Vitamin C Crystals

One of the most common questions I get asked by customers is, "when is OUMERE going to make a vitamin C serum?" To which my answer always, without faltering, is: Never.

I'm an outsider of the traditional skin care industry because I do not have a background in business, my background is in biology. I am looking at skin care from a biological standpoint, and not from a marketing one. When I look at things from the biological viewpoint, I am primarily concerned with alleviating skin maladies (caused by skin care) and making skin its healthiest using ingredients that are safe, scientific, and effective.

The insouciance towards marketing is the reason why I don't use argan oil in my products. It’s not that argan oil is bad, it’s just not good enough to put in a skin care formula where space is limited and results are important. 

In a previous post on ingredient red flags, I mentioned that the best way to delineate between a true anti-aging skin care company, and one that is just out for your cash (at the additional cost of your skin's health) is to look at the ingredients. If a self-proclaimed anti-aging line contains cytotoxic agents like essential oils, then they are not motivated by consumer health and wellbeing, they are just a marketing company with a product to sell. Furthermore, you as the consumer need to do your research because in order to have a trustworthy line, all of their ingredients in all of their products need to be safe. Therefore, if one product out of 50 in a brand's line contain essential oils, cayenne pepper, or any other damaging ingredients, then the line is not trustworthy and doesn’t deserve your hard-earned money.

I've sat in on quite a few meetings with skin care giants during the process of picking a product, and they are all the same. First, let me tell you what does not happen. What doesn’t happen is a bunch of biologists and associated scientists with profound knowledge on skin care and health pour through countless published studies, weighing the pros and cons of each ingredient, go through countless experiments and human testing, and after several years formulate a product based on their sound results, and then bring it to the head of a company to sign off on.

What really happens is a group of businesspeople, marketers, and advertisers sit in a room, and this panel debates ingredients to put in their latest product based on the trendiest buzzwords and marketable content in the industry at the moment. They send that list of ingredients to a chemist (with likely no knowledge beyond intermediate college biology) who makes a cream/serum/cleanser that contains maybe 1-5% of those ingredients, and 95-99% filler (thickeners, harsh solvents, preservatives, emulsifiers, etc). That chemist is given certain priorities by the higher-ups: feel, smell, appearance. None of which translates to skin health but rather to marketability. That product (and a few alternatives) is taken to the heads of the company, they try it out few out for a few days or a week, send the final pick to mass-production, and then you get your final product on store shelves.

It is for the very reason highlighted above: marketing, scientists with no advanced knowledge of biology but are rather acting as "cooks in the kitchen", and companies driven by sales is why every major brand on the market has a vitamin C serum.

OUMERE doesn't make a vitamin C serum, and here are the reasons why.

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1. Vitamin C serum can and will act as a pro-oxidant, causing skin damage

 

Have you ever noticed that vitamin C serums turn brown after sitting on a shelf for a while? That discoloration happens because the serum oxidizes. Oxidation is a destructive process—similar to how rust forms—and it occurs in all serums containing vitamin C. When you apply an oxidized vitamin C serum to your skin, it can act as a pro-oxidant, causing skin damage rather than providing the antioxidant benefits typically associated with vitamin C.

A pro-oxidant does the opposite of an antioxidant. While antioxidants prevent oxidation and protect cells from free radical damage, pro-oxidants induce oxidative stress. This happens either by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) or by inhibiting the body's antioxidant systems.

Vitamin C, when consumed through food, acts as an antioxidant, donating electrons to prevent oxidation of tissues, lipids, proteins, and DNA. However, this same ability to donate electrons makes it highly reactive, which can lead to unintended consequences. In the presence of catalytic metals, vitamin C reacts with oxygen to produce harmful by-products like hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). This reaction is known as the Fenton Reaction, and it turns vitamin C into a pro-oxidant. It takes only a small amount of vitamin C to act as a pro-oxidant, while a significantly larger amount is required to achieve antioxidant effects.

When vitamin C becomes a pro-oxidant on the skin, the consequences can include:

• Irritation
• Inflammation
• Collagen and elastin breakdown
• Acne or breakouts

In essence, using a vitamin C serum could exacerbate skin issues rather than resolve them.

How to fix the oxidative damage vitamin C serums caused

A majority of customers who have come to us with damaged skin, including acne, redness and bacterial issues had one thing in common: The use of vitamin C serums. 

If your skin has been inflamed from use of vitamin C serums due to their oxidizing effect, the solution is the following:

First,  stop using vitamin C serums.

Give your skin a one week break and then follow an anti-inflammatory skin care regimen.

OUMERE products do not contain any ingredients that would cause oxidation to the skin, which is why our products act as anti-inflammatory agents and have been reported to reduce redness, inflammation and improve the signs of rosacea and other inflammatory skin ailments. 

I advise just using the UV-R serum for a couple days because its high concentration of anti-inflammatory extracts will calm you skin down and reverse the oxidative damage caused by the vitamin C serums. After your skin looks like it has improved, follow the following routine:

AM:

No. 9, (dilute for damaged skin) To rebuild, repair and strengthen skin, including collagen

UV-R for anti-inflammation and hydration. Inflammation breaks down collagen, and use of UV-R protects your body's collagen in the long-term, preserving skin's youthful appearance.

Serum Bioluminelle for balancing skin's oils, anti-aging and locking in hydration, which is key for maintaining skin's structural integrity and preventing damage.

PM:

Oil Dissolution Theory- To cleanse without damaging the skin, and keeping hydration

UV-R for anti-inflammation and hydration

Serum Bioluminelle 

 

 

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2. Vitamin C reacts with common compounds found in cosmetics.

The pro-oxidant activity of vitamin C is further exacerbated by environmental pollutants, metals, and certain cosmetic ingredients. Our skin is constantly exposed to catalytic metals like iron and copper through pollution, water, and even makeup. These metals interact with vitamin C, initiating damaging oxidative reactions.

DTA prevents blood from coagulating, and is used to preserve to laboratory specimens.

• Iron: The Fenton Reaction, involving iron, is a major source of oxidative stress. Iron pollution is present in air and water due to industrialization. According to the FDA, iron is a significant environmental contaminant. When vitamin C serums come into contact with iron in the environment or in water, they create ROS that damage skin cells.

• Copper: Copper, often found in anti-aging products, catalyzes vitamin C oxidation 80 times more efficiently than iron. While copper may have its own benefits, its interaction with vitamin C can amplify skin damage.

• Phosphates and EDTA: Common cosmetic ingredients like EDTA and phosphates often contain trace amounts of iron and copper, further promoting the pro-oxidant effect of vitamin C serums.

These interactions make it nearly impossible to avoid oxidative stress when using vitamin C serums. The combination of environmental exposure and product ingredients creates a perfect storm for skin damage.

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3. VItamin C serums do not make collagen, they deplete it  

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding vitamin C serums is that they increase collagen production. While vitamin C is involved in collagen synthesis, its role is highly specific and occurs only after collagen has already been produced. It acts as a cofactor for enzymes like prolyl hydroxylase and lysyl hydroxylase, which stabilize and shape collagen molecules. However, vitamin C does not signal collagen production or upregulate its synthesis.

To compare: vitamin C’s role in collagen synthesis is like a knife cutting a slice of cake. The knife gives the cake its shape, but it does not create the cake itself. Similarly, vitamin C cannot generate collagen where it is not already being produced.

The Stress Response and Scar Tissue Collagen

There is evidence that vitamin C serums may indirectly trigger the production of collagen—but not the kind you want. When cells are stressed by inflammation or oxidative damage, they can secrete collagen as part of a repair mechanism. However, this collagen is often scar tissue collagen, which is rigid and poorly organized. Over time, excessive scar tissue can lead to rough, aged, and damaged skin.

This stress response disrupts the skin’s natural balance, prevents healthy cell function, and blocks the formation of new, organized collagen. The result? Premature aging and skin that struggles to repair itself.

 

Vitamin C serums appear to be a marketing gimmick

The popularity of vitamin C serums is a testament to the power of viral marketing rather than science. While vitamin C is undeniably important for overall health, its topical application comes with significant limitations:

• It oxidizes quickly, reducing its efficacy.
• It requires specific formulations (low pH) to penetrate the skin barrier, which can cause irritation.
• Its interaction with metals and environmental pollutants can harm skin rather than help it.

In contrast, oral consumption of vitamin C ensures systemic distribution and effective use in collagen synthesis. The skin care industry’s claims about topical vitamin C serums are unsupported by robust scientific evidence and rely on marketing strategies rather than biological reality.

 

What should you do instead?

The best way to preserve and support collagen in your skin is through:

• Healthy lifestyle choices: A balanced diet, hydration, and sun protection are your first lines of defense.
• Gentle skincare routines: Avoid harsh treatments like chemical peels or dermarollers that can accelerate collagen breakdown.
• Evidence-based products: Use products with ingredients scientifically shown to protect the skin, rather than relying on trends.

If you are concerned about collagen loss, daily exfoliation with an appropriate product is a better choice than rolling the dice with vitamin C serums. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, encouraging cell turnover and maintaining a healthy skin barrier.

 

** Bonus **

 

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Vitamin C Serums Cause Acne in Healthy Skin

Read the full article here

 

Follow Up Articles:

 

The Scientific Papers Supporting Vitamin C Serum's Skin Benefits Are Flawed 

 

Why it is Biologically Impossible for Vitamin C Serums to Increase Skin Collagen

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