We all know vitamins are good for our bodies and internal system but they are also amazing for our skin. I am not just talking about ingesting them, but applying them directly to our skin can also have amazing results. This was such a popular post back when we did Skincare Sunday posts in the village, so I figured I would update it a little and store it here for everyone to access. It is time to brush up on your ABCs in skincare! Vitamin A. You may know of this beauty by its other names – “Retinoids” (retinol, retin A, retinoic acid or retinyl palmitate). This vitamin is essential to helping to slow down the aging process by primarily working on the fine lines and wrinkles that we all get at some point in our lives. Helping fight wrinkles and improving overall skin texture by boosting collagen isn’t all that it does though, it also helps decrease the oil production thus helping with blackheads, white heads and even acne. It is an all round miracle worker that every woman should have in their skincare armoury. You can find retinoids in loads of skincare products that are aimed at wrinkles but you can also buy it in a pharmacy in a neater concentrated form. It is a little harsh on skin and I recommend that you always do a skin test first. Start with applying a small pea sized amount once a week (at night) to your face, then you can slowly increase this over time to a few nights a week. As retinoids can be very drying on the skin so you need to make sure to always give your skin plenty of moisturizing treatments for it to drink in. You also need to ensure you wear good sun protection the next day as your skin will be more susceptible to burning. Product recommendation: Rodial Retinol Drops. These are super easy to use, simply apply to cleansed and dry skin at night before bed and go to sleep, doesn’t get easier than that! Just make sure to wear sun protection the next day as your skin will be more prone to burning. You can purchase these via Beauty Solutions and use the Real Mums discount code “RMD” on full priced items – https://www.beautysolutions-me.com/booster-drops-retinol.html Vitamin’s B3 & B5. B3 is also known as “niacin”. This little gem helps to reduce redness, even out colour and texture. If you have scarring, dark spots or hyperpigmentation. B5 is also known as “pantothenic acid” in skincare. B5 is a magic ingredient to help keep skin moisturized, it helps create a barrier on the skin and seal in moisturize. I recommend using a moisturizing cream with Vitamin B5 especially after using retinoids, it is very good for those with dry or flakey skin that needs a little extra love. Product recommendation: The CELESTINE Hydra-Plumping Peptide Serum is magic. You can order it via youbeaut, just shoot them a message on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/youbeaut.me/ Vitamin C. Vitamin C – aka “ascorbic acid”. This vitamin is a powerful one, when applied topically to skin it gives a beautiful brightening effect by boosting the skin’s collagen production. When the collagen production is stimulated it soothes out lines and wrinkles and plumps the skin. Vitamin C is also high in antioxidants which help to fight free radicals and UV damage. It is an ingredient that needs to be treated carefully so always make sure to buy a high quality Vitamin C serum or cream to get the full benefits. You can also buy Vitamin C powder to add to your own skincare products but there are exceptions and these need to be followed carefully. Vitamin C is a slightly unstable ingredient and when added with water, air or too much light it will oxidize and become ineffective. Product Recommendation: I absolutely swear by the fresh Vitamin C products by KJ Serums – https://kjserums.com/product-tag/vitamin-c-serum Vitamin D. I think we all know the importance of this Vitamin. Either via the sun or a supplement it’s extremely important for our health and skin. Make sure you get a little sun every day on bare skin, but not too much, it’s a delicate balance of what’s healthy and how much is too much for your skin. Product recommendation: Most of us lack the needed amount of Vitamin D, especially those of us who live in a hot country where we try to avoid too much sun exposure. That is where supplements come in, Vitamin D is actually most easily absorbed when mixed with Vitamin K. This supplement has both, highly recommended and is very reasonable in price, plus you get 5% off with “ROS1244” – https://ae.iherb.com/pr/Life-Extension-Vitamins-D-and-K-with-Sea-Iodine-60-Capsules/78779?rcode=ROS1244 Vitamin E. All women should have Vitamin E in their skincare regime. I originally added it to my skincare when I was 14 and had the worst acne that was causing embarrassing scarring on my face. I have used it ever since and a lot more since I had adult acne scars and even dark stretch marks thanks to pregnancy. Using it along with a dermaroller gives amazing results over time, trust me on that. Vitamin E is known to help with more just scars though, it can also help lessen sunburn, it nourishes and moisturizes dry skin, it aids in slowing aging and can even help to reduce dark circles. I highly recommend having a bottle of neat Vitamin E oil in your skincare kit always. Product recommendation: I have been using Cococare Vitamin E oil for years now, I love it. You can get it via IHerb and use the Real Mums discount code “ROS1244” for a 5% discount on the already super reasonable price – https://ae.iherb.com/pr/Cococare-100-Vitamin-E-Oil-28-000-IU-1-fl-oz-30-ml/43275?rcode=ROS1244
The ABCs of vitamins in skincare.
Updated: Nov 22, 2023