In the past, people were much more outdoors in nature, physically active and naturally exposed to sunlight. So sun protection was slowly built up in the skin and people got enough sunlight to make Vitamin D…
Our body makes this Vitamin D when in contact with ultraviolet B rays from sunlight. Vitamin D is a super important vitamin for staying healthy. It not only provides strong bones and muscles, but also reduces the risk of depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and even cancer. For the skin, your largest organ, Vitamin D also plays a hugely important role. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to skin problems such as acne, but Vitamin D also helps:
-Strengthen the skin barrier for more hydrated skin;
-regulate cell regeneration for a healthy glow; and
-inflammation to soothe skin aging.
But now how can we, in today’s society where we live much more indoors, still make sure we make enough Vitamin D?
FOOD:
Vitamin D is naturally found in fatty fish, such as herring, salmon and mackerel. Meat and eggs also contain vitamin D, but less than fatty fish. And the amount you get through this way is far from enough to really contribute to your well-being and skin quality. For example, you need to eat 160 eggs to get the daily amount of Vitamin D.
SUPPLEMENTS:
You can take Vitamin D3, but this is less ideal than creating it directly through sunlight. Vitamin D from sunlight is produced gradually in the body so the peak is reached only after 7 days. With supplements, you get that spike right away, and your body cannot process this as well. You can also take in too much Vitamin D with supplements, and this puts you at risk for:
- Kidney stones
- Calcification around organs
- Damage to the heart
- Nausea
- Braken
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Shivers
- Drowsiness or fatigue
- Weight loss
BEST OPTION – SUNLIGHT:
The very best option for making Vitamin D is sunlight! Get out in the sun every day for a while unprotected (i.e. without sunscreen, as this blocks its production)! The disadvantage is that we often do not have the time to do this daily and besides, we have (too) little sunlight for much of the year in the Netherlands.
But there is good news! Esse searched for a solution and developed a revolutionary product: The Esse Pro-sun Serum. The Esse pro-sun D serum is eand light and hydrating serum that increases your skin’s ability to produce vitamin D. This allows you to produce enough vitamin D even with minimal exposure to sunlight (5 minutes a day)! Resulting in healthier skin with a youthful glow. The serum contains Provitamin D which is converted into vitamin D and this regulates immune responses, helps resolve inflammation, improves skin hydration, regulates cell regeneration and improves skin barrier function.
The pro-sun D serum is suitable for all skin types (including sensitive ones) and can be added to any skincare routine as an add on starter! Our advice is to apply the serum every morning before your skin care routine and spend between 5 and 10 minutes in unprotected sunlight for your vitamin D boost.
Finally, perhaps a good thing to mention….3 weeks a year full of “baking” in the sun with skin that has barely been exposed to sunlight, we strongly advise against it. But naturally exposing your skin briefly to sunlight every day to replenish and optimize vitamin D (deficiency) is good for your skin and complete well-being. If you (skin) is exposed to the sun a lot after that, it is advisable to protect your skin every 3-4 hours with a good SPF such as the Esse sunscreen.