Hey lil nugs.
It’s been a minute since I’ve written here. Why, you ask? Well, this is a topic for another post that will hopefully be coming soon, but it has everything to do with conscious prioritization. I was traveling for a bit and had little/no access to wifi, and then I’ve been moving apartments (a full time job) so I haven’t been prioritizing the blog. Very different from January where I wrote every. single. day. no. matter. what. It’s all about what we decide is the main priority, right? It’s funny how quickly we can create new habits — and how quickly we can change them. More to come on that, but today I want to focus on a question I get from a lot of people – how to take care of your skin using diet and natural products!!
It’s perfect timing to write about this topic because my awesome friend Adina Grigore, fellow Integrative Nutrition grad and founder of S.W. Basics skincare line, just came out with a new book – Skin Cleanse!! I’ve spent the whole morning reading it and I am so excited she wrote it. Thank you Adina!! She addresses some of the most common concerns people have about taking care of their skin naturally – food, beauty products, lifestyle, supplements – you name it, she covers it.
I was really pumped to find some of my own personal favorite skin care tips inside her book, plus one new tip she gave that I was THRILLED to find out about.
I personally notice a HUGE difference in my skin depending on what I’m eating and drinking.
Here are 4 of my personal diet-related skin care tips (the ones that make the most difference for me!!) that Adina also mentions in the book:
- Drink a TON of water. This one is probably obvious, but as Adina mentions in the book, you are probably drinking less water than you think. Being properly hydrated is one of the most important ways to boost the natural glow of your skin and make it look younger and healthier. How much to drink? More than you do now. My personal skin-happy place with water is at least 2 liters per day, ideally 3+.
- Eat more fat. If you are still afraid of fat, it’s time to get over it because your skin wants you to eat it! I’m talking about GOOD quality fat, like the kind that comes from delicious avocados and delicious coconuts. Adina goes into the science of all of it in her book, but one of the reasons is that getting enough essential fatty acids helps your body produce healthy skin cells.
- Go easy on the coffee and alcohol. Sorry. Both are dehydrating for the skin which can make you look older and more tired, so if you do enjoy your coffee or adult beverages, please make sure you drink extra extra extra water to balance it out, or your skin will suffer for it.
- Chilllll on the sugar and dairy. Some people are more/less tolerant than others when it comes to the way sugar and dairy affects the skin, but for many, it can cause breakouts. My (and Adina’s) advice is to start keeping a food journal and see how your skin is affected if you are eating those things, or after trying to cut them out. Worth the experiment.
The diet tip from the book I was most pumped about? Eat more papaya!!! This made me so happy because when I was recently traveling in the Seychelles there was so much fresh papaya…and it made me really happy. I had never had papaya that good before. Granted, I probably won’t be able to get such fresh papayas here in NYC, but c’est la vie.
Adina says, “if you had to add just one fruit to your diet, pick papaya. It fights aging, heals sunburn, removes dead skin cells, soothes irritation, fights breakouts, and brightens the skin.” Yes!! Yum.
Get the book to read more Skin Cleanse tips.
Along with diet changes, the products you use have a huge affect on your skin. Ideally, you’d be able to eat everything that goes onto your body!
I’m personally a huge fan of SW Basics toner –– it’s made from apple cider vinegar and witch hazel, and makes my skin feel so clean.
Also, their cream, made from coconut oil and shea butter, will make your face and body super soft.
Note: you do not have to actually buy pre-made skincare products to have healthier skin. You can make your own!! And Adina gives tons of DIY skincare recipes in her book.
Adina sent me the following things and instructed me to combine them to make a face scrub.
- Sweet almond oil
- French green clay
- Organic ground oats
I mixed them all together in a little bowl and voila!! Perfect, natural skin exfoliant for my face, and I put on the SW Basics cream afterwards. My face feels like a baby’s butt.
Ok – those are just a few of the tips that Adina and I have for you on more natural skin care. That should be enough to get you started, but my advice is to start playing around with your diet and see how it affects your skin, pick up the Skin Cleanse book, and also browse the SW Basics product line, read the ingredients of each product and embark on your own adventure of creating your own beauty products. Endless fun to be had. :)
Love you guys. Drink that water. Go!
Jenny
Leave a comment!