As the weather cools down, you might notice your skin getting a bit drier and itchier. While using toners, serums, and moisturizers is crucial for healthy skin, don't forget to hydrate from the inside out. Nourishing your skin with the right nutrients works on a cellular level, promoting healing and keeping your skin hydrated during winter.
Why We Need To Have Well-Hydrated Skin
Your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) acts like a shield, keeping your skin protected and locking in moisture. Eating right rebuilds this barrier and keeps your skin hydrated from the inside out. Eating foods rich in good fats, protein, and vitamins is the magic potion to keeping our skin hydrated from within. While moisturizers can help, strengthening your moisture barrier is crucial. Ready to know how to take care of our skin during winter naturally?
How to Hydrate Skin From Within
Don't let a weakened moisture barrier leave your skin dull and itchy. A healthy barrier acts like a superhero shield, keeping irritants out and moisture in, ensuring soft, healthy, and hydrated skin. Beat the winter blues with five tips for a resilient moisture barrier and radiant skin all season long.
Drink water.
With around 60% of your body being water, it's the unsung hero in making everything run smoothly—transporting nutrients, flushing out toxins, and even keeping your skin cells plump to ward off dryness.
Nourish your body with fruits and veggies rich in water content like watermelon, musk melon, cantaloupe, and hydrating greens like spinach, lettuce, and celery to keep that radiant glow.
Get a dose of vitamin D.
We all need that ray of sunshine, also known as vitamin D, to make our skin glow with health. If you're low on Vitamin D, your skin might get a bit dry. This vitamin activates receptors that build your skin barrier, so dry or itchy skin could signal a deficiency. Since food doesn't offer much vitamin D, you can take supplements with advice from a health professional. With vitamin D daily, you can keep your skin healthy and happy.
Eat foods that hydrate the skin.
Let's spice things up a bit to naturally hydrate our skin this winter with this fun list of hydrating foods to give your skin a healthy boost.
Watermelon
Make it a habit to hydrate your skin from within all year round, not just when the cold seasons start to creep in. As such, get a juicy and luscious bite of watermelons.
Watermelon is like the ultimate summer buddy. Not only is it iconic, but it's packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, and lycopene, all teaming up to treat your skin right—keeping it strong and preventing any water loss. Whether you munch on a slice or blend it into a refreshing drink with ice, it's a stellar pick for your skin's well-being.
Tomato
Meet the superstar fruit pretending to be a veggie. Tomatoes are bursting with water and nutrients, boasting vitamin A, vitamin C, lycopene, vitamin K, and vitamin B for an extra health kick. Plus, these versatile wonders can cozy up in sauces, salads, sandwiches, or, if you're feeling adventurous, chomp on the particularly tasty ones just like you would an apple.
Avocado
Avocados aren't just tasty. They're a fantastic source of vitamin C, vitamin E, and those good-for-you monounsaturated fats. These nutritional gems work wonders for keeping your skin moisturized and glowing with youth. To me, avocados are like a delicious reminder that you can indulge in luxurious, rich foods that are also super healthy.
Cucumber
If the thought of chugging eight glasses of water a day feels a bit overwhelming, why not munch on some cucumbers instead?
With over 90% water content, they're not only incredibly hydrating but also make for a refreshing snack. And the best part? These crunchy delights are low in calories and pack a surprising nutrient punch, boasting vitamin C, vitamin K, antioxidants, and minerals.
Fish
Fish isn't just a top-tier protein. It's like a superhero for your skin.
Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, it cranks up the oil under your skin, giving you a radiant glow and improved clarity. Research even hints that a Mediterranean fish-rich diet can dial down inflammation and fortify the membranes that keep your skin hydrated. If you're eyeing a delicious fish option, go for salmon. It's not only tasty but also a powerhouse of omega-3 goodness.
Olive Oil
Olive oil isn't just a kitchen hero. It's also a game-changer for your skin. This amazing ingredient brings anti-inflammatory vibes and a load of antioxidants to the table, working wonders to repair your skin's moisture barrier. While oils and fatty foods are crucial for a healthy diet, remember to keep it all in balance.
Celery
Toss some celery in your salad, and watch your skin rejoice. This delicious veggie brings a silica boost, enhancing moisture and elasticity for a youthful, supple glow. And, similar to cucumbers, celery is a nutrient-packed, low-calorie delight.
Radish
Craving a root veggie that's a hydration hero? Look no further than radishes. Packed with vitamin C, phosphorous, and zinc, they're like a refreshing sip for your body and a boost for fresh, healthy skin. Plus, their vibrant colors add a pop to salads and dishes—because let's be honest, food that looks as good as it tastes is the real deal.
Bell Pepper
Red and green peppers striking hues are hydration wonders. And it's no wonder! They're loaded with vitamin C, dietary fiber, and vitamin B6, working together to ward off both wrinkles and acne. So enjoy that clear skin and embrace graceful, healthy aging.
Spinach
Whenever spinach comes up, Popeye always springs to mind. But beyond the cartoon, spinach packs a serious nutritional punch—it's loaded with fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and folates (B vitamins). Hailed as a superfood, spinach's dream team of nutrients works hand in hand to shield and hydrate your skin. Makes you wonder if Popeye had more than just strong muscles—bet his skin was top-notch, too!
Almonds
Almonds are the crunchy hydration heroes for your skin, packed with vitamin E, antioxidants, and monounsaturated fats that lock in moisture and give your skin the hydration it craves.
So the next time those potato chip cravings hit, grab a bag of almonds for a snack that's as tasty as it is good for your skin.
Broccoli
It's not surprising that broccoli is hailed as one of the superfoods. Packed with vitamins C and E, plus an impressive dose of sulforaphane, broccoli is on a mission to help your skin repair, detoxify, and stay protected! Who knew broccoli had such superhero qualities?
Hydration vs. Moisturization
Moisturizers and hydrators both tackle the essential task of ensuring your skin gets the hydration it needs to battle dryness, premature aging, and environmental damage. The key difference lies in their approach to achieving these results.
Hydration involves boosting the water content within the cells, making them plump and bouncy, and enhancing light reflection. Topical hydrators work by infusing your cells with water, improving your skin's ability to absorb moisture and nutrients.
On the flip side, moisturizing is all about sealing in that moisture to construct a protective skin barrier, thwart water loss, and maintain soft and smooth skin.
Feed Your Skin Good Food With These Winter Skin Hydration Tips
Keeping your skin well-hydrated is crucial for that healthy glow. Dehydration can bring about loss of firmness, enlarged pores, and pesky fine lines. Together with chugging down glasses of water, feed your skin with hydrating foods so that it stays youthful, soft, and supple all year round, not just in winter.