Applying vitamins C and E directly on your skin is a great way to protect yourself from sunburn and prevent photodamage; however you could achieve the same result by taking these vitamins as supplements. According to the studies, you get exactly same effect by taking ascorbic acid and d-alpha-tocopherol, although the dose is quite large – 2,000 for ascorbic acid and 1,000 for vitamin E.
This way you will rule out many potential problems, such as:
– nourishing substances not penetrating your skin, thus not being able to deliver ingredients to the deeper levels of your skin, which means you are basically wasting time and money;
– decreasing potency of the product. Some ingredients lose their potency over time, especially when combined with other ingredients. A product that was effective when it left the factory might become completely useless by the time you purchase it;
– insufficient testing, which is more common than you think. Skin products are not subject to the same strict regulations as pharmaceuticals and can be manufactured and sold with little or no testing.
If any testing is done, it is usually done by manufacturers. Obviously, their research and testing is often biased and doesn’t use high scientific standards.
Hard to believe but true. As usual, education and common sense are the key to success. Avoid sun, eat well, take supplements and use products by reputable brands.