You’ve probably heard about all of the lovely products out there with various vitamins in them but do you know what they’re doing and why you really need them? In this week’s blog, we’re doing a deep dive on vitamins as actives in skincare.

While many vitamins are used in skincare, in this blog we’re only going to talk about the essentials. The 3 vitamins that are so hardworking I recommend them for everyone over the age of 30 (and 2 of them after 20). These are Vitamin A, Vitamin B3, and Vitamin C.

Before we start I want to briefly discuss percentages and why they are and aren’t important. The therapeutic dose of an active depends on the version of the active your body can utilize, the amount (percentage) used, and the delivery system - how easily does it get to where it needs to go. It’s important to understand that a higher percentage does not mean it’s necessarily better and a lower percentage does not necessarily mean it won’t work. It’s all dependent on the formula as a whole. The product lines and individual products that I have selected for Violet Hour Skin have been selected specifically because of their ingredients, delivery systems, and clean formulas. I am super fussy when it comes to products that I use on my skin and therefore the products that I use on your skin.

The other things that you should consider when assessing an active ingredient are the Kligman Questions. These three questions help us to assess the efficacy of an active ingredient.

Can it penetrate the stratum corneum and get to where it needs to go to do the work?
Is there a way it can work? ( a biochemical mechanism of action in the target cell or tissue in human skin)
Does it have a sufficient level of evidence? (published, peer-reviewed, double-blind, placebo-controlled, statistically significant, clinical trials - this is also the gold standard when assessing any scientific claim)

It’s important to keep in mind that cosmetic ingredients are quite often researched by cosmetic companies and they tend to publish work that supports the claims that they are making and not publish the results that don’t. This is a known flaw in the scientific world that is commonly called the file drawer effect and we are now trying to find ways to reduce this effect by research groups having to log their hypothesis prior to publication.

Vitamin A - Retinoids

The Conductor of the Orchestra

Vitamin A in skincare is referred to under the umbrella term retinoids. You’re probably the most familiar with Retinol as it’s the most common member of this family and it’s generally used as the catch-all for Vitamin A skincare products.

The first thing to know is that your skin has retinoid receptors and will create more with exposure which is why we always recommend going low (%) and slow (increasing use frequency gradually). As it can sometimes cause some photosensitivity, we generally recommend using your retinoid in your evening ritual.

The purest form of Vitamin A is retinoic acid and it’s also the form that your body can utilize - the form that binds to these receptors. This form is not available without a prescription (think Retin-A). Every other retinoid will have to be converted to this form before it can be utilized by your cells. Before we breakdown the Hierarchy of Topical Retinoids, let’s cover the benefits, also known as why-we-love-it:

Retinoids help with:

Fine lines & wrinkles - by stimulating collagen and elastin
Skin texture - by improving desquamation & compaction of stratum corneum
Pore size - by helping to clear sebum from pores
Acne - by resurfacing skin & regulating sebum production
Oily skin - by regulating sebum production
Dry Skin - by improving cell health
Dehydrated Skin - by improving lipid bilayer in stratum corneum
Dull complexions - by improving desquamation
Hyperpigmentation & brown spots - by inhibiting tyrosinase (an enzyme that begins the formation of melanin)

They do this in 4 main ways. They Resurface, Regulate, Stimulate, and Protect & Prevent.

Resurface:

Accelerates natural desquamation (shedding of cells)
Helps to improve compaction of the stratum corneum (outermost layer of the epidermis) which strengthens barrier function. So it thins this layer, in a good way.

Regulate:

Penetrates to the Basal Cell Layer where your main skin cells, the keratinocytes are born.
Thickens the most active layer of your epidermis, the Stratum Spinosum, by upregulating cell proliferation.
Increases cell turnover when this function is halted or slowed down due to an impaired barrier
Repairs DNA structures in cells - this optimizes your cells when they begin their journey to ensure they are as good as can be, enhancing your barrier function when they become corneocytes.
Regulates sebum production
Regulates melanogenesis - melanin production thus reducing an uneven skin tone.
Reduces oxidative stress

Simulate:

Due to being lipophilic (oil-loving) it’s able to penetrate the dermal/epidermal junction to stimulate collagen and elastin production.
Aids in wound healing.
Thickens and firms dermal layers of your skin.

Protect & Prevent:

Prevents peroxidation (loss of lipid and antioxidant in the cell membrane)
Re-activates vitamin A receptors
Normalizes cell function
Stimulates cellular activity

So you can see why retinoids are so essential to maintaining healthy, youthful skin. Remember earlier when I mentioned the hierarchy of retinoids? Great! This is basically the number of conversions that need to be made before your skin & cells can utilize your retinoid.

Retinoic Acid - RESURFACE | STIMULATE | REGULATE | PROTECT & PREVENT(tretinoin, trifarotene, adapalene, tazarotene)
- Acid form.
- Zero conversions.
- Can be very irritating and is not well tolerated by a lot of people.
- Can cause photosensitivity - must use an SPF.
- Prescription-only.
- Especially beneficial for stubborn acne that non-prescriptive skincare has failed to treat.
Retinaldehyde/Retinoic Acid Esters - RESURFACE | STIMULATE | REGULATE | PROTECT & PREVENT(retinaldehyde (retinal), hydroxypinacolone retinoate HPR (Granactive Retinoid), retinyl retinoate)
- Ester/Aldehyde forms.
- One conversion step to retinoic acid.
- Minimal irritation and very well tolerated by many people.
- Found in non-prescription formulations.
- Retinyl Retinoate converts into both retinoic acid and retinol so it has both instant and delayed benefits as the retinol then has the two-step conversion to retinoic acid.
- HPR binds directly to retinoid receptors without having to be converted to retinoic acid.
- Great for almost everyone, retinaldehyde, in particular, is also safe for use during pregnancy and nursing and can be used during the day - this is one of the reasons why I brought in Osmosis to Violet Hour Skin.
Retinol - RESURFACE | STIMULATE | REGULATE | PROTECT & PREVENT
- Alcohol form.
- Two conversion steps to retinoic acid.
- Not as irritating as retinoic acid but more irritating than retinaldehyde/retinoic acid esters.
- Found in non-prescription formulations - most common form of non-prescription retinoids.
- Stronger Resurfacing ability than other non-prescription forms can lead to redness & flakiness if not introduced slowly
Retinyl Esters - PROTECT & PREVENT(retinyl palmitate, retinyl linoleate, retinyl acetate, and retinyl propionate)
- Ester form.
- Three conversion steps to retinoic acid.
- Zero side effects so, extremely well tolerated by all skins.
- Safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- A great starting point for very sensitive skin.
Beta Carotene - PROTECT & PREVENT
- Not technically Vitamin A but a precursor, correctly called Pro-vitamin A.
- The form found in plants and is the most common form that we eat in red & orange fruits and veg but also in the green leafies.
- Found in plant oils such as Rosehip, Apricot, Argan, Buriti, and many more for topical use. Think of the darker, amber or golden oils.

She does so much it’s no wonder we think she’s the queen of vitamins! You’ll find her in:

Vitamin B3 - Niacinamide

The Workhorse

Niacinamide has been having a moment for the last few years and for very good reason! This workhorse of a vitamin does its fair share and then some when used topically. A water-soluble vitamin, Niacinamide does most of its work in your epidermis. What does it do? It might be better to ask what it doesn’t do! We love to keep things simple and that’s one of the reasons why we are in love with Niacinamide because she ticks all the boxes.

It’s great for:

Acne
Oily Skin
Dry Skin
Visibly large pores
Fine lines and wrinkles
Loss of collagen
Hydration
Redness
Brown Spots or hyperpigmentation
Eczema
Prevents skin cancer

Skin Immunity
Reduces Inflammation & Redness

It truly is a great all-rounder, plus it's extremely well tolerated by most people. Most studies show its effectiveness starts at around 5% to treat most of these things. But how?

Ok kids it’s time to get down and nerdy…

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) and Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate (NADP) are essential for cell metabolism. These also naturally decline as we age so Niacinamide helps to top up these levels keeping your cells functioning at a younger state.

When our cells are functioning in this optimized state then everything during their life is also optimized such as the formation of ceramides, proteins, lipids, and other components of healthy skin, helping to form a strong lipid bilayer in your stratum corneum and we know that good lipid formation here helps maintain water levels in the skin, thus improving hydration. This reduces inflammation (the visual effect of this is redness) and, as we all know ;) inflammation is the primary cause of hyperpigmentation.

This ability to reduce inflammation is what makes Niacinamide stand apart from the other heroes of this story, Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

While we don’t know the exact mechanism, Niacinamide has also been demonstrated to reduce sebum production thus being a great addition to treating acne and combating the afternoon oilies.

It’s also been shown to increase the protein synthesis of collagen so it will work alongside Vitamin C in this process leading to firmer skin and better skin density. It’s this and the ability to help in the production of all of those great lippidy components of skin that helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, yay!

Excuse me while I find a bath of this super vitamin to bathe my old bones in! You’ll find her in:

Vitamin C - Ascorbic Acid

Old Faithful

Vitamin C in its natural form is Ascorbic Acid and while this is the form that your body uses, it has its flaws which we’ll get to further down.

Just like your skin has retinoid receptors, you also have proteins that work as Ascorbic Acid transporters: sodium-ascorbate co-transporters SVCT1 & SCVT2.

Studies have shown that the primary transporters in your keratinocytes, SVCT1 are reduced with UVB exposure, limiting the amount of Vitamin C your cells can use to protect them from this very thing which is why a broad-spectrum sunscreen with UVA and UVB filters is absolutely the first step in preventing premature aging - without it, the ingredients that work to reduce and reverse this will also have limited bio-availability.

Vitamin C in its natural form, Ascorbic Acid, is ideal for consumption and absorption through the gut. However, because it’s a water-soluble vitamin, your body doesn’t store Vitamin C and can only utilize as much as it can at each stage in the absorption/transportation process. This means that your body discards anything that can’t be used in each step along the way. When consumed, the bulk of it will go to your vital organs and prevent various deficiencies from causing disease. Which means that your skin is one of the last places to receive its benefits. Applying Vitamin C topically means that the cells in your skin will receive it and get to work doing what Vitamin C Does…

Vitamin C is a beauty! She’s primarily going to have a trifecta of effects on your skin.

Antioxidant - supports your sunscreen by fighting free radicals spawned by radiation. Maintaining cellular heath.
Collagen synthesizer - without Vitamin C, your body (and therefore skin) can’t form collagen it boosts the building blocks for collagen as well as helping to bind the amino acids used to form collagen. It also helps to maintain and retain healthy collagen.
Tyrosinase Inhibitor - helps to prevent excess melanin from being formed

So let’s dive a little deeper into how she does all this and the different forms of Vitamin C Available…

Ascorbic Acid (AA)

The purest form of Vitamin C and the form that your body uses. No conversions once in the skin.
Hydrophilic molecule (water-soluble).
It doesn’t penetrate the skin well because your stratum corneum is a hydrophobic environment.
Chirally correct form is L-Ascorbic Acid which is the form you want to use if your choose to use AA. This is not technically allowed on the INCI list so you don’t always know if the AA used is the chirally correct form.
The most studied form of Vitamin C. Mostly when formulated with Vitamin E and Ferulic Acid (Skinceuticals).
Needs to be used at concentrations between 10% and 20% (above 20% and the efficacy declines).
Highly unstable - once mixed with water or exposed to air, it loses its potency (oxidizes) quickly. When it breaks down it turns yellow, then orange, then brown, so you can usually get a visual idea of how active your vitamin C is. Many AA formulations are made with orange dyes for this reason - to hide the oxidation of the AA. Cheeky!
It’s photosensitive - it loses potency when exposed to light.
Can be irritating and sensitizing - the hint is in the name, it’s an acid. AA needs to be in a formulation of pH 3.5 or less to be effective. This isn’t suitable for a lot of skins.
Not well suited to topical applications because of most of the above.

Mineral Ascorbates - Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP) and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP)

Water-soluble or hydrophilic.
Needs to be converted into the skin for use.
Still relatively unstable (does better in an emulsion vehicle which can be a barrier disruptor)
Studies on efficacy have been mixed. Few studies demonstrate issues with percutaneous absorption, while other in vivo and in vitro studies show benefits.
The best versions of this form are liposomal to enhance penetration ability.

Vitamin C Esters - Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate (ATIP or VC-IP) and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THDA or THDC)

Fat-soluble or lipophilic - able to penetrate the Stratum Corneum easily.
Needs to be converted to AA in the skin but loses minimal potency.
Studies have shown these to be as or more effective than AA.
Low to no sensitivity to the skin.
Very stable.
Because it’s lipophilic, it’s able to penetrate into the dermis, where AA cannot pass the dermal/epidermal junction.
Optimal pH is similar to skin’s pH making it highly tolerable.

I guess it’s not hard to work out that our favorite forms of Vitamin C are the esters, that's why we love O Cosmedics Vitamin C Hemp Seed Oil!

Now that you know all about our favorite actives and what they do for your skin you’re probably wondering where they fit in your ritual?

We love Niacinamide morning and night, right after your mist. In the morning, your Vitamin C would come after this followed by moisturizer and SPF. In the evening it would be followed by your retinoid and then your moisturizer. Remember to listen to your skin when you introduce your actives, always one at a time, and, especially for your retinoids, make sure that you’re starting low (%) and slow. Start with once a week for the first week, twice a week for two weeks, three times a week for three weeks then every night. When you go up in strength, repeat this method with the stronger % using the tolerated strength on the down nights.

These are the next step after getting your basics in order. We recommend starting with Vitamin C and B3 after the age of 20 and adding in that retinoid after the age of 30 but you can start in your 20s if you want. Once you’re moving into actives, these are our baseline “holy trinity” for skin health, suitable for everyone, and a great basis for treating and preventing many skin conditions.

Next month we’re discussing aging skin - what’s going on, societal pressures, and how to get comfortable with the process.

Do you know your ABC's?