Applying Vitamin A (Besides Retin A) after Vitamin C

[Hoping2improve]

Hi Sarah & everyone else,

I am really grateful that I discovered your website last year. I just wished I would have found your site sooner because I purchased a derma-roller from another vender which was expensive ($150) and it went blunt extremely fast (after 2 uses) and caused more harm than good to my skin. I am for certain that those needles were not medical grade steel. Fortunately, I discovered you a little while after doing tons of research on skin needling and I ended up purchasing not only a derma-roller, but a set of single needles, vitamin c, and Infadolan from your site for less than $50 last year. The low price isn’t what drives me…it’s just a perk. It’s your wealth of information supported by medical literature that I love. I really do enjoy the information that is given and I am more cautious on what products that I buy (I do my own research now and don’t get sucked in the hype as much as I use too). I’m sure you hear/read praises about you all of the time, but it is because there aren’t a lot of businesses that will be honest because they want to increase and not jeopardize their profit margin. It’s refreshing to locate a company that appears to have an opposite agenda.

Anyhow, the purpose of this post is to ask about the use of Retin A and vitamin C. I know that Retin A isn’t supposed to be applied right after applying vitamin C, but could different forms of vitamin A be applied such as retinol palmitate or retional acetate (which is more stable in products, but less irritating on the skin) after applying the vitamin C serum first? If not, please give me the reason why not. I remembered locating an acceptable answer, but I can’t find it anymore.

I also have a question about the pure vitamin C. Does it expire? If so, please provide an estimated date because I purchased it in June 2010. I could only locate information that stated that unbuffered, pure vitamin C has an expiration date of at least 2 years, but I wasn’t comfortable with the source.

I would be grateful if anyone with relevant info replied to the questions above. Thanks.

[SarahVaughter]

>It’s your wealth of information supported by medical literature that I love.



  Thank you! Such praise keeps me going.

 



>Anyhow, the purpose of this post is to ask about the use of Retin A and

>vitamin C. I know that Retin A isn’t supposed to be applied right after

>applying vitamin C, but could different forms of vitamin A be applied such

>as retinol palmitate or retional acetate

 

The reason not to apply vit. A cream or any other cream right after applying vit. C serum is because vit. C is water-soluble and it has difficulties penetrating oils.

  If you apply a cream right after vit. C, the cream may prevent vit. C penetration into the skin. (Water and oil do not mix unless you use an emulsifier).

  You can apply any cream after vit. C serum but first wait for the vit. C to be absorbed.

 

>I also have a question about the pure vitamin C. Does it expire?

 

I have just checked the ascorbic acid powder container we're selling and the expiry date is three years from the manufacturing date.

As long as you keep the vit. C cool, dry, dark and in an airtight container (the ziplock bag is airtight), it will last years.

[Hoping2improve]

Thanks for your response.

Regarding the vitamin C, so other forms of vitamin A can be applied during the same time of night. Right? For example, I apply vitamin C first, then I wait 15-30 minutes and apply vitamin A.

I  understand that I should probably just use Retin A on alternate nights of using vitamin C because Retin A  has been shown in scientific studies to have the most skin benefits, but I would like to find an alternative in which I can apply vitamin A & C around  the same time of night. Other forms of vitamin A converts 5 -10 % into Retin A when applied on the skin, which makes it a very weak Retin A, but some benefits is better than none (that's what I am telling myself).

I always figured that I should wait for vitamin c to be absorbed in the skin and I usually wait anywhere from 15 – 30 minutes before applying another product. Is that a sufficient amount of time?

Also, when will your Retin A be back in stock? I have been trying to purchase some just in case I needed it.

[SarahVaughter]

>Regarding the vitamin C, so other forms of vitamin A can be applied during the

>same time of night. Right? For example, I apply vitamin C first, then I wait 15-30

>minutes and apply vitamin A.

   

  Any form of vit. A or any cream can be applied after vit. C as long as you let the vit. C penetrate into the skin first.

   

 

>I always figured that I should wait for vitamin c to be absorbed in the skin and I

>usually wait anywhere from 15 – 30 minutes before applying another product. Is

>that a sufficient amount of time?

 

  Yes, it is sufficient.

>Also, when will your Retin A be back in stock? I have been trying to purchase

>some just in case I needed it.

 

  I hope before the end of January. We're now manufacturing the creams ourselves and that's a major endeavor for us. We don't have the induction sealer out of customs yet.

[Hoping2improve]

You have helped me yet, again. Thanks, Sarah.