Vitamin C is known for containing powerful properties, with many people often praising it for curing the common cold. Consuming Vitamin C has a variety of health benefits, but applying Vitamin C to your face can yield plenty of anti-aging benefits to your skin. It creates a brighter complexion, evens out your skin tone, improves hydration and diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

How exactly does Vitamin C bring about all of these benefits?
These benefits come from the ascorbic acid in Vitamin C, which creates younger, firmer looking skin. To learn how Vitamin C helps you maintain a youthful glow, it’s important to understand the effects that free radicals, the sun and collagen have on your skin.

Free Radicals: So many of our skin care products protect against them, but what are they? Free radicals are unstable electrons in molecules that are caused by conditions in the environment and even food. They change the composition of healthy cells, and damage our skin cells, which can have visible effects such as wrinkles, sagging and roughness. Vitamin C contains antioxidants, which can interact with free radicals to terminate any vital damage to cells, and combat the effects of aging.

Sun Damage: While we all enjoy soaking up the sun, it can have damaging effects on our skin if we don’t stay protected — and sometimes SPF just isn’t enough. Harmful UVA and UVB rays can eventually create wrinkles. Our Vitamin C Serum strengthens your skin and repels things that can damage it. The powerful serum contains melanin-suppressing properties, which can prevent and fade brown spots caused by the sun. 

Collagen: Collagen is one of the most important components of keeping your skin looking young. Collagen is a connecting tissue that keeps your skin layers together. As you age, you lose collagen, which causes the skin to sink and create wrinkles. The decline of collagen also allows facial expressions and movements to leave marks on our faces. Vitamin C is known to give you younger and firmer skin because it increases and stimulates collagen production to avoid aging in your skin.

MOONESSENCE -  VITAMIN C SERUM
 
While some Vitamin C products may irritate or even burn your skin. OUR VITAMIN C SERUM has been formulated with a blend of ingredients — including fruit extracts from Cranberry, Red Raspberry, and Blueberries. — and Features soothing organic aloe, omega 3 & 6 enriched rosehip oil. 

I am a BIG believer in exfoliating my face.  well,  I am a little obsessed with it to be honest.  There is just something about exfoliating that makes me and my skin feel amazing.  I have been noticing over the past few weeks that my skin has started to become dry, dull, and blotchy in some areas.  Probably has to do with the winter weather. 

As the hand-crafter of MoonEssence products, I have access to everything we make.  I tend to find myself using the same products over and over again which is fine, but every now and then I realize that I can use something different and I find that mixing up the products is actually beneficial to myself and my skin. 

To give you an example of my daily routine:  I use our balancing cleanser on a daily basis for the prevention of black heads and breakouts. I tone and moisturizer with our daily moisture and cocktail that with the vitamin c serum.  Done in 5 minutes.  Recently my skin has been feeling a bit dry, heavy, dull, Then, I realized that it is winter and I need to change up my routine.  Two days ago I was making our exfoliating scrub and after i was done I noticed that my hands were soft, smooth and looked younger.  I went right to bathroom and opened a jar that i just filled and used it.  OMG,  I was amazed after 1 use how my skin looked so much better and that I felt some much better. 

I have always loved our scrub, but having access to all the products I don't always use them all.  It is such a joy sometimes to re-discover my own product and how amazing they are.  Unfortunate, I am now obsessed with exfoliating.  Do I need it to do it every day- NO, what excites me about using every day, is the feeling I have after I exfoliate.  I CAN CONQUER THE WORLD. (once I leave the bathroom).   I boast about the benefits of exfoliating for the skin, but I have discovered that it is not just about the clean fresh skin I have, bu the feeling behind it.  What a mood booster. 

Now, I know what you all are going to say,  You can't exfoliate everyday, it's too harsh for your skin.  that is true, but I have very tough skin and I can handle the daily exfoliating, plus our exfoliating cleanser is so gentle that it can be used on a daily basis.  Although no beauty expert will agree with that.  I know my skin and I know what works for me. 

What are the benefits of exfoliating?

Exfoliation is the removal of dry/dead skin cells on the surface of the skin and is one of the most important aspects of your home skincare routine for face and body.

Exfoliation not only helps many skin problems, it also increases blood circulation, which in turn helps you to achieve healthy and glowing skin. 

If you want to know more specific benefits read below:

Specific Benefits of Exfoliation Blemished Skin
It is important for people with blemished skin to use an exfoliator on the face or body at least twice a week. Some people believe the best way to stop a break-out is to strip the skin, killing bacteria, but, this will also dry out the skin and cause irritation.
We would suggest removing dead cells while keeping the skin clean and hydrating with a good moisturizing cream with SPF – making sure  that you apply the cream with clean hands to prevent bacterial infection and spots.

Post-Breakout, Red and Dark Marks
After having a blemish on the skin there can sometimes be a dark mark left for a while. The best way to fade these dark marks is to exfoliate twice a week to remove those damaged skin cells and encourage new healthy skin tissue to grow through.

Clogged Pores
If you suffer from clogged pores, exfoliation helps to draw out congestion, otherwise known as blackheads and whiteheads. Most common areas for breakouts are the nose, chin and forehead. Remember, twice a week max.

Pigmentation
Pigmentation is the dark areas that come from age, pregnancy and changes in your hormonal balance. These areas tend to become more apparent and darker as the skin ages.
Exfoliation is beneficial for breaking up pigmented cells, encouraging them to fade.

Dry Skin
If your skin is dry or dehydrated, you may find scaly or flaky areas which would benefit hugely from exfoliation. Once you have exfoliated an area of dry skin you should apply a moisturizer to the new skin cells to protect and nourish the skin.

Ingrown Hairs  
When you have your legs or bikini line waxed you are pulling the hair from the root. Although the hair will eventually grow back weaker, it sometimes cannot pierce through the skin and a red spot will appear around the hair. This is an ingrowing hair – Exfoliation the area you will remove dead skin and allow the hair to break through the skin.

General Health and Well Being
When you exfoliate the body you are increasing the blood circulation and lymphatic system which is very beneficial for the body, this helps encourage new skin cells, breaks down fatty tissues, and breaks down and drains toxins from the skin. After exfoliating the skin is left beautifully soft ready to absorb a good moisturizer.

Sun Tanning
Exfoliating dead skin cells from your body is essential for sun tanning and is ideal as a pre-holiday skin boost. By getting rid of dead skin cells the sun will be affecting the new skin cells, which will last longer and leave your tan looking more even. Make sure you moisturize and keep your skin protected safely when tanning, and also hydrated through body moisture lotions with SPF

Fake Tanning
A good tanning regime (whether cream tan or spray tanning) should start with exfoliation. Removing dead skin cells from your body will leave an even and consistent surface to your skin for applying the fake tan. This will ensure your tan looks amazing and lasts longer.

When you think of the spice turmeric, a tasty curry dish might come to mind, but hold that thought! Turmeric is not only delicious: It's also great for your skin.

Turmeric in skincare helps to improve the appearance of problem skin. Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae and is native to Southeast Asia. It’s no surprise that this ingredient has been used for centuries to improve the appearance of skin, however, the science behind why this root is so effective has only recently been explored.