How to Use Vitamin C Serum and What to Pair It With: Beginner's Routine | L'Oréal Paris, by L'Oréal Paris USA on YouTube. 4 min 47 s.
- Video length
- 4 min 47 s
- Time to do it
- 5 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and pat your skin dry with a clean towel. Do this first so the serum goes on bare skin.
Dispense 2 to 3 drops of vitamin C serum into your palm. A little goes a long way, so start small and add more only if your skin feels dry.
Press the serum into your face and neck with your fingertips instead of rubbing it in. Let it absorb for about a minute.
Follow with your usual moisturizer to seal the serum in. Smooth it over your face and neck in upward strokes.
Finish with a broad-spectrum SPF in the morning. This is the last step of the routine, not an optional extra.
Skip strong exfoliating acids that same morning if your serum already contains salicylic acid. Doubling up can irritate your skin.
If you want to add a second serum, such as a firming one, apply it after the vitamin C and add only one new active ingredient at a time.
For the eye area, tap a small amount of eye cream under each eye after your serum. Keep it gentle and avoid pulling the skin.
Tips and common mistakes
Patch test a new vitamin C serum on your inner arm for a day before using it on your face.
Store the bottle away from direct sun and close the cap tightly, since vitamin C can lose strength when exposed to light and air.
Use the serum in the morning, not at night, so it sits under your sunscreen.
If your skin stings or turns red, stop and use it every other day until it settles.
Questions
Should I use vitamin C serum in the morning or at night?
Morning works best because the serum goes on right after cleansing and sits under your sunscreen. That keeps the routine simple and gives you daily sun protection on top.
Do I apply vitamin C serum before or after moisturizer?
Apply it before moisturizer. Cleanse, press in the serum, then moisturizer, then broad-spectrum SPF as the final step.
Can I use vitamin C serum with exfoliating acids?
Yes, but not always in the same morning. If your serum already contains salicylic acid, skip extra strong exfoliating acids that day to avoid irritation.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
