Vitamin1)
| Chemical name or alias | Cosmetic purpose2) | Synergien & Beschränkungen | Carrier3) and processing | Cosmetic stabilisation | Derivatves4), provitamins5) and substitutes6) |
Vitamin A
| Retinol Occurrence: herbal oils (carotenoids); synthetic
| Regeneration: stimulation of cell growth and collagen formation
Blemished (acne) skin
Aging skin
Scars and cornification disorders
Oxidises into vitamin A acid (INN: Tretinoin) in the skin which has been banned as a cosmetic ingredient
| Irritation threshold (erythema) and tolerance increase with continued application
Begin with low doses! Receptors multiply
Not to be used during sun exposure!
BfR7) (31.1.14): not to be used in lip- and body care preparations; only for facial and hand care Regeneration: combination with vitamin B3 | Oil phase of emulsions
Nanodispersions (carrier) with carrier oils
| Retinoids are oxygen- and photosensitive.
Combination with vitamin C and/or vitamin E
Light-tight containers
| Derivatives (esters): retinyl acetate, retinyl propionate and retinyl palmitate are more frequently used than free vitamin A; cleavage by dermal esterases
Retinal (aldehyde): pre-stage of vitamin A acid
Provitamins: β-carotene and other carotenoids
3-Dehydroretinol (Vitamin A2)
|
Vitamin B1
| Thiamin Alias: aneurin Occurrence: yeast extract; synthetic | Blemished skin
Accompanied by other B-vitamins in yeast extract
| Heat-induced degradation and slow degradation in water generates a meat-like flavour. Storage-induced losses when contained in aqueous cosmetic preparations.
Due to its characteristic flavour it is rarely added to cosmetic products. | Water phase of emulsions
Liposomes (carrier) | Instable in aqueous medium; the thus generated flavour and also the flavour of yeast extracts is rarely accepted. | Alternative: used as a solid matter in food supplements
|
Vitamin B2
| Riboflavin Occurrence: yeast extract; biotechnological
| Yellow food colour (E 101)
Participating in the formation of oxidoreductases (enzymes) | Rarely used as a pure substance due to its colour and low solubility | Water phase of emulsions | Cosmetically stable | Alternative: food supplement |
Vitamin B3 (non-essential) | Niacin (nicotinic acid or Niacinamide (nicotinamide); standard form in cosmetic products Occurrence: yeast extract; synthetic
| Niacinamide:
Skin regeneration (incl. barrier)
Anti-inflammatory
Inhibition of melanin formation
Reduction of sebum production
| Niacinamide:
Synergy with tranexamic acid (effective against hyperpigmentation)
Regeneration: combination with vitamin A
| Niacinamide:
Water phase of emulsions
Liposomes (carrier)
| Nicotinic acid and nicotinamide are cosmetically stable | Derivatives:
Depending on the alcohol component, nicotinic acid esters have more or less vaso-dilating effects (hyperaemic effects).
Tocopheryl nicotinate (ester with vitamin E) stimulates dermal microcirculation
Nicotinic acid benzyl ester is a component of warming anti-rheumatic ointments |
Vitamin B5 | Pantothenic acid Occurrence: yeast extract; synthetic; D-panthenol usually is used as a provitamin | D-panthenol:
Moisturizer
Anti-inflammatory
Cell formation
Epithelisation
Antipruritic
| Pre-treatment with D-panthenol before the application of cosmetic masks. Due to the toning the skin easily integrates the active agents contained in masks. | D-panthenol:
Water phase of emulsions
D-panthenol is a penetration-enhancing substance | D-panthenol and pantothenic acid are cosmetically stable | Provitamin D-panthenol is a frequently used cosmetic component. |
Vitamin B6
| Pyridoxine (alcohol) or Pyridoxal (aldehyde) or Pyridoxamine (amine) Occurrence: brewer's yeast extract; synthetic
| Treatment of seborrhoeic skin
Blemished skin | Yeast extract often is preferred to the pure components:
Pyridoxine hydrochloride
Pyridoxal is the most stable among the three forms of the vitamin | Water phase of emulsions
Liposomes (carrier) | No long-term stability in aqueous cosmetics, hence only rarely used in its pure form | Alternative: food supplement |
Vitamin B7
| Biotin German alias: vitamin H Occurrence: yeast- and wheat germ extract; synthetic
| Growth failure of hairs, nails and skin
| Low solubility in water
Combination with allantoin (complex) | Water phase of emulsions
Liposomes (carrier)
| Cosmetically stable | Meaning of the old German term vitamin H (H = "Haut", English translation: skin) |
Vitamin B9
| Folic acid Alias: folate German alias: vitamin M Occurrence: yeast- and wheat germ extract; synthetic
| Due to its instability rarely used in cosmetics
Regenerative effects when used with other B-vitamins (yeast extract) | Yellow colour
Limited storage of aqueous preparations, even when cooled
| Water phase of emulsions
Liposomes (carrier) | Oxygen- and photosensitive
Combination with antioxidants
Light-tight containers | Alternative: food supplement |
Vitamin B12
| Cobalamin Occurrence: yeast extract; biotechnological
| Skin care benefits still have to be proved
| Red colour | Water phase of emulsions
Liposomes (carrier)
| Cobalamin is an antioxidant
| Alternative: food supplement |
Vitamin C | Ascorbic acid Occurrence: herbal extracts; synthetic (main use)
| Antioxidant
Radical scavenger Liposomal ascorbyl phosphate (AP) in low concentration: Tyrosinase inhibition Collagenase inhibition
| Fruit acid analogous keratolysis due to concentrated free acid
In contrast to free acid, liposomal AP penetrates into the skin; low concentrations can suppress melanin formation during laser treatments. | Water phase of emulsions
AP-liposomes (carrier)
Oil phase of emulsions: ascorbyl palmitate, ascorbyl stearate
| Combination with vitamin E | Derivatives:
Ascorbyl phosphate (AP), water-soluble
Ascorbyl palmitate and ascorbyl stearate, oil-soluble |
Vitamin D3 (non essential) | Cholecalciferol Alias: calciol Occurrence: minor amounts in avocado oil, wheat germ oil; synthetic production from animal or herbal prestages
| 7-Dehydrocholesterol, after dermal conversion into vitamin D3 it has analogous functions, among others:
Influence on the formation of antimicrobial peptides (AMP)
Influence on the keratinocyte differentiation (psoriasis) | Vitamin D3 and vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) are not licenced in cosmetics
UV filters are counterproductive for the endogenic synthesis of vitamin D | 7-Dehydrocholesterol:
Oil phase of emulsions
Nanodispersions (carrier) with carrier oils
| 7-Dehydrocholesterol:
photosensitive
| UV-B radiation transforms provitamin 7-dehydrocholesterol into vitamin D3.
Alternative: food supplement |
Vitamin E
| α-, β-, γ- and δ-Tocopherol (herbal oils)
dl-α-Tocopherol (isomer mixture, synthetic)
| Antioxidant, for instance in combination with vitamins A and C
Epithelisation
Skin hydration | Radical chain reactions in the case of high dosage and UV radiation
| Oil phase of emulsions
Nanodispersions (carrier) | Combination with Vitamin C
Esters only have antioxidative effects after cleavage by dermal esterases. | The derivatives (esters) tocopheryl acetate, tocopheryl palmitate, tocopheryl linoleate are frequently used. |
Vitamin K
| K1: phylloquinone (synthetic) or
K2: menaquinone (intestinal flora)
| K1: reduction of erythema (rosacea)
K2: stabilisation of the blood capillaries (rosacea, couperosis) | Since 2009 banned in cosmetics due to the risk of pre-sensitisations (with surgery) | Oil phase of emulsions
Nanodispersions (carrier) with carrier oils
| Photosensitive
Light-tight containers | Physiological vitamin K epoxide is not banned although in topical- allergological respect it is more critically seen than vitamin K.
Substitutes for the rosacea and erythema treatment: butcher's broom extract, tranexamic acid, echinacea extract, boswellic acids |