We’ve all been there. The dreaded morning after a binge of sweets, wine and crisps: A skin outbreak, worse than any hangover could be! The mirror says “nope”, our skin cries in agony, and we curse that greasy, late-night food as we hastily browse our cosmetics collection for a quick remedy.
Alcohol, refined sugar, and bad fats are among those foods that can wreak havoc on your skin.
But if there’s Yin there also has to be Yang. And the good news is that there are plenty of foods that can actually help to improve your complexion.
We have picked our top 5 foods here:
1. Avocado
The Millennials were right on this one. Avocados are filled to the brim with healthy fats. These fats can have lots of beneficial effects on your body, including your skin.
Good fats are essential for keeping your skin moisturized and healthy. They also contain elements that can help protect your skin from dangerous sun radiation, which can cause wrinkles, spots, and signs of early aging.
Avocados also contain plenty of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C and E.
Vitamin C deficiency can cause rough, dry and scaly skin, so it is important to include it in your diet. Both Vitamin C and E are also powerful antioxidants that help protect the skin and combat cell damage.
2. Water!
As simple as it sounds, water is one of the most important elements that contributes to healthier skin. Drinking plenty of water is the easiest way to boost the elasticity, glow and hydration of your skin.
If plain-old-water is too boring, try adding some fresh lemon, mint leaves, or frozen berries to spice up your drink.
How much you should drink is different from person to person, but as a general rule you should aim to drink around 6-8 glasses of water per day.
3. Leafy Greens
Leafy veggies are packed with vitamins, nutrients, and most importantly, carotenes like lutein and zeaxanthin, which help to hydrate and protect your skin. They play a role in the prevention and fixing of any skin cell damage.
These green powerhouses also contain Vitamin K which can help with redness and inflammation.
Try watercress, kale, spinach, lettuce, dandelion greens, bok choy, or brokkoli, which all have different tastes and will provide plenty of variety.
4. Bell Peppers
These plump, juicy vitamin bombs provide tons of Vitamin C, which boosts your body’s collagen production. Collagen is required for cell renewal and helps to keep your skin firm and youthful looking. They also contain carotenoids that can help to prevent wrinkles, and improve blood circulation.
Thanks to the carotenoids, they’re also the perfect food to fight acne related issues.
One bell pepper contains over 100% of your daily recommended Vitamin C, so keep some around as a healthy, sweet and beneficial snack.
5. Mangoes
This one’s perfect for people with a sweet tooth. Mangoes are loaded with beta-carotene. This component helps your skin to repair itself, keep it smooth, and delay the onset of wrinkles.
They’re also a great source of Vitamin A, which helps your cells to regenerate, and protects them from damage.
If you can’t get Mangoes thanks to seasonality, you can achieve similar effects from:
- squash
- carrots
- cantaloupe melons
- sweet potatoes
- apricots
For a quick-fix to calm and soothe your skin, our Seoulista Correct & Calm Instant Facial® can provide long-lasting relief in just 20 minutes, while our Seoulista Fresh Skin Facial Mist® helps to cool and balance stressed out skin with just a spritz.