Cosmeceuticals: Phytonadione (Vitamin K)

Phytonadione (aka phylloquinone or Vitamin K1) is a fat soluble vitamin found in various leafy greens (like the horrid Brassica family), parsley, clove bud essential oil, soy bean, and canola oil as well as some fruits like kiwi and grapes. In our bodies, it is essential for normal blood clotting. Vitamin K2 comes from menaquinones, from bacteria in our intestines.

In topical products, it is supposed to help with post operative bruising, broken capillaries (or salient telangiectases as found in rosacea prone skin), hyperpigmentation, and under eye circles. Dermatologists use phytonadione containing creams for all but the last condition, and that's really want we want to know, isn't it? Can this help dark under eye circles?

From Cosmetic Dermatology: Products and Procedures (2010), I take this quote: "However, there do not appear to have been any controlled studies to support the latter use..." meaning the dark under-eye circles. (The other books I have are from 2004 and 2007, and both note that there isn't a lot of data on this ingredient). So will it work for this purpose? Who knows?

I've seen two suggestions for products that will help with the other issues. Either a 2% phytonadione cream with propylene glycol (to help with skin penetration) twice a day for two weeks or a 5% cream. Since I haven't been able to find this ingredient or data sheets anywhere, I can't make suggestions on how to use it and in what phase we should include it.

As a note, Vitamin K is air and moisture stable, but it must be kept out of sunlight. So if you're using this ingredient, please put it in an opaque container.

Join me tomorrow for fun formulating with cosmeceuticals!