Many women strive to have glowing, clear and healthy skin. However, reaching this goal is often tricky — so what is the easiest way to achieve it? Online and in-store, you’ve probably spotted a variety of lotions that promise a youthful, effervescent appearance. However, whether these work is up for debate, so could the answer to better skin lie in nutrition?

Forget lotions and potions, we’re going to look at how a simple change of your diet can help your get that beautiful skin you’ve been craving…

Vitamin C and the fight against free radical damage

Maintaining smooth and protected skin is vital to anyone looking to improve their complexion. However, a major cause of loss of skin firmness is free radicals — which are especially harmful when exposed to strong sunlight. There are 25 types of collagen in the body and, along with elastin, they give skin texture and structure. Free radical damage causes collagen and elastin to break down, which leads to wrinkles and skin losing its firmness.

Today, there are many supplements and foods available to help get nutrients to your skin. Antioxidants such as vitamin C and coenzyme Q10 can protect cells from the damaging effects of these toxic chemicals. Similarly, incorporating plenty of fruit and vegetables into our diets can help us naturally improve our vitamin C levels. However, it’s best if you ingest this raw, as the vitamin is damaged when cooked or processed.

General wellbeing and skin health are both boosted with vitamin C. However, levels of vitamin C are reduced by factors such as smoking, alcohol and certain drugs like antidepressants and oral contraceptives — which is why many people find it beneficial to get enough of this vital nutrient via supplements. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 60mg/day or 120mg/day, if you’re a smoker.

If you’re searching for an alternative antioxidant, how about coenzyme Q10? Although we make this within our bodies, our ability to do this drops from our mid-twenties. So, a good solution is to take coenzyme Q10 supplements. Coenzyme Q10 plays an important role in producing energy in our bodies and is also a powerful antioxidant. This means it protects the skin from free radical damage and promotes effective skin repair. Coenzyme Q10 has been proven to reduce the depth of fine lines and wrinkles over time.

Fatty acids and reducing the progression of ageing skin

If you regularly eat fish, you’re probably receiving a decent amount of fatty acids. However, if not, you need to look at getting appropriate supplements. Omega 3 is an anti-inflammatory, making it good for irritable, sore skin, and the richest source of omega 3 is from oily fish such as herring, salmon, tuna, and sardines. Many people choose to take an omega 3 fish oil supplement. Due to concerns about environmental pollution in fish, it is safest to choose a supplement that contains oil from the flesh of the fish, rather than the liver.

Lubricating your skin is critical if you want to fight the ageing process. Omega 7 supplements can help with lubrication throughout the body, protecting the internal organs, as well as the linings of the eyes, mouth and skin. If you get a supplement featuring sea buckthorn oil, you can also benefit from one of the best natural oils for mature and wrinkled skin. This is due to its essential fatty acid and vitamin E, C and A properties. omega 7 and sea buckthorn oil have nourishing, moisturising and restorative abilities, promoting tissue regeneration and reducing age-induced skin wrinkling and signs of premature ageing.

Pycnogenol and improved blood flow

Our blood carries oxygen, nutrients, and other essentials to our organs where they’re needed. So, it’s no surprise that having decent blood flow is vital to health and skin. Pycnogenol is a plant-based extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree and can be taken as a supplement to improve blood circulation — thereby helping with skin hydration and vitality. Pycnogenol can also help to reduce wrinkles by binding with skin proteins collagen and elastin to protect from various harmful enzymes. It also rebuilds elasticity, which is essential for smooth, youthful skin, and is believed to reduce over-pigmentation for a more even complexion.

Browse online to find supplement options and start the skin-boosting process today!