When applied topically to your skin, it can be incredibly effective at retexturizing, restoring radiance and evening skin tone. “Vitamin C is one of my favorite ingredients. It addresses multiple skin concerns and is one of the most effective antioxidants,” says Clinique Derm Pro Dr. Michelle Henry, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. Here's what you need to know about this powerful anti-aging ingredient and how to easily incorporate it into your daily skincare routine.

What are the benefits of vitamin C?
“Daily use of vitamin C is a must to protect the skin from premature aging,” says Dr. Michelle Henry. It's a powerful antioxidant, which means it helps neutralize free radicals on the skin. Free radicals originate from pollution or UV exposure, and they attack your cells, speeding up the aging process that leads to wrinkles, rough skin texture, enlarged pores, and skin dullness, etc.—unless they're intercepted by an antioxidant. That's where vitamin C comes in. It has also been shown that vitamin C helps boost natural collagen and elastin production (which strengthens and plumps up the skin), brighten dark spots and prevent future hyperpigmentation from forming. It’s one of the best vitamins for skin rejuvenation.

Buyer beware: Not all vitamin C is created equal.
The one drawback: vitamin C is a notoriously unstable skincare ingredient, meaning its full potential is easily compromised by the skincare formula and packaging it comes in. The second it is exposed to oxygen or light, it starts to lose its potency. So while you may scan the ingredient list of a skincare product for vitamin C (also known as Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Ascorbyl Glucoside), it's not a sure thing that you're actually getting a powerhouse of a treatment.