It's April and time for renewal, so take advantage of our limited-time Spring Fresh and Fabulous Face offer. This timely special combines a FREE travel size jar of our Face Finishing Moisturizer with a full size jar of Vitamin C Ester Concentrated Restorative Cream. Together, they’re sure to bring you a fabulous new spring-fresh face!

Readers of my books know of my long standing enthusiasm for the ability of alpha lipoic acid and DMAE to help reverse the signs of aging on the face and body, including the delicate eye area.

In today’s newsletter, I would like to introduce you to vitamin C ester—another outstanding nutrient with powerful anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory properties.

An inspiring run in the sun
My first experience with the benefits of topical vitamin C happened somewhat by accident. I had taken a long run one hot August day and suffered a pretty severe sunburn on my face and shoulders.

Knowing of vitamin C’s powerful anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory properties, I decided to try a little experiment. I crushed some vitamin C (ascorbic acid) tablets, added them to water, and applied the mixture to my face. At first it stung, but the discomfort soon subsided and I was able to sleep. In the morning, the burn was definitely better. My vitamin C solution showed potential, but there still was work to be done.

Breaking the vitamin C barrier
Several years later, I returned to the use of vitamin C with a new approach. Because vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is water-soluble it cannot penetrate the surface of the skin, which repels water-soluble substances. In addition, ascorbic acid is irritating to skin and highly unstable, losing its potency in less than 24 hours. I reasoned that the acidity of the ascorbic acid form of vitamin C, and its inability to significantly penetrate skin, were likely to compromise its otherwise impressive anti-inflammatory effects.

These problems with ascorbic acid prompted me to search for a new form of vitamin C—one that would be non-irritating, fat-soluble, and that would retain its strength in skin care preparations. My research found the answer in a substance known as vitamin C ester (ascorbyl palmitate). This gentle, fat-soluble, non-irritating form of vitamin C became the cornerstone of new research endeavors that enabled me to formulate several highly effective treatments.

The story of Shelley provides a good example of the benefits of topical vitamin C ester treatments.

Vitamin C ester restores a youthful look
As I dropped off a chart at the front desk in my office, I noticed an attractive blonde woman in her late thirties sitting in the reception area. She was noticeably anxious.

"That’s Shelly," whispered my office manager. "It looks like she didn’t get here a minute too soon." Even from across the room, I could see that a bright red rash covered her face and neck. There was no need to wonder why she seemed so stressed.

I walked Shelley back to the examination room, and no sooner had we shook hands than Shelley inquired about starting an anti-aging program as soon as possible. To my surprise, she expressed no concern about treating her rash. In fact, she didn’t even mention it! Shelley had recently embarked on a new chapter in her life, and wanted to regain her youthful glow.

Shelley’s natural complexion was the peaches and cream type enjoyed by many natural blondes. But when we met, her skin resembled another fruit—overripe strawberries. Shelley needed some serious help in treating her rash. My first task was to calm her skin and return it to a non-inflammatory state. I discovered that Shelly was using a variety of highly irritating substances on her skin and was overly vigorous with scrubs and exfoliants. The first step was to have her stop all of these treatments and begin a regimen consisting of a gentle Vitamin C Ester Citrus Facial Wash, followed by the application of Vitamin C Ester Concentrated Restorative Cream every night.

Shelley was a prime candidate for treatment with vitamin C ester—and for her, the results were transformative. By halting the abrasive treatments, Shelley was soon rid of her rash. And after a few weeks of daily application of Vitamin C Ester Concentrated Restorative Cream, many of the fine lines on her face had diminished. Her skin, which had a dry, almost papery texture resulting from long hours at the beach, was actually thickening and plumping up again. Her face had taken on a porcelain glow, the hallmark sign of vitamin C ester’s power to rapidly increase the appearance firmness and tone to the skin, thereby refining texture and enhancing radiance.

After a few months of applying Vitamin C Ester Concentrated Restorative Cream at night, Shelley’s skin had improved so much that she no longer needed to wear makeup during the day. To complement this therapy and increase moisture retention, Shelly followed her vitamin C ester treatments by applying Face Finishing Moisturizer with DMAE.

Even people with sensitive skin can safely use this patented vitamin C ester cream at night to help repair the damage inflicted by poor diet and the environment. As always, I recommend the three-tiered approach—follow the anti-inflammatory diet, take targeted nutritional supplements—including vitamin C ester—and apply topical treatments with potent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory properties.

Thank you for reading! As always, I welcome your stories, photos, comments and suggestions.

It's April and time for renewal, so take advantage of our limited-time Spring Fresh and Fabulous Face offer. This timely special combines a FREE travel size jar of our Face Finishing Moisturizer with a full size jar of Vitamin C Ester Concentrated Restorative Cream. Together, they’re sure to bring you a fabulous new spring-fresh face!

In The Acne Prescription, Dr. Perricone describes his breakthough findings—and delivers revolutionary solutions that clear skin quickly while improving overall appearance.