A Skin Nutritionist’s top 4 Picks for Glowing Skin

Generally, when people want to improve their skin health, they turn to topical skin treatments and procedures. Skin conditions are an aesthetic complaint, however what drives them lies beneath the skin’s surface and more often than not, starts from within.

Whilst topical treatments and skincare play a part in boosting skin health, these products and procedures tackle pre-existing skin complaints. If we start to support our skin from within, we can begin to balance those underlying biological mechanisms that are driving our skin complaints.

With this in mind, The Source Bulk Foods gave me free reign to pick my top four skin-friendly products from their range. Whilst choosing only four products was a tough challenge, skin is best supported through a functional approach, therefore I chose products which will help bring the body back to balance and give you a glow from within.

1.      Lavender Epsom Bath Salts

Our nervous system, which is affected by stress and sleep has been commonly linked to skin health, especially hormonal skin conditions like acne. If stress hormones are chronically high, these hormones throw our sex hormones like oestrogen and testosterone out of balance.

Epsom salts contain magnesium which has been shown to support our nervous system to help regulate our body’s response to stress. The addition of lavender in these bath salts help to further bring a sense of calm and balance, with the combination of the two being perfect to help reduce those stress levels at the end of a busy day.

Sprinkling these salts into your bath and allowing your skin to soak them up for at least 15-20 minutes will set you up for a restful hormone balancing and skin-loving night’s sleep.

2.      Black & Blum Charcoal Filters

If you live in a city and especially a city like London (like me), then it’s important to review the quality of the water you’re drinking. We all know how important it is to be hydrated when it comes to boosting our complexion. What is talked about less is the quality of the water we are drinking and how that promotes good skin health.

Our gut and liver are the two main organs which support skin health through detoxing chemicals and pollutants that come into contact with our skin and the chemicals we digest through our diet. Filtered water helps to take the detox load off the liver by the removal of unwanted chemicals and pollutants.

Charcoal is a powerful element which absorbs toxins, and these charcoal filters help to do just that. Pop a filter in a jug of water for 8 hours to allow the charcoal to remove unwanted toxins. One of the great things about these filters is they’ll last for about 6 months so you can enjoy water so clean, you and your skin will thank you for it.

3.      UpCircle Face serum

This skin serum is perfect for skin that is dry, dehydrated and needs a little TLC. If you’re looking for a topical anti-ageing serum then this serum, which contains antioxidant rosehip and coffee oil is a strong contender. The serum is made from re-purposed coffee grounds rescued from London cafes so you can take a step towards healthier skin as well as contributing to a healthier planet with less waste.

This serum is also great for those who no longer have active acne but are dealing with the hyperpigmentation or texture changes left from active acne. Whilst treatments do help with pigmentation and scarring left from acne, it is important to keep your skin barrier nourished and hydrated to help support the healing process.

4.      Anti-Oxidant Super Blend

Again, we all know about how great antioxidants are for all skin types and this mix includes raw cacao nibs, goji berries, blueberries and cranberries which makes the most POTENT antioxidant skin-boosting mix.

Antioxidants are the single most important dietary addition to your daily diet, as they help to mop up inflammatory free radicals which impact skins appearance, structure and overall health. A high antioxidant diet can help to reduce the body’s inflammatory load, helping to reduce inflammatory skin conditions and help slow the skin ageing process.

Eat this potent antioxidant mix straight out the bag (my personal favourite), sprinkle it onto your breakfast or any sweet dish.

Steph is a BANT registered and MSc nutritionist, with a specialised interest in gut and inflammatory skin conditions. Steph provides support and guidance for those looking to take control of their health and heal themselves through a natural approach.