Frequently Asked Questions
Why is vitamin C good for the skin? All the
cells of your body require vitamin C to make connective tissue
and carry out other essential life processes. In addition, the
skin - as the first line of defense against many environmental
assaults - uses up a lot of this vitamin as it protects the
skin's layers from damage by sun, smoke, and aging. Older skin,
in particular, may not get enough vitamin C from the body's
internal blood supply, so it makes sense to apply it topically
to those areas where it can fortify needed antioxidant protection.
How does it act as an antioxidant? Inside the
cells, vitamin C becomes an important means of maintaining the
"reducing state" required to protect against oxidation.
In the body, it rejuvenates several other essential molecules
- including vitamin E, the important fat-soluble antioxidant.
Vitamin C serves as an antioxidant by scavenging free radicals.
These are highly reactive chemical species that are generated
in cells and tissues by sunlight, tobacco smoke, and also many
seemingly normal metabolic processes that involve oxygen from
the atmosphere.
What's different about Ester-C®?
Ester-C®
is a patented, non-acidic form of vitamin C in a complex containing
an essential mineral. The complex also contains metabolites
of vitamin C that have been shown in scientific studies to influence
the cellular uptake of the vitamin. So Ester-C®
is the smartest choice for a topically applied vitamin C. It
won't irritate the skin; ordinary acidic vitamin C (ascorbic
acid) may. It penetrates through the tough epidermal barrier
of the skin; other forms of vitamin C - including many fat-soluble
forms - have not been shown to do so.
How does it get vitamin C directly into the skin without
degrading? Ester-C®
Topical contains the same Ester-C®
mineral ascorbates that have enjoyed great popularity over the
years as oral supplements. It was designed, however, to overcome
the notorious instability of vitamin C in products containing
a lot of water, such as cosmetic creams and lotions. From the
manufacturer's standpoint, Ester-C®
Topical has an extremely long shelf life and offers ease of
formulation because it is compatible with so many cosmetic ingredients.
When creams and lotions are formulated with the Ester-C®
Topical, the vitamin C is protected longer from the deleterious
action of water in the finished product, so the vitamin C has
a longer lifetime in the product. This means that consumers
get the vitamin C they expect from the finished product, so
it can go on the skin as vitamin C, not a degraded product.
Why doesn't ordinary vitamin C last? Ordinary
vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a poor choice to deliver vitamin
C in a cosmetic product because it is acidic and can't be protected
from significant oxidation in the finished product. In most
cosmetics, ordinary vitamin C goes right into the water component,
where it doesn't stand a chance against oxidation and degradation.
Once degraded, it has no more vitamin potency - on or off the
skin.
Where can I buy Ester-C®
Topical? It is available in fine cosmetics sold in
natural food stores. Look for the Ester-C®
logo on the label to be sure you're buying the one topical vitamin
C that lasts - naturally.
Should I also take a vitamin supplement? Yes.
Taking vitamin C orally helps your skin from the inside out,
while Ester-C®
Topical works from the outside in. Vitamin supplements containing
patented Ester-C®
mineral ascorbates are gentle on the stomach and readily absorbed.
