One of the hottest discoveries in the cosmeceutical industry right now is vitamin C skin care. Also known as ascorbic acid, this antioxidant is said to aide in cell repair and help to stop free radicals. No wonder why vitamin C skin products are all the rage now!

The Discovery of Ascorbic Acid
The process of discovering vitamin C actually took place over the past several centuries. During long voyages at sea in the 15th century, the crew were primarily only given meat and crackers to eat. As a result, they would come down with a disease known as scurvy; it causes bleeding from almost every mucus membrane on the body, discolored pale skin, and both mental and physical deterioration. Meanwhile much of Europe was experiencing a scurvy epidemic during the winter months. Around this time explorer Jacques Cartier made an interesting observation –those who consumed citrus fruits regularly would not get the disease, and it would cure those who already it.

Unfortunately it wasn’t until 1742 that this vitamin C was conclusively linked with scurvy, made by a British doctor named James Lind. He would give the juice from lemons to those with the disease and they would recover. And it wasn’t until just the last decade or two that ascorbic acid skin care has came about.

Heat Destroys Vitamin C
Dr. Lind publicized his discovered in 1753, but it took nearly 50 years for the British navy to start giving fresh citrus fruits to sailors. However, the rest of the world largely ignored this advice for over a hundred years. Why? Because to cut costs, they tried boiling down citrus fruit to carry on board. But that didn’t work so they figured the advice was no good. However it wasn’t until the early 1900’s that we discovered that heat (boiling, cooking, etc) destroys vitamin C. This is why ascorbic acid is now added into various products which have been pasteurized. More and more skin care and anti-wrinkle products now make use of ascorbic acid; vitamin C skin cream, vitamin C skin serum, etc.