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Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

goodie
Also-called-like-this: Form of Vitamin C, MAP
What-it-does: skin brightening, antioxidant

Details

A form of skincare superstar, Vitamin C. If you do not know, what the big deal about Vitamin C is, click here and read all about it, we will wait here for you. 

So now you know that pure vitamin C (aka ascorbic acid, AA) is really unstable and hard to formulate so the cosmetics industry is coming up with a bunch of derivatives to solve the problem and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (or MAP) is one of them.  

MAP does solve the stability problem: it's stable up to pH 7, so far so good. What is not so good is that, as the great review study about vitamin C derivatives in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology writes, MAP is "at very best, poorly absorbed in comparison to AA." 

Moreover,  derivatives not only have to be absorbed into the skin, they also have to be converted into pure AA. The good news is that in-vitro data shows that MAP does convert, but the bad news is we do not really know if the same is true on real, living human skin. Even if it does, we don't know how good the conversion rate is (but to be fair the same is true for all other derivatives).

Regarding the three magic abilities of pure vitamin C (antioxidant, collagen booster, skin brightener), there is no published data about MAP's antioxidant or photoprotection capabilities. We have better news about the other two things: in-vitro data shows that MAP can boost collagen synthesis similar to AA (though in the case of AA it's proven in-vivo) and even better, MAP is proven to work as a skin brightener in-vivo (on real people). 

Bottom line: when it comes to vitamin C derivatives, MAP is definitely an option. We especially recommend it if you are after skin brightening as this seems to be the strongest point of MAP. 

 

Show me some proof

  • Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Volume 11 (4) – Dec 1, 2012, Stability, transdermal penetration, and cutaneous effects of ascorbic acid and its derivatives

Products with a known amount of Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Other products with Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Alejon Vitamin C Serum Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo Shirojyun Whitening Cream medilann Anti Aging And Lightening Cream 100% Pure Sérum De Noche Multi-Vitamin + Antiox Apis Natural Cosmetics Re-vit C Home Care Apto Skincare Kakadu Plum Serum With 8% Vitamin C Atypical Skincare Glow Getter Daily Serum Beautybio The Daily Intensive Vitamin Cocktail Serum Beautybio The Daily Vitamin C + Antioxidant Day Serum Beyoutiful Vitamin C, Hyaluronic acid, E vitamin serum Circadia Vitamin C Reversal Serum Colo Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum DMK Direct Delivery Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum Dermalogica Map-15 Regenerator Diadermine Lift+ Revitalisierender Vitamin C Booster Dp Dermaceuticals Antioxidant Cocktail Dr. Lili Fan Probiotic All In One Microdermabrasion Kit Fiery Youth Vitamin C 30% Serum Glowbiotics Advanced Vitamin C Brightening Serum Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Shirojyun Cream Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Emulsion (Japan Version) Hado Labo Shirojyun Premium Medicated Whitening Milk Emulsion Hedonia 2% Arbutin + 5% Map Vitamin-c Serum For Pigment Spots JB SkinGuru Lumi La Crème Éclat Lantique Skin Lightening Serum Lavino Tangerine Facewash Le Lab de Beauté Suero Con Vitamina C Le Mieux Vita-C Serum MBK Clinical Skincare Solutions Illuminate Stem Cell Serum Makhai Vitamin C Face Serum Mandulina 15% MAP Vit C + Ferulic Antioxidant Every Day Serum Naked Actives Vitamin C Serum Nuva Skin Vitamin C Serum PHI Cosmetics C2 Maximum Vitamin C Serum PHI Cosmetics Golden Liquid Anti Blue Light Hightech Serum Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Deep Whitening Cream Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion Timeless Hyaluronic Acid Vitamin C Serum Timeless Skin Care Matrixyl 3000 Serum Undefined Beauty R&R Day Serum almost 1.618 15% Vitamin C Natural Monoserum body blitz Vitamin C Day Repair silk naturals Awesome Sauce Anti-oxidant Serum silk naturals Facelift Vitamin C, DMAE & Peptide serum silk naturals Mama's Helper Serum Aizen Elixskin Nutritive Cream Andalou Naturals Brightening Turmeric + C Enlighten Serum Andalou Naturals Turmeric + C Enlighten Serum Christine Valmy Vitamin C Serum ClearChoice Sport Shield