Want Glowing Skin? Eat Your Skincare.

We all know vitamin C is good for immune health — but did you know it can actually change your skin’s structure? A recent study from the University of Otago shows that eating vitamin C–rich foods, like two kiwifruit per day, can increase vitamin C levels in your blood and into all layers of your skin, improving collagen production and supporting skin renewal.

How Vitamin C Works in Your Skin

Vitamin C is essential for several key skin functions:

• Collagen synthesis: Acts as a cofactor for enzymes that stabilize and cross-link collagen fibers, giving skin its firmness and elasticity.
• Antioxidant protection: Neutralizes free radicals that damage skin cells and accelerate aging.
• Skin renewal: Supports repair and turnover of skin tissue, helping maintain structural integrity.

The Otago study confirmed that dietary vitamin C reaches deep skin layers, meaning it’s not just surface-level benefits — your skin’s structure can actually improve.

Food Vitamin C vs. Topical Vitamin C Serum

So how does this compare to slathering on a high-end serum like SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic? Both have strong science behind them, but they work in different ways:

Dietary Vitamin C

• Delivered through the bloodstream to all layers of the skin.
• Supports deep collagen synthesis and skin tissue repair.
• Provides systemic antioxidant support beyond just skin health.

Topical Vitamin C + Ferulic Acid

• Applied directly to the skin surface, stabilizing collagen locally.
• Offers antioxidant protection against UV and free radical damage.
• Clinical trials show improvements in photoaging, pigmentation, and wrinkles. 
• Ferulic acid enhances stability and boosts the antioxidant effect of vitamin C.

Key Takeaway: Dietary vitamin C strengthens skin from the inside, while topical vitamin C protects and improves the visible surface. Using both together offers a complementary, science-backed approach.

Practical Tips for Skin Health

• Eat vitamin C–rich foods: Kiwifruit, citrus, berries, bell peppers, broccoli. Two kiwifruit per day is what the study used to achieve measurable skin benefits.
• Choose a stable topical serum: Look for formulations combining vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid for best photoprotection.
• Combine approaches: Eating well and applying topical antioxidants targets both deep structural health and surface appearance, giving your skin the most comprehensive support.

The Bottom Line

Vitamin C isn’t just a quick fix or a trend. Science shows that:

• Dietary vitamin C can integrate into skin tissue, boosting collagen and supporting skin renewal.
• Topical vitamin C serums with ferulic acid protect against environmental stress and improve visible signs of aging.
• Together, they offer a synergistic, evidence-based approach for healthier, more resilient skin.

Bottom line: feed your skin from the inside, protect it from the outside, and you’ll give it every advantage supported by science.