If you asked me about 15 years ago what the secret to clear, glowing skin is, I would’ve told you something entirely different than from what I’ll tell you today. Let me explain. I’ve fought acne pretty much my entire life. Initially, in the 90s, it was with using Clean & Clear with those little microbeads (microplastics, anyone?), then with Neutrogena, some horribly smelling European face serum that made my skin drier than sandpaper, and then, finally, in my 20s, a dermatologist suggested hormonal birth control. Within a few months, my face cleared up. Finally, I thought! I found the holy grail for clear skin. My periods were better and put on autopilot, my face was clear…I could not be happier.
Fast forward another decade and I was back to where I started: off birth control, a face full of acne, and not a single medication, face wash, serum, face oil, or cream helped. Discouraged with the lack of holistic solutions, I decided to carve out my own path to clear skin. This is going to sound cliché, but it turns out, that the glow you’re looking for actually really does come from the inside. Glowing skin is an inside out job. This doesn’t mean that quality skincare won’t help, it certainly will and I’m sharing my favorite (super minimal!) skincare routine below. However, it took me six months of working on my gut health to realize how powerful our microbiome really is. It wasn’t just food that nourished me from the inside out, but actively working on getting my stress levels under control as well. Working on my adrenal health was just as important as ensuring that I consumed quality food to help my skin glow. Here are my favorite drinks and food for optimal skin health:
- Green tea, specifically matcha. I dropped coffee about five years ago and will still indulge in a latte every now and then, but the L-Theanine in matcha has been amazing for providing calm, steady energy instead of the usual jitters I get from too much caffeine. EGCG and chlorophyll support skin clarity and radiance, while also helping to protect collagen. I have matcha almost every single morning and I can literally see a difference in my skin when I consume it. You can get 12 free tea samples with your first purchase from Pique (my favorite brand), here.
- Electrolytes & hydration – because skin needs proper hydration, and not just during the winter months. I love electrolytes after long workouts, but also think they’re amazing afternoon refreshment since they usually I’m always being asked for my favorite electrolyte brands and though I know LMNT is popular, I find the salt being used in there is sub-par. I’m a big fan of Trace Zerolyte (minus the Stevia) as well as Pique’s BT Fountain electrolytes. Don’t want to spend a fortune on hydration? Plain, filter water, cucumber water, lemon water, aloe vera juice, celery juice, green tea, coconut water, beet juice, or a golden mylk latte are also amazing for skin health!
- Avocados – these help support skin elasticity so I try to consume these at least a few times a way with toast and eggs, in chili, or I simply add it to my anti-inflammatory smoothie.
- Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) – help to protect skin from oxidative stress and free radicals. These make their way into my diet almost daily and I usually buy them organic when possible due to the high levels of pesticides (but don’t let that deter you from consuming them!). I know that berries can be cost prohibitive, so my favorite hack for getting them for less is buying them frozen. Try making my chocolate raspberry smoothie to get your fiber and skin glow in!
- Fatty fish – I love wild-caught salmon to help reduce inflammation and help boost a healthy skin glow. We try to have salmon at least once or twice a week. If you’re worried about mercury and other heavy metals in fish, here’s a post worth reading.
- Leafy greens – Organic kale, spinach, arugula, and other leafy greens help with skin repair and should also make it into your diet daily. If you’re battling gut issues, I recommend you cook them first. If you need to get them in quickly, a smoothie is your best bet. I always include a handful of spinach in my boys’ smoothies and they usually don’t notice it.
- Walnuts – Amazing for brain health and reducing inflammation as well. I always chop these up and add them to my gluten-free banana pancakes with some French butter (I know, so fancy!). They’re divine.
- Collagen – This really deserves its own post because there’s SO much to unravel here. Marine collagen is amazing, as is bovine collagen. I’ve seen the difference in my skin health. It always looks a bit firmer and tighter when I consume collagen regularly. I don’t particularly love the taste, but it’s easily masked in a yogurt bowl (along with some creatine!) or in a latte or smoothie. It’s completely up to you and your dietary beliefs / habits, which one you pick. I’ve tried vegan collagen and unfortunately did not get equivalent results, but do let me know if you find a vegan brand you love. A bonus of collagen is that it supports bone and joint health. You’ll find my favorite collagen to use here.
The key point here is that going through the work to heal your gut, reduce your stress levels, and calm down your nervous system can have a lasting effect on your skin health. Don’t believe me? Below is a before and after picture of my face. As for medicine such as spironolactone and hormonal birth control, always follow your doctor’s / PCP’s advice. However, in my case, I’m glad I eventually stayed away from both. I suffered from mineral and vitamin depletion, which lead to hormonal imbalances, fatigue, mood swings, an unhealthy gut, and so much more. Hormonal birth control is great at masking symptoms such as acne, but I wanted to get to the root cause of things. Working on your microbiome by getting a wide variety of plant-based foods in is key to glowing skin.
What would you add to this list of food and drinks for glowing skin? Anything I missed? Let me know!
