When Should You Use Vitamin C Serum: Morning or Night?

Vitamin C is a nutrient found in various fruits, orange juice, and supplements. It's also a popular skincare ingredient—and for good reason.

In topical form, the antioxidant offers numerous complexion perks, from brightening and tightening to protecting against pollution—to name just a few.¹ But to reap these benefits, you should know when to use Vitamin C serum.

Is it better to apply serums and other products containing Vitamin C in the morning or at night? The short answer is potentially both. We'll get to the long answer, too, if you want to nerd out on some skincare science.

Read on for details about what Vitamin C does for skin, how it works, when to use it for best results, and other products or ingredients to pair it with.

What Vitamin C Serum Does for Your Skin

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant used in many skincare products. When applied topically, like with a Vitamin C serum, this ingredient can:^{2 3}

• Brighten and even out skin tone
• Address dark spots and certain types of hyperpigmentation
• Promote collagen production for firmer skin
• Protect against environmental damage
• Help reduce fine lines and wrinkles

Brightens and Evens Out Skin Tone

Vitamin C might be most famous for its brightening effects on the skin—which aligns with its bright, sunny nature and sometimes yellowish-orange color. This can help reduce redness, blotchiness, and skin discoloration while supporting a more even-toned complexion.⁴

Address Dark Spots and Hyperpigmentation

The brightening effect of Vitamin C is also great for addressing hyperpigmentation. Sometimes called melasma, this skin issue can be more prominent after spending time in the sun and might show up as brown patches, dark spots, or even freckles.

As an antioxidant, Vitamin C can help reduce melasma naturally and contribute to healthy-looking, even-toned skin.⁵

Promotes Collagen Production for Firmer Skin

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the skin naturally produces less collagen with age, which can lead to fine lines, crepiness, loss of fullness, and sagging skin.⁶

Along with zinc, copper, and amino acids, Vitamin C is one of the nutrients needed for collagen synthesis (your body's way of creating collagen). So applying it topically might help support collagen production, resulting in firmer skin and a restored skin barrier⁷.

Protects Against Environmental Damage

Vitamin C has also been shown to safeguard the skin from oxidative stress by protecting it from environmental damage. It does this by fighting (neutralizing) free radicals.⁸

Free radicals are unstable molecules you're exposed to in your surrounding environment. Think of cigarette smoke, city pollution, and UV exposure from the sun. They can damage your skin and contribute to signs of aging, but antioxidants like Vitamin C can combat the effects.⁹

Other antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals include Vitamin E, Ferulic Acid, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Turmeric, Green Tea, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K.¹⁰

Helps Reduce Fine Lines and Wrinkles

By supporting collagen production, promoting a strong skin barrier, and fighting damaging free radicals, topical Vitamin C might help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and prevent new ones from forming.^{11 12}

Should You Use Vitamin C Serum in the Morning or Night?

Now that you know why using Vitamin C is beneficial for your skincare routine, let's discuss when to use Vitamin C serum.

Should you apply it in the morning, at night, or both? Keep reading for tips and insight.

Vitamin C Morning Application Benefits

Some people apply Vitamin C skincare products in the morning because they can help defend against free radicals in the environment.

Serums containing ascorbic acid, L-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucoside, or magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (what Vitamin C may be listed as on an ingredients list) are also often lightweight and good to layer under sunscreen. Plus, the UV-protective effects can elevate your SPF.¹³

What's more, Vitamin C helps brighten your complexion and even out your skin tone, creating a nice canvas for makeup. Or if you want to go makeup-free, this hero ingredient can help you feel confident with healthy-looking skin.

Vitamin C Nighttime Application Benefits

If you apply Vitamin C in the morning, does that mean you don't need to use it in the evening? It's fine to use it just once a day, but you can totally use a Vitamin C product as part of your nighttime skincare routine too.

Free radicals don't go to bed, after all—they're still floating around at night. But you may not be exposed to as many when you're asleep inside your home, like direct sunlight or smoky air.

Vitamin C has been shown to minimize inflammation and support skin healing.¹⁴ Incorporating it into a skin flooding routine—layering it with other hydrating products—can further enhance your skin's ability to retain moisture and promote overnight rejuvenation. Your body does a lot of healing during sleep, so an antioxidant-infused serum can help bolster this process, repairing your skin while you get your beauty rest and supporting overnight rejuvenation.¹⁵

How to Incorporate Vitamin C Serum Into Your Routine

If you're sold on the wide range of skin benefits of Vitamin C, you can incorporate this hero ingredient into your daily skincare routine. Whether you use it on its own or in a product that combines Vitamin C with Hyaluronic Acid, you’ll still reap its powerful effects. Several CLEARSTEM products contain Vitamin C, from a cleanser to a serum and even our GOLDENHOUR watermelon facial oil.

Some people might be more sensitive to Vitamin C in skincare than others, especially in higher concentrations. For instance, a serum claiming to be "pure Vitamin C" or those containing more than 20% ascorbic acid might be irritating. Also, a Vitamin C formulation with anything higher than this amount of the active ingredient doesn't seem to offer more Vitamin C benefits.¹⁶

Start slowly, ideally with a Vitamin C product that also contains calming, hydrating, or barrier-strengthening ingredients like Peptides and Hyaluronic Acid.¹⁷ If you experience any redness or stinging, you may want to use it less often. When in doubt, contact a dermatologist.

Knowing When and How to Use Vitamin C for Best Results

Here's what to keep in mind about when to use Vitamin C serum:

• Vitamin C is a popular skincare ingredient with numerous benefits. It's been shown to help brighten the skin, address uneven skin tone, reduce dark spots, and support collagen production—among many other perks.
• The ingredient is found in lots of products. You can get Vitamin C cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer, and even facial oil for gua sha containing this antioxidant.
• It can be applied morning, night, or both. There are advantages to using Vitamin C in the morning, as well as at night. You can even apply it twice a day, as long as the concentration isn't too high. Do what works best for your skin.
• Pair it with complementary products. In the morning, follow Vitamin C serum with sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. At night—and if you have dry skin—you may want to apply a rich, reparative moisturizer after Vitamin C.
• Start slowly to see how your skin reacts. Vitamin C is considered safe for most skin types, but some folks can be more sensitive to it.¹⁸ Start with a small amount of serum once a day and see how your skin responds.

Everyone's skin is different, but certain ingredients are more universally beneficial. Vitamin C is often considered one of them, but check with a dermatology specialist if you have particularly sensitive skin or any specific skin concerns.

If you want peace of mind knowing your skincare products won't cause irritation or contribute to breakouts, our non-comedogenic skincare line is a great place to start. For a moisturizer that works well for all skin types, check out our HYDRAGLOW™ plant stem cell cream.

What are the best vitamins for acne scars, and what skincare ingredients cause acne? Our blogs have answers.

Sources:

¹ Telang P. (2013). Vitamin C in dermatology. Indian Dermatology Online Journal. 4(2): 143-146. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.110593
² Pullar JM, et al. (2017). The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients vol. 9,8 866. doi:10.3390/nu9080866
³ Telang P. (2013). Vitamin C in dermatology. Indian Dermatology Online Journal. 4(2): 143-146. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.110593
⁴ Sarkar R, et al. (2013). Cosmeceuticals for Hyperpigmentation: What is Available? J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 6(1): 4–11. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.110089
⁵ Sarkar R, et al. (2013). Cosmeceuticals for Hyperpigmentation: What is Available? J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 6(1): 4–11. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.110089
⁶ Cleveland Clinic. (2022). What Can Vitamin C Do for Your Skin?. Health Essentials.
⁷ DePhillipo NN, et al. (2018). Efficacy of Vitamin C Supplementation on Collagen Synthesis and Oxidative Stress After Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Systematic Review. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine.
⁸ Al-Niaimi F, et al. (2017). Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. PMID: 29104718; PMCID: PMC5605218
⁹ Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Why You Should Care About Free Radicals. Health Essentials.
¹⁰ Hoang HT, et al. (2021). Natural Antioxidants from Plant Extracts in Skincare Cosmetics: Recent Applications, Challenges and Perspectives. Cosmetics. 8(4):106. doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics8040106
¹¹ Telang P. (2013). Vitamin C in dermatology. Indian Dermatology Online Journal. 4(2): 143-146. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.110593
¹² Cleveland Clinic. (2022). What Can Vitamin C Do for Your Skin?. Health Essentials.
¹³ Al-Niaimi F, et al. (2017). Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. PMID: 29104718; PMCID: PMC5605218
¹⁴ Pullar JM, et al. (2017). The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients vol. 9,8 866. doi:10.3390/nu9080866
¹⁵ Smith TJ, et al. (2018). Impact of sleep restriction on local immune response and skin barrier restoration with and without "multinutrient" nutrition intervention. Journal of applied physiology. 124(1), 190–200. doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00547
¹⁶ Al-Niaimi F, et al. (2017). Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. PMID: 29104718; PMCID: PMC5605218
¹⁷ Cleveland Clinic. (2022). What Can Vitamin C Do for Your Skin?. Health Essentials.
¹⁸ Telang P. (2013). Vitamin C in dermatology. Indian Dermatology Online Journal. 4(2): 143-146. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.110593