Vitamin A - Skincare

This is a large subject and there's so many exciting things I want to share with you.  I've endeavoured to do this in a way which is concise and easy to understand.

 Many people are aware that Vitamin A is a wonder vitamin in the anti ageing skincare world and there are numerous papers which prove its effectiveness.

However, there is a lot to understand as Vitamin A is complex.

Doctors are able to prescribe products containing retinoic acid, a form of Vitamin A and these give dramatic improvements to ageing skin. 

So why discuss it any further?

• retinoic acid at effective levels needs to be prescribed by a doctor
• it often causes skin irritation
• after long term use, many people find there skin suffers dreadfully from pigmentation

There are many celebrities/models using Retinoic Acid and they look truly wonderful, but many celebrities/models who've used it over a number of years are wishing they hadn't as such a harsh treatment has left them with heavily pigmented skin.

So are there any better alternatives?

In my opinion, absolutely.  

Retinoic acid is initially wonderful, but after a period of time, putting it directly on the skin is where most of the problems occur. 

However if Retinyl Palmitate, the purest form of Vitamin A, is applied directly to the skin, it is fully absorbed (due to its low molecular density) into the skin cells where it is converted firstly to Retinol then to Retinoic Acid, avoiding any skin damage.

It is possible to purchase Retinol products over the counter, but again, these can cause skin irritations. Additionally, studies have shown that most Retinol products contain insufficient quantities to be beneficial.

Retinyl Palmitate is known to be much gentler on the skin.

Accordingly, I use Retinyl Palmitate in my anti ageing product - INSKIN Precious Anti ageing Facial Oil

To summarise so far

I believe Retinyl Palmatite used at the correct dosage is the safest way to get Retinol/Retinoic Acid into the skin's cells. Retinol has been clinically proven to improve the appearance of ageing skin.

So that's great, I've now explained which form of Vitamin A I believe is the best to be applied directly to the skin, but how have the clinical studies actually prove it's brilliance?

At this stage we need to understand why our skin looks wrinkled with the ageing process.

The skin is made up of lots of bits and bobs like cells, hair follicles and sweat glands and indeed the skin itself is made up of three layers.

Amongst all the above bits and bobs we also have something called collagen and something else called fibroblast cells.

Now collagen (of which there are quite a few different types) is great as it is a protein which strengthens, supports and adds elasticity to the skin. You see it as "plumped up" skin. 

Something called fibroblast cells produce the collagen, so if we want to keep our skin "plumped up", we've got to keep those fibroblast cells working.

Sadly, our natural ageing process, along with exposure to the sun and free radicals causes an enzyme in the skin to degrade the ability of the fibroblast cells to produce collagen.

Studies have shown that Retinol (Vitamin A) reduces the enzyme which degrades fibroblasts, allowing the collagen to keep on being produced.

Let's break that down further:

• Collagen gives us "plumped up" looking skin
• It is produced by cells called fibroblasts
• When we age the fibroblast cells are 'attacked' by an enzyme. (The enzyme is called matrix metalloproteinases, commonly known as MMP's. If you require more information, please search 'MMP's on the internet.)
• If we use the correct dosage of Retinol (Vitamin A), it helps stop these MMP enzymes 'attacking' the fibroblast cells.
• Collagen is produced again

There are many studies which prove the effectiveness of Vitamin A if used at an effective dosage. The studies also confirm that the majority of skincare products available to purchase stating they contain Vitamin A or Retinol, have no benefit due to the tiny amount of Vitamin A/ retinol added.

Please note -  INSKIN Precious Anti ageing Facial Oil  is produced at the percentage required to be effective.

I've included the following for background information

The British journal of dermatology summarises skin as:

'Ageing skin is characterised by fine lines and wrinkles. Topical preparations alleged to combat these changes abound in the over-the-counter market. Some of the most popular ingredients used in these products are vitamins, minerals and botanical extracts. Proposed mechanisms for anti ageing effects on skin range from antioxidant properties to improved collagen synthesis or protection from collagen breakdown. Despite the media attention and consumer popularity that these ingredients have generated, there have been few scientific studies to support these claims. In this report, we review recent published studies on the most common of these ingredients for the topical photo protection and the treatment of ageing skin.'

This paper is excellent and shows that 'Retinol at at certain percentage inhibits the matalloproteinases (MMP's) and stimulates collagen synthesis in both naturally aged, sun protected and sun aged skin'

The Journal of investigative dermatology states the following:

Damage to human skin due to ultraviolet light from the sun (photoaging) and damage occurring as a consequence of the passage of time (chronologic or natural ageing) are considered to be distinct entities. As matrix metalloproteinase levels are known to rise in fibroblasts as a function of age, it gives rise to increased matrix metalloproteinases and reduced collagen synthesis. Topical application of (x%) vitamin A for 7 d increased fibroblast growth and collagen synthesis, and concomitantly reduced the levels of matrix-degrading matrix metalloproteinases. Our findings indicate that naturally aged, sun-protected skin and photo aged skin share important molecular features including connective tissue damage, elevated matrix metalloproteinase levels, and reduced collagen production. In addition, vitamin A treatment reduces matrix metalloproteinase expression and stimulates collagen synthesis in naturally aged, sun-protected skin, as it does in photo aged skin.

Vitamins in Skincare - the History

There are three vitamins commonly used in skincare. They are vitamins A, C and E.

• Vitamin A is used as it aids collagen production in ageing skin (more info is available on my blog/ YouTube video on Vitamin A)
• Vitamin C is used as it works in harmony with vitamin A to aid  the collagen in ageing skin
• Vitamin E helps to deal with free radicals as it is an anti-oxidant

All vitamins have been commercially used orally to aid the body for a much longer period than they've been used in skin care industry.


Vitamin A and E have been in regular cosmetic use for over 15 years, whereas Vitamin C is somewhat newer to the skincare industry and has been only in use for 6 -8 years.

• Vitamin A

In the late 1960s, Albert Kligman, M.D., Ph.D., a dermatologist at the University of Pennsylvania, started testing a Vitamin A derivative called tretinoin on acne patients. By 1973, Kligman patented his formula for Retin-A, the first-ever effective acne treatment.

In the early 1970's the dermatologist noticed a lucrative effect of the patients he was treating for acne - they also had fewer wrinkles.


The cosmetic industry quickly realised this was a momentum discovery and the use of Vitamin A in skincare is well documented and scientifically proven. (For in depth knowledge of Vitamin A, please refer to my previous blog and You Tube Video - thanks.)


There are a number of derivatives of Vitamin A with some being much gentler on the skin than others. Retinyl Palmitate is recognised as being the gentlest of these vitamins.

• Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a collection of chemical compounds called tocopherols and was first identified in 1936. 

Vitamin E was added to skincare products approximatly 20 years ago, but a basic knowledge is needed to understand which are the best 'bits'.

The word tocopherols covers a collection of vitamin chemical compounds - alpha, beta, delta and gamma tocopherols.

It is alpha tocopherol which has the highest percentage of anti-oxidant properties.

Another point to consider is whether the alpha tocopherol has been produced synthetically or naturally, as it is the natural alpha tocopherol with the highest percent of of anti-oxidants.

• Vitamin C

Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation (eg the sun) and environmental pollutants can also accelerate skin ageing.    


Whilst vitamin C is extremely important for overall health, very little reaches the skin when digested orally yet vitamin C applied directly to the skin aids collagen and it is high in anti-oxidant properties when applied directly to the skin. 

1933 a scientist synthetically produced absorbic acid commonly known as vitamin C. However, throughout history, women have always found ways to enjoy the anti-ageing effects of vitamin C on their skin. 

In Tibet during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), women who wanted to fight the outward signs of premature aging would rub sea buckthorn on their face and hands. The golden-orange berries of the sea buckhorn plant yield a deep-colored oil that is a major source of vitamin C.

However, rose hips, the berry-like fruits that are left behind after a rose dies, contain more vitamin C—about 20 times that of an orange


INSKIN produce the INSKIN Precious Anti Ageing Facial Oil which contains vitamins A and E and a high percentage of vitamin C producing rosehip oil. The concentration has been carefully measured to give each vitamin the best possible balance when working on the complexities and the various layers of the skin.

If you would like to be included in our tester trials - please contact us at www.inskin.org/testers 

Many thanks, hugs and kisses

If you would like to visit my website - please take a look www.inskin.org

Many thanks, hugs and kisses

Lizzy Radcliffe

ITEC Certified Aromatherapist Graduate 1996