Antioxidants and UV: Why vitamin C is your summer shield

With the arrival of sunny days, the application of a high SPF factor (50+) is fortunately becoming an automatic way of protecting the skin from ultraviolet rays. However, from a purely biological point of view, this protection is incomplete. Even the most effective broad-spectrum sunscreens allow only a fraction of UV rays through, enough to trigger the massive production of free radicals at the heart of our cells.

This phenomenon, known as oxidative stress, alters cellular structures, accelerates collagen degradation and promotes the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and pigmentation spots. In 2026, dermatological science agrees on one clear observation: to face up to the summer sun, the combined use of UV filters and a powerful antioxidant is the only effective overall strategy.

Vitamin C: an advanced biological mechanism of action

Unlike sunscreens, which physically absorb or reflect rays back to the skin's surface, vitamin C (or L-ascorbic acid) works from the inside out. As a powerful reducer, it neutralizes free radicals before they can cause irreversible damage to cellular DNA.

What's more, vitamin C plays a key role in summer by inhibiting melanogenesis (the melanin production process). In this way, it regulates the appearance of sun spots and evens out the complexion's radiance, which is often put to the test by exposure to heat and light.

The PERS Protocol: a safe haven for morning protection

To deliver its full shielding effectiveness, vitamin C must be incorporated at the precise moment when the skin is preparing to face environmental aggressors: in the morning.

PERS Vitamin C Serum 10% has been specifically developed to meet this need for stability and high tolerance. Its scientifically-calibrated concentration rapidly penetrates the epidermis to saturate antioxidant reserves.

Our Complet Protocol summer morning routine is as simple as this:

• Protect Step: Apply a few drops of Vitamin C Serum 10% to clean, dry skin to create the first line of antioxidant defense.
• Repair step: Apply your day cream, followed by an SPF50+ sun shield to block direct rays.

Optimized penetration through perfectly prepared skin

For vitamin C molecules to cross the skin barrier effectively in the morning, the skin surface must not be blocked by sebum accumulated during the night or by the thick residue of evening skincare products.

A gentle cleansing in the morning with PERS Cleansing Duo deeply purifies the skin, without ever attacking or drying it out. This complete ritual effectively eliminates sebum accumulated during the night, as well as impurities, while preserving the skin's balance. Free of toxins, skin is left fresh, clear and luminous, ideally prepared to receive subsequent treatments to maximize the absorption and protective action of your serum.

Things to remember

Don't rely solely on your sunscreen to preserve the youthful appearance of your face this summer. By combining Vitamin C Serum 10% with your sun protection factor every morning, you provide your skin barrier with an indispensable double shield against oxidative stress and photoaging. The simplicity of a preventive gesture remains the key to healthy, radiant skin under the sun.

Scientific sources