What is vitamin D?

Our lip products are fortified with vitamin D - an essential, fat-soluble vitamin known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’. Vitamin D plays a critical role in maintaining bone density by facilitating calcium absorption. It’s also necessary for regulating cell growth, neuromuscular and immune functions, while also reducing inflammation. Studies have shown that those with diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain autoimmune conditions are more likely to have low levels of vitamin D. Research is still underway to better understand the significance of the correlations between chronic disease and vitamin D deficiency. 

 

Where does vitamin D come from?

The main source of vitamin D comes from sun exposure. When we’re exposed to direct sunlight, a process begins in which a chemical in our skin is converted to vitamin D3 and is then transported to our kidneys and liver to be converted into a usable form. So if you’re lucky enough to be in direct sunlight, perhaps sipping on a green smoothie on the white-sand shore of a balmy sunny beach for 15 minutes per day, your body most probably will create the sufficient level of vitamin D needed naturally.  However, if you live a modern lifestyle - mostly working indoors, in a Northern climate, wear sunscreen protection, have darker skin, or are over age 65, it can be much harder to maintain sufficient levels of vitamin D that your body needs. 

Sunscreen, of course, is an essential product in our daily skincare routine and is imperative in reducing our risk of skin cancer. So how can we ensure that we maintain optimal levels of vitamin D while mitigating our risk of harm from direct sun exposure?

 

What about food?

Vitamin D does naturally occur in some foods-- fatty fish, mushrooms, and egg yolks all contain only moderate levels of vitamin D, not enough to consistently provide necessary levels of the vitamin. Other food products, like dairy milk and cereals, have been fortified with vitamin D. Since sufficient levels of vitamin D can be hard to sustain with limited sun exposure and food sources, the key for many people is to reach sufficient levels with supplements since naturally occurring vitamin D often falls short.

 

Why infuse Vitamin D in lip products?

Since vitamin D is an essential vitamin and is fat-soluble, Aralea Beauty created the next generation of lip products that seamlessly merge a superhero essential vitamin with high-quality nourishing oils. We use organic, plant-derived Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) in our products, even appropriate for those who adhere to a vegan diet. This is the more efficacious form of the sunshine vitamin (D3) that can be applied topically and ingested safely. Your lips will feel nourished and supple without the heavy, waxy feeling of conventional lip products, all the while getting a safe and essential boost of vitamin D3.

 

How much Vitamin D do I get from Aralea Beauty lip products?

Working with an expert lab in Canada to create our formulation, we have enriched our lip care products with organic, vegan Vitamin D3. As a cosmetic product, the amount of vitamin D adheres to cosmetic guidelines set forth by both Health Canada and the FDA; not exceeding the average daily absorption of 25 ug or 1000 iu per day.  The booster amount of vitamin D in our lip products is safe for most everyone if used as directed; applying 1 to 4 times per day.  While vitamin D overdose is very rare, it can occur if taken excessively over an extended period of time. Check with your physician if you are pregnant or nursing.

We are confident that you will get a safe and essential boost of vitamin D by using our products as directed. So go ahead - swipe it on and lick your lips! Let your lips shine with a drop of sunshine.

 

Aralea Beauty: Your Daily Dose of Sunshine 

At Aralea Beauty, we wanted to create a fortified lip product that is effortless and “on the go” wellness.  You can easily get a safe and essential boost of vitamin D with our lip balm or lip tint.  Through the wintery months, your boost of “sunshine” is simply a swipe of our lip care.

 

Sources

“Vitamin D and your health: Breaking old rules, raising new hopes”, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Health Publishing. Sept. 13, 2021. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/vitamin-d-and-your-health-breaking-old-rules-raising-new-hopes

 

“Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”, National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/#en1

 

Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., “What are the risks of vitamin D deficiency?,” Healthy Lifestyle: Nutrition and healthy eating, Mayo Clinic, Aug. 27, 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/vitamin-d-deficiency/faq-20058397