Vitamins for Beauty

You've probably noticed certain products touting the power of vitamins A, C, or E in their products. But what, exactly, do these vitamins do? Are they the same as the vitamin supplements you take from a bottle? What about the vitamins in your food?

 

Below, we talk about the vitamin substances which are most commonly used in beauty products.

 

They are "substances" or derivatives because they're not the same as the vitamins you swallow. In the case of vitamin A and skin care products, it can become especially confusing. Hopefully our information will clear up some of the confusion.

Vitamins and veggies

VITAMIN A

CarrotsRetin A, (retinoic acid or tretinoin) is a retinoid--a molecule related to vitamin A and is used in skin care products to treat acne and wrinkles--two seemingly opposite conditions. Retinal, another form of vitamin A, is associated with vision. In fact, a deficiency of vitamin A can cause night blindness--a condition that can be found in many developing countries where food shortages result in malnutrition. Retinol, the third form of vitamin A, is found in animal products, such as milk, eggs and liver.

 

Certain vegetables and fruits contribute to the production of vitamin A in the body; they include:

 

  • carrots
  • sweet potatoes
  • spinach
  • apricots
  • collard greens
  • pumpkins
  • cantaloupe
You might notice the predominance of orange foods in that list. The substance responsible for this is beta-carotene which can be converted into vitamin A. In addition to being essential for vision, beta-carotene is an antioxidant and therefore contributes to overall health.

 

The distinction between the three forms of vitamin A is important when looking for the active ingredient in creams and gels. True retin-a--tretinoin--is available on by prescription. In larger concentrations it is used to reduce wrinkles and even out skin tone and texture. In smaller concentrations it is prescribed for the treatment of acne. Some people are very sensitive to retin-A and everyone using the product should use sunscreen to prevent further irritation. Retinol and retinyl palmitate are milder and can be found in many over-the-counter creams. Retinoic acid can increase collagen--the substance which gives skin its elasticity--production, giving the skin a more youthful appearance.

 

Just to confuse things, another form of retinoid used in skin car is retinaldehyde, which is in between retinol and retin-A in strength. Currently the only over-the-counter preparations containing retinaldehyde are made in Europe and can be hard to find in the US except from online sources.

vitamin c

vitamin e