Take your vitamins. It’s an important encouragement, not just for your inner beauty but also for your outer looks. Your skin is a living organ, even though all you see is the outer layer, covered in dead skin cells. You skin, just like all your other organs, needs certain vitamins and minerals to look great and work efficiently.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that helps your skin to look its best. A Northwestern Health website on vitamins in the winter cites vitamin A as a vitamin that reduces the lines and pores on your skin. Like an instant face-lift or facial, vitamin A tightens up the membranes of your skin and helps you look younger. Talk with your doctor about supplements if you think you are lacking, since vitamin A is fat-soluble and can build up in your system.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B comes in a number of forms–including B3, B6 and B12. The B vitamins help your body to use and move fat cells it acquires from food. This processing of fat gets fat to your skin where it can moisturize your skin. A University of Maryland Medical Center website about vitamin B3 says that lacking vitamin B3 in your diet causes your skin to dry and crack. Look for foods that are fortified with vitamin B if you need more moisturizing B in your diet.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C has a reputation for helping your immune system fight disease and heal your body. Your skin is no exception. As the first layer of defense against illness, your skin needs to be strong and healthy. Vitamin C helps your skin to heal cuts and abrasions and lessen the chance of scar tissue. Eat more citrus fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes to heal faster and return your skin to the armor it was meant to be.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another antioxidant. This one is vital to the building and strengthening of cell membranes. If you want your skin to be strong and healthy, it starts at the cell level. Vitamin E is also critical because it is the mother of all vitamins, supporting and encouraging them all to perform at their peak. The best way to get vitamin E to your skin is to eat it in healthy oils, such as olive oil, seafood and nuts.
Omega 3
Omega 3 is a fatty acid that keeps your skin moist. See, not all fats are bad. If you experience chronic dry skin, that not even lotions seem to help, talk to your doctor about omega-3 supplements or start eating more salmon and other fish.
