Isabel Smith Nutrition

November 10th, 2016

7 Pantry Foods to Use on Your Face

Healthy skin is something I absolutely love to talk about!

Our skin is the largest organ in/on our bodies and is often one of the most telling of nutritional sufficiency and also deficiencies.

Our skin, while being the largest, is also often the last to receive the nutrients that we feed our bodies because the nutrients work from the inside out- so often the skin can be lacking in what it needs- like healthy fat and proper hydration (two of the key things that we put in our bodies that influences how the skin feels and looks!).

Did you know however that the skin is also extremely porous? Skin absorbs about 60-70% of what we put on it (yes that means your chemical-laden moisturizer is actually likely absorbed by your skin and into your body)- which is both a good and bad thing depending on the products that we use. Because the skin is so very porous and absorptive (as I mentioned before), it can actually work in our favor to help give the skin what it needs by putting the right ingredients/products on our faces.

When we think of skin products we often think of products that are chemically created or those that are created in a laboratory- but how about looking into our cabinets in our kitchen for products to use on our faces? It’s a great idea.There are actually plenty of foods that we use to eat and cook with that make for great healthy-skin products that we can use everyday to keep our skin healthy – and also to save us a lot of extra money on skincare products!

To help you navigate which food products to put on your skin, I’ve outlined my top 7 favorite foods that also make for great skin-healthy ingredients.

7 Pantry Foods to Use on Your Face:

Oats:

Oats are absolutey a part of my favorite breakfast food but they’re also great for skin. Grind the oats into a flour-like consistency and then apply as a mask to help ease irritation and/or skin with eczema. Oats also contain a nutrient called avenanthramide that acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. Combine oats with honey for a soothing and anti-inflammatory mask.
Avocado:

Avocado is loaded with healthy fat and is a great anti-inflammatory for both the insides of our body and also for our skin. Avocado is also super moisturizing so can act to help promote soft and smooth skin. Use avocado as part of a mask along with honey and oats- or use it on it’s own as a hydrating mask- allow to sit for 10-15 minutes then remove. Avocado is also great for hair- to promote moisture.
Honey:

Honey helps your skin absorb and lock in moisture and is also known as a humectant- therefore using honey on your face can be really hydrating. You can use honey as part of a mask recipe or even use it on its own as a mask. To do so, apply and leave for 10-15 minutes (on a clean face) then wash off!
Bananas:

Bananas are a favorite food of mine to both eat and put on my skin. Bananas are a source of potassium, vitamins, minerals and can also be hydrating and provide moisture to dry skin. It’s easy to use a banana on your skin- especially if you have overly ripe ones around the house. Mash up a banana and apply to skin as a mask on its own or mix with honey and oats for a quick face mask. Always apply a mask to a clean face and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before washing off.
Apple cider vinegar:

Apple cider vinegar gets a lot of press for being healthful to digestion and anti-inflammation- but did you know that it can be used well on the surface skin too? Apple cider vinegar acts as a toner helping to keep pores open and break up dead skin cells on the surface. To use apple cider vinegar as a toner, mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water then apply using a cotton ball or round to clean face – but avoid the area around your eye.
Coconut:

Coconuts are a good source of healthy fat that’s good for both your body and your skin. Coconut is also super hydrating and has selenium that helps to fight free radical damage on the surface of the skin. Apply coconut meat or coco butter similar to a moisturizer. Just know that coconut butter (or coco butter) can be somewhat goopy and messy to work with so be ware!
Berries (acai, blueberries or strawberries):

Berries are tasty and also great for your skin. They have a natural source of vitamin C- which is a precursor to collagen. They’re also loaded with antioxidants that can help to promote healthy and beautiful skin. Mash up the berries into a paste and apply to your face for a mask- you can also mix with other foods like oats or honey for added benefits.