I’VE 100% SEEN ZINC AS AN INGREDIENT ON SKINCARE BOTTLES, TOO…

Right you are. Zinc is used in acne treatments, but it’s also key to maintaining normal skin function, notes Professor Lowe. ‘Skin cells turn over rapidly, and because of the role zinc plays in cell division and replication, it’s essential for that process,’ she says. ‘That’s why the skin will be one of the first places to show deficiency, with cracks around the mouth and eyes.’