The skincare industry is worth over $155 billion, with endless serums, creams and topical treatments all claiming to fix your skin and make it look 10 years younger. The thing is, healthy skin doesn’t come from an expensive bottle… healthy skin starts within.
Even though we know there are plenty of reputable, high-quality skincare brands out there, we also know that unless you focus on healing and supporting yourself from the inside, applying products to the outside is just like putting on a band-aid; It might seem to work for a little while, but it doesn’t fix the root issue.
Gut Health = Skin Health
The health of your skin is determined by multiple factors, including your gut health, stress status, hormonal balance, hydration, sleep, your environment and of course your diet. When it comes to gut health, your gut impacts your skin via what’s known as the gut-skin-axis - a two-way communication system between your digestive system, immune system, hormones and skin. When your gut is balanced, your skin will usually appear calmer, but when it’s disrupted, issues like acne, oiliness, early signs of aging, psoriasis or rashes can show up. If your gut becomes damaged and you’re left with all-too-common ‘leaky gut’, this can trigger immune responses and cause redness, sensitivities and breakouts.
What you can do:
1.) Focus on gut healing with foods like bone broth, gelatine and colostrum, as well as natural pre and probiotics, or try our Gut & Digestion Bundle. Read Josh’s blog on How To Fix Your Gut Health here.
2.) Stress can affect your skin via disrupting gut bacteria and increasing inflammation too. High cortisol levels are known to increase oil production and acne, weaken the skin barrier leading to dryness and sensitivity, making it easier for your favourite products to irritate your skin, and accelerate aging by breaking down collagen. To help lower stress, try using tools like 4-7 breathing, time in nature and improving your sleep routine.
Essential Nutrients for Healthy Skin
As well as focusing on your gut health, the nutrients you eat every day make a huge difference to the health of your skin. Processed foods and refined carbohydrates increase inflammation and cause ‘glycation’, where sugar binds to collagen and elastin, making skin less firm and more wrinkled. Trans fats and excessive omega 6 fats (which is incredibly common in a typical Western diet) are also pro-inflammatory and can weaken the skin barrier. Additives and preservatives can disrupt gut health, whilst missing out on nutrient-dense foods can slow down skin repair and renewal.
So if processed foods are a big no for skin health, what do we actually need to be eating for healthier skin? We’ve put together a list of the top 10 most important nutrients for skin health, so instead of trying to fix your skin with another cream or serum, you can literally eat your skincare and watch yourself glow from the inside out.
The Eat Your Skincare Nutrient Guide
Vitamin A
Essential for skin cell turnover and regeneration, vitamin A is vital for gut health, prevents clogged pores, supports keratin production, and keeps skin smooth and resilient. Whilst you may have heard that vitamin A comes from plants like carrots, the truth is that plant foods only contain beta carotene - the precursor to true vitamin A, known as retinol. Up to 60% of people are not able to make the conversion of beta carotene to retinol within the body, meaning you could be missing out on this essential nutrient. Instead of reaching for expensive retinol skincare, reach for the retinol that nourishes your skin from the inside out.
Best sources: beef liver, cod liver oil, egg yolks
Collagen
The structural protein that gives skin firmness and elasticity, the body’s own collagen production declines after our mid-20s, meaning supplementing with it or finding adequate food sources is important for healthy skin and preventing fine lines and sagging. Consuming collagen provides amino acids like glycine, proline and hydroxyproline that act as raw materials for skin repair. Add more vitamin C into your diet from citrus, broccoli, peppers and kiwi, and you’ll help to boost your collagen production further.
Best sources: Grass Fed Collagen, bone broth, slow cooked meats on the bone
Gelatine
Gelatine is the cooked form of collagen, which is particularly rich in glycine. This amino acid deeply supports gut lining integrity, which can directly reduce inflammation, acne, eczema and rosacea. It’s also important for detoxification and sleep, both important for glowing skin.
Best sources: Homemade marshmallows, bone broth, slow cooked meat and chicken on the bone
Butyrate
A short chain fatty acid that helps reduce inflammation and strengthens the gut barrier, butyrate helps seal the gut lining. As many skin issues start in the gut, it’s a vital nutrient for skin support and preventing flare ups of existing issues.
Best sources: Grass fed butter, cheese, resistant starches like cooked-and-cooled potatoes or rice
Omega 3s
Omega 3s reduce inflammation, regulate oil production and protect the skin’s barrier. If you experience issues like dry skin or acne, omega 3s can be especially helpful. A typical modern Western diet is overly rich in pro-inflammatory omega 6s, so bringing in more omega 3s (and reducing the omega 6s from trans fats and processed foods) helps rebalance the ratios and reduce skin conditions associated with excessive inflammation like eczema and psoriasis.
Best sources: Oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), oysters, flaxseeds
Zinc
This important mineral calms inflammation and supports skin healing. It also promotes collagen synthesis and oil regulation, as well as regulating acne-causing bacteria. Zinc is also vital for healthy, balanced hormones, which has a direct affect on skin health.
Best sources: Celtic oysters, chicken, beef, pumpkin seeds
Vitamin D
The sunshine vitamin regulates skin cell growth and immune function. Low levels are linked to eczema, psoriasis, acne and slow healing. Vitamin D is important to help the skin ‘behave’ in a normal, balanced way, rather than being inflamed or overreactive.
Best sources: Sunlight, oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), beef liver
B vitamins
The ultimate vitamins for cell turnover; B vitamins are essential for barrier repair and pigment regulation, giving you an even skin tone and hydrated, firm skin.
Best sources: Beef Organs, Beef Liver, Red Meat, Celtic Oysters, Eggs
Natural humectant sugars
Yep, natural sugar can be a skincare superfood if it’s done the right way. Natural sugars like fructose and glucose draw moisture into the skin to support hydration and boost elasticity and softness. This is why it’s important to understand that being properly hydrated is about much more than simply drinking water. Hydration from fruit is bound with electrolytes, natural sugars, fiber, enzymes, and antioxidants, creating a ‘structured’ or ‘cellular’ water that cells absorb more efficiently and slowly, providing sustained hydration.
Best sources: raw honey, seasonal fruit.
Saturated Fats
The type of fat you consume has a huge impact on your skin’s health. Saturated fats are vital for cell membrane integrity, hormone production and skin barrier strength, and can also help protect the skin from sun damage by making cells more stable and resistant to oxidative stress. Other fats like omega 6 PUFAs and trans fats are easily oxidised, inflammatory, disruptive for normal cell membrane structure, reduce skin elasticity, and can increase sensitivity to the sun. Humans have consumed saturated fats from foods like meat and eggs for over 2 million years, making them a supportive and skin-loving nutrient.
Best sources: Red meat, eggs, butter, cheese
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