Vitamin K

What Is Vitamin K in Skincare?

Vitamin K in skincare usually means vitamin K1, also called phytonadione or phylloquinone, a fat-soluble vitamin added to eye creams and creams marketed for the look of dark circles, visible redness, and post-procedure bruising. It is one of the few cosmetic vitamins with a small split-face human study behind it, and also one of the few with a real regulatory warning, so it pays to know both sides.

EWG Skin Deep score for Vitamin K EWG Skin Deep rating for Vitamin K

Important for shoppers outside the United States: vitamin K1 has been banned from cosmetics in the European Union since Directive 2009/6/EC, after reports of allergic reactions. It is still sold in cosmetics in the US.

Quick Facts

INCI name Phytonadione (vitamin K1)
Common names Vitamin K, vitamin K1, phylloquinone, phytomenadione
Source Found naturally in leafy green plants
Form Yellow, viscous oil
Solubility Oil soluble, not water soluble
Usage in studies 1% in a published eye pad study; the EU safety committee noted products on the market at up to 8%
Manufacturer usage rate No public manufacturer range was found
Regulatory status Banned in EU cosmetics (Directive 2009/6/EC); allowed in US cosmetics
Skin types Normal, dry, and mature skin; not for anyone with a known vitamin K allergy

How Vitamin K Works on the Skin

In the body, vitamin K is needed for normal blood clotting. That role is why it became popular in creams for the look of bruising and dark under-eye circles, where pooled blood and thin skin let a blue or purple tone show through. How much topical vitamin K reaches the small vessels under the skin, and what it does there, is not well established, so the honest answer comes from what the studies measured.

What the research measured

  • Bruising after laser. In a 2002 double-blind, split-face study (Shah and colleagues, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology), 22 people applied a vitamin K cream to one side of the face and a plain cream to the other, twice a day for two weeks, either before or after a pulsed dye laser session. Using it before the laser made no difference. Using it after the laser gave significantly lower bruising scores on the vitamin K side, mainly in the first days.
  • Under-eye pads. In a four-week, single-blind study from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Advanced Biomedical Research), 11 women used an eye pad with 3% caffeine and 1% vitamin K in an emu oil base under one eye and a water placebo pad under the other. The researchers reported less visible darkness and shallower wrinkles under the eye that got the active pad. Vitamin K was tested together with caffeine, so the result cannot be credited to vitamin K alone.

Safety: Why the EU Banned It

The EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety reviewed vitamin K1 again in 2010 (opinion SCCS/1313/10). It noted six published case reports of contact allergy from cosmetics, with positive patch tests at 0.1% to 2%, and a lab sensitization test that classed vitamin K1 as a sensitizer. Its conclusion was that vitamin K1 is not safe in cosmetics at concentrations up to 1%. The committee also raised a practical concern: vitamin K is an important medicine, and a person who becomes allergic through a cosmetic may react when they later need it.

What that means for you: if you use a vitamin K eye cream, patch test it first and stop if you see redness or swelling. Tell your doctor about any reaction to vitamin K creams.

How to Use Vitamin K

  • In a finished product. Apply a rice-grain amount of eye cream to the orbital bone morning and night, patting rather than rubbing.
  • In DIY formulas. Vitamin K1 is oil soluble, so add it to the oil phase or the cool-down phase of an emulsion. No public manufacturer usage range was found, and the EU safety committee did not consider 1% safe, so we do not recommend a DIY rate. If you formulate with it, follow your supplier's data sheet.
  • Pairings. In the published eye study, vitamin K was combined with caffeine. Peptides chosen for the eye area, such as acetyl tetrapeptide-5, are another way to target the look of puffiness and dark circles.
  • Storage. Keep products cool and away from light.

Who Vitamin K Suits

Vitamin K creams are aimed at people who want to fade the look of dark under-eye circles or post-procedure bruising. Skip them if you have ever reacted to vitamin K, and ask your doctor first if you take blood-thinning medication. If you have sensitive skin, patch test on the inner arm for 24 hours before using a vitamin K product near the eyes, and choose the lowest-strength product available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does vitamin K help dark circles?

Possibly, for dark circles with a blue or purple tone. In one small four-week study, an eye pad with 1% vitamin K and 3% caffeine reduced visible darkness, but vitamin K was not tested on its own.

What does vitamin K cream do for your skin?

Vitamin K creams are used for the look of bruising, visible redness, and dark circles. In a split-face study, a vitamin K cream used after a laser session lowered bruising scores compared with a plain cream.

Is vitamin K cream safe?

It is sold in the US, but the EU banned vitamin K1 in cosmetics after reports of allergic reactions, and its safety committee did not consider it safe at up to 1%. Patch test first and stop if you see redness or swelling.

Why is vitamin K banned in Europe?

Vitamin K1 was added to the EU list of prohibited cosmetic ingredients in 2009 because of contact allergy reports. A 2010 review kept that position, citing six case reports and a sensitization test.

How long does vitamin K take to work on bruises?

In the laser study, the difference between the vitamin K side and the plain cream side was clearest in the first days after the laser session, with twice-daily use for two weeks.

Can I use vitamin K with retinol?

No published interaction between topical vitamin K and retinol was found. If you use both, apply them at different times of day and patch test each one first.

Shop and Learn More

We do not currently sell a vitamin K product. For more on the topic, read our guide to vitamin K and dark circles and how to fade the look of dark circles.

Sources

  • Shah NS, Lazarus MC, Bugdodel R, Hsia SL, He J, Duncan R, Baumann L. The effects of topical vitamin K on bruising after laser treatment. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2002;47(2):241-244. doi:10.1067/mjd.2002.120465. DOI
  • Evaluation of the clinical efficacy and safety of an eye counter pad containing caffeine and vitamin K in emulsified Emu oil base. Advanced Biomedical Research (Isfahan University of Medical Sciences). Journal page
  • European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety. Opinion on Vitamin K1 (Phytonadione), SCCS/1313/10, adopted 23 March 2010. SCCS opinion

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About the Author
Written by Kari Thomas, cosmetic formulator and founder of Skin Perfection.