Vitamin supplements, myth or fact?

There continues to be a debate between topical vitamin skin care treatments and vitamin supplements taken by mouth. Vitamin deficiencies can make skin look lifeless.

In a recent study, patients who took nutritional supplements while also using topical applications of beauty products containing vitamins saw healthier skin, reduced sun damage and in some result it can even repair DNA.

Do vitamin supplements really improve your skin?

Well, health care experts believe that for people who follow a strict, daily diet that provides an adequate dose of vitamins and supplements, it may be unnecessary. But for those of us a little less on the daily strict diet program, supplements are a vital part of a balanced skin care routine.

Here are some vitamins and their skin healthy benefits:

• Vitamin A is a necessity for the maintenance and repair of skin tissue
• Vitamins C and E reduce the damage free radicals cause to our skin
• Vitamin B Complex is essential for the maintenance of skin, hair and nails
• Colostrum contains natural growth factors to nourish skin
• Omega 3 promotes a healthy cellular process

What other vitamins are good for your skin? If you know, let us in on it too!

Myth of the Day

Scandle Candle's Beauty Myth Countdown.

Myth #27:

The only form of vitamin C that works is L-ascorbic acid.

Truth:

Vitamin C is one of the best antioxidants for your skin. L-ascorbic acid is the natural form of vitamin C, but it remains in its most effect form for only a limited time and has some downsides.

• It can be quite irritating to the skin


• It is not very stable. It oxidizes easily when exposed to air, which can be slightly harmful to skin.

Research and product development in cosmetic uses for vitamin C have yielded some new variations.

• Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP)

MAP is a derivative of vitamin C that has the same collagen-boosting effect as L-ascorbic acid, but is more stable and is gentler on sensitive skin. MAP still degrades as rapidly as L-Ascorbic, so it is important to keep these products sealed and away from sunlight.

• Ascorbyl Palmitate

Palmitate is also a vitamin C derivative but does not have the same advantages as MAP does; it takes much higher quantities to get the collagen-producing effects of vitamin C. There is still much needed research on this derivative to determine if there is enough vitamin concentration possible for skin-care products. But it is still more stable than L-ascorbic acid.

Be sure to read any beauty product label closely. Some products can boast of new vitamin C breakthroughs but may contain trace amounts of L-ascorbic acid.


Does anyone have any new vitamin C products to rave about? Let us know.

Scandle in the news.

• Scandle is featured in today's Gifted blog. Check out Gifted for great advice on gifting ideas.
• Scandle is featured in today's Mars & Venus in the Beauty Closet, at the bottom the page.