Vitamin B
Prudence Wade
Vitamins are good for us. A well-rounded diet helps us get all the vitamins we need to be healthy, but how about the ones you need for your skin? Of course, you can eat certain things to boost skin health, but your routine should also involve a range of topically applied vitamins, to help your complexion be as clear and glowing as possible.
It seems like there’s a whole alphabet of vitamins doing different things for your skin, which is why we’re breaking down each one you need. Disclaimer: we’re using ‘alphabet’ fairly loosely here, as in reality, the main vitamins you should be looking out for run from A to F.
Don’t worry, it’s not like you need to add millions of new things into your regime, you’ll likely find lots of these vitamins combined into one product. This is the low-down on the alphabet of vitamins in skincare, and why you should consider using them... differently. “I always recommend my clients to trial retinol products with low dose and low frequency, to test their skin’s acceptability,” says Ada Ooi, founder of 001 Skincare. “You can always build it up, but once your skin gets ‘burnt’, it can take weeks for the ingredients to get out of the body’s system and the skin to heal.” • Olay Regenerist Retinol24 night serum with retinol & vitamin B3, £34.99, Boots.com
The popular type of vitamin B is B3, also known as niacinamide. “B3 can be used to treat acne or fine lines, due to its function to combat inflammation and improve the skin’s barrier,” explains Ooi.
Woodcock is a big fan of B3, calling it “an amazing skincare ingredient”. She says: “Niacinamide has strong antioxidant effects, helping to regenerate and repair our skin cells. It also reduces redness/blotchiness (great for rosacea) and pigmentation.”
If this wasn’t enough, the doctor also states it “reduces wrinkles, regulates sebum (goodbye blocked pores) and is a potent anti-inflammatory helping to fight acne”
— plus it’s safe to use during pregnancy.
The best time to apply vitamin C is in the morning after cleansing and before sunscreen.
• No7 youthful vitamin C fresh radiance essence, £19.50, Boots.com
• Liz Earle skin repair gel cream, £23, Boots.com