Witch Hazel Is Back – And This Is Why Your Skin Needs It

Ready to discover which powerhouse vitamins and minerals will ‘actually’ make your skin look and feel better than ever? Here's the lowdown on ten of the best… 

Skincare ingredients are ten-a-penny these days with all manner of alleged miracle workers available to spread and massage over your precious complexion. But the thing is, you can splash out hundreds of bucks on products, then you wait… and wait… and well, nothing really changes. ‘Disappointing’ doesn’t even touch the surface.

So which ingredients offer true, visible results and therefore deserve their coveted spot in your routine? Well, we believe the classics are rarely beaten. And in this case, the true classics are vitamins and minerals. 

Read on for ten of the most elite vitamins and minerals we have the pleasure to know. And, just so you know, we don’t like to play favorites, so we’ve listed them in alphabetical order. Because fair’s fair.

The Mineral Masters

1. Calcium

Calcium rarely gets shouted about in skincare but it’s actually a bit of an unsung hero. You’re well aware of calcium’s benefits for your teeth and bones, right? Well, it’s also a key component of the skin – reinforcing and strengthening its natural resilience by fortifying the barrier function. 

As skin ages, its barrier function can become compromised due to daily wear and tear (UV radiation is a huge offender, of course), plus poor skincare choices and unhealthy lifestyle habits. This can make the skin feel, dry and dehydrated because moisture is able to more easily escape from the surface of the skin. But not only that; a weak barrier function also encourages irritation and sensitivities that weren’t there before. Which is no fun.

The good news is there are many awesome ingredients out there that help counteract a substandard barrier function – calcium being one of them. Added bonus: it’s also been shown to encourage healthy cell turnover for brighter, clearer skin.

2. Magnesium

Like calcium, magnesium often goes under the radar as a skincare ingredient, but it’s a very important, stress-relieving mineral that works both inside and out.

While essential for regulating various important bodily functions (think blood pressure and nerve function to name just two), in skincare, magnesium has been shown to reduce irritation and inflammation. It does this by strengthening cell growth, lowering cortisol (the stress hormone), supporting DNA repair, protecting the skin’s barrier function and regulating important proteins that play a key role in the body’s inflammatory response.

Magnesium has also been found to be a pretty nifty skin hydrator, helping to prevent transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while also driving extra moisture into the skin thanks to its electrolyte properties.  (PS: calcium and potassium are also electrolytes)

3. MSM

We have the utmost respect for MSM – which stands for methylsulfonylmethane in case you were wondering. You can see why we shorten it to MSM now, right?

MSM is a naturally-occurring sulfur compound that encourages your skin to produce healthy, plentiful collagen (a vital protein for strong, plump skin). It also works to protect it from environmental damage by increasing glutathione synthesis, one of the body’s most important, naturally-occurring antioxidants. Another thing: MSM has anti-inflammatory qualities which enable it to help decrease damage to the skin caused by other lifestyle baddies such as stress, lack of sleep and a poor diet. This makes it a shoo-in if you’re looking to win the battle against premature aging. 

4. Potassium

Another super important electroyte for boosting your skin’s natural moisturizing factor, potassium works hard to ensure balance and harmony at a surface level. We’ve mentioned electrolytes already (hi there calcium and magnesium) but just so you’re aware, electrolytes are minerals that carry a small electric charge. In skincare formulations, this charge helps to regulate pH, transfer nutrients throughout the skin and attract water in order to facilitate optimum hydration. All this ensures the skin cells function at their very best. And the result? Healthier-looking and healthier-feeling skin. Love.

5. Zinc

An awesome ingredient for angry or acne-prone skin, zinc, in its purest form, is known for its healing, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s extremely well tolerated by sensitive skin and helps to keep the skin hydrated and moisturized by balancing sebum, fortifying the skin’s barrier function and significantly reducing TEWL.

Zinc also has incredible protective qualities which is why zinc oxide is such a powerhouse in the sun care market. In fact, according to a 2019 proposal by the FDA, zinc oxide is one of only two sun filters undeniably proven to be a safe and effective barrier against the sun’s damaging UV rays (titanium dioxide is the other). Unlike chemical sunscreens which kind of absorb UV radiation and then break it down in the skin, mineral sunscreens like zinc oxide create a physical barrier which reflects UV rays away from the surface of your skin. We’re obsessed. 

The Vitamin Kings

1. Vitamin A

In the world of skincare, vitamin A likes to go by the name of something else: retinol. 

One of the most valuable ingredients you could have in your arsenal, retinol is the gold standard of skincare powerhouses and constantly recommended by anyone who knows anything about the skin. The reason? Simple, it works.

Retinol has been proven time and again to speed up cell turnover while stimulating collagen and elastin production and helping to keep the visible signs of aging (wrinkles, dark spots etc.) under wraps. However, its power is also its downfall so remember to always patch test a new retinol product before using it regularly, then introduce it slowly into your routine to give your skin time to acclimate.

2. Vitamin B3

Another skin nutrient that has a stage name, vitamin B3 is also known as niacinamide. And, we have to admit, niacinamide is a bit of a show-off, boasting a list of benefits as long as your arm.

Niacinamide is a very effective antioxidant which means it helps to neutralize skin-damaging free radicals. It also helps to boost ceramides in the uppermost layers of your skin which helps to maintain a strong, protective barrier function. Add to this the fact that niacinamide has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and it then becomes a great tool for reducing unwanted facial redness and pesky breakouts. If that wasn’t enough, its do-it-all attitude includes regulating oil production, minimizing the appearance of pores and reducing the appearance of dark spots. Phew.

And the best news of all? As powerful as niacinamide is, it’s also a softie at heart and suits even the most sensitive skin types.

3. Vitamin C

We’d be nowhere without the undeniable skin hero that is vitamin C. Our first baby was our Vitamin C Facial Serum which launched in the fall of 2013 and is still our best-selling serum to date – trust us, almost 150,000 Amazon reviews do not lie!

The thing about vitamin C is that it’s a proven antioxidant which makes it a great addition to your sun-busting morning routine. It’s also a mild exfoliant and has been shown to inhibit melanin production so is a fabulous choice for anyone seeking to boost radiance and help reduce the appearance of dark spots.

Vitamin C can be listed in your skincare ingredients in many forms, including l-ascorbic acid (the pure stuff), ascorbyl palmitate, sodium ascorbate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate. We know that’s a lot to remember, but our advice is this. Stick with sodium ascorbyl phosphate. Why? Because it’s one of the most stable, kind-to-skin versions so is able to offer all of the benefits with very little irritation.

4. Vitamin E

While it rarely grabs the headlines, vitamin E has been quietly looking after skin for decades.

Often seen on your ingredients list as tocopherol, tocopheryl acetate or alpha-tocopheryl acetate, vitamin E is another antioxidant that helps keep your skin safe from environmental harm. However, its main MO is to strengthen the skin’s barrier function by locking in moisture, soothing inflammation and calming irritated skin. And what makes this baby truly special? It plays nicely with almost every other skincare ingredient out there. In fact, pair it with vitamin C and you’ve got one of the most unstoppable protective power duos on your hands. 

5. Vitamin K

Last, but not least, comes probably the least known of the vitamin family, vitamin K. A fat soluble vitamin produced by the liver, vitamin K is also known as phytonadione and it plays an important role in heart health, bone growth and blood clotting, making it vital to your overall health. 

In skincare, vitamin K hasn’t undergone anywhere near the amount of clinical research as your As, Bs, Cs and Es. However, it’s definitely one to keep an eye on. Because of its role within the blood clotting process some skincare experts believe that vitamin K has the ability to offer similar effects when applied topically to things like bruising, swelling, redness and excess blood that can pool under your eyes. This makes it an interesting one to watch if you suffer with dark circles.