What Is Vitamin C – And What’s an Antioxidant, Anyway?
We hear about Vitamin C and antioxidants all the time in skincare ads, health supplements, and even in our morning orange juice. But what exactly are they? Are they the same thing? And why do they matter for our health? Let’s break it down.
What is Vitamin C?
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that plays many important roles in the body. It’s found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits (like oranges and lemons), strawberries, kiwi, bell peppers, and broccoli. Your body doesn’t produce vitamin C on its own, so you need to get it from your diet or apply it topically through skincare.
Here’s what vitamin C does:
· Boosts your immune system – Helps your body fight off colds and infections.
· Supports skin health – Aids in collagen production, keeping your skin firm and elastic.
· Speeds up healing – Assists with wound repair and reduces inflammation.
· Enhances iron absorption – Especially from plant-based foods.
· Brightens your skin – One of the most popular benefits in skincare: vitamin C helps fade dark spots, even out skin tone, and give your complexion a radiant glow.
Wait, How Does Vitamin C Brighten Skin?
Vitamin C works as a natural brightening agent by reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation (like dark spots or sun damage) and by inhibiting melanin production in the skin. Over time, it can help your skin look more even, luminous, and refreshed.
This is why it’s a star ingredient in many serums, creams, and masks and why it’s often recommended for dull or uneven skin. So… What’s an Antioxidant? An antioxidant is a substance that protects your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules generated by things like pollution, UV rays, cigarette smoke, and stress. When there's an overload of them, it leads to oxidative stress, which can contribute to premature ageing, inflammation, and chronic diseases. Antioxidants work like a defence team; they help neutralise these free radicals and protect your skin and body from damage.
Is Vitamin C an Antioxidant?
Yes, and a powerful one at that!
Vitamin C is one of the most effective antioxidants available. In skincare, it not only helps defend the skin against environmental stressors like UV and pollution but also brightens and revitalises your complexion in the process.
In other words, it protects while it perfects.
The Bottom Line
Vitamin C is a must-have for your health and your skin. Whether you’re drinking it in your smoothie or applying it in your skincare routine, it’s working hard behind the scenes to:
· Strengthen your immune system
· Boost collagen production
· Brighten and even out your skin tone
· Fight off free radical damage
So go ahead, slice up that orange, or reach for that vitamin C serum. Your body (and your glow) will thank you.
