Velvet Magazine April 2017

Beauty
It’s As Easy As
A, B, C...
You might be cramming your diet with all
your fruit and veg, but is your skincare
regime lacking vitamins? Samantha Nice
investigates why you should be applying
your vitamins topically...
Vitamin supplements in tablet form
are nothing new and many of us are
popping them in order to boost
our overall health. Vitamins
are vital in order to keep our
body functioning at its best
and certain deficiencies
can cause adverse effects
on our skin. Now is when
you should probably
reconsider your skincare
regime - your skin is the
body’s largest organ after
all. Have you noticed
just how many skincare
products are also packed
full of vitamins? They
are a key ingredient for
most brands due to their
extensive advantages
in combating varying
skin problems. “Over the
past 20 years, vitamins
have been creeping into our
everyday skin care products as
more is discovered about their
beneficial effects in preventing
and reversing the signs of ageing.
The latest research and technology
from Dermalogica shows that microencapsulating
these beneficial vitamins
ensures the ingredients are stabilised and
delivered deep into the skin’s layers where
they are most needed,” Mel Sunshine,
Dermalogica Professional Skin
Therapist and owner at Essential
Therapy in Barnham says.
Take a look at which vitamins are
advantageous to our skin and which
products you should be investing in:
VITAMIN A: A star for anti-ageing and a good all-rounder
In short, Vitamin A is a good all-rounder. Vitamin A (whose
derivatives are also referred to as retinoids) works by normalising
a range of skin functions meaning it is great for correcting specific
skin concerns like ageing and acne for example. “Vitamin A helps
increase cell renewal and turnover as well as stimulating new
collagen biosynthesis to help reverse the signs of skin ageing,”
explains Mel. “From the age of 30, we lose on average 1% of
collagen in our skin, which means that by the age of 50 we’ve lost
20% of our collagen, resulting in sagging, fine lines and wrinkles,”
she adds.
Vitamin A is the key ingredient for cult skincare brand Environ. Dr
Des Fernandes, founder and scientific director of Environ says,
“Ageing skin is a direct result of sun-induced Vitamin A deficiency.
Correct the deficiency and you’ll have more radiant skin.”
1. Environ Youth EssentiA Vita-Peptide C-Quence Serum 1, £91,
Salon @ Number 5, Newmarket & Cambridge
VITAMIN B: Best for reducing redness and hydration
Vitamin B, (specifically B3 and B5) are great for strengthening our
skin’s barrier, locking in moisture and replenishing our skin. It is also
said to help with inflammation and hyperpigmentation. It’s great
for those who suffer with sensitive skin and other skin concerns
such as uneven skin tone, acne and other unwanted redness or
pigmentation.
2. Skinceuticals Hydrating b5, £61.95, www.skinceuticals.co.uk
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Velvet Magazine | April 2017