Founder of Synergie Minerals and Synergie Skin, Terri Vinson, explains the role of vitamins in your skincare regime.
Vitamins and minerals are important not only for your general health but, when applied to the skin, can also play an essential role in skin correction and anti-ageing.
However, with the ‘topical vitamin’ industry growing at a phenomenal rate, and with many cosmetic companies jumping on the vitamin bandwagon and in some cases making potentially misleading claims, it can be hard to decipher which product is best for sun damage and which for wrinkles.
Although topical vitamins have been available for decades, it’s only in recent years that formulators have been able to harness these vital ingredients in the most stable and bioavailable form.
Indeed, formulating with skin vitamins is extremely complex and cosmetic chemists need to understand the physical properties of these vitamins when translated to a topical product.
For example, it is essential that the active components of skin vitamins remain viable for the shelf life of the
product. The active components must also be able to penetrate the stratum corneum and reach the receptor sites of the target cells.
If the particles are too large they will remain on the outer skin layers and merely ‘feed’ the dead cells.
When deciding which products are right for you, it is always best to be guided by a skincare professional and look for the clinical data backing all claims.
Vital vitamins
Not all vitamins can be successfully assimilated into skin cells. However, current medical research regards the essential ‘skin food’ vitamins A, B and C as fundamental to any anti-ageing regimen. Almost every skin type and condition will benefit from them if delivered in the correct form, and they should be used as your skin begins to age from around the mid 20s.
Vitamin A
Look for products that refer to ‘retinol molecular’ which is readily absorbed, highly stable and non-irritating. This regulates the rate of cell turnover to improve skin texture, increases collagen production to address fine lines, inhibits the enzyme tyrosinase to address excess and abnormal melanin production (hyperpigmentation), and regulates oil production to improve acne.
Vitamin A and additional ingredients such as lactic acid (AHA), which exfoliates the skin, and salicylic acid (BHA), which removes dead cell debris, can leave ‘fresh’ skin exposed to UV light.
It is therefore recommended you always apply adequate sun protection in the form of a zinc oxide-based sunblock as well as mineral makeup containing high levels of zinc oxide during the day to protect new and vulnerable skin. Topical vitamin A is not recommended for pregnant or lactating women as high levels of systemic vitamin A have been linked to birth defects.
Vitamin B3
Often referred to as niacinamide, vitamin B3 increases ceramide production to increase natural hydration levels and skin luminosity; prevents the transfer of melanin from melanocyte to keratinocyte, thus reducing hyperpigmentation; increases the natural immunity of the skin to defend against environmental stress; and reduces excess oil production.
Vitamin C
As L-ascorbic acid – the form of vitamin C that the majority of medical papers refer to as being most active on human skin cells – vitamin C increases collagen production to reduce fine lines and minimise scarring and is a potent
anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is the basis of most adverse skin conditions. Vitamin C also inhibits tyrosinase activity to address hyperpigmentation. New evidence suggests that some topical skin vitamins operate at an optimal pH level. Vitamins A and B are thought to perform best in a slightly alkaline environment, which means it is best to use these vitamins together, while applying vitamin C, which operates best at a lower acidic pH, separately.
What can they be used to treat?
Pigmentation Vitamins A, B and C address uneven skin tone and pigmentation concerns at different levels. Added benefit can be found from using mineral sunscreen to prevent sun damage and a gentle lactic acid exfoliant to remove dead surface cells. Potent active ingredients such as Chromabright and Potassium Azeloyl Glycinate help target melanin production and lighten skin tone.
Acne: Vitamin A regulates excess oil production and the over-production of skin cells. Vitamin B3 regulates oil production in synergy with Vitamin A, while also increasing the immune response of the skin to combat bacterial infection. Vitamin C and natural antibacterial agents such as Manuka essential oil reduce inflammation within pores.
Vitamin C also helps heal damaged skin by increasing collagen production. Adolescents with acne may benefit from vitamins A, B and C but they are not recommended for pre-pubescent children unless directed.
Lines and wrinkles: Vitamins A and C both act to increase collagen production and address fine lines. Vitamin C is also a potent antioxidant, which helps defend against environmental stressors ageing the skin. Vitamin B3 improves natural hydration levels and strengthens the outer skin layer. This in turn improves skin texture and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Other essential anti-ageing actives include botanical extracts such as Gatuline, collagen-stimulating peptides and antioxidants such as green tea and Phyoxolin.
Your Most Important Anti-Ageing Product
But vitamins aren’t Mother Nature’s only healing ingredients. The single most important anti-ageing product is not a vitamin at all, but a mineral. Given that sun damage is the fundamental basis of environmental ageing, zinc oxide used in a broad-spectrum sunblock should be your number-one skincare ingredient, protecting you against the harmful rays from the sun.
