Vitamin A: How It Can Help Your Skin

It’s no secret that healthy skin starts from the inside out and there are certain nutrients that are vital for keeping your skin looking gorgeously healthy and radiant. Our latest series on SkinStore will explore the A-Z of Superfoods For Your Skin, starting with the skincare benefits of Vitamin A.

What Is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is fat-soluble vitamin and antioxidant, which can help to fight and reverse free radical damage. As vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, it’s not essential to consume vitamin A-rich foods every day as the body stores it in the liver, however, we recommend consuming 0.6mg per day to maintain the level of the vitamin within the body.*

Why is Vitamin A Good For The Skin?

Vitamin A is transformed into retinol** in the body, which is an essential nutrient for truly healthy skin. Retinol is responsible for cellular communication and function and can help to firm the skin and soften fine lines. Retinol assists with increasing the skin’s collagen production and allows the skin to support important substances, such as ceramides, which help to keep the skin healthy and hydrated – this is extra-important for aging skin, as the skin loses essential ceramide molecules as we get older.

SkinMedica’s Lytera Skin Brightening Complex has the added benefit of retinol, which helps to combat an uneven skin tone as well as improving the skin’s texture.

Sources Of Vitamin A

Some excellent sources of Vitamin A include:

Beetroot
Cheese
Green Beans
Oily Fish
Leafy greens, including kale and spinach.
Avocado
Lemon/Lime
Tomato

Beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A, meaning that it is converted into retinol within the body. Some great sources of beta-carotene include:

Sweet Potato
Carrots
Apricots
Broccoli
Papaya
Butternut Squash

Topical application of Vitamin A can transform your skin, helping to repair damage from free radicals and UV rays, as well as slowing down the visible signs of aging and encouraging healthy cell production. Some of our favorite skincare product containing the vitamin include:

Skin-loving Recipe

If you’re looking to increase your consumption of the skin-loving vitamin A, then SkinStore is here to help, with our Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale Salad.

Maaltijdsalade met geroosterde venkel en zoete aardappel en nog veel meer ingrediënten in alle kleuren van de regenboog! ???☀️☀️☀️ Deze kleurrijke salade bomvol smaken en texturen staat nu op naareigensmaak.nl (link in bio). #gavoorkleur

A post shared by Lonneke Kranendonk (@lonnekekranendonk) on May 17, 2017 at 8:04am PDT

Ingredients:

1 Medium Sweet Potato
½ Avocado
1 Cup Kale
1 Cup Shredded Spinach
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Chopped Walnuts

For The Dressing:

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Teaspoons Honey
Sprinkle of Salt & Pepper
1 Tablespoon Garlic-Infused Olive Oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F and start by dicing your sweet potato. Drizzle with a little of your garlic-infused olive oil and season with salt and pepper, before placing in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
While your sweet potato is roasting, shred and wash your kale and spinach and add to a large bowl with the chopped cilantro and toss to combine. Dice your avocado and add to your bowl with the walnuts.
Remove your sweet potato from the oven and leave to one side for a few minutes.
While your sweet potato is cooling, combine the lemon juice, honey, oil, salt and pepper for your dressing in a small bowl and mix until well-combined.
Add your sweet potato to your bowl and drizzle your salad with your tangy dressing. Now dig in and enjoy your skin-loving salad!

*Excess consumption of Vitamin A can be toxic, so we do not recommend excessive intake.

** Topical application of retinol can increase the skin’s sensitivity to UV rays, so always make sure you are using a broad-spectrum sunscreen along with using retinol treatments at night.

Lydia

Health & Beauty Expert

As a qualified make up artist, I love all things make up! I'm also really passionate about health and nutrition, so I'm always on the look out for the latest Superfood to improve my skin, nails and hair!