Vitamin K For The Skin Is The Next Skincare Ingredient To Pay Attention To
There are specific skincare ingredients that become buzzwords—like retinol, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides, and then there is the never-ending alphabet of vitamins to know about. You’ve probably heard of vitamin C or E when it comes to skin care, but the lesser known vitamin K packs a big punch that is just starting to gain traction.
To explain what vitamin K can do for the skin and who should be using it, Dr. Richard Westreich, a NYC-based plastic surgeon breaks down everything you need to know.
Meet the Expert
Richard Westreich, MD is a facial plastic surgeon based in New York City. He is a plastic surgeon at New Face New York.
What is Vitamin K?
“Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin that assists the body in clotting and also has a role in wound healing,” explains Dr. Westreich. “In general it has an anti-inflammatory effect.”
Vitamin K is not one of those vitamins people pop daily for overall health, the way vitamin B 12 is. In supplement form, people generally only take vitamin K if they have a rare vitamin K deficiency, which can raise the risk of uncontrolled bleeding. In skincare, however, it plays a different role. Vitamin K is most often found as a main ingredient in under eye creams that claim to reduce the appearance of dark circles.
Vitamin K benefits for skin
Reduce dark circles: “Vitamin K is purported to help reduce dark circles under the eyes,” says Dr. Westreich. However, he points out that “the exact mechanism of this remains unclear and studies have been inconsistent on this fact.”
Anti-inflammatory: “There is more scientific evidence about its effect in wound healing, as it speeds up the wound healing process when applied to a fresh wound,” says Dr. Westreich. “This cannot be directly translated to topical uses, but is generally supportive of it having some benefit, albeit unclear at this time.”
Antioxidant: Dr. Westreich suggests vitamin K’s antioxidant properties would benefit the skin the most when applied topically. Antioxidants help repair the skin and protect it from free radicals (like pollution and smoke) that it’s exposed to every time you leave the house.
How to use Vitamin K in your skincare routine
Still, even though the effects of vitamin K on the skin aren’t as proven as other vitamins yet, Dr. Westreich says it can’t hurt, since it has zero downsides and only potentially great effects. “Vitamin K can certainly make sense as part of a skin care regimen. It is fat soluble, so it will penetrate the skin well,” he says.
If you’d like to try out a product with vitamin K, Dr. Westreich says you can use it one to two times per day as you wish, “and it can be used in either a serum or moisturizer form.” Although, he points out that “serums likely allow for better penetration, as they enhance the fat solubility of the compound.” Plus, “there are no known cross reactive issues with other products and vitamin K itself does not make you sensitive to the sun, although other products in a cream, such as retinols, may have that effect.”
Make sure you check the label of your products to see if certain ingredients can sensitize your skin to UV rays, but as a good rule of thumb, you should always wear some form of SPF each time you go outside. If you want to try products that have vitamin K, check out our favorites below.
Products to try with Vitamin K
Best For Under Makeup: ÉVOLUÉ SKINCARE Super Oil
As you age, your body starts losing ceramides, collagen, and vitamin production that was once abundant when you were younger. That’s why it’s a good idea to find products that mimic what’s naturally found in the body and reinstate it back into the skin. ÉVOLUÉ focuses on just that. This oil is made from plant-based squalane, vitamin A, C, D, E, and K make up this potent formula. Since it’s extremely lightweight, you can put it on in the morning or night and even wear it under makeup if you’d like.
Best For Hitting Reset On Your Skin: GLAM UP Firming Pomegranate and Refreshing Peppermint Sheet Mask Set
If you need to hit the reset button on your skin (think: weeks of wearing makeup daily, traveling, etc.), you need one of these GLAM UP sheet masks that are infused with super ingredient vitamin K. Plus, these are infused with peppermint, which gives off a soothing, cooling effect in the summer and helps repair dry, itchy skin. Pomegranate gets to work using its antioxidant properties to clear away blackheads and clogged pores while still being gentle on your skin.
Best Weekly Treatment: M-61 BY BLUEMERCURY PowerGlow Peel
This one-minute, one-step exfoliating peel works as a weekly clarifier to rid your skin of makeup buildup, gunk that’s landed on your face in the environment, and more. Plus, it’s perfect for acne prone skin or just overall dull skin that needs a little help hitting the green light on cell turnover. Glycolic and salicylic acid help target acne and enlarged pores, whereas antioxidants help promote a more even skin tone. Of course, vitamin K makes a cameo to help replenish and hydrate dry patches of skin.
Best Makeup with Vitamin K: IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Under Eye®
You might as well skip concealer altogether if it’s not gonna stay on all day, or if it’s going to crack into those tiny lines around your under eye. IT COSMETICS has solved every problem with under eye concealer with this product infused with anti-aging technology. The inclusion of vitamin K here helps hydrate and conceal broken capillaries, age spots, and more.
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