Most of us know that vitamins can work wonders on your skin from the inside. However, many people have yet to realize the benefits of using vitamins on the outside.
Below is a simple guide to aid you through the sometimes daunting maze of vitamin-enriched products, while making sure your skin get its recommended daily allowance of beauty.
VITAMIN A
Greatest skin benefits: Helps with fine lines and wrinkles.
As some have learned the hard way, attempting to hide fine lines and wrinkles behind layers of make up is a losing battle. Better to improve the condition of your skin with products containing retinoids (a class of Vitamin-A derivatives).
Prescription products like Retin-A and Renova utilize Vitamin A derivatives to great effect, but some people’s skin may react with uncomfortable stinging, redness or scaling. Fortunately, “Retinol,” a non-prescription Vitamin-A derivative contained in many over-the-counter products can provide much of the same benefits with less risk of irritation and sun sensitivity. However, due to the lower levels of retinoids in some consumer products, it may take a bit longer to see the desired result.
Our Retinol Skin Smoothing Serum is suitable for not too sensitive skin types. Alternative, you can try our best selling All-in-One Younger Skin Serum if your skin is too sensitive.
VITAMIN B’s
Greatest skin benefits: A healthy glow, moisture retention.
Vitamins B-3 (niacin) and B-5 (pantothenic acid) have become popular additions to skin-care products because of their ability to assist in retaining moisture.
B-3 is a relatively new ingredient on the marketplace but has demonstrated great promise, offering a milder alternative to acidic exfoliators like glycolic and salicylic acid, which some feel is too harsh for their complexions. You can find Vitamin B-3 in our Niacin Complex.
B-5 is a more common skin-care additive, and is widely recognized for its (along with Vitamin E) moisturizing ability. It’s also good for those with sensitive skin, as some creams made with Vitamin-E have been known to cause irritation. Our Peptides Firming Night Crème will provide an amount of Vitamin B-5 necessary for your skin.
VITAMIN C
Greatest skin benefits: Repairs sun damage.
Vitamin C has been one of skin-care’s hot sellers for the past several years due to its proven effectiveness as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are a critical natural defense against “free radicals,” unstable molecules that age the skin as a result of pollution, smoking and sun exposure.
Topical Vitamin C can protect the skin from UV damage caused by prolonged sun exposure by reducing the amount of free radical formation. However, while it can help safeguard against skin damage and reduce discoloration, it should be used in conjunction with, not in place of, a good sunscreen.
Yet another benefit of Vitamin C is its ability to enhance the synthesis of collagen: a critically important skin protein that strengthens structural support and resilience of the skin.
Some of EILEEN MAI®products that contain Vitamin C are: Vitamin C Serum, Vitamin C Night crème, Vitamin C Moisturizer SPF 30, Vitamin C Hand & Body Creme và Vitamin C – Peptides Eye Gel.
VITAMIN E
Greatest skin benefits: Repairs dry, rough skin.
Vitamin-E is another powerful antioxidant that is commonly used in lotions and creams for its moisturizing ability. Though some of the “miraculous” healing claims of Vitamin-E supporters have been exaggerated over the years, it is still widely recognized for its proven ability to help retain moisture in the skin. Most of our beauty products contain Vitamin E to help the skin retain moisture.
VITAMIN K
Greatest skin benefits: Repairs dark, under-eye circles.
Dark circles under your eyes can make you look old beyond your years. And while getting a good night’s sleep is always recommended, topical Vitamin-K is a good additional defense against discoloration under the eyes.
Often used as a treatment for spider veins, topical Vitamin K enters through the pores all the way to the damaged capillary or artery and helps to clot the blood, thus stopping any seepage (often the cause of dark circles) and allowing the tissue to heal itself.
In addition to K, Vitamin-C is also known for its ability to diminish dark circles, and using a product (or products) containing both vitamins is a good bet.
Though a balanced diet, adequate rest and nutritional supplements will greatly benefit your complexion, topical vitamins are an excellent addition to your skin-care regimen. Hopefully, this simple guide will aid you in choosing the right skin-care products for your specific concerns. However, it is always recommended to see your dermatologist when looking for answers to a problem area and to select the best products for your specific skin type.
