Are you a skincare jumper? May sound like a funny question but how many skincare products are in your bathroom right now? 

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As you already know, hydration is important for the skin to keep the cell production good. etc. But what about food? Food can have an effect on our body and our skin, too, and certain types of foods bring amazing benefits to our skin.

So if you want to eat well to improve your skin, the types of food to look for are those that are rich in antioxidants, omega-3, and even fats! Here is a list of the best foods for healthy skin and how they help to boost skin health:

Antioxidants

In short, antioxidants inhibit oxidation in the body. Oxidation happens naturally in the body and is a chemical reaction that produces free radicals, which damage cells in the body. Antioxidants help to prevent or stop cell damage caused by oxidation.

Loading up on antioxidant-rich foods will help to boost your health and even lower your risk of certain types of cancer. For the skin, antioxidants help to protect the skin cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Antioxidants include a special group of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, C, E, and selenium, as well as lutein and lycopene. They are easily found in plants, so you'll find a lot of fruits and vegetables in this list of foods for healthy skin.

Here are some of the most antioxidant-rich foods you should load up on for healthier skin:

Beta-Carotene

Beta-Carotene helps to reduce sun sensitivity, repair skin damage and is effective in the treatment of skin conditions like dry skin, eczema, and psoriasis. It's abundant in fruits and vegetables that are green, yellow or orange in color, such as:

Carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, mustard greens

Lutein

This preserves skin health, prevents light-induced skin damage and fights skin cancer. Lutein also offers protection against signs of aging and boosts healthy glowing skin. To load up on lutein, eat more of these:

Kale, papaya, spinach, broccoli, brussel sprouts

Lycopene

Lycopene is a protective antioxidant compound that protects the skin from overexposure to damaging UV light. It also aids in reducing inflammation, encouraging cell renewal, and slowing down signs of aging. It can be found in:

Sun-dried tomatoes, watermelon, tomatoes, papaya, grapefruit, sweet red peppers, asparagus, mango, red cabbage

Vitamin C

A super antioxidant! Vitamin C is needed for a strong immune system, radiant skin, and to help blemishes heal properly. Best of all, vitamin C also helps to produce collagen, which strengthens the capillaries that supply the skin. Load up on:

Black currants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi, oranges, papaya, strawberries, sweet potatoes

Selenium

This boosts the immune system and helps to protect against skin cancer, sun damage and age spots. Boost your selenium intake with:

Brazil nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, wheat germ, tomatoes, broccoli

Vitamin E

Vitamin E protects skin from oxidative cell damage and supports healthy skin growth. Increase your vitamin E intake with:

Almonds, avocado, hazelnuts, pine nuts

Fat

Fats can be good, too! Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats provide essential fatty acids that act as a natural moisturizer for your skin. This helps to keep skin looking supple and slow down effects of aging skin. These fats also come packaged with a healthy dose of vitamin E - it's a win-win situation! Find healthy fats in:

Avocados, fish, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil

Omega-3

These are essential fatty acids that encourage the body to produce anti-inflammatory compounds, which can help skin. Omega-3 is particularly helpful to relieve and treat inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Get more omega-3 by eating more:

Wild salmon, flaxseed oil, linseeds, walnut, rapeseed oil

Zinc

Zinc helps sebaceous glands in the skin (which produce oil) function normally, and it also aids in skin damage repair. Having more zinc in your diet helps keep skin soft and supple.

Fish, lean red meat, whole grains, poultry, walnuts, seeds, shellfish, oysters

Dark Chocolate

Yes - it's true, dark chocolate is good for the skin! When we say dark chocolate, we mean those with 70% cocoa and above. They're rich in antioxidants and also loaded with trace minerals such as magnesium, iron, and manganese, which the body uses for cellular regeneration, oxygen transport, and stress reduction. Opt for certified organic, fair trade chocolate and be sure to go for at least 70% dark chocolate - anything less and you'd just be loading up on sugar.

Green Tea

Green tea's actually been shown to slow down signs of aging skin. Studies have found that green tea is a powerful antioxidant and can protect the skin against sun damage and skin cancer. When buying green tea, look for the powdered kind (matcha) as it's the most beneficial, containing a higher concentration of vitamins and antioxidants.

Water

This should be a no-brainer, but we need water to keep skin hydrated and allow skin cells to function properly. Even a little bit of dehydration is bad for the skin, so keep it hydrated with at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, and use organic moisturizers or body butter to keep it hydrated on the surface, too.

 

With this list of foods for healthy skin, don’t just eat them - some fruits and vegetables, like avocado, kiwi, and tomato, can be used like an organic facial mask, straight on the skin, too! And with everything you do, invest in the best for your body and opt for organic fruits and vegetables that are pesticide-free and herbicide-free.

So now that you know the best foods for healthy skin, be sure to add them to your list the next time you go grocery shopping.

What is Oil Cleansing?

Oil cleansing is basically a method of cleansing your skin with oil. As crazy as it sounds - oil cleansing actually works! It only sounds unbelievable because we're so used to having commercial products cleanse our skin by removing oil, not adding oil.

When commercial products clean our skin, they strip oil off, and our skin becomes dry and is forced to repair itself. Our skin then overcompensates and creates more oil, which we remove again with more cleanser. Thus starts the never-ending cycle of having oily skin, dry skin, and then oily skin again.

Our skin actually naturally lubricates itself with oil, and we’re not doing it any good by scrubbing it away. You see, our skin needs oil to stay healthy and function properly. The skin's natural oils help to lubricate, heal, protect and moisturize skin, creating healthy skin that is beautiful, clear, and glowing.

That's the idea behind oil cleansing - natural oils in specific combinations help to cleanse the skin and naturally balance the skin's oils. The basis behind oil cleansing is that "oil dissolves oil" and that natural oils can penetrate the skin's pores and remove impurities while nourishing and moisturizing the skin.

Contrary to popular belief, oil will not cause greasy skin or create blemishes, pimples, blackheads or whiteheads. These are a result of various factors including hormones, bacteria, dead skin cells, and the buildup of them. In fact, oil cleansing can help prevent these and other common skin issues.

So how do you get started with oil cleansing? Here's what you need to prepare.

What to prepare for oil cleansing

All you need for oil cleansing is:

organic facial oil cleanser

a clean washcloth

hot water

Easy, right? Now, let's get started.

How to oil cleanse

Pour about a quarter-sized amount of facial oil cleanser into your palm and rub your hands together to warm the oil.

Massage the oil into your face for about a minute or so to allow the oil to penetrate your skin and dissolve the impurities inside your pores.

Soak the washcloth in hot water and place it over your face for a few minutes until it cools. This opens up your pores so that the impurities can be easily removed later.

Wipe your face gently to remove the oil.

Repeat steps 3 and 4 for another two to three times.

The end result is a clean and refreshed face. If your skin feels tight or dry when you are done, gently massage one drop of the facial oil cleanser into your face until no oil residue is left.

If it’s your first-time oil cleansing, you may have really oily skin for the first few days. This is completely normal and is a good sign that your skin’s pores are trying to balance itself out again. Let it readjust and adapt on its own for a few days - once it clears up you’ll have beautifully balanced skin in no time.

Do oil cleansing regularly and after a few sessions, your skin's natural oils will balance itself out, giving you beautiful, clear and healthy skin. Now you can understand why so many people love oil cleansing!