A Guide to Using Vitamin C & Hyaluronic Acid

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Skincare shelves are packed with bold promises, especially when it comes to keeping skin visibly smooth, plump, and bright. With so many “must-have” ingredients, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But when it comes to hydration and visible radiance, two ingredients stand out from the crowd: vitamin C and hyaluronic acid.

Used together, these ingredients can enhance each other’s visible benefits, leaving your skin looking better than ever.

Key takeaways

Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid work better together — one visibly brightens and protects, the other hydrates and plumps for visibly healthier-looking skin.

Always apply vitamin C first, then follow with hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and support skin’s glow.

Using both ingredients can amplify their visible benefits, helping improve the look of dullness, uneven tone, and dehydration.

Clarins offers expertly formulated products that include both ingredients, taking the guesswork out of layering.

Consistency matters — using vitamin C and hyaluronic acid daily can help your skin look more radiant, refreshed, and smooth over time.

What does Hyaluronic Acid do?

Hyaluronic acid is a moisture magnet that can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. When applied to skin, it helps draw in hydration and lock it in, giving skin that fresh, plump look.

Think of it as a go-to ingredient for that healthy-looking glow. While it sounds scientific (because it is), hyaluronic acid is also naturally found in the body, which means your skin already loves it. When used regularly, it helps visibly smooth fine lines caused by dehydration and keeps skin looking like it just stepped out of the spa.

What does vitamin C do?

Vitamin C can help boost your skin if it’s ever looking a little dull or uneven. This antioxidant-rich ingredient helps brighten the appearance of skin, create a visibly smooth texture, and even visibly improve skin tone over time. It also helps defend against visible signs of skin stress caused by environmental factors like pollution and sun exposure.

At Clarins, we can deliver all the potent vitamin C benefits while remaining gentle on skin, giving you all the pluses without any harshness or irritation.

Can you mix hyaluronic acid with vitamin C?

When vitamin C and hyaluronic acid are used together, they can visibly enhance the results of your daily routine. The two ingredients work in harmony, with vitamin C visibly reviving and brightening your skin, while hyaluronic acid retains water to help cushion and hydrate your skin.

Both ingredients are suitable for most skin types and pairing them can help counterbalance the occasional dryness some may feel from a strong vitamin C formula, while hyaluronic acid delivers a silky, refreshing feel on the skin’s surface.

How to layer vitamin C and hyaluronic acid

The best way to use both is to start simple. After cleansing, apply your vitamin C serum first. This allows the antioxidant-rich formula to be absorbed into clean skin, helping prep your complexion for what comes next.

After your vitamin C has had a moment to sink in (about 30–60 seconds), follow with a hyaluronic acid-based serum or moisturizer. This step helps lock in hydration and leaves skin feeling soft, smooth, and refreshed.

To make things even easier, Clarins offers expertly formulated products that can be used separately or in some cases, already combine both ingredients. Our vitamin C skincare collection and hyaluronic acid skincare products are designed by scientists in our Clarins Labs and powered by botanicals to deliver sensorial, visible results.

So yes, you can (and should!) layer hyaluronic acid with vitamin C. When layered properly, they bring out the best in each other and help your skin look radiant, hydrated, and ready for anything.

Finding the perfect blend of hyaluronic acid with vitamin C

When it comes to layering skincare ingredients, what you use matters just as much as how you use it. Instead of DIY-ing your routine, look for formulas that are expertly developed to combine ingredients like vitamin C and hyaluronic acid in just the right balance. At Clarins, our botanically-inspired, science-backed products are crafted to deliver visible results you can see and feel. Shop our vitamin C and hyaluronic acid products today to get products that boost your skin brightening and hydrating routine from a brand you can trust.

FAQs

Can you mix hyaluronic acid with vitamin C?

Yes — hyaluronic acid and vitamin C pair beautifully together in a skincare routine. When combined, they help amplify each other’s visible benefits: vitamin C brightens while hyaluronic acid deeply hydrates and leaves skin feeling smooth and supple.

Hyaluronic acid before or after vitamin C?

Apply vitamin C first, followed by hyaluronic acid. Starting with vitamin C helps prep the skin and deliver antioxidant benefits, while layering hyaluronic acid afterward helps lock in hydration and give your skin that soft, refreshed finish.