www.ascpskincare.com 29
expertadvice
FEED YOUR FACE
Go Nuts
Get more vitamin E in your diet for healthy, gorgeous skin
by Alex Caspero
There's a reason vitamin E
is in all your favorite skin
care products. With its potent
antioxidant properties, vitamin
E has a powerful effect when it
comes to protecting your skin
cells against damage.
Vitamin E accumulates in sebaceous
glands, found at the base of hair follicles.
From there, it's delivered to the skin's
surface through sebum, a natural oil
that coats and lubricates the skin's outer
layer. As vitamin E's primary function
is to act as an antioxidant, its location
in the skin protects against harmful UV
rays, especially when paired with its
antioxidant counterpart, vitamin C.
As we age, vitamin E becomes even
more important, especially to those
who spend a lot of time outdoors or
tanning. Both of these factors cause the
natural concentration of vitamin E in
our skin to decline, reducing antioxidant
function and accelerating skin aging.
While there are eight forms of vitamin
E, the one we want to focus on is alpha-
tocopherol. This form is easiest for our
bodies to absorb and metabolize—both
from food and in topical skin care
products. This version is abundant in
the Western diet and while most of us
get enough, there's no harm in packing
your diet with more antioxidants.
When you think of vitamin E, think
nuts! Wheat germ, sunfl ower seeds,
hazelnuts, and almonds are all sources of
vitamin E. Leafy greens and heart-healthy
avocados also pack a vitamin E punch.
