Understanding the pH of Stabilized Vitamin C Serum

Thank you for your interest in the new Stabilized Vitamin C Serum (likely Natural-C Glycol™ Serum). It's understandable to be concerned about the low pH range of 2.5-3.

Here's an explanation:

• Why the Low pH? Some forms of Vitamin C, particularly L-Ascorbic Acid (which is the active form in Natural-C Glycol™ Serum), are most stable and effectively absorbed by the skin at a low pH, typically below 3.5. This low pH helps maintain the integrity of the Vitamin C molecule.
• Acidity and Skin: While a low pH can potentially cause irritation for some individuals, it is a necessary condition for the optimal performance of certain Vitamin C types. For finished cosmetic products intended for sale, regulatory bodies like the FDA often require a minimum pH (e.g., at least 3.5), which means manufacturers using such bases would need to adjust the pH accordingly before selling.
• Adjusting pH with TEA: Regarding your question about adding TEA to adjust the pH to 3-4, the manufacturer of the Natural-C Glycol™ Serum base specifically advises against adding other ingredients, including pH adjusters. This is because adding external components can disrupt the carefully balanced formulation and compromise the stability of the Vitamin C in this particular base.
• Other Vitamin C Forms: It's worth noting that other forms of stabilized Vitamin C, such as Ascorbyl Glucoside (AA-2G), have different stability requirements and do need pH adjustment, but typically to a higher range (around 6.5-6.8) for optimal stability, not 3-4.

In summary, while a pH of 2.5-3 is characteristic for the stability and efficacy of the L-Ascorbic Acid in the Natural-C Glycol™ Serum base, the manufacturer recommends against adding ingredients like TEA to this specific base due to potential stability issues. If this base were used to create a finished product for sale, pH adjustment to meet regulatory requirements (like FDA's minimum 3.5) would be necessary, but this base is designed to be used as is or registered as a finished product without further modification by the end-user.