5 surprising ways to clearer skin
The diet and lifestyle changes you can make for a flawless complexion
No matter your age, skin type, or skin concerns, when it comes down to it, most women are after a complexion that’s nothing short of radiant and clear. And while a good skin care routine can go a long way to ensuring any breakouts and pimples are kept at bay, there are a few surprising things you could be doing to ensure your complexion is as clear as possible.
Beauty Crew spoke to Jessica Sepel, nutritionist, blogger and author of The Healthy Life, about what lifestyle and diet changes women can make for clearer skin, and these are her top five tips.
1
Add quality ingredients to your diet
When it comes to looking at the foods that make up your diet and how they can affect your skin, Sepel is all about organic, and suggests “lots of nutrient-rich wholefoods, like good quality proteins, good fats, gluten-free whole grains, and organic dairy.” Try to eat more eggs, chicken, and fish, as well as avocado, coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil.
2
Ditch the foods that cause flare-ups
Sepel recommends you avoid inflammatory foods to keep your skin clear and blemish-free. “Consuming too much alcohol can lead to bad skin and having your third or fourth coffee in the day can affect your blood sugar balance, which in turn impacts your skin's health. I also think it's the vegetable oils in processed and packaged foods, particularly muesli bars, that are problematic for the skin as they have an imbalance of omega 3s and 6s. Too much sugary fruit - watermelon, dates, pineapple and mango - can also be unsettling for skin. Ultimately, the key is to find balance and to have all things in moderation!,” she says.
3
Look after your gut health
The foods you eat can certainly have an impact on your skin health, but the health of your gut can play a part, too. Basically, your body needs good gut bacteria in your intestines to break down food, absorb the right nutrients, produce vitamins and improve your immune system. If you’re consuming a high-fat diet that compromises your gut health and how you digest your food, that can have an impact on your complexion (as well as your sleep, your stress levels, and even your mood, which can all indirectly lead to less-than-stellar skin, too). In short, you want to make sure you’ve got plenty of good gut bacteria.
Sepel suggests “eating probiotic rich foods or supplementing with a specific probiotic.” Yoghurt is a great probiotic-rich food, but if you’d prefer the supplement route, try Swisse Ultiboost Inner Balance.
4
Manage your stress
While managing your stress is good for your mental health, it can have great side effects for your skin, too. When we stress, our bodies release cortisol, which can throw our hormones out of whack and can lead to a slew of skin problems, including pimples, and breakouts.
Different detressing methods work for different people, so here are some simple ways to stress less, and tips on how to get into yoga, mindfulness and meditation.
5
Try coconut oil
We could speak for days about the beauty benefits of coconut oil. Besides all of its nourishing benefits, coconut oil has both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, making it a surprisingly useful way to tackle pimples - whether eaten as part of your diet or applied to your skin. Sepel says, “Coconut oil is anti-microbial so it really cleanses the skin and is considered a natural superfood for your skin whether it is used inside or out. It’s also rich in vitamin E which helps to repair the skin and protect it from free radicals.”
You can try using coconut oil in it’s purest form, or if you’d prefer to use it in your beauty products, try Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Facial Cleansing Oil, or Clinique Foaming Sonic Facial Soap.
If pimples are the bane of your existence, here's exactly how you should be dealing with those breakouts (i.e. not squeezing them!), and here are some pro tips to help cover your pimples.
Image credit: Getty
