Could The Answer To Clear Skin Really Be In These 5 Vitamins?

Vitamins have long been known to support healthy immune systems and bones. But, what about the surface? Can a supplement also help cure the daily blemishes and hits your skin takes? Yes, it absolutely can! Vitamin skincare is all the rage and for good reason. Check out these 5 vitamins that will keep your skin glowing all year long and how to incorporate them into your diet.

1. Vitamin C: Your key to anti-aging skincare, not only does vitamin C help fight free radicals, but it also adds density, tightness and glow to the skin, while also eliminating an uneven skin tone. Try looking for serums and moisturizers that come in an "airless chamber pump." Apparently, vitamin C is hard to keep stable, especially when introduced to air. Good sources of vitamin C include papayas, red bell peppers, broccoli, kale, oranges, strawberries and cauliflower.

2. Vitamin A: Commonly called retinol, this vitamin is found in almost all topical acne medicines. So what's behind this little supplement? It forces your skin cells to "turn over". That means fresh new cells are pushed to the surface, leaving your skin rejuvenated. Vitamin A will help reduce wrinkles by firming and tightening the skin. But be careful, because retinol can be pretty harsh. Protect those newly exposed cells with an SPF lotion of at least 30! Foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens, cantaloupe, lettuce and dried apricots are good sources of this vitamin.

3. Vitamin D: So there's a little conundrum surrounding vitamin D. Our bodies do not naturally create it. In fact, to produce vitamin D ourselves, we need to have direct exposure to UV rays. That's right, no sunscreen, just straight sun — hence the nickname the "sunshine vitamin." In an article for YouBeauty, Dr. Dennis Gross, M.D., who has spent the last few years researching this vitamin's connection with skincare, explained that vitamin D appears to have a hefty role in creating "beautiful skin." According to Dr. Gross and his research, sufficient levels of vitamin D in the skin "helps minimize acne, boost elasticity, stimulate collagen production, enhance radiance, and lessen lines and the appearance of dark spots." Read more here. This vitamin can be found in foods like salmon, fortified cereals, milk, eggs, mushrooms, and tuna.

4. Vitamin E: This vitamin is essential to keeping your skin moisturized. But it's also an antioxidant known for neutralizing free radicals, protecting your collagen, and repairing your skin. Our bodies naturally create vitamin E, which is secreted on the surface of our skin as an oily substance, 7 days after consuming a vitamin E rich food (like tofu, spinach, nuts, avocados, shrimp, olive oil and cooked broccoli). It creates a protective layer on our skin's surface. Stick to ingesting this vitamin rather than taking supplements, if you can. Studies seem to support benefits for longterm use of supplemental vitamin E, but recent studies have also shown some severe reactions to the supplement. Talk to you doctor before purchasing the supplement.

5. Vitamin K: Say goodnight to those under-eye circles with this vitamin in your beauty tool kit. Vitamin K helps control blood clotting and helps your circulatory system, which is one of the main causes of puffiness under eyes. Applied topically, it can also help with any popping veins. It may also contain retinol, which thickens the skin and helps bulk up that translucent layer under the eye. Excellent sources of this vitamin include kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and collard greens. (If you take anything away from this, it should be to eat your veggies!)