Everywhere we go, we are constantly being told how we need vitamins. We know that they are good for us, but it can be a little hard to keep up with them all! I mean what really is vitamin A? Why do we need vitamin D? On top of that, it seems like a new one is being released every two seconds. What are we on now? With so many vitamins it can be hard to keep track of what does what, so we thought it would be good to create a little shortlist of vitamins and explain to you what benefits they can have for your skin.
Let’s start with that basic question you might have been a little embarrassed to ask:
What is a vitamin?
A vitamin is basically an organic compound and a type of vital nutrient that everybody needs a small amount of. To get a little technical, what separates a vitamin from other types of nutrients is in how a vitamin cannot be ‘synthesised’ (i.e. naturally produced) by the human body in sufficient amounts and so it must be obtained through the diet! On top of this, there are many types that all do a different job. Vitamin requirements also change from person to person, and that’s why a person suffering from a certain health problem might benefit from an increased amount of a specific vitamin!
Okay so now that’s out of the way, we can get to the reason you came!
What vitamins do I need for good skin? Well, it all depends on your skin
Vitamin A – Wrinkles
Vitamin A really is top of the class. It has been proven to reduce wrinkles, fade brown spots and smooth out rough areas of the skin. Derivatives of vitamin A are known as ‘retinoids’ and you may actually already be using them as they are really common in a lot of skin care products, especially those targeted towards aging skin! These creams are actually one of the best ways to give your skin that healthy dose of vitamin A, so head on down to the shops and try and find one! Not always that good with makeup, best to apply these creams to a clean face before bed.
Vitamin B – Redness and rosacea
B vitamins are actually a group of 8 separate water-soluble vitamins and so to get a little more specific, it’s actually vitamin B3 that’s great for targeting redness! Commonly found in heaps of creams and even more commonly, serums, niacinamide — as it’s known on labels — will help to increase production of ceramides and fatty acids. These two key components of your skin’s outer protective barrier allow your skin to keep moisture in and irritants out, meaning that your skin will be kept better protected and become less irritated!
Vitamin C – Dull complexion
This one just might be the most delicious. Vitamin C is your comrade in battle that will mop up chemicals in the body that can make your complexion look dark and unhealthy. It’s a real brightener! Everyone knows that oranges are packed full of vitamin C, but DID YOU KNOW that an average strawberry typically has a higher quantity of vitamin C than the average orange? I know right — pretty shocking! You can even dip them in chocolate if you want of course.
Vitamin E – Dry skin
The E must stand for excellent! Vitamin E is great for adding some moisture to dry skin! It helps your skin to hold onto its natural moisturisers which make it great for people who spend a lot of time in direct sunlight or who are often exposed to harsh, skin-drying chemicals such as those found in cleaning products. Found commonly in high quality sunscreens and after-sun products, with the best containing at least 1%.
Vitamin K – Dark circles under the eye
This one’s for all you party goers out there who sacrifice sleep for a good time. Under the eye bags have been an annoying price to pay for a night of fun, but there might just be a solution! The incredibly fragile capillaries under the eye that allow blood to leak into the skin are the cause of the dark circles under your eyes but vitamin K (seen as phytonadione on the beauty shelves) can help prevent blood clotting and help get it moving away from your eyes.
The best skin specialists know everything there is to know about vitamins and will work to handpick the best ones to help whatever skin problems you’re suffering from. Follow Vaniday for more skincare tips and advice!
