What does your current skincare routine look like? With every passing year, it feels like you need to add another scrub, cream or serum to the mix - each concoction promising to feed your skin the essential nutrients to prevent or even reverse ageing.
The truth?
Very few products actually help skin damage. The changes in your skin are a result of hormone status, diet and digestion in addition to environmental conditions like smoking or sunlight. So while these creams might have a helpful effect, they are not the full solution.
It’s lifestyle and what we put into our bodies, and how our bodies process those nutrients that have the biggest impact on our skin. Below, we discuss some of the most important vitamins you can put into your body for a more youthful appearance, and where you can find them.
Which vitamins should you incorporate into your diet? Request a FREE consultation with a health professional here at Skinfresh to find out.
Vitamin A and its effect on your skin
When ingested, vitamin A regulates and controls cellular growth. That makes it great for the upper layer of your skin, helping prevent sun damage by interrupting the process that breaks down collagen.
You can find vitamin A in liver, fatty fish and dairy products. In addition, applying a vitamin A derived cream on the skin in the form of retinoids helps improve wrinkles and skin conditions like acne and rosacea.
Vitamin C and its effect on your skin
Vitamin C accelerates the production of collagen and elastin which provides structure to the skin. It reduces oxidation (damage) and brown pigmentation and helps your skin heal itself. It’s the skin’s super vitamin and therefore great for helping the skin battle ageing. When you have a vitamin C deficiency, you’ll often notice bruising, dry skin or wounds taking a while to heal.
To include more vitamin C into your diet, consider citrus fruits, tomatoes, broccoli and cabbage. If you want to apply vitamin C to your skin, serums work better than creams.
Vitamin E and its effect on your skin
Vitamin E works well alongside vitamin C. It supports the immune system, and is an important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that can help absorb harsh UV energy instead of dissipating quickly, protecting your skin from harsh sun damage.
Food sources of vitamin E include wheat germ oil, vegetable oils or their seeds (like sunflower seeds) and nuts, especially hazelnuts and almonds. You can find topical vitamin E products in the form of cream or oil as it absorbs easily into the skin.
Zinc and its effect on your skin
Zinc is an important mineral for your immune system. It’s needed to keep cell walls stable and for cells to divide and specialise as they grow, helping repair damaged skin. It helps rejuvenate skin, controlling inflammation which can be great for preventing pore clogging that leads to acne. It also helps prevent skin and scalp flaking.
You only need a small amount of zinc each day - that’s why it’s often referred to as a ‘trace-mineral’ - and can be found in chicken, lean beef, chickpeas, fortified cereals or oysters - generally animal foods.
Everyone’s body handles these vitamins and minerals differently, so it’s important to talk to a health professional about what your specific body needs. All Skinfresh professionals are trained in healthy skin nutrition.
