Nutrients, vitamins and minerals to help aid every skin condition
When it comes to skin health, I am a BIG believer that it starts from the inside out.
For your skin to look its very best, ample vitamins and nutrients are needed to help protect, replenish and repair damage - whether we’re talking about eliminating dark spots, redness, wrinkles, rough patches, dry spots or breakouts.
And it starts with what you eat. A balanced diet is one of the best ways to get your intake of vitamins and minerals.
But if necessary, taking dietary supplements and applying topical products will certainly help too.
Today, I’m sharing a “cheat sheet” of specific vitamins and nutrients that help with just about any skincare struggle, to help you look and feel your best.
Let’s get started…
Vitamin A
If acne or breakouts are a main source of concern, vitamin A is always a good idea. It’s potent and does a lot; it helps to speed up healing, prevent breakouts by unclogging pores and removing dead skin, hydrates the skin for a radiant and natural glow and helps minimize the appearance of damaged skin by soothing inflammation.
Diet-wise, you can find good amounts of vitamin A in a ton of foods - leafy vegetables, bell peppers, sweet potato, mango and papaya - to name a few. It can also be taken in supplement form and found in a ton of topical skin creams and serums.
Vitamin D
Since vitamin D creates new skin cells, it’s one of the best vitamins to heal skin and address common issues like discoloration and improving your complexion and skin tones. It’s also incredible for skin conditions such as psoriasis, since it helps to reduce inflammation and irritation. Natural sunlight is, of course, one of the best sources for daily vitamin D intake, but you can also nurture your skin with supplements or topical products fortified with vitamin D as well.
Vitamin E
One of my favorite antioxidant-rich vitamins. Vitamin E acts as a shield that protects skin from harmful UV rays and free radicals - both of which majorly damage and age the skin, causing discoloration, wrinkles and sagging. When applied to the skin, it also acts as an anti-inflammatory and locks in moisture, which is super helpful in healing dry, itchy and flaky skin. Vitamin E It can be found in a variety of nuts and seeds and oils, and in some fruits (avocado, mango and kiwi) in limited amounts. If needed, it can also be taken in supplement form, and found in skincare products as well.
Vitamin C
This is another great vitamin to help reduce the effect of harmful UV rays. It enhances the effectiveness of sunscreen and is a great tool to mitigate scarring, hyperpigmentation, discoloration and help skin recover from breakouts (though I don’t recommend using on active breakouts - just to deal with the aftermath).
It doesn’t end there, though. Vitamin C is a key ingredient in slowing the aging process - helping to reduce wrinkles and age spots.
You can find it in superfoods, like acai and goji berries, or via oral supplements and a ton of skincare products.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
On top of the many things Omega-3 Fatty Acids are known to boost (brain, hearth, bone health - to name a few), it’s also incredibly nourishing for your skin. As a natural moisturizer, it supports your skin’s barrier function to help improve the appearance of dry skin and wrinkles. And due to its anti-inflammatory properties, it’s a great remedy for conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, too.
For plant-based food sources of it, try chia or flax seeds, walnuts or soy beans. Or you can take it in supplement form as well.
Zinc
Another important multi-purpose mineral when it comes to skin protection is zinc. It’s crucial for collagen production but also works to control inflammation and prevent sun damage. I have found it particularly helpful when applied topically (in creams or sunscreens) for reducing the appearance of skin redness.
Glucosamine
This is a supplement I’ve grown to really appreciate as I’ve gotten older. Glucosamine helps boost the body’s production of hyaluronic acid, which hydrates the skin, and effectively decreases the appearance of wrinkles and gives the skin a more youthful look. You can find it in supplement form, and if you’re consistent with it, it will leave your skin looking smooth and super glowy.
Probiotics
While symptoms of gut health issues can vary, our skin is often a great barometer for what’s going on inside the gut. And nourishing the gut with probiotics is one of the most effective ways to achieve clear and radiant skin. With a healthy dose of daily probiotics, you can prevent premature aging from sun damage and prevent inflammation throughout the body, that typically appears on the skin as acne, rosacea and eczema.
You can find probiotics in supplement form or even in topical skincare products these days, but they’re widely available in a lot healthy foods too. Some of my favorite sources for daily intake include fortified plant-based yogurt and fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kombucha and tempeh!
In my experience, caring for any type of skin concern requires a holistic approach. Ample amounts of these vitamins and nutrients, which you can get in large amounts following a plant-based whole foods diet, or if necessarily in supplements or topical products are an important start.
But remember: the health of our skin is also deeply affected by our habits.
When it comes to acne or small breakouts, this is especially true. If this is something you struggle with, in addition to what I’ve shared here, check out the tips in this article, where I share all that I’ve learned from my dermatologist over the years - it’s a must read for radiant looking clear skin you can be confident in.
And if you need a little extra help improving your skin with diet and lifestyle changes, book a complimentary coaching session here.
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