What you put in your body is just as important as what you put on your body!
When it comes to taking care of your body, the phrase “you are what you eat” rings pretty true. You’d be surprised by how much diet can impact your looks. If you desire thick, luscious hair, soft skin, strong fingernails, you may need to add a few of the best DIY beauty ingredients to your shopping list. Check out our list of important compounds that you can mix and match to create the perfect routine!
Skin is the largest organ of the body, and it needs to be taken care of to look and feel your best. Not only that, but your skin, hair, and nails are the first places that you can see nutritional deficiencies. There are so many amazing foods that boost your skin, hair, and nail health, so we’ve decided to focus on some different beneficial groups for you to pull from to create your own customized combo. All of the ingredients mentioned are supportive when used externally and internally, so we made sure to find ingredients that not only make you feel good but taste good, too!
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3’s are fatty acids that support healthy oil production in the skin and hair. They also help with hydration. Together, this helps minimize signs of aging and even breakouts! Some research shows that omega-3s may protect against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays, so they may be able to reduce the prevalence of sunspots.
Find omega-3s in ingredients like fish oil, walnuts, and flax seeds. You can use these ingredients as part of a yummy recipe or use them externally. We suggest using a teaspoon of walnut or flaxseed oil in a mix (see our DIY Beauty combos at the bottom of this post).
Try these recipes that are rich in omega-3s:
Collagen
Collagen is a protein in the form of fibers that help build our skin matrix. As we age, these fibers break down and take longer to repair. When we consume or put collagen on our skin and hair, we give our body what it needs to build its own collagen! A healthy diet with collagen can reduce wrinkles and improve hydration and elasticity, as well as strengthening hair and nails.
Collagen can be found in many animal products such as fish, chicken, and egg whites. There are plant-based sources as well, like citrus fruits, berries, red and yellow vegetables, and garlic. Here are some recipes to try:
For more concentrated forms of collagen, try adding a collagen supplement to any recipe. They’re popularly added to smoothies because they’re usually tasteless and don’t have too much of an effect on the textures of recipes.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a phytochemical that’s important for healthy skin production. It also acts as an antioxidant, is great for eye health, and stimulates fibroblast activity. (FYI: Fibroblasts are the cells that build collagen fibers.)
Vitamin A is easily consumed or can be used externally. It’s found in many foods including citrus fruits, pineapple, berries, broccoli, leafy greens, eggs, and tomatoes. We suggest using berries, which are high in so many nutrients, in your DIY Beauty mixture for easy and awesome results!
Vitamin B
Vitamin B is really a group of eight different vitamins that are all important for skincare. For example, vitamin B3 (niacin) and B5 (biotin) are very important for skin clarity and toning. However, all of them make up an antioxidant powerhouse that can treat aging skin and help produce new, healthy cells.
Top sources of vitamin B are animal sources like meat, seafood, chicken, eggs, and dairy. That is why egg white is often used in external hair and skin mixes. You can also find them in plant-based sources like avocados, honey, pineapples, legumes, leafy greens, and seeds.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a primary source of vital compounds for your beauty routine. It is essential for tissue repair, collagen synthesis, and can act as an antioxidant. So, it’s pretty much your skin’s best friend! Not only that, but vitamin C is great for immune function, so it keeps you healthy inside and out.
Strawberries, pineapple, citrus fruits, avocados, tomatoes, kiwifruit, cantaloupe, and potatoes are all great sources for vitamin C.
Vitamin E
Another essential vitamin for beauty is vitamin E. Important for reducing inflammation and new cell production, vitamin E can be applied topically or eaten to help you look younger. Vitamin E is also used as a moisturizer and is packed with antioxidants, which are important for helping skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Lastly, this nutrient has also been shown to prevent cracked cuticles and dry skin around your nail beds, so you can use this on your hands, too.
The best source of vitamin E for external use is vitamin E oil, however, it can also be found in coconuts, seeds, nuts, green leafy vegetables, pumpkin, and avocados.
Iron
Iron is a very important essential mineral that supports blood and skin health. When we are low in iron, we can develop hair breakage, weak nails, and dry, flaky skin. Make sure to hit your iron targets by consuming moderate amounts of red meat, legumes, and green leafy vegetables!
Selenium
Selenium is an essential trace mineral, meaning it’s very important but you only need a little bit to hit your target. It’s very important for hair and nail growth as well as reducing inflammation and detoxing. For thick and shiny hair and strong nails, seek out this mineral in brazil nuts, mushrooms, and seafood.
Water
Last, but definitely not least, it’s important to drink enough water! A simple and ever-so-easy fix for skin health is to stay hydrated. I suggest having a glass of water when you wake up and again with every meal. Even just keeping a water bottle with you throughout your day helps. Make sure you pick one that you love and you won’t even think twice about it!
Don’t love the taste of water? You’re not alone! Try adding some citrus fruits or berries to add some flavor as well as a beneficial skin boost!
Some of Our Favorite DIY Beauty Mixtures
Glow Up Face Scrub
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 1/4 of an avocado
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 2-3 strawberries, mashed
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
Mix all of the ingredients together and rub them onto your skin. Don’t rub too hard and make sure not to get into your eyes. Rinse and make sure to moisturize afterward. Only do this routine once per week to prevent drying out your skin.
Anti-Wrinkle Face Mask
- A single egg white
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon of walnut oil
Mix all of the ingredients together and spread over your skin. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse.
Lively & Luscious Hair Mask
- 1/2 of an avocado
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon of honey
Mix the ingredients together and coat onto your hair, working from tips to roots. Let sit for 10 minutes, then rinse. Do this 1 to 2 times per week for best results!
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