Science Backed Skincare From the Inside Out
Everywhere you look, you see them. Wrinkle creams, acne cleansers, dark spot removers. Lotions for oily skin, and dry skin, and flaking skin. Toners that promise to brighten, tighten, and shrink your pores down to nothing. All, of course, with their own ads featuring the most beautiful women you’ve ever seen. Surrounded as we are with thousands of products promising a perfect complexion, it’s easy to forget that while topical treatments have their place, your skin, like any other organ, is just as sensitive to what you put in your body as what you put on your body. If your skin isn’t properly nourished, you’ll be hard pressed to find any product or treatment that will fully deliver on its promises. So without further adieu, here are the two most common skin complaints, and what you can do to heal them from the inside out.
Acne
If you suffer from acne, especially as an adult, you’ve probably run across all sorts of supposed dietary remedies. Cutting out dairy, going full on vegan, and drinking a full gallon of water every day are just a few that come to mind. But do any of these suggestions actually work? The short (and annoying) answer: it depends. While just about anyone (and their skin) can benefit from cutting inflammatory foods like sugar, vegetable oils, and refined carbs out of their diet, nutrition is highly individualized, and there’s no cookie-cutter approach that will work for everyone. However, there is one specific nutrient that many people lack, which shows great promise in reducing acne. What is this nutrient? Drum roll please… Zinc! Zinc works against acne by killing bacteria and reducing excess androgens. This study found a correlation between serum zinc levels and the severity and type of acne lesions. Be sure to choose a high quality supplement, and never take more than the recommended dose.
And Aging
Everyone knows about the things that cause your skin to age prematurely: alcohol, cigarettes, and excessive sun exposure, to name a few. Lesser known are the things that can prevent it. In addition to getting plenty of healthy fats in your diet, which is necessary for cellular regeneration, this study found that adding Collagen Hydrolysate to the diet for just eight weeks reduced the appearance of wrinkles by 20%! This isn’t surprising, considering that collagen makes up 70% of the protein in the skin, and is largely responsible for maintaining skin elasticity. For best results, look for high quality, grass-fed collagen peptides. Collagen peptides are tasteless, odorless, and dissolve easily in hot or cold liquids. Add them to a smoothie, or even just your morning coffee!
And So Much More
It’s important to remember that the above remedies work by improving the overall health of your skin, making them highly effective not just for acne and aging, but for everything from dryness and rosacea to oiliness and scarring. It’s also necessary to understand that you cannot out-supplement an unhealthy diet. Be sure to drink plenty of water, pack in the veggies and healthy fats, and reduce added sugars as much as possible. You’ll be well on your way to naturally healthy, glowing skin in no time, and ready to contact us for a luxurious facial or Hydra Facial as the cherry on top!