Wound-healing vitamin’: Is Vitamin K set to become the next ‘hero’ skin care ingredient?

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that can assist with redness, strengthen capillaries and can help with wound healing. It also provides anti-ageing benefits, protects collagen and can help minimise dark circles around the eye area.

“It’s a vitamin essential for blood clotting and as a known wound healer, aids in healing areas affected by surgery,”​ explained Ross Macdougald, cosmetic chemist and founder of Australian skin care brand Biologi.

“Because it’s a known wound healing vitamin, its function and thoughts are that it’s a great vitamin to include into a skin care formula to help strengthen the skin barrier and assist in protecting dermal structures like collagen and elastin. It encourages the strengthening of capillaries by helping to improve the elasticity of the blood vessel walls and can aid in potential faster healing of the skin.” ​

Macdougald told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that Vitamin K is yet to be recognised and used widely in skin care. “Vitamin K is a new kid on the block when it comes to skin care.”​

However, he believes that vitamin K has the potential to become one of the next big things in skin care ingredients.

“Consumers want to have a choice in what they use on their skin and love the opportunity to introduce unique products on their skin, but they also want results for their specific skin concerns. Vitamin K is showing exceptional benefits to the skin, and so with more awareness of this vitamin, there will be an increased appreciation.”​

Macdougald elaborated: “We know the ​skin care​ industry loves getting on the trend bandwagon, but this isn’t just another ​skin care​ trend or marketing gimmick. I believe we will start to see a rise in this vitamin being included in future formulas because of its skin-repairing and strengthening abilities. The ​skin care​ industry is always looking into new ingredients in formulas and loves to bring something ‘new’ to market so it’s only a matter of time before we start to see it on a larger scale.”​

Macdougald highlighted that there are limited clinical studies for vitamin K in skin care formulas at the moment.

“However, with more future clinical studies, this vitamin may become a mainstay and hero vitamin known for its exceptional skin benefits.”​

In October, Biologi announced the launch of its vitamin K-rich By Blackberry Seed Oil.

“We saw the demand for an additional face oil within the Biologi ​skin care​ range. With the market flooded with many oils including Rosehip, oils that are overpriced, not active or bulked out, my aim was to find a unique one-of-a-kind oil with excellent skin benefits that no other brand was offering. We selected Blackberry Seed Oil because from our testing it showed to contain high levels of vitamin K,” ​said Macdougald.

The company has conducted internal participant trials and consumer trials with the By Blackberry Seed Oil and received position feedback and skin results including increased hydration and reduced redness.

The most common form of vitamin K is being phylloquinone which is abundant in green leafy plants. The other form is menaquinones which are found in some animals and fermented foods.

“W​hilst you may start to see some formulas containing vitamin K being introduced into the market, its generally included within a formula containing other ingredients as well,” ​said Macdougald.

“​Our Blackberry Seed Oil has been wild harvested, cold​-​pressed and unrefined which means that the product itself is pure and nutrient dense which is evident from the colour of the oil which is a deep viridescent green.”​