Vitamin A
Since most of us get enough vitamin A in the foods we eat, especially from sweet potatoes, baby carrots, mango, spinach, cantaloupe, milk, and egg yolks, it’s not necessary to take a supplement. Besides, too much vitamin A is actually dangerous and could make you more susceptible to a hip fracture. But topically, vitamin A can do wonders for your skin. Prevention magazine notes that it has been clinically shown to clear up acne and reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores. Vitamin A creams are available by prescription, as well as in less potent over-the-counter formulas.
Vitamin B
Foods rich in vitamin B-6 and B-12 include salmon, flounder, chicken, turkey, and beef. Provided you’re getting enough of the B vitamins in your diet, a supplement will not noticeably improve your skin. But new research shows that when vitamin B-5, also known as panthenol, and vitamin B-3, or niacinamide, are added to skin care products, they help hydrate your skin and even-out your skin tone.
Vitamin C
Too much sun can lead to wrinkles and skin cancer. Vitamin C helps to counteract the effects of the free-radical damage caused by too much sun. The experts advise you to wear it and swallow it! When vitamin C is used in skin care products it can enhance collagen production–but it must be in an effective, stable form to work. Prevention advises you to look for labels with the words “L-ascorbic acid,” “ascorbic palmitate,” or “magnesium ascorbyl phosphate.” In addition to supplements, you can eat your vitamin C in papaya, broccoli, oranges and orange juice, strawberries, kiwi, grapefruit and grapefruit juice, and even raw peppers.
Vitamin E
A daily vitamin E supplement daily of 400 IU can help reduce wrinkles and improve the texture of your skin. Prevention recommends that you look for labels on the supplements that say “natural” or “d-alpha tocopherol.” Foods rich in vitamin E include sunflower seeds, wheat germ, peanut butter, almonds, canned salmon, canned tuna fish, olive oil, and lobster.
If you want to give your skin that enviable glow, you need to take your vitamins. And sometimes that means wearing them! These four vitamins will help make your skin silky smooth, reports Prevention magazine.
