Should You Eat Your Skincare?
Should you, and can you, eat your skincare? With a myriad of serums, creams, tweakments and treatments on the market, it’s not surprising that one crucial element of skincare is often forgotten: our diet.
What we eat and drink, however, has a direct impact on our skin, affecting hydration, tone, elasticity and overall skin health.
In today’s journal entry, I deliver a dermatologist’s view on “eating your skincare”, including the important vitamins and nutrients to prioritise and my recipe for replenished, rejuvenated skin from the inside out.
How To Eat Your Skincare
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t literally consume your skincare – but just for clarity’s sake, please do not start dressing your salad with serums.
Instead, adopt a balanced, wholesome diet including a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats to help nourish your skin from the inside.
Potentially the most crucial element is to incorporate is plenty of omega-3 fatty acids – which not only help protect against water loss (and therefore maintain hydrated skin), but can also provide anti-inflammatory actions.
It’s also important to ensure adequate antioxidants (particularly zinc and vitamins A and C) which can help protect the skin from oxidative damage, repair the skin barrier and stimulate collagen production.
There is also emerging but convincing evidence that skin and gut health are linked, so eating foods that support your gut microbiome can prompt a positive impact on the surface of your skin.
Finally – don’t overlook liquids. Your skin cells require water to function, so ensuring you are consuming enough water each day is imperative.
What Are The Best Foods For Skin Health?
Choosing the right foods at mealtimes can be a minefield. To help, I have rounded up my favourite foods for skin health below:
Oily Fish: Salmon, tuna and mackerel are all rich in omega-3.
Legumes, Nuts & Seeds: Walnuts, soybeans, chia seeds and flaxseeds also offer significant sources of omega-3, and are a great vegan alternative to fish.
Orange, Red & Yellow Vegetables: Carrots, sweet potatoes and peppers all contain vitamin C and beta-carotene, which converts into vitamin A.
Broccoli, Shellfish & Legumes: High in zinc, these are all great options to support healthy skin barrier function.
Fermented Foods & Wholegrain Carbs: Brown rice, quinoa and oats as well as kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir are all important for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome.
What Are The Best Foods For Hair Health?
A healthy diet isn’t just good for your skin, it supports your hair and scalp health too. Many of the foods above are equally beneficial for your hair (vitamin A, omega-3, protein and zinc are all particularly necessary nutrients), but there are some additional dietary adjustments to consider:
Eggs: High in protein and biotin, eggs will support hair growth and strength.
Berries: Rich in antioxidants, berries can help protect against hair follicle damage.
Spinach: A good source of iron to encourage hair growth.
Chicken and Turkey: Lean sources of protein, which are essential for building and repairing hair tissue.
My Diet And Supplement Recommendations
Ensuring a healthy, varied diet including plenty of the foods mentioned above is crucial – but if you need more inspiration, below are my favourite nutritionists to follow:
What The Menopause
Em The Nutritionist
Dr Thivi Maruthappu
When it comes to supplements, unless you are dealing with a diagnosed deficiency, these are unlikely to have any effect (you can read more here), particularly when it comes to your skin. In general, I would only recommend the following oral options:
Probiotics: Nutravita 60 billion CFU Pro Bio Cultures Complex contains 21 different strains of bacteria for a potent hit of probiotics.
Collagen: Vida Glow’s marine collagen has long been my go-to pro-aging supplement, as its powerful blend of collagen peptides is specially formulated with digestive enzymes to boost absorption, so it can get to work straight away.
It’s also important to note that while diet can have a positive effect on your skin and hair, deciding to eat your skincare will not be the magic bullet. You are more likely to see improvements alongside a consistent skincare routine, daily use of sunscreen, a regular sleep schedule and avoiding smoking, alcohol and sugar where possible.
