PSA: Your skin is a motherf*cking badass. As the largest organ of the body, it’s more than just a way to show-off that au naturale beauty you got going on. It provides a physical barrier against harmful environmental factors like harsh weather conditions, pollutions, UV rays and more [1]. And since skin is basically our ride or die organ, you may be wondering how you can keep on giving it the TLC it needs, aside from a Mirra approved skincare routine that’s both potent and results-driven. Oh hello, vitamins and supplements! No shade to Flinstones vitamin gummies, but when it comes to skin, the Mirra team thinks you and I deserve only the best. The problem is that there’s a new miracle ingredient popping up everyday, and many are making outrageous, unbacked promises that your skin will somehow look FaceTuned after subscribing to its daily use. Many of them even have little credible evidence or clinical research we can trust in. And what’s worse? The lucrative industry, which raked in a cool $11 billion annually in the year of 2012 [6] has thrived for centuries. Naturally, we decided it was time to decode some of the most popular (and even controversial) supplements of today. What are some of the best supplements for skin, specifically?
Vitamin E
Unlike many other vitamin supplements, vitamin E is less commonly found in foods. Packed with antioxidants, it has the ability to help your immunity functions [
2], photodamage (aka skin damage caused by the sun), appearance of wrinkles and can even improve your skin’s texture [
9].
Vitamin C
Found in a ton of produce, like broccoli, spinach, and citrus fruits, Vitamin C packs a big punch when it comes to antioxidants and enzymes [
5], which helps to protect your cells and keep your skin healthy. Vitamin C is found at high levels in both the outer most layer (epidermis) and inner most layer (dermis) of your skin, and plays a vital role in your skin's collagen production, decreasing cell damage, and helping the healing process of bodily wounds. Luckily for us, the America diet is naturally pretty rich in Vitamin C.
Zinc
Typically found in grass-fed meats, grains, beans and more, zinc can help reduce the development of damaging free radicals [
7] (aka the damaged cells that can ruin the skin party for your healthy cells) and reduce your risk for acne flare ups [
8].
Copper
Copper can be ingested through foods, such as shellfish, liver, dark chocolate, avocado (you’re welcome). Not only does it promote the production of collagen [
10], it also helps to repair and protect skin from harmful UVA and UVB ray damage. Not sold, yet? Copper encourages the production of
hyaluronic acid, which is your skin’s primary source for retaining moisture [
11] — an ability that starts to decrease as we age.
Collagen
Though research on this supplement is still fairly new and sparse,
collagen has become one of the biggest buzzwords in wellness recently. As the most plentiful protein found in our body, collagen is the supply for structure in our hair, skin, nails, bones, ligaments and tendons in our body [
3]. Think of it as what our bodies can thank for movement and malleability during your weekly SoulCycle sesh. One study suggested collagen peptides can actually improve skin’s hydration [
4], but the ingredient is still hella controversial because there isn’t proof that ingestible collagen can reach the skin [
12] to make any impact at all. With that being said, we can’t offer the Mirra stamp of approval just yet, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that support its use for skin. Vegetarians and vegans should also note most collagen is derived from animal bones. Listen, we get it. There’s a f*ck ton of noise surrounding the supplement industry. Honestly, reading through a ton of labels and clinical research to determine what’s credible probably sounds like a total buzzkill. And, sadly, a lot of companies are only concerned with profit. So before you say yes to that tempting supplement or vitamin, we believe getting the nutrients you need from a balanced diet is your best bet. But if you have special dietary restrictions,
mindfully incorporating necessary supplements and vitamins into your lifestyle may be the answer to your skin’s daily nourishment. Until then, the team at Mirra HQ will be sifting through hours of research (like the skincare nerds that we are ;)) to make sure we’re bringing you the latest and greatest tips on how to care for skin.
