What Vitamins are Good for Skin? With so many options available on the market, it can be hard to differentiate between what vitamins are good for your skin and what’s simply the latest craze. You should always aim to hit your vitamin and mineral goals through a balanced and varied diet - but sometimes your skin and hair can benefit from a little extra help. Let’s take a look at what vitamins are good for skin health and how you can incorporate them into your daily routine.
Vitamins and Skincare
Vitamins are essential to maintaining healthy skin, whether you absorb them through your diet, additional supplements, or the topical application of skin products. Supplementing specific vitamins can help to target areas of concern you may have with your skin. In this blog we’ll go into detail about some of the different vitamins you can take to support healthy skin, and what vitamins are good for various skin concerns.
Vitamin A: Retinoids and Retinol
Vitamin A variants are commonly referred to as retinoids, and include retinol, retinoic acid, and retinal. It’s an essential nutrient that is important to healthy eyes and your immune system, as well as maintaining your skin. Topical retinoids are often used to counteract the appearance of ageing in the skin by promoting skin cell turnover. This means that they can help with wrinkles, sun damage, and hyperpigmentation, all by stimulating the production of collagen - the protein that keeps skin supple. Vitamin A is mainly found in animal products or leafy greens.
Vitamin C: Antioxidant Powerhouse
Vitamin C can be found naturally throughout your skin and can be boosted by consuming lots of fresh citrus fruits and vegetables. It has antioxidant properties, which can fight off harmful compounds that build up in your body (known as free radicals), and in doing so reduce the risks of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. When it comes to skin, vitamin C can improve the effectiveness of sunscreen and promote healing at a cellular level, keeping skin healthy, glowing and undamaged.
Vitamin E: Nourishing and Moisturising
Also an antioxidant, vitamin E features heavily in a lot of skincare products due to the way in which it strengthens your skin barrier. Vitamin E occurs naturally in sebum, the oil your skin produces, so taking a vitamin E supplement can be a good way to counteract dry skin and the inflammation that comes with it. Vitamin E can be boosted through both supplements and topical application, or ingested through plant oils.
Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide): Soothing and Hydrating
Vitamin B3, also known as niacinamide, is great for helping your skin to lock in moisture. If you have dry skin you’ll understand just how important skin hydration is, but did you know that oily skin can also be caused by lack of moisture? If your skin barrier is weakened and unable to retain moisture, your skin may be producing excess sebum to overcompensate - resulting in oily, shiny skin that actually needs even more moisture. Niacinamide can be found in lots of serums and cleansers, and will help to sooth and balance your skin. B3 can be found in red meat, poultry, nuts and seeds.
Vitamin B5 (Panthenol): Healing and Calming
Also known as pantothenic acid, the vitamin B5 has anti-inflammatory properties and can help to heal minor skin irritation and wounds. If you’re wondering what vitamins are good for skin repair, this vitamin is a good place to start. When used in topical face creams and serums it also acts as a humectant, meaning it attracts moisture to the skin and helps to keep it there, leaving your skin feeling plump and hydrated. One of the great naturally occurring sources of B5 are avocados.
Vitamin D: Sunlight and Skin Health
Vitamin D can be produced by your body through safe (SPF-protected) sun exposure, but for those of us who can’t guarantee regular time spent in the sun there are other ways to up your levels. When it comes to looking at what vitamins are good for skin and hair combined, vitamin D can help to give you a boost in both areas. Not only can vitamin D help you to maintain a healthy scalp, it can help to prevent psoriasis and other skin concerns that may become inflamed. Vitamin D is found in oily fish, so if fish isn’t a regular part of your diet you might want to consider a supplement.
Incorporating vitamins into your skincare routine
There’s no one skincare product that will be able to supplement all of your vitamins while simultaneously suiting your skin’s unique needs. On the other hand, buying a new product for every vitamin can end up costly and convoluted. You might try your hardest to keep a balanced diet, but personal preferences and medical conditions might get in the way of naturally occurring vitamin sources.
These are just some of the reasons why taking vitamin supplements can be so helpful to promoting skin health and maintaining a glowing complexion. If you’ve found our advice on what vitamins are good for your skin to be helpful, why not browse our range of supplements?