Ruling on using vitamin C tablets to make the skin look bright and youthful?

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

There is nothing wrong with changing the colour of the skin from dark to light, using creams or cosmetic preparations and the like, if the change is temporary. But if the changing of the colour of the skin is made permanent, that is not permissible, regardless of whether the way in which it is done is through cosmetic procedures or other methods, because that comes under the heading of changing the creation of Allah, may He be exalted.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on skin whitening creams? Is there anything wrong with them for women?

He (may Allah have mercy on him) replied: If the whitening is permanent, that is not permissible, because this is akin to tattooing and filing the teeth. But if it is whitening the face for a limited period of time, then when it is washed it will disappear, there is nothing wrong with that.(Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb).

He (may Allah have mercy on him) was also asked: Recently there have appeared medicines which make a dark-skinned woman appear lighter. Is using them or similar medicines haraam, in the sense of changing the creation of Allah?

He (may Allah have mercy on him) replied: Yes, it is haraam, if the change in the colour of the skin is a permanent change, because it is akin to tattooing, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed the woman who does tattoos and the woman who has them done.

As for removing a defect, such as if there is a disfiguring black mole on the skin, and the person uses something to remove it, there is nothing wrong with that. …( Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb).

Secondly:

Vitamin C is regarded as one of the most important vitamins that the human body needs to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscles and collagen in the bones.

As the body does not produce vitamin C, the individual needs to obtain it from his diet.

Vitamin C is also available in nutritional supplements that may be taken by mouth. These usually appear in the form of capsules or chewable tablets.

There is nothing wrong with using vitamin C tablets to make the skin look bright and youthful. That does not come under the heading of changing the creation of Allah at all.

The basic principle with regard to using this vitamin C and other foods and medicines is that they are permissible, on condition that they do not contain anything that is harmful to the body. Reference concerning that may be made to specialist doctors.

It is proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said: “There should be neither harm nor reciprocating harm.” Narrated by al-Haakim (2/57-58); he said: it is saheeh according to the conditions of Muslim.

And Allah knows best.