Tag Archives: Healthy skin

The Link Between Vitamin C Serum and Collagen for Healthy-Looking Skin

vitamin C serum and collagen

To improve the overall look and health of your skin, start with vitamin C serum and collagen supplements.

Want healthier skin? You don’t have to go to extremes to get it. In fact, it’s pretty simple. Look for products containing vitamin C serum and collagen, and the rest will pretty much take care of itself. We’ll tell you why.

Vitamin C Serum

Vitamin C serums are skin care products that are infused with vitamin C. They are applied topically to your skin, and usually packaged as a gel or lotion so they are highly moisturizing. Here are just a few other reasons why a vitamin C serum like Vitamin C Concentrated Serum by Derma E might be good choice for your skin:

  • It’s an Antioxidant – That means it can help reverse skin damage caused by the sun and other environmental hazards such as chemicals and pollution.
  • Added Sun Protection – If you use a vitamin C serum along with your sunscreen, it will increase your protection from harmful UV rays.
  • Reduces Inflammation – Vitamin C serums help calm inflammation that causes redness. It can also help even skin tone caused by hyperpigmentation.
  • Protects Against Premature Aging – Vitamin C encourages new cell growth, including collagen which help keep your skin looking plump and youthful.

Collagen Supplements

Collagen is an important protein found in your bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, and hair. You can find collagen supplements in a variety of options including powders such as Collagen Peptides by Vital Proteins, capsules such as Collagen JS 1000 mg by Pure Encapsulations, and topical skin products such as Collagen HA Triple Boost Face Serum by Hyalogic. You’ve probably heard about the advantages of using collagen supplements for your skin, here are just a few:

  • Overall Skin Health – Studies show that collagen supplements can help boost your overall skin health and appearance. Many say they notice that their skin feels more moisturized and looks healthier.
  • May Prevent Acne – There is some research to support the claim that collagen supplements may prevent skin conditions, such as acne.
  • Helps Build Structure – Collagen is what helps support our skin’s structure. As we age, we begin to lose collagen, which can be seen when our skin starts to sag. Taking collagen supplements can help your body build back up its reserves, resulting in plumper, more youthful looking skin.

If you’re serious about improving the overall look and health of your skin, vitamin C serums and collagen supplements are a great place to start. Neither require invasive therapies, and they have proven track records for visible results. See what they can do for you!

Why Sweating is Good for Your Skin

is-sweating-good-for-your-skin

“A sweaty body is a healthy body.” 

Whether or not that statement is actually true, physical education teachers around the world have shouted it to thousands of kids as they’ve run laps over the decades. And while the claim is not at all specific in how sweat might help the skin, it just feels right. But is it? 

Turns out, sweating is good for the skin in primary and secondary ways. We’ll start with the secondary. Most of us sweat profusely when we exercise. And exercise, it has been shown, stimulates the skin to grow in more healthy ways, particularly in the ways that the effects of aging accumulate over time. This is due to many causes not directly related to sweat, but because sweat is so closely associated with vigorous exercise. We can at least affirm that the old saying of “a sweaty body is a healthy body” is at least partially correct. 

So exercise is healthy for the skin – no surprise there. But in what ways might sweating be directly healthy for our skin? For this insight, we’ll look to the book “The Beauty of Dirty Skin: The Surprising Science of Looking and Feeling Radiant from the Inside Out” by doctor Whitney Bowe, a dermatologist. Dr. Bowe says: 

“Sweat contains natural alternatives to antibiotics called antimicrobial peptides. The specific antimicrobial peptide in sweat, dermcidin, is pumped onto the skin via the sweat glands and coats the skin, thereby providing protection against infection from other microbes and harmful germs.”

Microbes and germs, another study reminds us, are responsible for numerous skin problems, including pimples, boils, impetigo, and folliculitis. We learn from Dr. Bowe that by sweating with regularity, we can counteract some of the effects that these natural microbes have on our skin’s health. 

Perhaps this is one of the reasons that saunas have been so popular for centuries. Although the notion of “sweating out toxins,” Dr. Bowe reminds us, is for the most part a myth. 

So sweat is good, but is too much sweat a bad thing? Dr. Bowe has information for us once again. She says, “If sweat sits on the skin too long, it can irritate the skin. Specifically, the ammonia and urea in sweat can cause irritation and inflammation if left on skin too long. The sodium in sweat can dehydrate skin if left too long on the surface, and the evaporation of sweat from skin can aggravate people prone to eczema.”

So there you have it. Sweating is good, and you should do it in dedicated workouts regularly. But also make sure that you hit the showers after working out at the gym. 

Of course, there are some skin challenges that go along with sweating. Because you’re likely not going to the gym right now because of Covid-19, you may be forced to work out outside. Outdoor workouts mean fending with the elements: the sun, the cold, the wind, and the dry (or excessively humid) air. Any of these factors can damage your skin. Fortunately, there are ways to give back what the stress of any workout takes from our skin. 

Cosmesis Healing Vitamin K Cream from Life Extension , Jade Facial Travel Kit – Normal to Dry Skin from Jadience Herbal Formulas, and Balancing Day Lotion will each have a restorative effect on your skin, whether you’re recovering from a workout, or are merely wishing to moisturize after a cleansing shower. Whatever the case, we hope you find that sweat helps your skin, and that you find a way to get sweaty that works perfectly for your situation.

Nutrients for Healthy Skin

Healthy_SkinJacquieIconBy Jacquie Eubanks
BSN, RN
 
 

The combination of a nutritious diet and the right dietary supplements can help to give your skin a radiant, healthy and more youthful glow. Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals obtained from good food and high quality supplements play an integral role in skin health and make an important difference in the overall look and feel of your skin. Many of us may slather our skin with expensive lotions and potions in pursuit of healthy looking skin without thinking about nutrition. While there are many very good personal skin care products for external application, it’s important to nourish your skin from the inside out if you really want to have the healthiest skin possible. To put your best face forward, fill your shopping cart with powerhouse foods that provide the nutrients your skin needs to fight age-related damage and look its best at every age.

For the healthiest skin, a combination of strategies, including diet, supplements, moisturizers, sunscreens, and healthy lifestyle habits, is necessary. Excessive sunlight exposure, smoking and environmental pollutants all contribute to photodamage, wrinkles and poor skin texture. Concentration on a healthy diet that includes a variety of antioxidant rich foods can provide valuable skin protection, as research shows antioxidant vitamins help support collagen and elastin and protect against DNA and sun damage. Conversely, limiting unhealthy processed foods and oils helps to reduce the negative effects of aging that contribute to unhealthy looking skin. A well rounded diet of healthy fats, sufficient protein and lots of nutrient rich fruit and vegetables is a recipe for a beautiful complexion.

Truth holds that we are what we eat, as studies have shown that people with poor diets, high in sugar and refined ingredients, are likely to have more wrinkles, less elasticity and more collagen loss. Diets rich in the nutrients that hinder inflammation help keep skin supple, provide natural sun protection and increase skin elasticity. Chronic skin conditions, such as acne or premature aging, are linked to chronic inflammation. Reducing inflammation by boosting immune function through good nutrition, detoxification and hormonal balance can significantly soothe and improve the skin.

Some might say that skin is a great communicator, as skin is often the first area where visible signs of aging are noticed. It pays to look inward to understand what’s going on with your health, as eventually health problems will show up on the skin. Apparently, beauty is not just skin deep, as skin health is linked to major functions of the immune, respiratory, circulatory and lymphatic systems. Paying attention to the health of your skin is one of the easiest ways to see how well your body is functioning. To ensure optimal skin and support overall health, make sure to feed your body the nutrition it requires and deserves including vitamins C, E, A, K and B complex, minerals such as zinc and selenium and omega-3 essential fatty acids.  

Moisturizers, such as those that contain antioxidant vitamins C and E, are great for overly dry or itchy skin. Topical applications of micronutrients in addition to dietary consumption can help feed the skin and maintain and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier. Be sure to hydrate your body and your skin daily by drinking enough water to satisfy your thirst. Drinking a glass of water with each meal, one between meals and one before and after exercise is a good rule of thumb for sufficient hydration. While gravity and genetics may play a role, to maintain healthy skin as you age pay close attention to what you feed it. A balanced diet augmented with nutritional supplements and a healthy lifestyle may just be the best approach for overall health and lovely skin.

Supplement recommendations for vibrant and healthy skin include:

Skin Assist™Skin Assist™ by Vitanica – This product promotes healthy skin with supportive antioxidant nutrients along with B vitamins, minerals and herbs. These ingredients support physiological functions of the skin and balanced hormonal effect on the sebaceous glands in support of blemish-free skin. Wheat, dairy and sugar free vegetarian formula.
 
 
 
MSM powderMSM powder by Pure Encapsulations – This highly recommended product provides 34% bioavailable elemental sulfur necessary for maintaining connective tissue health, particularly collagen and keratin. MSM has anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties that help to benefit and strengthen the skin’s support matrix.
 
 
BioSil® Skin, Hair, Nails
 
BioSil® Skin, Hair, Nails by Natural Factors – BioSil® helps to increase skin elasticity by providing natural and safe ingredients that support the body’s own natural collagen production. Gluten, soy and dairy free formula.
 
 
 
Ultra HNS (201345)
Ultra HNS (201345) by Douglas Laboratories – This product is designed to support healthy skin aging as well as improve the strength and appearance of the skin, hair and nails. Ultra HNS provides high dose biotin, zinc and vitamin C along with patented, solubilized keratin for skin structural support.
 
 
 
MSM Liposome Lotion
 
MSM® Liposome Lotion by Now Foods – Manufactured to contain the purest level of MSM, this lotion uses liposome technology for superior topical penetration and absorption to promote healthy skin and maintain skin elasticity. ON SALE!  30% OFF  Shop Now
 
 
References:
Micronutrients and Skin Health. 
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/skin.html
Nutrients for Healthy Skin: Inside and Out. 
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50505
Wrinkles In-Depth Report. 
http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/wrinkles/print.html