Your body needs vitamins to stay healthy and function properly. The same also applies to your skin. Some vitamins play a key role in maintaining your skin’s health. However, just knowing the vitamins for glowing skin is not enough. You also need to know which one to apply and which one to consume.
Dietary supplements often work well when you are deficient and for this you need to consult a doctor. However, you can prevent deficiency symptoms with a balanced diet. Additionally, adding vitamin-enriched skincare ingredients to your routine ensures your skin is protected from free radical damage. Read on to understand the link between vitamins and skin, and how you can make the most of vitamins (through diet and skincare) to improve your skin’s health.
1. Vitamin A: To prevent aging and acne
If you’re looking to minimize the signs of aging, you might be familiar with retinol. Retinol is a form of vitamin A that is highly effective at reducing the signs of aging. When vitamin A is applied topically and taken with food and other supplements, many skin problems are kept at bay.
How does it help?
According to a study, vitamin A is:
Reduces fine lines and wrinkles.
Boosts collagen production, which increases your skin’s elasticity.
Improves the complexion.
Reduces free radical damage (1).
Prevents acne.
One study found that people with low vitamin A or retinol levels suffered from severe acne and other skin conditions like atopic dermatitis (2).
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Best sources of vitamin A
If you want to increase your vitamin A intake, consume foods like:
sweet potato
butternut squash
spinach
egg yolk
carrots
seafood
paprika
cod liver oil
whole milk
tomatoes
You can also take vitamin A supplements, which are available at the pharmacy. However, it is not advisable to take dietary supplements without consulting a doctor.
For topical use
Retin A, tretinoin, retinol, renova, retinaldehyde – these are all types of vitamin A found in skin creams.
While retinol is readily available as an over-the-counter medication, taking retinoids requires a doctor’s prescription. This is because retinoids are stronger and are not suitable for every skin type. Retinol and the other forms are slightly milder and generally non-irritating.
If you use retinol or similar types of vitamin A, remember that exposure to sunlight reduces its effectiveness. Therefore, it is better to apply it at night. In addition, if you are using it for the first time, do not apply it every day. Use every other day unless otherwise recommended by the dermatologist.
Vitamin A was the first vitamin to be discovered. It was identified in 1913 by Elmer McCollum and Marguerite Davis in Wisconsin and Thomas Osborne and Lafayette Mendel at Yale.
2. Vitamin B3: Used to treat sun damage and pigmentation
While sun exposure will provide you with your daily dose of vitamin D, overexposure to the sun can cause significant damage to your skin. Long term exposure to UVA and UVB rays can cause pigmentation, fine lines and dark spots. Vitamin B3 (also called niacinamide or nicotinamide) can protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s rays.
How does it help?
According to research:
Oral vitamin B3 (also known as niacinamide or nicotinamide) protects your skin from sun damage and may also prevent nonmelanoma skin cancer in high-risk patients (3).
It reduces hyperpigmentation (caused by sun exposure) by preventing the transfer of melanosomes (sites for the synthesis and storage of melanin) from melanocytes (melanin-forming cells) to keratinocytes (skin cells) (4).
It minimizes your skin’s aging process by eliminating fine lines and dark spots caused by excessive UV exposure.
It also improves your skin texture and elasticity.
Best Sources of Vitamin B3
If you eat mostly processed foods, you may be at risk of deficiencies in this important vitamin. Include these foods in your diet and get your daily dose of vitamin B3:
Mushrooms
tuna
Turkey
sunflower seeds
avocado
Green peas
liver
peanuts
Chicken breast
kidney beans
You can also take vitamin B3 supplements after consulting your doctor.
For topical use
You can buy niacinamide powder, mix it with your moisturizer or cream, and apply to your skin apply to your face.
Note that niacinamide is water soluble. Therefore, your moisturizer must be water-based. Otherwise, the vitamin will not mix properly and will be useless.
The best way to use niacin for skin is to make your own moisturizer. Combine aloe vera gel with niacinamide powder and you’re good to go!
3. Vitamin C: To boost your antioxidant levels
This vitamin is mainly found in the epidermis (outer layer of skin) and dermis (inner layer of skin). Vitamin C plays an important role in maintaining skin health and collagen formation.
How does it help?
According to a study published in Nutrients, vitamin C is:
Promotes collagen production in your skin (collagen keeps your skin elastic).
Prevents photodamage from UV rays.
Maintains antioxidant levels in your body.
Prevents aging and reduces the appearance of wrinkles (5).
Vitamin C is transported to the skin via the blood. It keeps your skin hydrated and your hair healthy.
Best Sources of Vitamin C
If you think you’re not getting enough vitamin C from food, you can eat:
Red pepper
guava
strawberries
broccoli
papaya
Peas
Grapefruit
Brussels sprouts
cauliflower
Kale
For topical use
If you want to apply vitamin C topically, it is best to use a cream or moisturizer that contains vitamin C. This is a necessary ingredient found in serums, night creams, and moisturizers.
If you want to go the natural route, you can do a vitamin C scrub by mixing lemon juice with sugar or salt. However, do not use it regularly and dilute it before applying it to your skin.
Also, topical application of vitamin C makes your skin photosensitive. Therefore, if you go out in the sun, don’t forget to put on sunscreen.
Using a DPPH scavenger test, this graph compares the in vitro antioxidant activity of ascorbic acid and honey ascorbic acid derivative (HAAD). The scavenging activity is shown on the Y-axis, while the sample concentrations in g/mL are shown on the X-axis. The graph shows that as the sample concentration increases, so does the percentage of DPPH radical inhibition by HAAD and ascorbic acid. It shows that ascorbic acid has a higher radical scavenging ability at higher concentrations than HAAD at lower ones.
Diagram showing the scavenging activity of DPPH
ascorbic acid
HAAD
0
100
150
200
300
400
0
20
40
60
80
100
concentration
DPPH scavenger activity
Concentration ascorbic acid HAAD
0 0 0
100 26.471 52.34
150 36,337 64,372
200 51,497 70,628
300 55,588 80,254
400 73,877 85,548
Source: Graph showing free radical scavenging activity of DPPH
4. Vitamin E: To prevent dryness
You’ve probably seen “Vitamin E” shining like a bright star on cosmetic product labels. This is because it is widely used for its dermatological benefits. Vitamin E is a free radical scavenger, which means it neutralizes the harmful free radicals and keeps your skin healthy.
How does it help?
A study suggests that vitamin E:
Minimizes damage from harmful UV rays, such as B. Dark spots.
Prevents dryness and keeps your skin nourished.
Reduces oxidative stress and reduces signs of skin aging.
Keeps your skin hydrated.
Reduces skin inflammation (6).
Topical application of vitamin E helps prevent skin disorders, but its effectiveness diminishes with exposure to the sun. Therefore, you need to get enough vitamin E from food.
Best Sources of Vitamin E
You can increase your vitamin E intake by including the following foods in your diet:
almonds
spinach
Kale
hazelnuts
avocado
papaya
Parsley
olives
broccoli
pine nuts
For topical use
Vitamin E capsules are readily available at medical supply stores. You can swallow them whole or squeeze out the liquid (vitamin E oil) and apply to your face and other areas.
Only apply vitamin E oil directly to the skin if you have extremely dry skin or serious skin problems such as psoriasis and eczema. Otherwise, it is better to mix the vitamin E oil (squeeze out about 3 capsules) with a tablespoon of olive oil and then massage this mixture on your face or the area you want to focus on.
5. Vitamin K: Against stubborn dark spots and scars
Vitamin K is best known for helping blood to clot. It plays a crucial role in healing wounds and bruises. It also helps treat various skin conditions and keeps your skin healthy.
