While your skincare routine plays a part in your skin’s condition, a nutrient-packed diet works wonders to maintain healthy skin from the inside out. But what actually helps?

There’s half an alphabet’s worth of vitamins to get your head round, and it can be confusing to understand which will benefit you most.

Here's our guide to the 10 essential nutrients that can help you achieve healthy skin that looks and feels good.

Why is skin health important?

Our skin is what protects our insides from external dangers.¹ That’s everything from the weather and pollution to sharp, hot, or cold items.

So, it only makes sense that we look after it. One way we can support our body’s largest organ is by making sure we eat and apply the vitamins it needs to stay healthy.

Signs of poor skin health

If our skin is unhealthy, it usually gives us “warning signs” to let us know it’s feeling down in the dumps. In fact, our skin can sometimes tell us if there is something going on inside that we need to address.

Here are the top signs of poor skin health.

1. Premature ageing

While skin ageing is natural, you can sometimes experience wrinkles and sagging earlier than expected. Premature ageing could be a sign that your skin isn’t at its healthiest, or other factors (like UV exposure, smoking, stress, or pollution) could be at play.

2. Dark circles

Dark circles can appear for many different reasons. The most obvious is tiredness, but you might also experience dark circles because of:

allergies
dehydration
ageing
your genetics

There are also some medical conditions, like iron deficiency and thyroid issues, that can be associated with dark circles under your eyes.^2,3

3. Dull complexion

If you’re lacking shine, it could be a sign that your skin is dehydrated. Drink plenty of water – six to eight glasses per day – and moisturise daily.⁴

A build-up of dead skin cells can also result in dull-looking skin. Be sure to exfoliate regularly to help shift these and keep your skin glowing.

4. Blemishes

Again, blemishes can be triggered by many different things. Some of these – like hormones – may not be as easily controlled as others.

However, blemishes are usually a sign that your skin is feeling congested and could benefit from a cleansing skincare routine.

5. Dark spots

Dark spots, or hyperpigmentation, are the result of excess melanin production in your skin.

They can be caused by anything from acne scarring to hormone fluctuations (i.e. during pregnancy) – but they can also be a sign of sun damage.

Use a broad-spectrum SPF of at least 30 every day (even in the winter!) to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.

6. Itchy skin

Itchy skin is another symptom that could stem from many different things – but it’s always something to look further into. You might have a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis. However, it’s also linked to jaundice, which can be a sign of something more serious like liver disease.⁵

The occasional itch should be nothing to worry about, but it’s best to seek advice from your doctor to be sure.

Vitamins and supplements. Variety of vitamin tablets in a wooden spoon on a texture background.Multivitamins with fresh and healthy fruits.Food supplements. Flat lay.

Which vitamins are good for the skin?

Everyone’s skin is different, and we all have different skin goals. Thankfully, there are a wide range of vitamins and other nutrients that can help with most common skin complaints.

Vitamin A

A collective term for a group of fat-soluble nutrients, our bodies use vitamin A to reproduce and grow cells. This is particularly important for our skin, as it has a high cell turnover.⁶

You can find vitamin A in foods like oily fish, eggs, spinach, carrots, and sweet potatoes. These are all good sources of beta-carotene, which our bodies convert into vitamin A.

Vitamin A is the key ingredient in retinol, widely thought to be a wonder product for youthful, smooth skin. This is because vitamin A accelerates skin cell turnover, helping shed dead skin cells and revealing fresh new skin underneath.⁷ The enhanced cell stimulation increases elastin and collagen production that can make skin look and feel plumper and more youthful.⁷

Using vitamin A in your skincare routine could help to minimise the appearance of blemishes, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles.

However you shouldn't use retinoids or any vitamin A derivative (or consume too much vitamin A in your food) if you’re pregnant, as an excess of vitamin A can harm an unborn baby.⁸

Always check with your GP or dermatologist if you’re unsure about your diet or skincare routine while pregnant.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is essential for our normal collagen formation. Our bodies can’t make vitamin C, which is why it’s so important to include it in your diet.⁹

What’s more, vitamin C is water soluble. This means that it’s easy to take and easy for our bodies to transport to our tissues, but it’s not stored very well. Excess vitamin C is excreted out through our urine, so it’s important we replenish those levels every day.

Without vitamin C, our bodies simply wouldn’t be able to make enough collagen, which is key for keeping our skin’s elasticity and plumpness. Deficiencies can lead to premature skin ageing like fine lines and wrinkles.

Luckily, this essential vitamin is found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including:

oranges
strawberries
broccoli
potatoes

You might also want to use it in your topical skincare, in a moisturiser or serum, where it can help tackle blemishes and brown spots.¹⁰

Its antioxidant properties help disarm free radicals, harmful unstable atoms which can contribute to poor skin health and premature skin ageing.¹¹

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins for our overall health. It helps to support our bones, brain, heart, muscles, immune system, and skin.

Its main skin benefits include:

calming sensitive skin
normalising skin cell turnover
protecting the skin barrier (epidermis)

Vitamin D deficiency can impact your whole body, but on your skin it might increase your risk of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD).¹²

The NHS recommends that everyone needs 10mcg of vitamin D a day, which is relatively easy to obtain if you spend time soaking up the sunshine.¹³

But it’s recommended you take a supplement all year round! We don’t get enough of the right wavelength of sunlight for half the year to naturally fill our vitamin D requirements.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an important fat-soluble antioxidant and has been used in dermatology for more than 50 years.14 It helps protect cells from oxidative stress caused by UV exposure, pollution, and our natural cell degeneration. Thanks to vitamin E, your skin cells stay better protected against premature ageing and wrinkles, and it may also help to improve the appearance of scars and blemishes.

Vitamin E comes from plants – so it can only be obtained through your diet or skincare. Some of the richest food sources are nuts, spinach, olive oil, and sunflower oils. You’ll also find vitamin E in skincare products such as serums, moisturisers, and body lotions. It’s most popular in healthy ageing skincare, but most of its skin benefits come from consuming it via your diet.

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 is also known as riboflavin, and is responsible for keeping the skin, eyes, and nervous system healthy. You can find B2 in dairy products like milk and eggs, along with fortified breakfast cereals.¹⁵

Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3, or niacin, is a water-soluble vitamin we must get through our diet.¹⁶Our bodies make a tiny amount, but we need to supplement the rest. Studies have shown that niacin could potentially help improve the appearance of ageing facial skin, namely by reducing red “blotchiness” and hyperpigmented spots.¹⁶

Niacin not only plays a part in healthy skin, but it helps to release energy from the foods we eat.¹⁶

A vitamin B3 deficiency can result in dry skin, or in very severe cases it can develop into pellagra – a condition that produces sore, “raw”-feeling skin similar to sunburn.¹⁷Remember the symptoms of pellagra by the three “D”s:¹⁶

dermatitis
diarrhoea
dementia

Meat, fish, brown rice, and milk are all good sources of this essential nutrient.¹⁶

Vitamin B5

Also called pantothenic acid, B5 is another essential vitamin we need to stay at our best. It’s known for its role in maintaining healthy skin, hair, and eyes. You can find vitamin B5 in lots of natural foods like eggs, meat, dairy products, whole grains, broccoli, nuts, mushrooms, and more.¹⁸

Studies have found that pantothenic acid can help improve mild to moderate breakouts.¹⁹A 2014 placebo-controlled study found that participants taking a B5-based dietary supplement had fewer skin lesions after 12 weeks when compared to their placebo counterparts.²⁰

Vitamin B7

Biotin is part of the B vitamin family and performs multiple important functions, including supporting healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. Signs of biotin deficiency include skin rashes, hair loss, and brittle nails – which is why it is recommended for healthy skin.

You can find it in a wide range of foods including eggs, fish, nuts, and whole grains.²¹

Iodine

Iodine is an essential mineral that helps our thyroid make hormones. These help to:

control your growth
support a healthy metabolism
repair damaged cells

Those with an iodine deficiency may have dry, flaky skin. One study found that dry skin affected up to 77% of people with low thyroid hormone levels.²²This is thought to be because thyroid hormones help your skin cells to regenerate. If your skin doesn’t regenerate as often as it should, dull and flaky skin can build up.

You might also find that you sweat less due to changes in your sweat glands. This trace element is found naturally in seawater, rocks, and some types of soil. If dining on a plate of soil doesn’t appeal to you, go for iodine-rich foods like fish, shellfish, and kelp.

If you're vegan or vegetarian, you may wish to take a supplement instead. However, be careful that iodine is not already supplemented in any other vitamins you take. Iodine is a trace element: you only need a tiny amount and an excess can be harmful. Taking high doses of iodine for a long time could change the way your thyroid works.²³

You might already be taking iodine in your general multivitamins, so be sure to check the labels before adding any new supplements to your routine.

Iron

You might associate low iron with fatigue and dizziness – but iron deficiency can also contribute to dry, itchy skin.²⁴

It also has a close (and confusing) relationship with your thyroid:

hypo- and hyperthyroidism can cause iron deficiency
but iron deficiency can also cause hypothyroidism

Incorporating lots of iron-rich foods, like fish, green veg, beans, and eggs into your diet will ensure you’re consuming enough iron. It will also help keep your skin looking healthy and hydrated and help to minimise the appearance of bruises.

However, if you suspect you’re still deficient, speak to your GP.

Omega-3

Omega-3 is most often associated with heart health and cholesterol reduction – you might know it from fish oil.

Omega-3s appear to improve the function of the skin barrier (epidermis), helping to seal in moisture and keep out pollutants. This can contribute towards more hydrated skin and less congestion – potentially reducing breakouts and blemishes.^25,26

Studies have also shown that supplementing with DHA and EPA (two long-chain omega 3s) may reduce skin’s sensitivity to UV rays.²⁷

Increase your omega-3 intake by eating oily fish, vegetable oils and margarines, green leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Selenium

This lesser-spoken-about mineral may play a role in soothing red, sensitive skin and help to calm the effects of breakouts and skin conditions like eczema.²⁸ Selenium is an antioxidant that works to protect other antioxidants like vitamin E.²⁹

You’ll find selenium in meats, grains, fish, and nuts like Brazil nuts and walnuts. Selenium content can depend on your location and soil conditions – so bear this in mind.

Zinc

Zinc helps your skin heal after an injury. It keeps cell walls stable and is also needed to produce structural proteins such as collagen. It can also play a part in clearing acne; one study found a 49.8% reduction of blemishes in participants taking 30mg of topical zinc for 12 weeks.³⁰

Zinc is a trace element, meaning you only need a tiny amount of it – yet the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 30% of the global population are zinc deficient.³⁰A zinc deficiency can look like eczema, but it won’t get better with moisturisers and steroid creams.

Increase your zinc intake by eating meat, shellfish, dairy products, and wheat germ, or by taking a daily zinc supplement.

Vitamin supplements on wooden spoon with healthy fruits berry, lime, pomegranete on white wooden background.Top view.

The final say

As you can see, there are quite a few vitamins that help keep your skin nice and healthy. If you’re considering supplementing more than one of them, it may be worth considering a multivitamin. All multivitamins contain differing amounts of vitamins and minerals, so always check the product details or labels to make sure it has what you want in it.

Take a look at supplement pairings that are more effective together, according to nutritionists.

Disclaimer

The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Before taking any supplements or minerals, it’s best to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients through your diet first. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you have sensitive skin, eczema, psoriasis, acne or rosacea, consult a dermatologist before trying any treatments.

It is important to always check with your doctor or midwife before taking any supplements while pregnant. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medications or under medical supervision, please consult a doctor or healthcare professional before use.

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