The ultimate superfoods and supplements for the skin YOU want

 

 

Smash your skin goals with super foods that tackle all, from ageing to acne

The ultimate superfoods and supplements for the skin YOU want

 Unfortunately creams can't cut it alone. What we feed our face with makes a massive difference to how it looks and as the skin is the last in line to receive nutrients, you need to maximise your diet with the right ones to reap the rewards. Leading UK facialist Abigail James gave us some tips on sourcing the right super foods with which to supplement your diet. We hope you're hungry.

Skin Goal: Blemish-free skin

Skin Win: Zinc. Abigail says it is "essential in wound healing and healthy cell renewal, a key aspect nutritionally for acne sufferers who are often deficient in this". Get it in spinach, pumpkin seeds and raw cacao. Also, help to balance your hormones by supercharging your smoothies with maca, a malty-tasting super food.

 

Spinach 

 Skin Sin: Greasy, processed foods can cause blood sugar spikes and hormones to over-produce oil, clogging pores. Experiment with cutting back on milk, too – some people find their sensitivity to dairy can show itself in the form of blemishes, especially in the lower area of the face.

Skin Goal: A brighter complexion

Skin Win: Vitamin E, Abigail says, is "essential for retaining moisture and protecting against free radical damage", so consume it daily as a sun damage preventer in the form of goji berries or by adding wheatgrass and barley grass to your juices. Also increase your skin's own SPF, lycopene, to prevent pigmentation. It's found in red fruit and veggies including tomatoes and also green tea.

 

Goji Berries

 Skin Sin: Booze. It soaks up your glow and dehydrates you. A congested liver from a build-up of toxins (i.e. alcohol, caffeine, sugar and processed foods) can show up in the form of dark circles under your eyes. Sob.

Skin Goal: Fewer lines 

 Skin Win: Vitamin A. Moringa powder, which you can add to your juices, soups and sauces, contains this key anti-ageing vitamin which is vital for cell-turnover. This super food is also packed with amino acids, which Abigail explains "are essential for the connective tissues and keep the skin smooth, elastic and strong – they are the building blocks, the part of the cells which gives it its structure".

 

Moringa powder

 Skin Sin: Sugar. The white stuff is notoriously ageing as it accelerates the process of glycation, which ages skin by making our collagen and elastin brittle.

Skin Goal: Plumped-up skin

Skin Win: Vitamin B3 (or niacin) is "key for the skin's healthy barrier protection, keeping moisture in and irritants out", Abigail confirms. Moisturise your skin from within by eating avocado which contains B3 as well as Vitamin E (as noted above!), Vitamin C to help promote collagen growth and plenty of the skin plumping good fats.

 

Avocado

 

 Skin Sin: Caffeine. As well as potentially dehydrating the skin because it's a diuretic, it's a vasodilator too which can make your skin look uneven and pores more apparent. Swap the flat white for a tall green.