The Main Vitamins and Minerals for Healthy Skin

Vitamins and antioxidants are beneficial for our body that needs complete nutrition to promote healthy skin.
Find out which is best for you according to your skin type!

Vitamin A

When your vitamin A level drops, your hair becomes brittle, your skin dries out easier and starts to peel - vitamin A deficiency can also cause acne. Vitamin A acts as an antioxidant to neutralize harmful elements in our skin, helping to prevent wrinkles, acne as it help reduce sebum production, also repairs sun damage and keep our skin youthful. Liver, milk, egg-yolk, carrots, dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, watercress, broccoli and yellow fruits are high in vitamin A. Retin A based creams - a twisted form of the vitamin A molecule - are highly recommended by dermatologists to treat acne, dark circles and to reduce expression wrinkles, liver spots and sun damage.

Please note that it's potentially dangerous to take a Vitamin A in the form of a supplement without the supervision of your doctor, as it is stored in the liver and an excess can cause severe liver damage. Also that Vitamin A supplements taken while a woman is pregnant may lead to birth defects.

Recommended products
Philosophy Help Me Nighttime Skin Care Treatment ($45.00)
Satura Moisture Cream with Vitamin A by Dorothy Gray ($19.95)

Vitamin B Complex

Another nutrient that seems to be perfect 'skin food' is biotin, a member of the vitamin B complex (also known as vitamin H).
You may have seen "Hair, Skin, Nail" supplements on store shelves - they contain high levels of biotin. A deficiency of this vitamin causes, dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), loss of hair and brittle nails.
Biotin-rich foods include cheese, milk, nuts, soybeans, cauliflower, corn, green peas, lentils, mushroom, meat, fish, eggs, peanut butter, poultry, wholegrain foods (especially oats) and liver.
The body also manufactures its own biotin, through bacteria in the intestines.

Recommended products
Phyto Phytophanere Dietary Supplement Hair and Nails ($50.00)
Topical B Complex Face and Body Moisture Cream ($29.95)

Vitamin C

Vitamin C - another 'super vitamin' - should be in the form of L-ascorbic acid to be useful and effective to the skin. Studies reveal that vitamin C can stay in the skin for up to seventy-two hours, if it is applied on the skin once. Vitamin C based cosmetics that contain L-ascorbic acid - the most stable form of this vitamin that penetrates skin layers, increases collagen synthesis, provides UV protection and neutralizes free radicals. This natural skin care ingredient can also help in healing of minor cuts and wounds.

Do remember that when a label says "vitamin C" on the natural skin care products does not mean that it contains L-ascorbic acid - certain natural skin care products contain ascorbic acid within a vitamin C complex. Know what form of vitamin C is used.

Recommended products
Mychelle Supreme Polypeptide Cream ($42.67)
Obagi Professional-C Serum for Eye Area with 5% L-Ascorbic Acid ($39.60)

Vitamin E

Vitamin E, because of its antioxidant activity is vital in protecting skin cells from ultra violet light, pollution, drugs, and other elements that produce cell damaging free radicals. Used as a base ingredient in cosmetic products, this provides some benefit in preventing and treating sunburns, plays a role in the anti-aging of skin.
Helps skin look younger by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, also help reduce the appearance of stretch marks and age spots.

Overall for skin care, more benefit is obtained from topical application of vitamin E through creams or lotions rather than taking it orally. Skin is able to absorb natural vitamin E effectively.
However, taking vitamin E orally is important for the good health of other areas of the body.
Great food sources of vitamin E are sunflower seeds, vegetable oil, tomatoes and tomato products, mixed nuts, carrots, broccoli, spinach, greens, sweet potatoes.

Recommended products
The Body Shop Vitamin E Body Butter ($20.00)
Sundown Vitamin E Skin Oil ($21.45 pack of 3)

Zinc

One of the many skin-friendly minerals is the zinc. Zinc is also required for the synthesis of protein and collagen - which is great for wound healing and a healthy skin. Most of cosmetics that treat acne contain zinc, because sometimes acne itself is a symptom of a zinc deficiency.
Zinc is also needed by the tissue of the hair, nails and skin to be in top form. Taken internally or used topically, zinc works to clear skin by taming oiliness and soothes spots into clearing sooner, also helps acne scars to heal.
However, zinc based cosmetics are not recommended for dry, dehydrated skin.
The best sources of zinc include beef, lamb, pork, crab meat, turkey, chicken, lobster, clams and salmon.

Recommended products
Shea Butter Organic Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide ($14.99)
Emerge Therapeutic Acne Zinc and Sulfur Mask ($19.00)