Though far from new, vitamin C (a.k.a. L-ascorbic acid) remains one the buzziest ingredients in skincare. So why the hype? For starters, it’s one of the most powerful topical antioxidants out there, meaning it protects your skin from free radicals and sun damage and keeps it looking youthful. But that’s not all. Vitamin C can also diminish the look of fine lines and brighten up your complexion. “That’s why people call it the glow ingredient,” says Chloe Smith, the Scientific Communications and National Education Lead at SkinCeuticals Canada. “It helps to make the skin tone more even.” 

But not all formulas are created equal—and this superstar ingredient is notoriously tricky. “A lot of products out there say they have vitamin C in them, but having it actually benefit the skin isn’t that easy,” says Dr. Marni Wiseman of Winnipeg’s Skinwise Dermatology. A product that has the wrong pH level, for example, won’t deliver results. 

To make sure you’re getting the most from your investment, we turned to the experts to get the facts straight.

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