A wrinkle in my morning routine

February 10, 2008 10:27 AM

Why is it recommended that you use Topical Vitamin C in the morning and not at night?

I've been using Philosophy's skin care line for the past several months and absolutely love it. I have a little sample sized bottle of Hope and a Prayer, which is their topical vitamin C powder (you mix it in with moisturiser *just* before you put it on your face). The few times that I have used it, I've seen a pretty dramatic difference in my skin. Since I bought it on drugstore.com, I couldn't ask anybody the following (and the lady at Sephora was pretty clueless):

The directions are very specific in saying that you're supposed to do it in the morning, and all other references I've seen regarding the use of topical Vit. C say the same. Why?

Wouldn't it make more sense to have it in your face at night when you don't have makeup over it to kind of muddle it up?

posted by dancinglamb to clothing, beauty, & fashion (16 comments total)

I was looking into topical vitamin C a while back, and what I recall was that since it supposedly also blocks UVA and UVB radiation, using it during the day would give you that benefit as well. Several of the brands I was looking into said you could use it in the morning or at night. I don't think it really matters. I mean, I don't think it's going to mess up your skin or anything, not that I have started using it yet.
posted by Orb at 11:16 AM on February 10, 2008

From the link you provided, it just says to use it once daily, not anything else. I don't expect it matters when, just not more than once per 24-hour period.
posted by macadamiaranch at 11:16 AM on February 10, 2008

From the link you provided, it just says to use it once daily, not anything else. I don't expect it matters when, just not more than once per 24-hour period.

The little paper insert from the box specifies (among other things including how much to use, etc.) that you should apply it in the morning.
posted by dancinglamb at 11:54 AM on February 10, 2008

I think something was explained to you poorly, Orb. I've looked in the medical literature and don't see anything about vitamin C acting as a sunscreening agent. It may reduce oxidative damage, but that doesn't mean it's a replacement for sunscreen.
posted by grouse at 11:56 AM on February 10, 2008

If it's a temporary change then I would assume it's because you want to experience that "pretty dramatic difference" while you're awake and can appreciate it, rather than when you're asleep.
posted by iconomy at 12:08 PM on February 10, 2008

I just did some googling - I've used topical vitamin C before and didn't remember the recommendations of morning use only. Everything I found says once you put it on - it is absorbed quickly and does it's magic for about 3 days - so it really shouldn't matter if you put it on in the morning or not. There does also seem to be some research (one example but I saw the same explanation at the first 5 or so links that came up when googling "topical vitamin c") that it is a mild sunscreen - not enough to protect you fully - but it does add some protection when worn with other sunscreens - which surprised me.
The skinceuticals C serum is recommended for morning and night.
Philosophy has a customer service page. You could always call and ask the source...
posted by Wolfie at 12:34 PM on February 10, 2008

it is a mild sunscreen - not enough to protect you fully - but it does add some protection when worn with other sunscreens

Typically a sunscreen refers to something that either absorbs or reflects UV radiation, unlike vitamin C.
posted by grouse at 12:51 PM on February 10, 2008

Does it stain pillows?
posted by IvyMike at 12:54 PM on February 10, 2008

Does it stain pillows?

It's a white powder (kinda looks like confectioner's sugar) that mixes into white moisturiser that absorbs super fast, so I doubt it would stain the pillow or pillowcase.... Good thought, though.
posted by dancinglamb at 1:11 PM on February 10, 2008

Typically a sunscreen refers to something that either absorbs or reflects UV radiation, unlike vitamin C.

Here are a few PubMed results that suggest vitamin C does actually absorb UV spectra:

• UV photoprotection by combination topical antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin E

We applied antioxidant or vehicle solutions to pig skin daily for 4 days... The combination of 15% L-ascorbic acid and 1% alpha-tocopherol provided significant protection against erythema and sunburn cell formation; either L-ascorbic acid or 1% alpha-tocopherol alone also was protective but the combination was superior.

• Vitamin C abrogates the deleterious effects of UVB radiation on cutaneous immunity by a mechanism that does not depend on TNF-alpha

We found that epicutaneous application of vitamin C (10% L-ascorbic acid solution) abrogated the deleterious effects of acute low-dose UVR...

• Topical vitamin C protects porcine skin from ultraviolet radiation-induced damage

Topical application of vitamin C has been shown to elevate significantly cutaneous levels of this vitamin in pigs, and this correlates with protection of the skin from UVB damage as measured by erythema and sunburn cell formation.

I haven't read the papers in more detail, so I can't comment on the methods or mechanisms proposed, but it does look like that vitamin C can be used to block UV absorption by applying it to the skin. As such, applying it in the morning would make more sense, for use as a UV blocker, which would reduce UV damage and (presumably) wrinkling.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:18 PM on February 10, 2008

Sorry Blazecock, I'm not seeing anything in those papers that implies that topical vitamin C works by absorbing or reflecting UV rather than by acting as an antioxidant. The first paper you refer to says:

Protection by combination L-ascorbic acid [vitamin C] and α-tocopherol [vitamin E] apparently is not a sunscreen effect... L-ascorbic acid does not absorb UV light above 295 nm. Moreover, in our study, application of a 4-fold amount of vitamins C and E before irradiation was no more protective than a single application... if the protective effect were a sunscreen absorption phenomenon, one would expect more protection from more product. [emphasis and bracketed words added]

posted by grouse at 1:37 PM on February 10, 2008

I think it just supplements your sunscreen through its antioxidative effects, rather than acting as a sunscreen itself. It definitely doesn't replace sunscreen! But otherwise, I doubt it matters that much.
posted by granted at 1:46 PM on February 10, 2008

On further reading, you're probably right, grouse.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:40 PM on February 10, 2008

Incidentally, the product that the poster links to, powered ascorbic acid at $35 for 1/4 ounce, is available here at $76.76 for 7 pounds (or $$291.36 for 27 1/2 pounds).

Or (1 * 4 * 16 * 35) = $2240.00 vs. $10.90 vs. $10.59 per pound.
posted by orthogonality at 11:00 PM on February 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

Er, here.
posted by orthogonality at 11:01 PM on February 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

Orthogonality, I'm always up for a good bargain, but this was actually part of a sample kit (so I didn't actually pay $35 for it) :) . It also has copper and zinc in it, so it's not as straight forward as powdered ascorbic acid.

Oh, and the .25 oz will last you well over a year - you use a *tiny* amount to mix in with your moisturizer. So, not sure what I'd do with 7lbs of it in my bathroom...I guess I could use it on my callouses. ;)


I called Philosophy and got this answer:
You can use it at night as long as you're not also using something like Retinol (the H&aP is too strong to mix together). The reason most dermatologists/skin care companies recommend using Vitamin C products in the morning is that they provide "significant" protection against free radicals, which (presumably) you would be most exposed to during the day.
posted by dancinglamb at 3:49 PM on February 11, 2008