Skincare Vitamins… better skin from the inside out!
Popping pills! I’ve been doing a lot of reading and researching in the last few months about the aging process, in particular, how it affects your body’s largest organ. Your skin. When you’re young, you might eat, drink and live with abandon… but as you start to get older, at least as *I* start to get older- I seriously question the things I eat and supplement my body with and how they will affect it.
Three or four years ago, I wouldn’t have considered taking two supplement pills each day in hopes that these would have any effect on my skin’s health. But today, as I write this, I’ve been doing this very thing for over a month. And my mind whirls with thoughts of free radicals, and antioxidants and lycopene. Vitamins, toxins, collagen, elastin and alpha lipoic acid.
Here’s a range of various skin care supplements from different price brackets. I’ve listed everything from Perfectil, at $16.99 to the caviar of skincare vitamins- N.V. Perricone’s Total Skin and Body… at a whopping $130 for a 30 day supply! Yikes! I’ve been reading a lot about Dr. Perricone and have even ordered one of his books. A lot of what he says about diet and supplements really resonates with me. But the prices of his products are a little hot to handle.
With that said, there’s a world of supplements out there. Until recently, Oil of Olay had a skincare supplement as well- I remember seeing it at Walmart. I wanted to include it in this list, but found that it had been discontinued.
What do you think? Do you take a skincare vitamin or supplement? Would you? What’s your age bracket? Do you think about how what you eat or drink will affect your skin, or your aging and health in general?
Do you consider your skin to be one of your most important beauty features, or do you give your hair or nails or physique more of a score?
Gotta go, I’ve got to take my enterically coated fish oil, antioxidant cap and one a day for women, washed down with a dose of emergen-c! 
xoxo
Miss K (whose skin is looking pretty fine today! Is it the vitamins, or another recent addition I’ve made?! More on that… later!)
Borba Skin Balance Confections – Acai Skin Treatment Gummi Boosters
BORBA’s Skin Balance Confections contain a revolutionary, cultivated bio-vitamin complex that helps the skin regenerate its natural support system, as they help remove toxins and improve skin clarity.
Perfectil TRIPLE ACTIVE BEAUTY NUTRITION
Certain nutrients are vital to help maintain healthy looking skin, hair and nails in both women and men. Their effect is of greater importance than even the most expensive creams and conditioners because they are delivered via the bloodstream, at the very deepest level. Perfectil® is designed to complement your daily skin and hair care routine with a range of over 20 micronutrients specially formulated for utilization by nails, hair follicles and the skin’s lower dermal layer.
Murad Optimal Health & Beauty Dietary Supplement:
A once a day dietary supplement formula containing key hydrating and cell-strengthening vitamins and nutrients that promote optimal skin health.
Imedeen time perfection for ages 35-50
Sold in Europe and Asia since 1991, Time Perfection is clinically and scientifically shown to increase your skin’s density, moisture and protein synthesis while visibly decreasing fine lines and wrinkles. The result is skin that looks softer, smoother and younger — from head to toe.
N.V. Perricone, M.D. Skin and Total Body Nutritional Supplements
An advanced, comprehensive dietary supplement support program to help maintain healthy skin, joints, bones, hair, and nails. Specially formulated to work from the inside out, this nutritional system combines synergistic powerful antioxidants, B-complex energy enhancers, macrominerals, lipotropic factors, enzymes, and herbal extracts.
Drugstore.com Naturals: The Skincare Support is formulated to contain specific fatty acids that may promote healthy skin.
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid present in EPO, has general anti-inflammatory effects that may promote healthy hair, skin, and nails. Evening Primrose Oil may also have hormone balancing effects. Due to their anti-inflammatory effects, Omega 3 fatty acids may also be beneficial for maintenance of healthy skin.
Thanks for the info! To answer your questions…
I wanted to take some omega-3 supplements since I’ve heard they help oily skin, but I have a hard time swallowing large pills and I never found small omega-3 pills. So currently I don’t take any supplements specifically for skin — I do take a multivitamin and calcium supplement for general health though. (Plus I have a lot of risk factors for osteoporosis.) Been *trying* to eat half-way healthy but not always successful — drive thrus are just too convenient when I’m working late! When I cook I normally make fairly healthy things though.
Previously I always thought that what you ate didn’t affect your skin, since my dermatologist insisted that there’s no proof that eating certain foods causes acne. I still don’t think that eating a certain food will immediately cause acne (e.g. people who say they break out after eating chocolate are probably having an allergic reaction that resembles acne, from what I’ve read) but now I think that your general diet and health probably has some effect on your skin. Not sure how much effect at this point. Surely diet has an effect on other areas of health, so why not your skin too?
I don’t really consider my skin to be an important beauty feature unless it looks bad
If I can keep my acne under control or at least concealed with mu, and soak up the oil with blotting sheets and mattifying products, then I’m happy, or at least satisfied, with my skin. (Or perhaps I’ve just accepted the fact I’ll never have perfect skin, since nothing ever makes a difference? I figure why stress out about something that isn’t changing?) Plus, a little bit of AL mu makes it look great even if it’s not perfect 
I tend to focus on other features more — eyes and eye makeup (especially since my eyes are hidden behind glasses), hair, and my overall figure and how clothes fit. I figure no one’s going to notice my skin until they get close, but you can see hair and clothes from a distance and that will probably be most people’s first impression! I know that *I* notice people’s hair, clothes, and figure long before I notice their skin…
For demographics, I am 26 … who knows, maybe I’ll be more concerned with my skin as aging becomes an issue!
I think vitamins are important – few of us get what we need from our daily food intake. I take prenatals, calcium, and prescription Foltx (folic acid/B6/B12 – under my drs guidance of course).
What you eat definitely affects your skin, as does drinking enough water. If your skin looks good, you look good. (If there’s any doubt, just watch a couple episodes of “You Are What You Eat” on BBCA, you’ll see people with unhealthy diets go from lackluster, problem skin to fabulous and glowing after they change their eating habits!) Eating well not only helps keep your skin looking good, but will help your hair and nails to look their best. And who doesn’t want that?
As women, we may go through hormonal changes that affect our skin, and there’s often not much we can do about it. But having healthy skin means we need less makeup to cover problems, increases our self confidence, and makes us look (and feel) younger.
Cin — good point about the hormones! I wouldn’t be surprised if a really healthy diet could help my skin (when I lived at home and my mom made me eat healthier I still had problem skin, so I think I’d have to make some BIG changes to really make a difference in my skin), I also know I have some minor hormonal imbalances that might be affecting my skin. Of course I’ve also heard that eating a super healthy diet can regulate your hormones too, so who knows? There’s too much information about such things on the Internet to sort through it all
However, even though my skin’s not the best I do have naturally healthy nails and hair! My nails are super strong and rarely break, I have to shorten them every 7-10 days or they drive me crazy. My hair also grows quickly and hair stylists are always surprised when I tell them I regularly blow-dry and flat-iron my hair since it’s so healthy! So at least I have that going for me
I agree that what you take in affects you as a whole, including your skin. I take a prenatal, calcium, folic acid, DHA, red raspberry leaf, vitamin E, and acidophilus. The DHA and Vit. E definitely help with skin appearance. I try to be good about what I eat, but it’s extremely hard(especially when the pregnancy cravings kick in). I do think certain foods trigger breakouts, at least for me. I’ve always cared about how my skin looks, but I’m not obsessive about it. I’m 25.
Especially as I get a little older (41 this year) I am ALL about my skin! I’ve been trying very hard to remember to take my fish oil caps (5 each day!), plus my cal-mag-zinc and a daily vitamin. With my EmergenC as well! Some days, though, the mere thought of swallowing pills is more than I can handle. I also just placed an order for a hylauronic acid supplement that is meant to be good for joint mobility as well as plumping any dehydrated spots, soothing rough skin, and even p lumping lips (vain old me – I got it for the potential lip fluffing!)
We try to eat well, and often do less than well. Fresh produce is scarce up here, or at least GOOD fresh produce is. But all in all I think we do ok. I drink plenty of water, green and white tea, and am vigilant about sunblock year round now. Also just started on March 15 with RetinA, and have seen major improvements in clairty texture and firmness already! Fine lines are fading – in fact, my eyes look less crinkly NOW than they did almot 6 years ago, juding from photos!
Skin is numero uno for me – and I’ve finally come to terms with my oily skin. It will NEVER be matte, but it WILL be healthy and glowing. And shiny, but I’ll take shiny healthy smooth supple skin over a matte finish that looks pained or stretched, irritated, or crepey any time!
I’ve actually gotten to the point where I can easily say “no” to a food because it’s just not worth it to eat it. Or just eat a tiny bit and savor it, at least… I’ve pretty much zeroed out fast food, carbonated drinks, alcohol, things obviously containing corn syrup, and red meat except for my once in a while burger splurge.
Connor has lately been asking me lots of questions about “how old will you get”, “why do we die”, “will you live to be 100″, etc, etc… hearing these type of things from this little 5 year old mind REALLY makes you think that you want to be around for as long as you can in his life. There are tons of sacrifices that we make for our children… there’s lots of crazy ones we make every day… so I think that I can definitely make the simpler ones like watching what I eat, staying healthy… so that I can be around for him and in good working order until my number comes up!
Laura… congratulations!!!
Bridget, skin is really numero uno for me too- and since my skin is so strikingly unusual in this beach/golf/tennis environment that I live in, it’s the feature that I put forward! Plus, if my skin doesn’t look good, then my cosmetics don’t look good.
But, I’ve been using “skincare” since I was 13. Cleanser, toner and moisturizer. When I went to college, I was working a lot, waiting tables, and I didn’t spend my money on what my friends did. Going out, nails, hair, etc. I firstly spent it on rent, photo supplies and bills… but I had a passion for skincare! Even though I did not ever wear a lot of makeup except for a few basic things, I always took care of my skin and even in my twenties I used AHA’s, eye cream, and one of my favorite things back then- Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. I was fighting free radicals way back when.
For a while I got into solely natural skincare and aromatherapy-based skincare, but honestly- as my skin ages, I am interested in the *science* of skincare. Ingredients that work and have proven effects. I am no longer at the point where I can wash my face with a mild cleanser and just apply a rejuvenating essential oil serum. I need the big guns!!!
I added a retinol product to my routine, Philosophy Booster caps, about a month ago. I’ve seen a subtle different from these. At first my skin felt dry and tight, and there was some slight peeling on my chin and around my nose, but now my skin looks very refined, and my pores are definitely smaller. I would love to try Retin A, but it is prescription…
I’ll be blogging soon about retinol and retin A!
Laura’s post reminded me, always ask your doctor before adding new supplements, even natural ones! E.g. there is some evidence that vitamin E supplements might actually increase your risk for heart problems, or at least for some people at certain dosages. Too much vitamin A (including from retinoids in skin care) can increase your risk of birth defects. My mom gets a rash if she takes anything but the lowest dose available for Vitamin C supplements. So just be smart
yes, great point- always check your supplements across the board to add up what you’re taking and make sure you’re not doubling up on things or maxing out on things. All things in moderation, there is such thing as too much of a good thing!
Here’s a guide for vitamins and minerals from familydoctor.org
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/otc-center/otc-medicines/863.html
Bridget, you take 5 fish oil caps? How many mg is that? Yikes! I have a hard time taking the recommended two on my bottle… it is 2000 mg, that’s what my Dr. recommended. 600 mg EPA/400 mg DHA per capsule.
Sunblock is another huge thing… we all really need to do our neck, chest and arms every day. Not just for when we go outside. Cumulative sun exposure just from being near windows, in the car, etc… is more damaging than a few hours in direct sunlight! EEK!
Have any of you gals tried the vitamin water? http://www.glaceau.com/
It would remind me of my Rocks! in my binder 
hehe
I got one for the first time yesterday. It was yummy. It was the kiwi-strawberry one and is for ‘focus’. It was chock full of b-vitamins. I felt like I was killing 2 birds with one stone…drinking water and taking vitamins. Is this the cheesy way of going about it?!? Do you think there is something to be said about it?
They are so pretty. I want all of them in my fridge, lined up
I use Retin-a Micro and like it, but I really can’t tell if it is doing anything. I should have taken pics of myself before, to see if there is any change. I have been on it for nearly a year too.
Laura…..”I try to be good about what I eat, but it’s extremely hard(especially when the pregnancy cravings kick in)”
I noticed that too but got sidetracked, oops….it seems congratulations are in order!
Melissa, I’m fond of Vitamin Water! I usually drink straight-up water or water with emergen-C in it, and don’t like strong flavored drinks, but sometimes plain water is just PLAIN boring with lunch! So I usually drink a Vitamin water every day… it just spices things up a little bit! I like the very light flavor that they have… not sure what % they provide as far as vitamins, I just figured they gave a little extra kick. I do like the Focus one too, because I figure I need all the Focus I can get on most days, I feel like I can’t figure out what to do next, I’m so stressed out.
RIght now they’re on special for $1 ea. at Walmart, so I got a bunch of ‘em… but I can’t drink them (or anything) cold, gives me a cold headache!
One thing that Perricone says that really resonates with me — skin is the body’s largest organ. The best of all “treatments” would be to take vitamins through the skin. Well, that’s fairly a thing of the future in many ways. I did find a supplement company that sells bona fide cream vitamins (B, C, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium) for geeks like me that can’t tolerate the fillers in a lot of pills. I also work around my sensitivities by using Omega -3 oils — but not swallowing them, applying them to my skin!!! That works a lot of wonders – I get the heart benefits and my skin gets benefits. Just one thing – be careful about the type of oil you pick or you might find yourself followed by every cat in town.
Yeah – 5 is alot – one cap is 360 mg EPA/240 DHA. It’s the recommended amount in the *cough* (whispers – Orgasm Diet) *cough*.
Don’t tell anyone, please. That would be embarassing!
Hmm, interesting! I take 6 different prescription meds a day (6 pills at breakfast and 3 before bed), so I am terrible about remembering (or even caring, really) to take my multivitamin. Sometimes I just don’t want to swallow another pill, but this post reminded me of how important vitamins are to the health of your skin & your health in general. I really need to get back into the vitamin routine.
I’ve always thought of my hair and skin as my best features, and (as my parents can testify) I’ve always had a bevy of cosmetics & styling products to maintain their health, but they were all products to be applied externally. I have never taken vitamins specifically for hair/nails/skin or anything designed to improve skin “from the inside out.” My grandmother always told me that eating Jello or taking gelatin supplements is good for your nails, but I don’t know if there is any truth to this or if it’s just folk wisdom.
I started seeing gray hair at 22 (which I think is kinda cool, actually…I’m 24 and on my way to some silver/white streaks). I have PCOS, which basically made my skin a disaster. Now that I’m on meds to balance my hormones, I’ve noticed a MAJOR difference in my skin. Another thing I’ve noticed since starting the meds for PCOS is that my nails have stopped splitting and grow long, strong, & shiny! I like that side effect.
Reading this was a good wake-up call to remind me to start taking my vitamins again (with my doctor’s ok, of course
). 
I take 2 1000mg fish oil capsules per day along with a bevy of anti-oxidants (vit C, ALA, co-Q 10, turmeric, and garlic). I think they’re good for my skin — and also for the rest of me. I’m the only one in my family who doesn’t have high cholesterol — Mom’s been on meds since she was my age. I’m now 44.
Sunscreen is very important. I’ve been wearing SPF 30+ regularly since I was 27 — and I think my skin shows it. Now I work in direct sunlight all day long — and I’m starting to get lots of freckles and a few splotches — and it’s only been a month! And that’s with a physical SPF 30+ block that’s reapplied 2x…. And I wear a hat. But that just might be the trade-off for the best job ever….
I take 2 1000 mg fish oil capsules daily, as well as Glocosamine and Vit D. I just started taking vit b complex for energy. I’ve done A, C, and E before for my skin.
The main thing I notice for my skin is the amount of sleep I get. It’s the one crucial thing that really makes a difference. I’ve always been a night owl, so it’s really hard to get enough sleep. I think it makes a difference.
Exercise also really shows on my skin. It looks more vibrant when I’m active–and sluggish, when my activity level is sluggish.
When I’m feeling like I’m living a well rounded life, my skin glows. Those times when I’m feeling connected to those I care about, enjoying free time alone, learning, getting my outdoor time, (with sunscreen), dancing, etc.–Then my skin realy looks its best.
As a fair skinned woman, I think everything shows on my skin. I don’t know if darker skinned woman can hide more. Our skin is our largest organ. I do think our skin is really important, and for me it tells all!
Thanks Kristen for glissade, which allows it to look its best
Thanks!
I love Vitamin Water! I drink one of the XXX ones almost everyday. It’s blueberry, acai, and pomegranite, yum.
i am an asian and i want to have a whiter skin can you please tell me what kind of food or vitamin i should take to make my skin whiter. i drink lots of water with honey and lemon…i’m taking lots of vitamin like glutthathion, vit c, milk thistle and CQ10 i don’t know if this will help me…pls let me know the contents of food or vitamin that will make me whiter..Thank you