THE VIT KIT

So peppering a good skincare routine with the right vitamin-enriched formulations will give it a welcome turbo-boost, and a good place to start is with brightening bad boy vitamin C. “Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants,” says Dr Perry. “So it can reduce the effects that free radicals have on our skin.”
Vitamin C is at its most powerful when fresh and active, so Clinique has developed the Fresh Pressed™ 7-Day System with Pure Vitamin C, which measures out a potent 10 per cent concentration of the vitamin in small doses. The system comprises the daily single-use Renewing Powder Cleanser (each one sealed individually to maximise efficacy) and the Daily Booster – a serum-like fluid, two drops of which should be added to your moisturiser to boost its results. This delivery method means that the vitamin C retains its knock-out power: from the very first use, skin appears more radiant and even-looking. Slipping a purifying toner in between, such as Estée Lauder Nutritious Micro-Algae Pore Minimizing Shake Tonic, packed full of vitamin- and mineral-enriched spirulina, will maximise skin clarity.

Vitamin A is busy working the anti-ageing angles. “Vitamin A is excellent for stimulating collagen production,” says Dr Perry. This in turn wards off wrinkles, so a product like Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base – which can be applied over moisturiser and under make-up – is a skincare must. In Bobbi’s formula, vitamin A combines with carrot extract to form a complex that helps minimise the appearance of fine lines, while vitamin E works its antioxidant magic.

Ah yes, antioxidant-fuelled vitamin E, which inhibits the production of damaging free radicals, while also protecting the skin’s essential lipids and fatty acids to aid hydration. In Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins™ Mineral-enriched renewal cream, vitamin E features alongside vitamins C and H – necessary for healthy skin, hair and eyes – as well as other minerals and essential oils, the combination of which makes this ultra restorative.

For day, La Mer The Renewal Oil has a similar powerhouse combination of vitamins E, C and iron-rich B12, as well as marine-derived minerals and nutrients including calcium, magnesium and potassium, and oils from the brand’s legendary Miracle Broth™. The combination in this sublimely versatile oil offers a renewed youthful glow and plumped complexion. In cream form, Darphin 8-Flower Nectar Oil Cream combines vitamin E with its renowned 8-Flower Nectar Essential Oil Elixir featuring high-performance botanical oils from flowers and plant oils such as jojoba and olive. As well as smelling like a small pot of heaven, this combination nourishes skin to a whole new level. “Start to think of vitamin-enriched products as another essential tool in your skin armoury,” explains Dr Perry.
Bathroom cabinets: you have been warned.