Vitamins can Improve Skin Naturally

We all know that taking vitamins orally provides important nutritional benefits. Hundreds of well-designed studies validate the power of vitamins: they make us healthier by boosting our immune systems, control free radicals, and even protect against cancer and heart disease. There are so many health benefits for taking vitamins, especially if you opt for more expensive natural vitamins that contain more bioavailable substances than conventional synthetic pills.
There’s a common notion that rubbing vitamins into the top skin layer of cells will not improve your skin in any way because
(1) only low concentrations are used in cosmetic products.
(2) the stability of most vitamins decreases as soon as they are exposed to the air and light.
(3) the form of the vitamin molecule (an ester or a mixture of isomers) may not be absorbed or metabolized effectively by the skin. However, recent scientific findings prove that vitamins A, C, D, E, and K are indeed very effectively absorbed by the skin and deliver a host of benefits for healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Vitamin A (beta-carotene, retinol)
Vitamin A exists in many forms: as an alcohol (retinol), an aldehyde (retinal), or an acid (retinoic acid). Provitamins, or natural precursors to vitamin A, include alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. In cosmetics, vitamin A as a retinol and beta-carotene is used to help repair and reverse sun damage and to inhibit collagen and elastin breakdown. Some other benefits of beta-carotene include its ability to combat and prevent skin disorders, such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema.
Beta-carotene is effective as a protective measure against melasma because it changes the chemical mechanism of skin pigment cell production.

Vitamin A is available as retinol, retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, or beta-carotene packed in softgels and is sold in health food stores and online. Retinol is most effective but most irritating, while beta-carotene, retinyl acetate, and retinyl palmitate are better tolerated by sensitive skin. Vitamin A mixes well with most creams and lotions in the following proportion: 10,000 IU per ounce of base product. Do not exceed the recommended dosage. Since beta-carotene is fat-soluble, it accumulates in the fat tissues in our body, and excessive vitamin A intake (more than 10,000 IU a day) can lead to dangerous side effects.

Vitamin B3 (niacin, or nicotinic acid)
Deficiency in vitamins of the B group can result in many beauty woes, not to mention other serious consequences. Lack of vitamin B1 may lead to edema (swelling of bodily tissues); vitamin B2 (riboflavin) deficiency causes chapped lips, seborrheic dermatitis, and high sensitivity to sunlight; not getting enough vitamin B3 (niacin) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) may cause dermatitis; while deficiency in vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) can result in acne.
Among vitamins of the B group, only one has been proven effective when applied topically. Vitamin B3, or niacin (nicotinic acid), is a potent skin rejuvenator. A 2007 study in Tucson, Arizona, reported that when applied topically to photodamaged skin, niacin repaired the skin barrier by increasing the stratum corneum thickness by approximately 70 percent and decreased water loss through the skin by approximately 20 percent while increasing the rates of skin cell renewal (Jacobson et al. 2007). Earlier studies have proven that niacin can smooth out wrinkles, reduce inflammation in acne and rosacea, and even hold back the development of UV-induced skin cancers.
Niacin is used in cosmetics for its antiaging and skin-whitening properties. Niacinamide is a key ingredient in such upscale anti aging creams as Hylexin and Shiseido Future Solution. Niacin is often sold in pharmacies and health food stores, but it may contain fillers and anti caking agents. You can prepare your own niacinamide-rich skin cream by adding one teaspoon of pure niacinamide (sold online) to 4 ounces of cream or lotion.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Of all the topical vitamins, ascorbic acid probably has the best track record. Vitamin C in its various forms protects us from free radicals that form during sun and pollution exposure. Ascorbic acid is also necessary to synthesize collagen, and it is known to inhibit the synthesis of the skin pigment melanin, probably by preventing skin cell damage before melanin synthesis can be triggered by UV exposure.Numerous studies have demonstrated that ascorbic acid, especially in combination with vitamin E, can even repair past damage to your skin by age and sun. Ascorbic acid and its derivatives promote wound healing and reduce inflammation and skin swelling. The latest findings regarding vitamin C suggest that it can be a very effective skin lightener, similar to hydroquinone, but without the side effects. Another important quality of vitamin C is its ability to stabilize sunscreen ingredients, making sun-protective formulations even more effective.
To use vitamin C in your DIY preparations, look for L-ascorbic acid, not calcium ascorbate. You can buy pure ascorbic acid online or use powdered vitamin C, such as Philosophy Hope and a Prayer.
The most effective topical form of vitamin C is anhydrous, or waterless. During a study on human skin, scientists found that vitamin C has the greatest healing potential when applied to damaged skin in dry form (Heber et al. 2006). But we all know that vitamin C stings like crazy.
Pour a drop of lemon juice on a fresh wound and see what happens! For this reason, you can dissolve vitamin C in pure vegetable glycerin, glycerin-rich organic personal lubricant, a pure dimethicone such as Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel, or a very oily cream like Weleda Skin Food in the following proportion: 1/2 teaspoon of vitamin C to  1/4  cup of base product. Use the preparation quickly and watch out for a yellowish tint that signals vitamin C oxidation and loss of efficiency. Vitamin C serums can be irritating, so always perform a patch test before using. Non Irritating forms of vitamin C include tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, both available online.
A blend of vitamins C and E truly shines as a skin protector: these vitamins support each other and deliver a double whammy against free radicals (Burke 2007). Vitamin C blends really well in vitamin E-rich facial oil.

Vitamin D
This important vitamin, which is synthesized in our skin during sun exposure, has been proven to reduce the risk of many autoimmune diseases, but topical use of vitamin D is still under investigation. Dermatologists at the University Hospital Leuven in Belgium found that topical vitamin D in the form of calcipotriol is helpful in psoriasis treatment (Segaert, Duvold 2006).

Vitamin E
This is the most common vitamin used in skin care. Vitamin E in the forms of tocopherol and tocotrienol is a fat-soluble antioxidant found in our bodies. Since it’s fat-soluble, it helps protect fatty components of cells from free radical damage that builds up over a lifetime of pollution, sun, and cigarette smoke exposure. This vitamin also offers a protective barrier for the skin when used topically. As a skin care ingredient, it helps heal skin wounds, nourish the skin, and prevent stretch marks. To reap the benefits of vitamin E, use the natural form of this vitamin, which contains both tocopherols and tocotrienols, even though it may cost more than the synthetic version. Vitamin E mixes well with most cleansers, creams, and lotions. One or two standard-size gelatin-packed softgels will make an excellent addition to your lotion or body oil, and you can add vitamin E to lip balms to heal your lips tortured by too much wind, frost, or sun. Just pinch a small hole in a softgel, squeeze out the oily substance, and blend with the base product in the following proportion: two 400 IU vitamin E softgels per ounce of lotion or oil. Do not increase the amount of vitamin E or it will leave a yellowish cast on the skin and stain your clothes and bed linens. Use up the product in one month because vitamin E becomes unstable when exposed to air. You can apply vitamin E oil or squeeze vitamin E from the capsule on your lips whenever you have a bout of dryness, some nasty sores, or plain chapped lips. Works like magic, but I prefer a honey!  Green Beauty Recipes