Alpha Arbutin Vs. Vitamin C: What Happens If Used Together?

When acne, hyperpigmentation, aging marks etc. makes your skin look dull, certain ingredients can help bring back skin’s health. Luckily, we have plenty of skincare products that come equipped with ingredients that work miraculously, turning skin smooth and even-toned.

In this article, we will talk about alpha arbutin and vitamin C- two most popular skincare ingredients that make skin healthy. Besides, there are many hidden benefits of these two ingredients that ensure you get even-toned and blemish-free skin after a few uses.

Let’s explore the benefits of Arbutin and Vitamin C and how they help make the skin even-toned. By the end of the article, you will learn what happens if alpha arbutin and vitamin C are used together.

Alpha Arbutin and Vitamin C for Even-Toned Skin

Alpha Arbutin

It is a glycosylate hydroquinone derivative (1), extracted from berries like mulberry, cranberry, and bearberry. Often, alpha arbutin is referred to as natural hydroquinone due to the same chemical structure.

Alpha arbutin , when combined with vitamin C, offers plenty of benefits. However, using it alone makes the skin healthy, bright, and light (2). Below are some common advantages of using alpha arbutin-

• Fades dark spots
• Reduces signs of hyperpigmentation
• Protects skin from UV rays
• Prevents sunspots
• Reduce melasma patches
• Even out skin tone

Vitamin C

Most popularly used in different skincare products, vitamin C (3) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and a lot more skin benefitting properties. Whether you eat foods rich in vitamin C or apply skincare products infused with it, in both the cases your skin is going to get healthier and glowing.

A variety of serums, creams, lotions, etc., can be found that are known to offer the benefits of vitamin C. Below are its major advantages-

• Neutralizes free radicals to promote skin health
• Protect skin from pollutants
• Boosts collagen production
• Increases skin firmness and elasticity
• Makes skin youthful
• Even the skin tone by reducing marks and spots

Below is the table differentiating these two ingredients under different heads-

Feature	Alpha arbutin	Vitamin C
Chemical structure	Glucosylated hydroquinone derivative	L-ascorbic acid or its derivatives
Skin types	Suitable for most skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin	Suitable for most skin types, may irritate sensitive skin
Stability	Stable in both water and oil formulations	Can be unstable, prone to oxidation
pH compatibility	Compatible with a wide range of pH levels	Best absorbed in slightly acidic pH (around 3.5)
Usage	Can be used both in the morning and evening skincare routines	Best used in the morning skincare routine and should be followed by sunscreen during the day
Formulations	Found in serums, creams, and lotions	Available in serums, creams, and powders
Synergy with other ingredients	Often combined with other skin-lightening agents like kojic acid or niacinamide	Works synergistically with vitamin E and ferulic acid
Side effects	Rare but may cause irritation, particularly in high concentrations or sensitive skin	Can cause irritation or stinging, especially in high concentrations or sensitive skin
Pregnancy	Considered safe for use during pregnancy	Generally considered safe, but consult a doctor before use during pregnancy
Availability	Widely available in skincare products	Widely available in skincare products

While the use of these two ingredients alone can bring back skin health, lost shine and youthfulness, combining the two can enhance the result manifold.

Often a single ingredient is not powerful enough to get the desired result, therefore using alpha arbutin and vitamin C together can give you astounding results. If you want results soon, you can try using them together and see how it turns out.

Using Alpha Arbutin and Vitamin C Together

As already mentioned, these two ingredients are nature’s miracle, using them together can turn your skin more youthful and glowing. Additionally, using them together is completely safe. Still, a patch test is recommended.

The function of alpha arbutin and vitamin C is depigmenting the skin, making it lighter, brighter and even-toned. When used together, you can achieve the result sooner.

How to Use Alpha-Arbutin and Vitamin C Together?

To reap the maximum benefits of their combination, it is essential to know the correct order to use them. It ensures the right absorption of the active ingredients and thus makes the most of them.

You need to apply vitamin C first, as it is a water-soluble antioxidant. Being water soluble makes it easy to penetrate the skin and protect it from free radical damage. Also, it will brighten the complexion and promote collagen production. All these benefits can be attained only when you allow Vitamin C to be fully absorbed by applying it first.

Next, you can use alpha arbutin, which will fade the dark spots and hyperpigmentation. It is an excellent skin-lightening agent.

Conclusion

The combined effects of alpha arbutin and vitamin C are astonishing. People with hyperpigmentation, dark spots, aging spots, blemishes, and marks can start using these two ingredients together to even tone their skin and get glowing skin.

Besides helping you get a blemish free skin, these ingredients also offer other benefits such as protection from harmful UV rays and environmental pollution. Make sure you use them in the correct order for achieving the results faster.

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