In the same way that you eat certain foods and exercise regularly to stay physically and mentally fit, your skin needs a healthy regimen, too. There are several essential skin care vitamins and nutrients that help your skin achieve peak health. These nutrients promote cell development, growth, and overall skin function. They also help your skin to age gracefully and retain a more youthful appearance.
It is no secret that good skincare starts from the inside out — that’s why proper nutrition is so important. But did you know that your skin is the last organ reached by the nutrients that you consume? This is why it is so important to know what supplemental and topical products, like Vitamin E skin care, complement your skin’s nutrition with the necessary vitamins to absorb and achieve optimal health.
The Best Skin Care Vitamins and Nutrients to Achieve Healthy Skin
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Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a naturally-occurring vitamin that impacts your skin’s health by enhancing collagen, regulating oil (sebum) production, reducing pigmentation, and decreasing redness and inflammation. In short, it helps smooth out skin texture and balance your skin tone.
Vitamin A products, or retinoids/retinol, can be sourced through topical application, diet, or supplementation. Incorporating a Vitamin A product into your skin regimen can help improve large pores, excessive oiliness, blackheads and comedones, active acne, fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and sun damage.
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Vitamin E
Vitamin E, commonly listed on skin care products as Tocopherols, Tocotrienols, or Tocopheryl Acetate, is a natural antioxidant found in unsaturated vegetable oils. It provides outstanding protection for oxygen-sensitive cellular compounds like omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. In skin care, Vitamin E and its derivatives are utilized for replenishing and protecting other skin care vitamins, adding an antioxidant effect to formulas and improving their preservative systems.
This vitamin can be sourced through diet, supplementation, and topical products. Incorporating Vitamin E into your skin care regimen can improve your skin’s moisture retention capacity, cell development, antioxidant effects, free radical scavenger activity, protection of Vitamin A and its derivatives, and stress reduction caused by UV radiation.
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Vitamin K
Vitamin K, also called Phylloquinone, Menaquinones, or Phytonadione (vitamin K1), is commonly found in Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cucumbers, asparagus, and blueberries. This vitamin can be sourced through both diet and topical application.
Vitamin K products help with blood-flow regulation and maintain capillary function within the skin. These skin care vitamins also aid in rapid skin rejuvenation and balancing skin tone. Vitamin K is often used in eye cream formulations as it serves as an effective aid in reducing dark circles and eye puffiness.
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Vitamin C
Like Vitamin E skin care, Vitamin C is another powerful natural antioxidant with the power to shield the skin from free radicals and environmental pollutants. Ideal for those who spend a lot of time outside, it helps boost the skin’s natural UV protection. It also helps with reducing pigmentation (like dark spots) while simultaneously increasing collagen production.
Like other skin care vitamins, Vitamin C can be sourced through diet (oranges, strawberries, kiwis, broccoli), supplementation, or topical application via serums that contain Ferulic acid, which helps stabilize Vitamin C as well as increase skin absorption.
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Protein
Protein is considered one of the building blocks of skin. It contains amino acids that are essential in supporting your body’s collagen and keratin production. It can be sourced in several ways. However, not all protein sources are created equal. “Complete proteins” come from animals and naturally contain all essential amino acids. Plant proteins, on the other hand, are considered “incomplete proteins,” as they do not have complete amino acid profiles. Therefore, vegans and vegetarians must source their “complete protein” skin care vitamins by combining different plant proteins.
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Collagen
Speaking of collagen, this protein derivative is crucial for healthy skin, bone, and tissue structure. As we get older, our bodies begin to produce less collagen, which can result in wrinkles and cartilage issues. Vitamin E skin care also supports collagen from the inside out.
While certain topical products help stimulate collagen synthesis, consuming it orally through diet or supplementation is the best way to source your collagen. Up until recently, collagen could only be sourced through animal products like bone broth, fish, and chicken. As of lately though, more and more vegan alternatives for more skin care vitamins are popping up throughout the market.
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Biotin
Biotin, or Vitamin B7, is a popular “beauty vitamin” associated with healthy skin, hair, and nails. It helps convert your food into usable energy that promotes healthy growth and cell repair. It also synthesizes fatty and amino acids within the body. Biotin is responsible for revitalizing the skin and evening out the complexion while combating free radicals. It helps maintain the skin’s fat production, encouraging plump, hydrated skin that is less prone to early signs of aging.
Biotin deficiencies can manifest in disturbances of the hair, skin, and nails. Excessive biotin can also cause breakouts and problematic skin. Therefore, working with a skin expert to identify the proper dose of skin care vitamins that your skin needs is crucial. Like collagen, biotin works better when ingested rather than through topical application. It can be sourced through supplementation or diet via foods like egg yolks, sweet potatoes, and bananas.
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H2O
While not commonly thought of as a vitamin or nutrient, water has a substantial impact on the body and skin. Proper hydration allows the body to flush out toxins and improve the overall efficiency of anatomical processes. As for the skin, water helps enhance skin texture, reduce acne and inflammation, and improve elasticity and a balanced complexion. The golden standard for proper water intake is about 64-oz. per day.
Feed your skin with well-balanced nutrients both on the inside and outside. Facials and serums keep your skin looking beautiful, but the skin care vitamins you put inside your body also make a huge difference in your skin’s health in the long haul. Knowing what key nutrients your skin needs and making the effort to incorporate them into your regimen can be the right step to add to your regimen for optimal skin health and radiance.
