Nutrients play quite the important role in skin health. In order to achieve a complexion that is clear, healthy and glowing you need to be feeding your skin foods rich in vitamin A, E, C and B complex vitamins.
Vitamin A:
What does it does: Without enough vitamin A you could be suffering from dry, itchy, scaly skin with acne. A helps rebuild skin tissue. It is wonderful for healing scrapes, wounds and damages to your skin. Aka- if you popped a white head and you are now left with a repulsive looking cut on your face. Pop open a vitamin A capsule with a push pin (making sure it is clean, of course) and dab a little bit on the open wound. This will speed up the healing process dramatically and reduce the chance of scaring! Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Or should I say capsule.... ;) Retinoids are a form of vitamin A that regulate cellular growth. You can apply this topically to your skin as well. You will find that retinoids are present in a lot of anti-aging products because vitamin A can reduce the appearance of lines, wrinkles and dull skin. So before instead of 120$ on that night cream and rehydrating serum, you could just be filling your diet with Vitamin A and applying a retinoid cream to those wrinkles. Bam.
Food Sources: Eggs, leafy greens, milk, carrots, pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe and dried apricot.
Vitamin C:
What does it does: This antioxidant can battle skin aging as well because it stimulates the production of collagen in your skin. Collagen is the protein responsible for making your skin supple, smooth and youthful.
Food sources: Broccoli, cauliflower, tomato, brussel sprouts, cucumber, guava, red pepper, kiwi, orange, green pepper, grapefruit and strawberries.
Vitamin E:
What it does: Vitamin E is an antioxidant as well. It fights free radicals in your body (smoking, pollution and sun exposure) which are major components of pre-mature skin again. Spots, wrinkles, stretch marks and lines can be reduced by upping vitamin E intake.
Food sources: Olives, sun-flower seeds, peanuts, almonds, wheat germ, leafy greens, kiwi, mango and tomato.
Vitamin B-Complex:
What it does: This water soluble vitamin is made up of multiple b vitamins. Vitamin B1, B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pyridoxine), B6 (Biotin), Folic Acid and B12. B1 boosts circulation in the body and gives your skin that "healthy glow" that the Loreal commercials are always taking about. Well, until Loreal starts selling products rich in B1, I am not getting on that train. Foods specifically rich in B1 are egg yolks, nuts and raisins. Vitamin B3 (Niacin) helps your skin receive oxygen AKA prevents the development of Acne. Say goodbye to pimples when you up your intake of tomato, broccoli and carrots.
Food sources: Chicken, tuna, turkey, halibut, lamb, beef, spelt, salmon, peanuts, bran, paprika, eggs, leafy greens, carrots and tomatos.
As you can see, healthy skin comes from feeding your body HEALTHY foods. Hmmm...is it all starting to make sense? What you put in your body will literally show in your skin. So reduce your intake processed and refined foods which have the vitamins extracted out of them, and up your intake of vitamin A, C, E and B-complex rich foods.
If you are in search of organic products that are gluten-free, vegan friendly and benneficial in the journey towards healthier skin try out my favorites!
I fell in love with Aubrey Organics products when a representative gave an employes lecture to the health food store that I work at in Savannah. I started using the Calming Skin Therapy line in the spring and absolutely adore it! I have dry skin the in the winter and combination skin in the summer. For my toner, moisturizer and facewash I pay about $45.00 every two months. That is so much cheaper than any product you will find in department stores or even some lines at CVS that are full of chemicals and fillers. Why would you pay money for products that are actually damaging your face and speeding up the aging process? Do yourself a favor and try Aubrey Organics. You can order on their website or find the products in Whole Foods or Earth Fare. Sometimes they do not carry all 6 of the lines in those stores, but I know that we carry all of them in Brighter Day if you ever happen to be in Savannah, GA.
My love affair with Alima Pure was founded after I broke up with Bare Minerals. For the first time in my 20 and 1/2 years of living, I was breaking out consistently OUT OF NOWHERE. My skin is not acne prone, and the only thing that I had changed was my makeup. I switched from a local, organic brand, manufactured out of greensboro to Bare Minerals---and trust me, my skin payed for it. After my battle with the pore-clogging, lines-on-your-face-enhancing, Bare Minerals, my search for a new makeup brand began...and thus...I found Alima Pure! Their makeup is mineral based using the purest-cosmetic-grade mineral pigments. You wont' find any fillers, additives or fragrances in this makeup so there is no need to worry about irritation or break-outs. And in conjunction with a great skin care line- Aubrey Organics- I hope that you will find that you wake up with clear, glowing and healthy skin! My favorite part of this company is that you can try samples of their foundations for $1.50! This way you can order multiple colors and find which one is the best for you before you spend $20.00 on a full size. I am on month 3 of using my full size container, to Europe, New York and back and I still have yet to finish it. Think about it though--the better you take care of your skin, the less makeup you'll need. Win-win situation all around. Side note- I am Neutral 3 in the mineral foundation powder and I have fair-medium skin that burns easily. I would probably be Neutral 2 in the winter.
So, there you have it dolls. Vitamins to feed your skin essential nutrients and a skin care routine that supports natural beauty.
Feel free to email me with questions.
xoxo
Sarah
