Collagen, peptides, and antioxidants might be considered the holy trinity of skincare, but the importance of essential minerals shouldn’t be overlooked. After all, we all know how important magnesium, the mineral du jour, is: Its function impacts more than 300 functions of the body—including cell hydration and collagen production.
But magnesium isn’t the only skin-supporting mineral to consider. Potassium, zinc, selenium, and sulphur also play a part in keeping skin looking and feeling its best.
The importance of potassium for skin health
A potassium deficiency can affect not only the body at the muscular level causing fluid retention, but can also impact the appearance of the skin. Potassium is essential for skin hydration; research indicates that low potassium levels are linked to dry skin. Providing the mineral through diet and reinforcing its presence topically with cosmetics are fundamental.
Dior’s committee of scientists recently confirmed those findings in a study that focused on how micronutrient deficiency affects skin longevity. In their research, they found that a lack of potassium can cause the skin to appear not just dehydrated, but also dull due to potassium’s ability “to intervene in the water balance of skin cells to maintain good hydration. Clinically, this translates into 40% more visible redness, 20% less hydration, and 97% less vitality… Potassium is essential for the skin’s suppleness, elasticity, and ability to recover from stress and fatigue.”
Zinc, selenium, and sulfur
You probably think of zinc as a mineral that helps the immune system or that can be topically applied to help block sun exposure. But dermatologist Patricia Ogilvie, founder of the Skinconcept clinic in Munich, also says that zinc is a skin essential for other reasons: “I advise it both topically and through diet and supplementation for its power to improve the skin’s ability to heal. It is precisely this capacity that weakens with age—just look at how a baby’s or a child’s skin heals compared to that of an adult —and these processes influence the prevention of aging, since the skin’s response to the sun, for example, depends on it.”
Pharmacist and nutritionist Paula Martín Clares is also a fan of minerals when it comes to maintaining healthy skin. In addition to endorsing the need for zinc, she points out two other minerals that shouldn’t be overlooked: sulfur, to promote skin rejuvenation, hydration, softness, and flexibility, and selenium, which has an anti-aging effect. “We find sulfur in foods such as asparagus, eggs, onions and garlic, while selenium is found in eggs, dairy products, and mushrooms,” she notes.
#Minerals #Underrated #Heroes #Skin #Health
