Is youthful, radiant skin achievable simply by finding the perfect cream or facial oil? Or does truly glowing skin begin from within, supported by a healthy, nourished body?
The reality is that our skin—the largest organ in the human body—can greatly benefit from topical skincare, but it also requires internal nourishment to maintain its essential functions and natural beauty.
What if the oral vs. topical skin care question weren't a matter of either-or but more about using both tactics for longer-lasting, more visible results? Let's take a look at how each strategy works and how your skin can benefit from both.
What Is Topical Skin Care?
Topical skin care is about applying products directly to the skin. There are many different reasons for using direct product-to-skin applications, from improving texture and appearance to moisturizing and nourishing. Some products even offer a layer of extra environmental protection.
Types of Topical Skin Care Products
This genre of topical products is vast. It can include moisturizers, oils, balms, toners, and scrubs. Topical products usually contain one or more active ingredients that target specific skin concerns, like fine lines and wrinkles. For example, you may see squalane for hydration or rosa canina (rosehip) fruit oil for its skin-brightening properties.
How Does Topical Skin Care Work?
The secret to topical skin care is its formulation. Some types are designed to work on the skin's surface, like scrubs and peels with ingredients that help remove dead skin cells and unclog pores.
Then, there are formulations designed to get deeper and absorb into the various layers of the epidermis. Whether it's a simple carrier oil or more targeted ingredients, most get to work once they've penetrated the outermost layer of skin called the stratum corneum. Usually, this acts as a protective barrier, but topical products are absorbed through this barrier and reach deeper layers of the epidermis for much greater benefit.
Need an example? Prima's skincare oils are formulated with beneficial plant-based ingredients designed to absorb into the skin, delivering deep hydration and nourishment for optimal skincare benefits.
You'll find apricot kernel oil in our Beyond Body Oil, which has fast-acting moisturizing properties but also balances uneven skin tone with its vitamin E, oleic, and linoleic fatty acids.
We also use marula oil in our Night Magic Facial Oil, which contains powerful antioxidants, omegas 6 and 9, for intense nourishment.
What Is Oral Skin Care?
Skincare can also be approached from the inside out with oral products. These are dietary supplements designed to support skin health through essential nutrients.
The idea behind tackling skin health with a supplement is that a healthier body naturally supports healthier skin. It's a much more systematic approach that will produce body-wide benefits rather than a topical approach, which is more localized.
Dietary supplements for healthy skin help bridge nutrient gaps and address deficiencies that may be difficult to meet through diet alone—even with the healthiest eating habits. This is especially true for essential micronutrients, which play a key role in strengthening the natural barrier and protecting against free radical damage.
Again, like topical options, oral products contain active ingredients that target specific concerns. Some of the common ingredients you'll see for oral skin care formulations include vitamins A, D, and C, as well as collagen.
Topical or Oral Skin Care: Which Is More Effective?
What if we were to tell you that topical skin care and oral skin care formulations are both effective, just in their own unique ways?
Oral supplements are useful for a more systematic approach. Effects are system-wide and longer lasting but take much longer to become apparent. Oral skin care also tends to lose much of its potency in the digestive tract. Every formulation has a different bioavailability, but it's not uncommon to lose 30 to 50 percent of the active ingredient just through digestion.
Topical skin care is localized and highly targeted. It quickly penetrates the skin's surface for effects that kick in quickly, often within only a few days of application. Of course, unlike supplements, the effects might not stick around if you stop your daily skincare routine. Another downside? Topical skincare doesn't penetrate beyond skin-deep.
Your best bet for healthy, glowing skin is to support your body inside and out with oral and topical products. One really good example of this multi-channel strategy is vitamin C.
Topical vitamin C is highly effective for improving skin appearance by reducing wrinkles and hyperpigmentation while promoting collagen synthesis. It acts as a potent antioxidant, protecting the skin from free radicals and UV damage. On the flip side, vitamin C supplements can provide body-wide benefits, including immune support, which indirectly benefits skin health.
100% Clean Skin Care with Prima
At Prima, we believe the best skin care starts with clean ingredients sourced from Mother Nature. Our topical and oral products are designed around high-quality plant-based ingredients, chosen for their ability to nourish, restore, and protect your skin—from the outside in or inside out.
From nutrient-rich botanical oils like apricot kernel and marula to the powerful properties of CBD, each formula is intentionally developed to promote hydration, balance, and overall skin vitality. CBD, known for its soothing and antioxidant benefits, is central to our formulations—helping to calm inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, and support the skin's natural repair process.
Combined with other potent plant extracts, our 100% clean skincare line and supplements work in harmony with your body, supporting your journey to radiant, healthy skin. Because when it comes to self-care, we believe in going beyond the surface.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this content is for general knowledge and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Individual results may vary. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before using CBD or any hemp-derived products, especially if you have underlying health conditions, are pregnant or nursing, or are taking prescription medications.
