A skincare routine does plenty of heavy lifting when it comes to happy, healthy skin—but it’s only one part of the puzzle. Diet, hydration, and stress all affect your complexion as well as your general wellbeing. And we’d argue a happy mind helps you feel good in your skin as well.
How Does Diet Affect the Health And Appearance of Your Skin?
What is it they say: You are what you eat?
Now, that can only be partly true—‘cos none of us have turned into TikTok’s Dense Bean Salad quite yet. But! Your skin health is determined by a bucketload of factors—and food is definitely one of them.
While your skincare gets to work nourishing your skin’s surface, your diet can help to nourish you from the inside. Certain delicious foods can provide essential, skin-friendly nutrients like antioxidants, healthy fats, and vitamins. These don’t only boost your overall health, but reduce inflammation, support skin structure, and protect against free radical damage on a cellular level.
All of which are hugely important for your skin.
The Best Foods For Glowing Skin
You already know the drill. When it comes to healthy skin foods, think colourful, fresh, and nutrient-packed. Here’s the food Clinical Nutritionist, Belinda Moss recommended:
Avocado
“Full of essential fatty acids, beta-carotene, and vitamin E, avocados are wonderful at keeping the skin supple, moisturising us from the inside out. The fats in avocado help us to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), which are all beneficial for healthy, glowing skin.”
Papaya
“A favourite fruit for healthy, glowing skin. Antioxidant-rich papaya packs a nutritional punch, containing vitamins A and C, and powerful phytochemicals lycopene and beta-carotene, which can enhance the skin’s glow and complexion, support collagen production, and fight free radical damage.”
Sardines
“Rich in omega-3 fatty acids (needed for healthy cell membranes and moisture-rich skin), oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, trout, and salmon also help lower inflammation and have been found to reduce the signs of ageing. They also contain vitamin E and zinc, which are anti-inflammatory and help with the production of new skin cells.”
Dark chocolate
“Regular intake of cocoa can help prevent photo-ageing and supports skin elasticity. Cocoa products contain a number of antioxidants and compounds which offer a host of health benefits, including protecting our precious skin from oxidative damage and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Amazing! Choose good quality, dark chocolate with a high cocoa content for maximum benefits.”
How Hydration Improves Skin Health
Of course, a decent diet goes hand-in-hand with a decent water intake. Hydration is essential for plump, radiant skin—Much Plumper Skin can only hold down the fort for so long. Drinking enough water everyday helps maintain elasticity and hydration to prevent dryness and dullness.
You should be drinking around 2 litres of water a day to reap all its health benefits. That’s around 8 cups in total.
Of course, bringing your emotional support water bottle everywhere you go makes hitting this goal much easier.
So, if you needed a sign to finally cop that new Frank Green shade. This is it. Purely for skin health purposes. Obviously.
Can A Healthy Diet Help Reduce Acne And Other Skin Issues?
Acne is caused by a whole gamut of factors. And most of the time, it’s usually not as easy to solve as the “cut out chocolate” advice you get unsolicited from your Aunt Carol.
Diets rich in anti-inflammatory foods—such as vegetables, nuts, and oily fish can be known to help lessen the appearance of breakouts—while high sugar foods can sometimes increase oil production and hence, acne symptoms.
We recommend chatting with your dermatologist or medical provider to help understand what’s causing you acne and what role diet can play.
Can Supplements Help Improve Skin Hydration And Promote a Healthy Glow?
Supplements like collagen, omega-3s, and vitamin C can help boost your overall health and in turn, enhance skin health from within. We always recommend touching base with your doctor to understand what supplements might be best for you and your body.
Skincare Tips To Enhance the Effects of a Good Diet
Glowing skin doesn’t just come from what’s on your plate—it’s also about what you put on your face. A balanced, nutritious diet gives your skin the building blocks it needs (hello, vitamins and antioxidants), but the right skincare routine helps lock in those benefits and make them visible. Your skincare’s the support crew for your healthy habits: gentle cleansing to keep pores clear, exfoliate to banish any dead skin, hydrating serums to boost your glow, and a daily SPF to protect all that good work from UV and pollution damage. Oh, and a good eye serum as well.
FAQs
How does diet affect the health and appearance of your skin?
A balanced diet packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants supports skin elasticity and hydration. Your diet takes care of the internal whilst your skincare enhances those benefits by nourishing and protecting your skin externally.
What are the best foods for glowing skin?
Nutrient-packed, antioxidant-rich foods like berries, leafy greens, avocados, salmon, and a KitKat (surely).
How can hydration improve the condition of my skin?
Hydration helps keep skin plump and radiant and then, Go-To’s moisturisers come in to help lock in that moisture for long-lasting glow.
Can a healthy diet help reduce acne?
Sometimes! Acne is usually caused by a mix of factions. For some people, diet might be behind their breakouts but it's rarely a silver bullet. We’d recommend seeing a dermatologist to help manage your acne treatment.
How much water should I drink daily for healthy skin?
About 8 cups per day.
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