Why One of My Best Beauty Tips Isn’t About Makeup
People always ask me for beauty tips, and while I am all about the power of concealer, liner, and a great blush, my biggest piece of advice isn’t about makeup. For brighter eyes, glowing skin, and gorgeous hair, what makes the biggest impact is how you fuel your body. Beauty really does come from the inside. Clean, nutrient-rich foods have the power to make you look amazing, which is why I call them beauty foods. While makeup can create magic, it can’t cover up the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle long term. But if you pair the right blush with already glowing skin, it’s a powerful combination.
Beauty food is full of color. (Photo: Henry Leutwyler)
For gorgeous skin and hair, focus on eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods. While it’s trendy to be carb-free, vegan, or Paleo, cutting out entire food groups can deprive your body of nutrients it really needs. Instead, focus on a range of whole foods, including lean meats, nuts, fish, fruits, and vegetables.
An 80/20 rule when it comes to eating has both health and beauty benefits. You have room to indulge, but you are focused on making whole foods the priority. If you are eating 80 to 90 percent healthy and clean, it shows.
Here’s what zaps beauty: highly processed foods (chips, cereals, or anything in a box with a long shelf life), alcohol, and sugar. Keep those at a minimum.
Vegetables are beauty power foods. They should be one of the cornerstones of your diet. Try to get them in any way you can — in soups, salads, snacks, and vegetarian dishes.
A diverse plate means a healthier complexion. (Photo: Henry Leutwyler)
To naturally boost collagen, look for foods that are packed with vitamin C, including kiwis, grapefruits, spinach, and kale.
Foods rich in zinc have been shown to firm and clear skin, and help with scalp health. Kidney beans, white beans, chickpeas, oysters, beef, cashews, and almonds all have high amounts of the skin-saving nutrient.
Healthy fats found in avocados, coconut oil, wild salmon, flaxseed, and walnuts plump up and smooth skin.
Beauty comes from the nutrients you use to fuel your body. (Photo: Henry Leutwyler)
A diet that is low in iron can lead to hair loss. Good sources of it are lentils, kidney beans, red meat, and spinach.
There are many whole foods that enhance beauty, but these are a few powerhouses: Walnuts are packed with skin-boosting vitamin C, vitamin A, and omega-3 fatty acids. Wild salmon and foods rich in omega-3s enhance skin. Berries are full of antioxidants. Sunflower seeds have a lot of vitamin E. Dark green vegetables like kale, asparagus, and spinach are filled with vitamin A.
To strengthen hair and nails, take a biotin supplement. If you are starting to see thinning hair, it’s definitely a key nutrient to add.
Staying hydrated is essential. It plumps up skin, flushes out toxins, boosts energy, and gives you a glow.
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