The right balance between a good skincare routine and skin nutrition can do wonders to prevent oxidative stress while speeding up cellular repair and renewal.better, healthier, younger-looking skin!
Here’s a list of common vitamins and minerals you can find in skin supplements and how they boost your skin, hair, and nails:
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin from free radicals. A healthy balance between free radicals and antioxidants is necessary to prevent disease and damage. When free radicals outnumber antioxidants in the body it instigates a process called oxidative stress. This is a major player in skin aging!
Vitamin A increases both collagen production and cell renewal. There are two types of vitamin A that are found in the diet —preformed vitamin A found in animal products such as meat, fish, poultry, and dairy, and provitamin A which is found in plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables —beta-carotene.
The B (is for Beautiful) Vitamins are known as the skin vitamins. They offer a myriad of skin health benefits starting with:
B1 (Thiamine)
The first B vitamin ever discovered is known as the 'anti-stress vitamin' because it supports the immune and nervous system. It's also believed to prevent stress-related breakouts, aid in wound healing, and is essential for proper nerve functions.
B2 (Riboflavin)
Riboflavin plays an important role in the structure of your skin. It aids in wound healing, cell renewal, collagen maintenance, and reduces inflammation. It also helps to prevent dehydration in oily skin that leads to excess oil production and improves zinc absorption.
B3 (Niacin)
Possibly the most popular B vitamin, Niacin is a skin-conditioning powerhouse. It treats a variety of skin conditions including acne, eczema, and rosacea. It’s also a useful anti-aging ingredient that targets sun-damage and wrinkles. You may have heard of niacinamide in skincare products, which is a different form of B3.
B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
B5 is a humectant that helps to retain moisture within your skin, improving hydration and elasticity. This has a plumping and smoothing effect on the skin. B5 also helps to reduce the signs of aging.
B6 (Pyridoxine)
B6 is known as the stress buster because of its ability to regulate certain hormones in the body like serotonin —the happy hormone, norepinephrine —a stress hormone, and melatonin —the sleep hormones. Lack of sleep can reduce the skin's ability to renew itself and contribute to dull, tired-looking skin.
B7 (Biotin)
Perhaps the most famous B vitamin, Biotin —also known as vitamin H, is a very popular ingredient in beauty supplements. It keeps your skin moist and plump because it's a major factor in the metabolism of fatty acids (omegas) that protect cells from damage and water loss.
It also supports healthy cell growth —the common denominator with all B vitamins, which strengthens the skin, hair, and nails. A deficiency in B7 can result in slow-growing, dry, brittle hair and nails, and dry, flaky skin.
B9 (Folic Acid)
B9 has anti-aging powers in the form of antioxidants that repair and enhance your skin. Studies show that when combined with creatine and applied topically it promotes cell renewal and fights free radical damage that leads to aging.
B12 (Cobalamin)
Like all the other B vitamins, B12 promotes healthy cell renewal. But this one is also especially beneficial for sensitive skin types that suffer from conditions like psoriasis and eczema due to its anti-inflammatory benefits.
Skin nutrition covers a wide group of macro and micronutrients such as phytonutrients (plant chemicals), healthy fats (omegas), protein (amino acids/collagen), minerals, and vitamins. All backed by science to have nutritional value, including powerful antioxidant benefits for your body.
Some encourage and speed up skin cell renewal and repair, some protect the skin from outside elements, while others help to moisturize and strengthen the structure of your skin, hair, and nails.
Fruit, leafy greens, root veggies, nuts, seeds, protein-rich meat, and oily fish are just some of the foods you need to consume in order to get your daily dose of beauty nutrients. But, who eats like this every day?
Luckily for us, there are a ton of brands that formulate nutrient-rich skin supplements in one handy little capsule, powdered spoonful, or drink.
