Using Vitamin C Serum: Morning or Evening, and How Often?

You bought a vitamin C serum. It's sitting on your shelf. And then the doubts start. Do I use it in the morning or at night? Every day? Before or after my cream? And can I use it with my other products?

I totally get that doubt. Skincare is sometimes made to sound so complicated. While using a vitamin C serum is actually very simple, once you know what vitamin C does. So I'll explain it to you, step by step.

What does a vitamin C serum do for your skin?

Vitamin C is an antioxidant. On your skin, a vitamin C serum helps your complexion look more radiant and even, and it helps pigmentation spots look less visible. As an antioxidant, it also helps your skin against the effects of sunlight and pollution.

That's why vitamin C fits so well in a morning routine, together with your SPF. Not as a replacement for your sunscreen. But as an extra. Why they need each other, you can read in vitamin C serum and SPF. What vitamin C from the inside, through your food, means for your skin, you can read in vitamin C for your skin: from the inside and the outside. And if you mainly want a calmer, more even complexion, read even skin: how to get an even complexion.

Want to know what to look for when choosing one? Then first read how to recognize the best vitamin C serum.

Vitamin C serum: morning or evening?

Ideally, use your vitamin C serum in the morning. During the day your skin is exposed to sunlight and pollution, and that's exactly when you want that antioxidant on your skin. Always finish with an SPF afterwards.

Can you use it in the evening too? Yes, you can. It's not a mistake. But if you already use another active product in the evening, such as retinol or bakuchiol, keep the morning for vitamin C and the evening for the rest. That gives your skin a break and means you don't have to puzzle it out.

That's how the MKBM routine is built too: the Vitamin C Serum 12% for the morning and the Anti-Aging Face Oil with bakuchiol for the evening. Not sure whether to choose bakuchiol or retinol? I wrote a separate blog about that. And you can read the difference between a serum and a face oil in anti-aging serum or face oil.

How often do you use a vitamin C serum?

Start slowly. If you're new to vitamin C, use it every other day for the first two weeks. If that goes well, build up to every morning.

A serum with 12% vitamin C is a strong percentage. That's great, but your skin needs some time to get used to it. A slight tingling feeling at the beginning is possible. Does your skin turn red, feel burning or start to itch? Then stop and give your skin a rest.

Always test it first on a small patch of skin, for example on the inside of your wrist. Especially if you have sensitive skin.

In which order do you use vitamin C serum?

The rule is simple: from thin to thick. The thinnest product goes on your skin first, the thickest last. That way everything can absorb properly.

First, cleanse your face. Then apply a few drops of vitamin C serum to your clean skin and gently massage it in. Let it absorb for a moment. Then your eye serum, then your day cream and finally your SPF. Makeup can simply go over it. How to turn this into a calm five-minute morning ritual, you can read in radiant skin: my morning ritual in 5 steps.

How much do you need? Three to four drops are enough for your whole face and neck. More is not better. Your skin doesn't absorb more just because you put more on, and a 30 ml bottle will also last nicely long this way. How long exactly, and how long to give a serum a chance, you can read in how long does a serum last.

Do you also use the Coffee Eye Serum? You apply that after your vitamin C serum, around your eyes. Want the whole routine in one go? Then they come together with the face oil in the Glow Up Trio. You can find all serums in MKBM skincare.

What should you watch out for with vitamin C?

Vitamin C is a sensitive ingredient. Light, air and heat make it less stable. So store your serum cool, dark and tightly closed. So not on the windowsill in your bathroom.

Does your serum turn slightly orange after a while? That's normal with vitamin C. If it turns really dark brown, it's time for a new bottle.

Preferably don't use vitamin C in the same step as strong acids, such as AHA or BHA. If you want to use those, do it in the evening.

And look at what else is in it. You really don't need fragrance in a serum. My mother taught me from a young age to never put perfume on my skin. That's why our Vitamin C Serum has no added fragrance.

Your skin doesn't change in a few days. Be patient, be consistent, and don't look in the mirror with a magnifying glass every morning. You can spare yourself that.

Using a vitamin C serum is not a complicated ritual. It's a few drops, every morning, with an SPF over it. That's all you need.

So I'm going to help you. Just start tomorrow morning with that one step.

Discover the MKBM Vitamin C Serum 12% for more radiant and even-looking skin.

Also read: alpha-arbutin for an even skin tone, azelaic acid: what is it and is it right for you? and skincare while traveling.

Frequently asked questions about using vitamin C serum

Can I use vitamin C serum every day?

Yes, once your skin is used to it. Start every other day for the first two weeks and then build up to every morning.

Do I still need to use a cream after vitamin C serum?

Yes. After your serum comes your day cream, and during the day you always finish with an SPF.

Can I combine vitamin C with niacinamide?

Yes, that works perfectly well. The MKBM Vitamin C Serum itself also contains niacinamide and alpha-arbutin in addition to 12% vitamin C.

Can I use vitamin C serum on sensitive skin?

Often yes, if you build up slowly and choose a serum without added fragrance. Test it first on a small patch of skin. If you have skin concerns, consult your GP or dermatologist.

Source: Al-Niaimi F, Chiang NYZ. Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2017. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5605218 (via PubMed)