foods, including sweet potato, spinach, carrots, and cantaloupe. (Source 5)
How to Use Vitamin C and Retinol Together
Vitamin C and retinol support healthy, younger-looking skin. Both need to be a part of a nutritious diet. Including food sources of vitamin C and A regularly is critical.
"Vitamin C and retinol support healthy, younger-looking skin. Both need to be a part of a nutritious diet. Including food sources of vitamin C and A regularly is critical."
As topical skincare ingredients, you can also use vitamin C and retinol together with some caveats. Retinol may help fade hyperpigmentation by causing dead skin cells to shed faster, which may in turn lead to skin brightening due to cellular exfoliation. Retinol can cause photosensitivity, so experts often recommend retinol products at night and wearing sunscreen the next day. Vitamin C can be used morning and night but most recommend it for morning use.
A couple of double-blind studies explored a product combining vitamin C and retinol in postmenopausal women with aging skin. The studies demonstrated over time the treated group experienced a better collagen distribution and some reversal of skin aging markers. (Source 6)
Liposomal Vitamin C
One of the most effective ways to optimize vitamin C levels in the skin is with an oral liposomal supplement. Liposomal vitamin C delivers vitamin C within a phospholipid sphere, mimicking human cells. This preparation allows better tolerance, absorption, and bioavailability than other vitamin C supplements.
"One of the most effective ways to optimize vitamin C levels in the skin is with an oral liposomal supplement."
Read more about the benefits of liposomal vitamin C in Liposomal Vitamin C Vs. Buffered Vitamin C: Which Should I Take?
Core Med Science offers three liposomal vitamin C options, including:
- Core Med Science Liposomal Vitamin C - Liquid Sunflower Formula
- Core Med Science Liposomal Vitamin C - Softgels
- Core Med Science Liposomal Vitamin C - Capsules
Love your skin from the inside out by optimizing nutrition and utilizing supportive supplements from Core Med Science. Make nutrition the foundation of your skincare routine; topical preparations, including vitamin C and retinol, can be icing on the cake for anti-aging benefits.
References:
- Pullar, J. M., Carr, A. C., & Vissers, M. C. M. (2017). The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients, 9(8), 866. Full text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/FactSheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
- Zasada, M., & Budzisz, E. (2019). Retinoids: active molecules influencing skin structure formation in cosmetic and dermatological treatments. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii, 36(4), 392-397. Full text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6791161/
- Kong, R., Cui, Y., Fisher, G. J., Wang, X., Chen, Y., Schneider, L. M., & Majmudar, G. (2016). A comparative study of the effects of retinol and retinoic acid on histological, molecular, and clinical properties of human skin. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 15(1), 49-57. Abstract: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26578346/
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/
- Seité, S., Bredoux, C., Compan, D., Zucchi, H., Lombard, D., Medaisko, C., & Fourtanier, A. (2005). Histological evaluation of a topically applied retinol-vitamin C combination. Skin pharmacology and physiology, 18(2), 81-87. Abstract: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15767769/