5 Vitamins To Improve Your Skin Barrier and Promote Healthy, Glowing Skin

Nutrition plays a big part in your skin’s health. A well-balanced diet gives your skin the vitamins and nutrients it needs to fight inflammation, recover from injury or illness, and slow signs of aging. If you don’t get enough skin-supporting vitamins in your diet, you might consider taking supplements to boost your skin health.

Cleansing, protecting skin from the sun, and managing stress also support skin health. Your skin is your body’s largest organ. It acts as a barrier to germs and bacteria, helps your body stay at the right temperature, and makes cells that heal wounds. Keeping your skin healthy ensures it can do these jobs well.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which means it protects you from free radicals, or unstable molecules that can damage your healthy cells. Vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables, like peppers, oranges, kiwis, tomatoes, and broccoli. 

Vitamin C is essential for maintaining healthy skin. Its main job is protecting your skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, but it also helps your skin make collagen. Collagen is a protein that helps strengthen skin.

The best way to boost your skin health with vitamin C is to choose a topical serum or cream that contains vitamin C as a main ingredient. Studies show topical vitamin C can support wound healing, reduce inflammation, and relieve symptoms of oily and acne-prone skin. These benefits are usually seen when using topical products with 10-20% vitamin C.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because the skin produces it in response to UV exposure (from sunlight). You can also get vitamin D through meat, fish, cheese, eggs, and many fortified foods like cereal and milk, but some people need to take a supplement.

Vitamin D’s skin benefits include strengthening the skin’s natural barrier, boosting the immune response, maintaining a healthy hair growth cycle, and protecting the skin from UV-related cancers. 

Vitamin D may also have anti-inflammatory effects.

• Some studies suggest that people with atopic dermatitis (a common type of eczema, a chronic inflammatory skin condition) have lower levels of vitamin D.
• Supplemental vitamin D might help relieve some symptoms of psoriasis, another chronic (long-lasting) inflammatory skin condition, but study results are mixed.
• Oral vitamin D can improve skin health. For example, one study found that high doses of supplemental vitamin D3 improved symptoms of sunburn. 

There is less information about how well topical vitamin D affects the skin, but small studies suggest it’s safe to apply and easily absorbed this way. Over-the-counter (OTC) creams and ointments containing vitamin D (usually listed as calcitriol) are often marketed to people with psoriasis. These have shown positive, safe results for the skin condition.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant found in foods like spinach, nuts, plant-based oils, and whole grains. Studies show that vitamin E has many positive effects on the skin, including moisturizing dry skin, maintaining healthy hair growth, and reducing inflammation (especially in people with psoriasis and eczema).

Research shows that vitamin E may also reduce UV-related skin tumors, protect the skin from signs of aging after UV exposure, and boost the skin’s natural barrier strength. Many people think topical vitamin E reduces the appearance of scars, but research on the vitamin’s wound healing effects is mixed.

You can consume vitamin E as part of a balanced diet, take it as a supplement, or apply it topically. Consuming it through diet or supplements is more reliable, as topical vitamin E isn’t as effective when exposed to air and light. 

Vitamin A may already be part of your regular skincare routine without you realizing it. A group of synthetic compounds called retinoids, made from vitamin A, are one of the most common ingredients used in over-the-counter and prescription skincare treatments. They are available in several different forms, including topical retinol, tretinoin, adapalene, and tazarotene, as well as oral isotretinoin. 

Retinoids are one of the most widely studied skincare ingredients. Many studies show they are effective in reducing wrinkles, treating acne, increasing collagen production, evening out skin tone, and generally making skin look healthier and more youthful. 

You probably get all the vitamin A your body needs to function through your diet—it’s found in leafy green vegetables, sweet potatoes, and fortified foods like cereals and milk. Getting the daily recommended amount of vitamin A can help your hair grow at a healthy rate and protect your skin from UV damage. 

Considerations

Here are a few considerations when taking vitamin A:

• Topical retinoids are typically the most effective way to reduce more pronounced acne. They also offer more anti-aging benefits than diet alone. 
• Too much vitamin A (vitamin A toxicity) can be harmful and has been linked to liver damage and birth defects. Topical vitamin A can contribute to toxicity, but supplemental vitamin A is a more common cause. 
• Retinol is the mildest form of retinoids and is commonly found in OTC serums and creams labeled as having anti-aging benefits. All other types of retinoids must be prescribed by a healthcare provider, except Differin (adapalene).
• Retinol is the mildest retinoid, but experts still recommend starting with a low dose and slowly increasing the amount you use over time to prevent irritation. It can take several weeks to months to see the full effects of topical retinoids.

Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is a popular skincare ingredient. Niacinamide is made from niacin, another name for vitamin B3.

Vitamin B3 has major benefits for the outermost layer of your skin, including reducing inflammation, protecting against UV damage, strengthening the natural barrier, and protecting you from germs. Both topical and oral B3 can reach the skin and help make it healthier.

Foods high in vitamin B3 include chicken, turkey, beef, fish, nuts, beans, brown rice, and certain fortified foods.

Many OTC topical products, including cleansers, moisturizers, and serums, contain niacinamide. Some studies show that topical niacinamide can effectively smooth skin texture, even skin color and tone, and increase skin elasticity. 

Oral B3 in a formulation called nicotinamide has its own set of benefits when used under the supervision of a healthcare professional. A clinical trial found that it lowered the number of cancerous skin growths in people with skin cancer and lowered the risk of developing precancerous growths in people at high risk of skin cancer. 

Making sure you get enough vitamins to keep your skin healthy is important, but it’s not the only way to improve skin health. Here are some other tips:

• Wear sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 or higher every time you go outside
• Avoid smoking, as it ages your skin more quickly and makes it harder for it to heal
• Wash your face and body gently every day with warm water and mild cleansers
• Manage stress, as it can raise inflammation, worsen acne, and trigger flares of skin conditions
• Get around eight hours of sleep each night—some studies suggest a regular lack of sleep can contribute to hormonal imbalances and inflammation
• Stay hydrated
• Moisturize with hypoallergenic lotions or creams
• Wear UV-protective hats and clothing when you can’t wear sunscreen
• Limit your time spent outside in the middle of the day when the sun is the strongest

There are many types of skin-related conditions and disorders, all with different symptoms. Some only last for a few days, but others can be harder to treat or become chronic. If you notice skin changes, it’s always a good idea to make an appointment with a healthcare provider so they can examine you. 

Common skin issues that may require medical treatment include:

• Rash, especially if it spreads quickly, covers a large part of your body, appears with a fever or blisters, or affects sensitive areas like your eyes
• Sudden hair loss
• Severe itching
• Sudden inflammation, redness, or swelling
• Thick, scaly patches
• Blisters that appear without a prior burn or injury
• Signs of infection, like redness, pain, or discharge
• Sudden or severe hives
• New or changing growths, spots, patches, or sores on the skin

Your skin has many important jobs, including protecting you from illness and maintaining your body temperature. Taking good care of your skin will help your skin function effectively. One way to support good skin health is to get enough vitamins in your diet, either through food or supplements.

Vitamins C, D, E, A, and B3 help the skin protect itself from germs, recover from UV damage, heal from injury, and maintain healthy hair growth. You can also take care of your skin by protecting it from the sun, staying hydrated, and reducing stress.