Vitamin C & E For Our Skin
When it comes to skin care, there are a plethora of products, all advertising that they will do what none of the others can. But how can you know what really works, and what isn't worth it? After all the research is in, there are two major skin care winners: Vitamin C and Vitamin E can help protect the skin from the sun and avoid skin cancer, as what WebMD said. Both are age-old natural remedies that have bodies of scientific study standing behind their proven benefits.
So what do these vitamins do that other product cannot? Let’s start with Vitamin E. Vitamin E plays several major roles in skin care. The first of these roles is protecting your skin from free radicals. Vitamin E neutralizes free radicals, keeping them from wreaking havoc on your skin. It is these antioxidant properties that help to reduce wrinkles and keep skin smooth.
The second role of Vitamin E in skin care is as an anti-inflammatory. Vitamin E acts quickly when skin is exposed to UV rays. When applied topically, it has been shown to reduce the amount of swelling and redness in skin after UV exposure.
Another benefit of Vitamin E is its moisturizing properties. When applied topically, Vitamin E creams help skin to stay soft and healthy. It keeps the sun from leeching precious moisture from the skin, protecting and leaving skin soft, young, and touchable.
The combination of these roles has earned Vitamin E the nickname of the “Protector”. When everyday occurrences (such as UV light and free radicals) threaten to damage your skin, Vitamin E is there. It works in conjunction with your body to keep your skin soft and healthy!
Let’s not forget about Vitamin C though! If Vitamin E is a protector, then Vitamin C has powers of renewal. It protects, promotes, and heals your skin in ways that complement the work of Vitamin E. Many experts recommend that both vitamins be used in conjunction with one another.
The first job that Vitamin C takes on is that of helping your body’s collagen. Collagen is naturally lost with age, and can also be damaged. Vitamin C steps in and works to protect existing collagen and promote the production of new collagen. All this so your skin can stay soft, firm, and young.
Next, Vitamin C works to heal dark spots or “sun spots” on the skin. This vitamin helps your body to repair any damage that UV light has done to your skin. In studies done on the effectiveness of Vitamin C, noticeable lightening of dark spots was seen on the participants who applied this vitamin topically.
Lastly, Vitamin C plays the same role as Vitamin E as an antioxidant. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from the free radicals. Free radicals can make your skin age and wrinkle prematurely. Daily exposure to these free radicals is inevitable, but protecting your skin with Vitamin C reduces the destructive impact of these free radicals.
So why do we need special products to get these Vitamins? While there are plenty of foods that contain rich supply of both Vitamin E & Vitamin C, the truth is that the body only sends a certain amount of these vitamins to the skin. In order to get enough of these vitamins to help you skin, you can supplement with topical ointments and creams. The topical application of Vitamin C especially can be up to twenty percent more effective than simply eating a food rich in the vitamin.
As far back as we can see into history, people have applied Vitamin C & E topically to protect their skin. It Tibet, women used berries from the sea-buckthorn plant, which is rich in Vitamin C, to protect their skin from aging. According to Wikipedia, they also use sea-buckthorn as a traditional medicine. Native Americans would use rose petals, once again a rich source of Vitamin C, to soften and moisturize their skin. These remedies have stood the test of ages!
So next time that you look down the skin care aisle and are overwhelmed by the choices,
Remember these two key ingredients: Vitamin C & Vitamin E. While other products claim to perform miracles, these vitamins are nature’s answer to your skin’s woes. Both can be applied topically to moisturize, protect, preserve, and promote healthy skin.
References:
- Wikipedia (May 16, 2014) Hippophae. Retrieved on December 3, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippophae
- Watson, S. (April 4, 2012) Skin Care Vitamins and Antioxidants. Retrieved on December 3, 2014 from http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/beauty-skin-care-vitamins-antioxidants
- [Untitled photograph of woman's skin] Retrieved on December 17, 2014 from http://www.prevention.com/beauty/beauty/dry-skin-remedies-and-prevention
Disclaimer: All of the information stated here should not be used as a replacement for professional medical advice. Consult your dermatologist for a clearer understanding about your skin.