The Skin-Healthiest Picks from Summer’s Farmers Markets
With farmers markets overflowing with gorgeous fruits and veg, we hope you’re taking advantage and filling your fridge and pantry with loads of summer deliciousness. You know that a colorful variety of produce contributes to your overall health. It also has amazing benefits for your skin. Here are some of the best items to put on your shopping list this summer.
Broccoli
The vegetable you loved to hate as a kid should be your best friend now. This splendiferous cruciferous is chock full of skin-enhancing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and dietary fibers. Vitamin A and C fight off free radicals, aid in collagen production, and promote elasticity. Vitamin K speeds healing and can help improve dark undereye circles. Broccoli is rich in zinc, which helps kill acne bacteria, calm inflammation, and reduce keratinization.
Berries
The vibrant colors in berries come from the antioxidants that protect them from sun damage while they ripen to their full sweetness. When you consume them, these healthy fruits pass along their antioxidant strength giving your skin added protection from age-accelerating UV damage. A typical rule of thumb: the darker or brighter the color, the greater the antioxidant content. That applies to all fruits and veg, not just berries.
Kale
All hail kale. This versatile supergreen is rich in vitamins A, C, B, and K, along with iron, and antioxidant lutein, a potent mix with a range of beauty benefits that includes refined pores, reduced dark circles, increased collagen production, enhanced cell turnover, protection from free radicals, and improved cell function. The healing effect of vitamin K may even help to minimize spider veins.
Tomatoes
Rich in carotenoids, phytosterols, fatty acids, and antioxidants, tomatoes are full of benefits for the skin, from UV protection to enhanced resilience and elasticity.
Tip: Combining tomatoes with a healthy fat like olive oil or avocado helps your body absorb more of the fruit’s (yes, a tomato is technically a fruit) photoprotective carotenoids.
Watermelon
This sweet summertime staple is more than just a refreshing treat. It’s positively sozzled with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant phytonutrients, including lycopene, carotenoids, cucurbitacin E. One wedge contains 23.2 mg of vitamin C (a third of your recommended daily allowance), which essential to the synthesis of collagen and highly photoprotective. It’s high in glutathione, an antioxidant known to inhibit the melanin-producing enzyme tyrosinase, making it a supporter of even skin tone. Plus, it’s high in fiber, low in carbs, and super hydrating.
Walnuts
Great on their own, in a salad, tossed in a smoothie, or whipped into a pesto, these wholesome nuts pack significant beauty benefits under the shell. They’re loaded with vitamin B, a nutrient critical to a healthy skin barrier function and lipid production. The abundance of omega-3 fats in walnuts strengthens cell membranes and increases moisture retention in the skin. And antioxidant vitamin E provides photoprotective effects.
Avocados
Avocados are pure nutritional gold for the skin. These creamy, dreamy orbs of goodness are rich in linoleic and other fatty acids that nourish cell membranes and help the body absorb essential nutrients. They’re also high in vitamin C for fighting free radicals and promoting collagen; vitamin E for proper cell function and UV protection; and potassium, which helps maintain cell integrity by regulating the balance of fluids and electrolytes. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted that higher intakes of vitamin C and linoleic acid are associated with better skin-aging appearance. Make some guac stat.
Topical Heroes
The same cell-repairing, barrier-strengthening, collagen-boosting, hydrating goodness you get from your diet can be applied directly to the skin with skincare products that are enriched with nutrients and antioxidants. Here some of our favorite summer skincare heroes to help you nourish the skin inside and out.
Green Tea Antioxidant Cleanser
An abundance of antioxidant polyphenols makes green tea a powerhouse of photoprotection and repair. Additionally, green tea is anti-inflammatory and sebum regulating. This gentle daily wash harnesses the power of skin-nourishing and humectant ingredients to deep cleanse without stripping.
This ultra-nourishing and reparative formula is loaded with antioxidants and cell-renewing ingredients. Mandelic acid, niacinamide, rosehip oil, green tea extract, and kiwi extract protect against environmental stressors and aid healthy cell function.
Two superhero antioxidants, vitamins C and E, join forces to guard against age-accelerating UV, brighten tone, boost collagen production, and initiate cellular repair. Use this essential serum daily to keep skin radiant and resilient.
In addition to enhancing skin structure with collagen induction, peptides play a critical role in skin hydration by activating hyaluronic acid production, the key molecule involved in skin hydration. Peptides are also potent redness reducers.
Allantoin Sedating & Hydrating Lotion
Nourishing, hydrating, cell-regenerating, anti-inflammatory, non-comedogenic, feather-light, and luxuriously creamy with mild keratolytic properties to help remove the upper layer of dead skin cells, this universal hydrator restores resilience and radiance.
Totaloe Calming & Hydrating Gel
A refreshing, oil-free skin quencher that’s lightly firming and ultra-healing. Whole leaf aloe combined with niacinamide, sea algae extract, and green tea extract in a non-sticky, moisture-rich gel to revive stressed summer skin.
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