Bathe your skin in them and eat them up! We're going to be talking about the so-called anti-aging vitamins today, what they do and how to get more of them.
Now first off, why did I call them "so-called"? Just a reference to the MTV masterpiece that was Jared Leto and Claire Dane's beginning? No, not at all, but I will profess my undying love for all that was Jordan Catalano.
Nope, I called them "so-called" because the mainstream beauty biz puts them on a pedestal like these three vitamins are all you need in life to succeed. They are not friends. They are important to your skin, but they are not any more important than the other vitamins you need. So, this tiny list of vitamins is a great starting point but keep going loves! This is a marathon, not a sprint.
With that being said, they are important to the radiance of your skin, so we're going to get into them today.
In alphabetical order they are Vitamins A, C, and E. (Maybe mainstream beauty likes them so much because they spell ace? I don't know.) Anyhoo, these nutrients do participate in the youthfulness of your skin in various ways. In this here blog I'm going to break down what exactly they do for you, how much your body needs in a day, and the best ways to get them into your skin cells.
Pro-Vitamin A
This vitamin is a nutrient we get from Beta Carotene. If you have a deficiency in it, you may see signs such as dry skin, dry eyes, or a skin condition called hyperkeratosis. This causes a thickness in the outside layers of your skin. Your skin will become rough, and your products won't penetrate as well.
Pro-Vitamin A helps protect us from the sun and prevent UV damage. It is also a powerful antioxidant that keeps crazy co-dependent oxygen cells from stealing electrons from you.
Retinol is a Vitamin A derivative that comes from animal sources. Now, don't freak out. The typical retinol is a synthetic version, so the over-the-counter serums and creams you're putting on your face are very unlikely to have actually been taken from an animal.
Plant versions are carotenoids, such as lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
The best sources for Pro-Vitamin A are yellow and orange foods, particularly apricots, sea buckthorn, mangos, carrots, bell peppers, and spinach (I know the last one's green.) Your diet should have 0.6mg of Pro-Vitamin A in it daily.
In addition, topical treatments that are great for Vitamin A are my Sandalwood & Reishi Serum and Myrtle & Neroli Moisturizer.
Vitamin C
This nutrient is needed for you to be able to synthesize collagen and it protects you from the symptoms of glycation (those cross-hatched lines that appear on your face when your diet has too much sugar in it.) *Clears throat in Southern Sweet Tea*
So, neat fact, most mammals can actually create their own Vitamin C. Humans however, cannot. We don't have soft fur, we don't have wicked sharp claws, and we have to eat all our Vitamin C. But you know, opposable thumbs and all.
Luckily, Vitamin C comes in some very delicious packages, such as oranges, pineapples, kiwi, cherries, strawberries, grapefruit, rosehips, and grapes. The daily amount I recommend for Vitamin C is 200mg. This is more than the RDA, because studies have shown that while their amount does keep away scurvy, your skin needs much more to be able to function at an optimal level.
The best products I have for imparting Vitamin C in your skin are Sandalwood & Reishi Serum, Sea Buckthorn Cleanser, the Ashwagandha & Sesame Infused Oil, and the Dandelion & St. John's Infused Oil.
Vitamin E
This vitamin gathers in your sebaceous glands to form a part of your sebum that protects the skin's surface. If you suffer from dry skin, live in dry and/or cold climates, this guy is a must.
In addition, it is a strong anti-inflammatory, and it works together with Vitamin C to stop the UV oxidation that damages your DNA.
The daily recommendation for this nutrient is 3mg. It's found in avocados, sunflower seeds, almonds, broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach, spirulina, and evening primrose.
Check out my Dandelion & St. John's Infused Oil and Sandalwood & Reishi Serum for great ways to infuse Vitamin E into your skin.
So, there you go, great anti-aging nutrients to help your skin stay radiant. I hope this helps you get the right balance into your diet and choose excellent products for your skin.
Let your radiance shine!
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