Care and maintenance are necessary for almost everything you plan to use for years. Whether it is a leather bag you keep out of the rain and religiously condition, a delicate sweater you hand wash and hang to dry, or a precious car you wash and wax regularly, the time and effort put into caring for these things always pays off.

It is only natural to put as much effort, if not more, into maintaining our most prized possession: our body. If you want to keep yourself in good health and good shape, you need start taking care of yourself.

It is with this in mind that people usually go on a hunt for the perfect beauty regimen, fighting skin hyperpigmentation, looking for the top moisturizers and following the best anti-aging tips to keep their skin blemish free, supple and young. The key to a beautiful skin, however, doesn’t have to be waiting in a drug store bottle; it is probably hiding in your kitchen

How diet affects the skin

As with most things health and beauty related, diet is the place to start. When it comes to keeping a beauty regimen, what you put in your body is even more important than what you put on it. When starting a beauty care regimen, most people load up on beauty products from their favorite makeup retailer, without first taking the time to look into what they put in their bodies.

It is a fact that no matter how good of products you use, or how consistent you are with your skin and hair care routines, if you don’t eat foods that nourish you, you will not look as healthy as you want.

The foods you eat are broken down to provide your skin with the vitamins and minerals it needs to be nourished, and it is this nourishment that makes you glow. Without an adequate supply of the ingredients that are necessary for your skin, you would be left with the weaker complexion that is drier and more prone to breakouts and beauty emergencies.

Natural foods for beauty care

With that the diet taken care of, you will probably all appreciate the chance to incorporate those same healthy foods into your beauty routine. Your beauty regimen can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be, and there are numerous products in the market, some catering to consumers with other specific concerns such as anti-aging or acne.

Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly face masks complete the process and add an extra dose of care and nutrition where needed. Lucky for your skin and your wallet, you can hit two birds with one stone with some healthy foods that can be used in more than one way to boost your beauty.

Best foods for beauty inside and out

Now that you know that your next trip to the supermarket is as important to your beauty routine as your drug store visits, here are the foods you should stock up on in your next grocery shopping trip, in order to keep your hair and skin at their best: Here are some ways you can use natural ingredients in your daily skin care regimen:

Leafy greens

Greens have always been known for their health benefits in several areas, and beauty is no different. Leafy greens contain 3 of the most important ingredients for glowing skin: vitamin E, vitamin C, and betacarotene. Vitamin E fights the bad reputed free radicals, that would otherwise speed up the aging process and lead to wrinkles.

Vitamin C offers the same benefits, while also playing an important role in collagen production. Together with vitamin E, betacarotene give the skin protection against sun damage. Darker leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collard greens and mustard greens are the best sources of these nutrients.

Research has found that daily consumption of kale led to increased levels of collagen and elastin in the skins of participants after 5 and 10 months. You can have a healthy dose of greens in your salad, in a green smoothie, or sautéed as a side dish.

Avocados

If you need an excuse to eat even more of this delicious creamy fruit, here is one. In addition to containing vitamins E and C and betacatenoids with all their anti-aging benefits, avocados are packed full of monosaturated fatty acids including omega-9 fatty acids known for being an essential building block for healthy skin.

Research has found that eating avocados lead to a significant increase in the content of collagen the skin. Avocados are perfect as a salad ingredient, they can add a heavenly creamy texture to any smoothie, or they can simply be eaten with whole grain toast in your avocado toast combo of choice. However you choose to read your avocado, your hair, skin and taste buds are sure to thank you.

In addition to being a healthy beauty treat, avocados are also some of the best foods to be used topically for both hair and skin. It is one of the top moisturizers when pureed and used directly on the skin. For an avocado hair mask, mash a medium avocado with a quarter cup of olive oil a tablespoon of lemon juice and use pre-shampooing for 20 minutes. The result will be silky shiny hair with smooth ends.

Tomatoes

VegetablesThe delicious red fruit is not only bursting with flavor but also with carotenoids and antioxidants, making it a good weapon to fight off free radicals. In addition to that, a study has found that eating cooked tomatoes and olive oil daily for 3 months gave the participants’ skin better protection against sunburns.

Tomatoes are also used as a face mask to lighten skin complexion, reduce acne scars, fight acne and as a skin hyperpigmentation remedy. Just blend half a ripe tomato with half a teaspoon of lemon juice, and apply to the skin for 10 minutes, then rinse clean, and follow with a light moisturizer.

Berries

Berries may be small, but they carry a lot of nutrients with their small size and low-calorie content, making them a perfect food for those looking to boost their skin while keeping at their weight loss efforts. The secret behind berries’ beauty benefits is the high dose antioxidants. Add berries to your smoothie, use them to top your cup of yogurt or morning cereal bowl, to just snack on them for a sweet, beautiful, beautifying treat.

Walnuts

It is no secret that walnuts are one of the best foods when it comes to beauty and skin health. The superfood is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids that are healthy for the heart, brain and, of course, the skin. The healthy omega-3 fats also add to the hair’s shine and beauty, making walnuts a holistic beauty food.

The nut also boats of vitamin E giving it a double benefit to the skin. When it comes to adding walnuts to your diet, serving size is key, because with the user, not to mention delicious, fat content comes a load of calories. Eat only a handful a day as a snack, or as a salad topping.

Dark chocolate

Chocolate doesn’t have to be a guilty pleasure. In fact, chocolate can help protect the skin from harmful sun rays. Don’t put your sunblock down just yet, though. You need to choose dark chocolate over dairy blends for your skin to reap the benefits as your taste buds enjoy the bittersweet texture.

According to this research, eating 20 grams of dark chocolate that is high in flavanols daily showed better protection against UV rays in participants after 12 weeks. Regular chocolate had no effect, however.

Conclusion

Taking care of what goes into the body is always the first set towards better health and more radiant beauty. A simple beauty care regimen can show much better results with the inclusion of the above-mentioned foods in your diet on daily basis. Even better, some of these foods can be used topically to give your hair and skin a boost of natural goodness.