Your Guide To Skincare Vitamins
Now maybe it’s just me, but vitamins used to just be the thing my mum forced me to take in the morning before school. Fast forward a few (more than I’d care to say) years and now every skincare product seems to be ‘packed full’ of a certain vitamin. It gets a little difficult to keep up and not helped by all the crazy names so I’ve tried to break it down. What vitamins should we really be looking for in our skincare and what do they even do?
Vitamin C
Let’s start with Vitamin C as it seems to be such a hot topic at the moment. In fact, Oskia Skincare and Fourth Ray both just sent me their new Vitamin C products. But what exactly does it do?
Vitamin C is the big daddy - it’s supposed to protect and perfect the skin. The main thing is that it’s an antioxidant - you know how you’re supposed to drink it when you have a cold? That’s why! It gets rid of the nasties and this includes protecting against UV damage and pollutants in the air.
What’s it Called?
You need to look out for Ascorbic Acid (L-ascorbic acid) - a form of vitamin C and how it could be listed in the ingredients of your products.
Benefits
Anti-ageing.
Improves and brightens skin.
Gives skin better sun protection.
Things To Look Out For
Vitamin C can sometimes cause redness and be difficult for those with sensitive skin. I am always a little wary and some products I’ve tried haven’t worked for me. It’s always best to try lower concentrations to begin with and work your way up.
With Vitamin C you also have to be careful how you store it. If it’s exposed to light or oxygen it can lose its effectiveness. This is why the Oskia Skincare capsules are a clever way to keep it effective.
Vitamin C Mist & Elixir from Fourth Ray
Vitamin E
Vitamin C leads us straight into another great vitamin - Vitamin E actually increases the effectiveness of C when they’re used together. A bit like Jay Z and Beyonce, they’re great alone but even better together!
This one is another amazing antioxidant and can be found in many forms in skincare.
What’s it Called?
You might also hear it called tocopherol or tocopheryl acetate.
Benefits
Moisturises.
Strengthens skin barrier.
Improves the appearance of damaged skin.
Things to look out for
It can be an allergen and should not be used for acne prone skin.
BodyShop Vitamin E Overnight Serum
Vitamin A
This lovely one is another that’s full of benefits to stop ageing, give you a glow and smooth out those wrinkles. Amazing.
What’s it Called?
Otherwise known as Retinol.
Benefits
Anti ageing.
Stimulates collegen.
Helps fight acne.
Things to look out for
Retinol decreases the skin’s ability to protect against the sun, so it’s really important you only apply this at night and you wear lots of sunscreen the next day.
Many people find retinol very irritating and can cause redness and even burning. Try out a small area first.
Vitamin B3
This one is great for treating issues such a hyper-pigmentation and smoothing out the texture of your skin for that airbrushed look… well, almost. It’s also supposed to help with maintaining hydration.
What’s it Called?
Otherwise known as Niacinamide.
Benefits
Improve large pores.
Helps with uneven skin tone.
Regulated sebum so helps congestion and reducing breakouts.
Things to look out for
Can cause some problems with sensitive skin.
Vitamin K
Not as well known as the others, Vitamin K can (and I say can, there is a lot of evidence to dispute this) play a role in your skincare routine. Vitamin K is best known (although not very well known at all) for helping that pesky under eye area. Some claim it will heal the skin and help circulation so for bruises, dark area, eczema - vitamin K can help.
What’s it Called?
Could be called Phytonadione in an ingredients list.
Benefits
Could help circulation - allowing skin to heal itself.
Could help get rid of dark under-eye circles.
Can help conditions like eczema.
No known side effects.
Things to look out for
As there has not been much research into Vitamin K in skincare, some feel it’s not that effective on its own and therefore it’s better to use with ingredients such as caffeine or retinol to see real improvements.
Oskia Retinoid Sleep Serum
Vitamin B3 or Niacinamide from The Ordinary