Best Korean Vitamin C Serums For Acne-Prone Skin:
In the beauty world, there is so much hype around vitamin C. We know vitamin C is amazing and how it helps to disappear wrinkles, fine lines, photoaging, hyperpigmentation, and sunspot and makes the overall appearance of the skin dewy and glowing.
However, does vitamin C help with acne? Is it really effective to get rid of acne? If I use a vitamin C serum, will it irritate my acne? What is the best vitamin C serum for acne-prone skin?
Well, I will answer these questions later. Keep scrolling to find out.
A little bit about my experience:
Vitamin C serum for acne– has always been a controversial topic since I was a teen.
As someone with extremely oily skin with acne on my face-
I heard a lot about how vitamin C is beneficial for acne, acne scars, hyperpigmentation, and the list goes on……
I didn’t want to miss out on these potential benefits, so I researched a lot before putting a random product on my face.
I highly recommend you should do the same.
It’s important to note that there are numerous vitamin C serums available, each with different concentrations, derivatives, and formulations.
Not every serum is suitable for every skin type, so you should be aware of this before purchasing one.
Otherwise, you might end up causing more harm than good.
In this article, I will explain what kind of vitamin C serum is suitable for your acne-prone skin and also explore how we get benefit from it.
And finally, I have listed the best Korean vitamin C serums for acne-prone skin which doesn’t cause any irritation to acne.
Without further delay, let’s get started-
Why Korean Serum:
Because they are always at the forefront of the skincare world and consistently bring high-quality products with perfect formulations so that your skin can get the best of it.
Let’s back to the main topic of the Best Korean vitamin C serum for acne-prone skin
Let’s Meet The Vitamin C Family And Its Members:
Vitamin C is popularly known as L ascorbic acid which is essential for our body and it is a water-soluble vitamin which means it can’t be stored like fats and the human body doesn’t produce it naturally either- you need to consume it daily.
It comes in many forms:
L Ascorbic acid: It’s pure,100% authentic, and one of the most potent and effective among all of its derivatives. When applied to the skin, it immediately starts doing its magic.
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP): This is acne savior. This derivative is the best for acne-prone skin as it has anti-microbial properties that help to suppress acne-causing bacteria. It is also less potent than L-AA means it hardly cause any irritation in the skin.
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP): It is the most stable vitamin C derivative which makes it a savior for sensitive skin.
Ascorbyl Glucoside: It is similar to L-AA.
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD): This derivative has a moisturizing effect, dry skin individuals can find it beneficial.
Is Vitamin C Good For Acne-Prone Skin?
Vitamin C can’t treat acne directly as other proven acne treatments do such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or sulfur.
But it can heal the acne’s nasty byproducts like redness, inflammation, dark spots, and acne scars.
Vitamin C basically helps to treat acne primarily in three ways-
I’ll explain here how it works-
It reduces the appearance of acne-related inflammation: The power of anti-oxidant.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which is a promising treatment option for breakouts.
Topical antioxidants like vitamin C serum directly help to reduce inflammation, and swelling left behind by pimples and lessen the severity of breakouts.
It improves the appearance of acne scars: The power of collagen production.
Collagen, an essential protein in our body, plays an important role in the replacement of dead skin cells and facilitates the growth of new cells, which basically leads to firmer and more supple skin.
By increasing collagen production vitamin C promotes the healing process and elasticity of your skin.
And, by producing collagen synthesis vitamin C help to restore your skin’s appearance post-acne and reduce the severity of acne scars and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation aka PIH.
It reduces the appearance of hyperpigmentation: The power of inhibiting melanin production.
Once acne clears up, it is common for hyperpigmentation to appear.
Hyperpigmentation is a common condition that happens when certain areas of your skin produce an excess amount of melanin,
Which leads to skin discoloration mainly in shades of black or brown color.
By inhibiting melanin production, vitamin C combating this issue! Even it helps to treat those unwanted pigmentations that don’t cause by acne things like sunspots, age spots, melisma, etc.
Now back to the remaining question:
Does Vitamin C Serum Help Acne?
As you can see, using a vitamin C serum may not eliminate acne completely, but it can be beneficial in improving other skin conditions associated with acne.
Will Vitamin C Irritate Acne-Prone Skin?
It’s not that Vitamin C cause breakouts itself but it can be irritating if you are not careful about the application.
Some forms of vitamin C can be more irritating than the others like L ascorbic acid – the purest vitamin C, at a higher concentration of L ascorbic acid, is not compatible with sensitive skin and can show adverse reactions in reactive skin.
yeah, In some cases, vitamin C serum can lead to improvements in acne.
If you have oily, acne-prone, and sensitive prone skin you should consider using Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP), Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP), or Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) instead of L ascorbic acid as they are, more gentle on the skin.
How To Choose The Best Vitamin C For Acne-Prone Skin?
Concentration: As you know that there are various types of vitamin C. Among them, the most biologically active and researched form is L-ascorbic acid.
However, L-ascorbic acid faces difficulties in terms of stability and skin penetration, which means it needs to be formulated in a specific way.
For best results, vitamin C tends to work well when used in concentrations ranging from 8% to 20%.
Using concentrations higher than 20% doesn’t offer any additional benefits and may even lead to increased irritation.
On the other hand, concentrations lower than 8% may not provide significant antioxidant effects.
But one thing to notice is that a lower concentration of vitamin C could still be effective in addressing inflammatory skin conditions like inflammatory cystic acne.
So, finding the right concentration and formulation of vitamin C can be a key factor in its skin-enhancing benefits!
Also, you should look for ingredients too- The serum must be lightweight and noncomedogenic, which means it won’t clog pores. Clogging pores are ultimately the biggest reason for the formation of acne.
So, be careful when choosing the best Korean vitamin C serums for acne-prone skin.
Which Korean vitamin C serum is best for oily Acne-prone skin?
Before you go on……
- Related: Top 10 Acne Mistakes You Are Doing Right Now And How To Fix Them.
- Related: 10 Ways to get rid of oily skin. Everything you need to balance oily skin.
- Related: Top 8 Acne Myths Busted! And How To Fix Them.
- Related: The best Skincare Routine For Acne-Prone Skin (Morning & Night)
- Related: Which Product Is Best For Acne Skin In 2023- Best Product To Get Rid Of Acne.
Best Korean vitamin C serums for acne-prone skin ( My Top Picks)
- Neogen Dermatology Real Vita C Serum
- Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop Serum
- Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum
- Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum
- Seoul Ceuticals Day Glow Serum
Best Korean vitamin C serums for acne-prone skin#1
Neogen Dermatology Real Vita C Serum
This korean serum is a water-based lightweight texture enriched with 10% sodium ascorbyl phosphate, a stabilized source of vitamin C, and 12% vitamin C acerola-plex.
It also has niacinamide which is basically used for sebum control, brightening the appearance of overall skin.
This vitamin C serum produces collagen synthesis that makes the skin firm and supple.
And it’s antioxidant properties protect the skin from oxidative stress.
plus, Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is less irritating and stable that making it ideal for sensitive, oily acne-prone skin.
Best Korean vitamin C serums for acne-prone skin#2
Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop Serum
Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop Serum is hypoallergenic and best-selling Korean vitamin C serum.
It’s no wonder why it is the best seller.
It is formulated with 5% L ascorbic acid. Don’t be fooled by the lower concentration of L-AA.
Studies have shown that vitamin C can be effective in concentrations ranging from as low as 1% all the way up to 20%. So, don’t think that only the higher concentrations in the double digits are the only ones that work!
However, it’s good to keep in mind a general rule of thumb: the higher the concentration, the more likely it is to cause irritation.
One of the things I absolutely love about this serum, especially for acne-prone skin, is its non-comedogenic formulation and water-based consistency – easily absorbed into the skin.
Another fantastic feature of this serum is that it contains Centella Asiatica Extract which works wonders in soothing skin.
Plus, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract has anti-inflammatory properties that make the skin inflammation free.
This vitamin C serum offers antioxidants in the best way while reducing acne scars drastically.
It’s like all the skin-loving ingredients formulated here to make it skin friendly serum.
It is less irritating, stable, and hypoallergenic, so, If you are new to vitamin C serum, you can try this to start with.
Best Korean vitamin C serums for acne-prone skin#3
Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum
Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum is another great Korean vitamin C serum for oily and sensitive skin!
It’s formulated with a blend of essential ingredients like ascorbic acid, sodium hyaluronate liquid, niacinamide, and arginine, along with a variety of plant extracts.
This powerful combination works wonders to brighten and even out your skin.
This non-comedogenic serum has a 5% concentration of L-AA.
I would say, at this concentration, it’s more than sufficient to deliver effective results, especially for those with sensitive skin.
The best part is its lightweight and thin texture that effortlessly sinks into your skin left without a greasy residue.
The power of the gentle yet effective formula of this serum makes it suitable for sensitive, acne-prone skin that not only brightens and firms the skin but also nourishes your skin in the best possible way.
Best Korean vitamin C serums for acne-prone skin#4
Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum
This serum is personally my favorite one due to its lower concentration of L-AA which is about 3% along with other vitamin C derivative sodium ascorbyl phosphate– a less irritating form of vitamin C.
It is also formulated with 75% galactomyces ferment filtrate a brightening and moisturizing agent and some plant extracts within it.
This gentle water-based serum is perfect for acne-prone skin, leaving your skin grease-free, smooth, and supple. Thanks to the sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP).
A study has shown that sodium ascorbyl phosphate has been found to be effective in treating and preventing acne.
Due to being enriched with lots of nourishing and moisturizing ingredients with less percentage of L-AA, this Korean vitamin C serum provides an effective result for sensitive skin too.
If you are new to vitamin C and afraid of the potential irritation of L-AA that might hurt your skin. You can try this one
Best Korean vitamin C serums for acne-prone skin#5
Seoul Ceuticals Day Glow Serum
I’ve chosen this serum as labeled” best Korean vitamin C serums for acne-prone skin“!
This serum stands out because of containing a high concentration of sodium ascorbyl phosphate, which is excellent for targeting acne-related concerns.
As I mentioned earlier, just as small as 1% SAP aka sodium ascorbyl phosphate has a strong antimicrobial effect in treating acne-causing bacteria.
And this serum contains a 20% concentration of SAP a vitamin C derivative –suitable for acne-prone skin.
Apart from treating breakouts, this higher percentage of vitamin C is enough to protect your skin against free radical damage and goes above and beyond to improve the overall appearance of your complexion by combating hyperpigmentation, and dark spots left by annoying acne.
Also, It is packed with soothing ingredients, such as organic aloe extract, Centella Asiatica extract, and horsetail extract to make sure your skin doesn’t freak out.
A big thanks to the SAP (sodium ascorbyl phosphate) for making the journey of acne-prone skin much easier without worrying about potential irritations of vitamin C.
- Check out: Best Korean vitamin C Serums for Brightening & Glowing skin
- Check out: 7 Best Korean Products For Hyperpigmentation.
- Check out: best Korean niacinamide serums
- Check out: 10 Korean moisturizers for oily skin worth your money
Final Thoughts On Best Korean Vitamin C Serum For Acne-Prone Skin
Vitamin C serum indeed offers multiple benefits for the skin. It is known for its anti-aging properties, ability to brighten the complexion, fade hyperpigmentation and dark spots, as well as help reduce the appearance of acne scars.
While vitamin C may not directly get rid of acne, it doesn’t mean you should miss out on all the other amazing benefits it provides. Right? What do you think?
There are clinically proven options available that are specifically for treating your acne, so you can address that concern separately.
Moreover, vitamin C is a powerhouse of antioxidants, working to protect your skin against free radical damage. This can help you achieve a healthier and clearer complexion in the long run.
So, even if you have acne, incorporating a vitamin C serum into your skincare routine can still be beneficial.
Just remember to explore additional treatments that are specifically designed to address acne concerns.
On top of that, the list I shared includes the best Korean vitamin C serums for acne–prone skin offered by trusted Korean brands.
These serums are specifically formulated to take care of acne-prone and sensitive skin.
I carefully selected them based on their lower concentration and gentle formulas, so that they provide effective results without causing any harm or irritation to your skin.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy the post, If you have any questions, please let me know. I will be more than happy to answer them.
[…] 5 Best Korean Vitamin C Serums For Acne-Prone Skin […]