We get so bombarded with advertising—especially when it comes to beauty products—that it’s challenging to decipher which ingredients our skin really needs to look and stay healthy.

The following guide covers key ingredients in moisturizers to treat the outside of your skin plus foods and supplements to take care of dry skin from within.

What to Look for in Moisturizers

Wind and sun exposure, the aging process, and diet all affect skin’s moisture level. A moisturizer keeps skin hydrated either by adding water or by trapping water that’s already there. Humectants are substances that retain moisture.

Choose natural humectants such as aloe vera, calendula (an herb that promotes skin cell formation and softens skin), and hyaluronic acid.

Hyaluronic Acid

“Hyaluronic acid, also referred to as ‘nature’s moisture magnet,’ can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water,” says Linda Miles, LAc, DOM, vice president of derma e Natural Bodycare. This natural humectant “has the amazing ability to bind moisture to tissue to soften, smooth, tone, and rehydrate your skin,” she adds.

While our bodies produce hyaluronic acid, its production decreases as we age. By 50, we make less than half the hyaluronic acid we did as babies. There are no food sources for hyaluronic acid, so it must be applied topically. With use, fine lines flatten and deeper wrinkles become less noticeable.

Antioxidants

Other key ingredients to moisturize dry skin are vitamin C, vitamin E, and CoQ10 (an enzyme necessary for proper cell functioning)—all potent antioxidants that fight damaging free radicals, a cause of premature skin aging.

• Vitamin C

  Vitamin C can help stimulate older skin cells to produce collagen (a protein found in young skin tissue) at the same rate as younger cells, which improves skin’s firmness.

• Vitamin E

  Vitamin E can be used on the delicate area around your eyes. Just break open a capsule of 400 IU of vitamin E and tap the contents gently into skin with your fingertip. 

• Coenzyme Q10

  CoQ10 levels diminish with age, accelerating skin aging. Topical applications of CoQ10 can help. Olive Branch Anti-Aging Night Elixir: 50+ is a facial serum for aging skin that uses Coenzyme Q10 Q-MAX, which is 7.5 times more powerful than regular CoQ10. Apply serum before applying a night cream.

  Look for one that combines several nourishing ingredients. Olive Branch Anti-Aging Natural Face Cream, for example, is chock-full of rejuvenating superstars such as plant stem cells, peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, amino acids, and collagen and elastin boosters.

Skin Care Routine

1. Wash Your Face with a Gentle Cleanser

   Avoid washing your face with hot water. Avoid products with harsh synthetics or detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, which can strip skin of its natural oils. Look instead for products made without the use of parabens, dyes, petroleum, alcohol, and artificial fragrances. Oils derived from plants (olives, jojoba seed, grape seed, rose hip seed, hemp seed, and borage seed) work well as gentle cleansers for all skin types, including those with rosacea and eczema.

2. Apply Moisturizer While Your Skin Is Still Damp

   An exception to this rule is when you are also using concentrated antiaging or antiacne treatments; apply those to skin when your face is dry. Wait 10 minutes and dot on a pea-sized amount of facial cream. Apply moisturizer morning and night for best results.

3. Moisturize Regularly

Moisturizing Foods & Supplements

Strengthen your beauty from the inside out by eating right and supplementing your diet.

• Magnesium

  Magnesium is one of the most important hydrating nutrients for skin. Food sources include meat, seafood, dairy products, bananas, and tofu, or take 400 to 800 mg per day.

• Vitamin A

  “Vitamin A is the number-one wrinkle fighter,” says Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, author of The Living Beauty Detox Program. Obtain this vitamin by supplementing with fish oils or by eating cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes, leafy green veggies, peaches, papaya, mango, and apricots.

• Vitamin C

  A daily dose of 500 to 3,000 mg of vitamin C helps skin to build and maintain collagen. Food sources include berries and citrus.

• Coenzyme Q10

  CoQ10 neutralizes free radicals while providing energy for new cells; take 50 to 60 mg with food.

• Vitamin E

  Try 400 IU daily of vitamin E to prevent free-radical damage to cell membranes. Grains, legumes, and nuts are natural sources of this vitamin.

• Water

  Make sure you’re drinking enough water—preferably eight glasses daily. When you stay hydrated, your skin does as well. This allows your body to flush away toxins, which discourages the formation of wrinkles.

Sometimes a pimple is just a pimple, but many times it’s a sign our bodies need some extra care. Our skin often reflects overall health. As our largest organ, it can signal that something deeper needs looking after.

We often think of acne as being isolated to the skin, but if we look deeper, we can see there are systemic issues going on. Yes, we should be caring for our skin with external measures to keep pores clear, but we need to be caring for our bodies as well. Poor diet, digestive problems, hormone imbalances, and toxins and heavy metals are often the real culprits behind a chronic acne problem.

External skin care

In addition to natural, soap-free acne cleansers, or even the seemingly counterintuitive “oil cleansing” method (many people with acne swear by it), there are other approaches that can reduce bacteria and balance oil production.

A few drops of antiseptic essential oils such as tea tree, lavender, sandalwood, and oregano mixed in pure water and sprayed or blotted onto the skin can be helpful.

Raw manuka honey can be used as a nourishing antibacterial and exfoliating mask or cleanser. Lemon juice and/or baking soda can also help exfoliate skin, and apple cider vinegar has antibacterial properties and the right level of acidity to help protect skin.

Whenever undertaking a new topical regimen, it’s important to start with a small test area to make sure your skin responds well.

From the inside out

Acne is much more prevalent in industrialized societies, which may be a result of the Western diet, environmental toxins, or other modern influences. A few lifestyle changes can make a big difference.

It’s important to avoid inflammatory, processed foods like sugar and sweets, trans-fats, dairy, deep-fried foods, and chemical additives. Also, eliminating gluten helps some people. These ingredients can wreak havoc on our digestive system, which is directly related to skin health. They can also contribute to hormone imbalance, feed bad bacteria, and weaken the skin’s protective and repair mechanisms.

Instead, emphasize green leafy vegetables such as chard, kale, and spinach; brightly colored vegetables like peppers, squash, and sweet potatoes; sulfur-rich foods like broccoli, cabbage, and eggs; healthy fats like omega 3s and olive oil; and lean, organic protein. Probiotic foods such as sauerkraut, low-fat yogurt, kefir, and miso contain beneficial bacteria that can support skin, digestive, and overall health. There are also many herbs that can help by reducing inflammation and free radical damage, including ginger, turmeric, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.

Antioxidant-rich fruits like berries, melons, and mangos are good for the skin, but use fruits in moderation as they can spike glucose levels, resulting in inflammation.

Detox & nourishment

Unprocessed, clean foods like those mentioned above help reduce inflammation, nourish the skin and body, and promote detoxification. In addition, a number of supplements can help further these benefits.

Food-based sources of A, B complex, C and E (mixed tocotrienols) provide antioxidant support and promote detoxification. Zinc helps fight bacteria associated with acne and supports skin repair. Antioxidants such as alpha lipoic acid, CoQ10, and N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) support skin health and fight inflammation. Nutritional enzyme supplements reduce inflammation, and support digestion, circulation, and tissue repair. Be sure to stay hydrated with plenty of filtered water as well.

For more complete detoxification and overall health support, consider supplements that include a combination of alginates from seaweed and modified citrus pectin (MCP). MCP safely removes heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium, and mercury from the body, while actively supporting cellular health, cardiovascular health, immunity, and more. Alginates are also known for their ability to detoxify heavy metals and radioactive isotopes.  

I’m typing this with greasy fingers from the oil I’ve slathered onto my cracked heels. The fissures are an ugly sign left over from winter and intermittent care on my part.

I discovered I’d been neglecting my feet the night before in a yoga class, when my husband, taking the mat behind me, whispered, “Do you know how cracked your heels are?”

I blanched before dropping into a lunge (where I took a peek at the back of my feet), and realized that it had been a few weeks since I had moisturized them—maybe more.

I’d been wearing heavy socks instead, waiting for spring to arrive. Now I could see that my feet were far from sandal-ready.

How to Make Hard-Working Feet Pretty

After the heart, the feet are the hardest-working part of our bodies, logging on average 1,000 miles a year. Each step brings pressure nearly one-and-a-half times our body weight.

Drinking enough water every day will help boost your nails’ natural moisture and prevent them from becoming brittle. Try drinking at least eight glasses of water daily (tea counts too) to help transport essential nutrients to the nails. Since each foot contains about 250,000 sweat glands—capable of producing a pint of sweat daily—it’s crucial to keep your body hydrated.

Pamper your feet by soaking them in warm—not hot—water, making the skin pliable enough for scrubbing. Once your feet have soaked for 10 minutes, they’re ready for a scrub.

Choose products containing natural ingredients that promote circulation, such as peppermint, and exfoliants like fruit acids from pineapple or papaya. (Papaya contains the enzyme papain, touted as an alpha hydroxy acid substitute).

Fight Foot Fungus

To fight fungus, look for foot scrubs that contain tea tree oil. A natural antifungal, tea tree oil can help prevent bacteria from getting inside your feet’s dry crevices.

Rub scrubs in with a circular motion, focusing on the most affected areas (usually the heels and any calluses that have formed alongside the big and pinky toes.)

To accelerate the exfoliation process, try wetting a pumice stone and using it on your heels. After rinsing, make sure your feet are dry in between the toes—that’s where the fungus known as athlete’s foot roams. Then slather feet with a cream containing nut-based emollients such as shea, almond, or cocoa butters.

Finally, envelop your feet in cotton socks for the night. By morning, the cream will be fully absorbed.

Oils to Soften Feet

I went for a heavy-duty treatment—opting to apply oil after scrubbing—to prevent those cracks on my heels from resembling tire treads. Avocado, jojoba, and neem oils provide healing and nourishment for truly battle-worn skin. And almond oil softens while conditioning both the cuticle and nail bed.

Apply oil liberally onto the cracked skin, rub it in, and then put on a pair of socks.

Your skin is a mirror, reflecting back the quality of the foods you eat as well as your stress level, lifestyle, sleep habits, and sun exposure.

While nothing should replace a healthy diet high in antioxidants, nutraceuticals can help support a more healthy and youthful look. Available in pill, tablet, liquid, and chew forms, these beauty supplements are a popular way to benefit the skin. Here are some of the top picks.

Supplements for Beauty

• Collagen

  Just beneath the skin’s surface is the dermis, providing structure and strength thanks to collagen. This protein also gives our skin firmness and elasticity. As we age, collagen production slows, resulting in facial lines and wrinkles.

  Supplemental collagen can help. Look for oral collagen peptide, which works by supporting fibroblasts, the cells that synthesize collagen.

• Resveratrol

  The antioxidant resveratrol is found in grapes, predominantly their skins. For the greatest benefits, use in supplement form.

  Appearing to possess anti-aging properties, resveratrol has the potential to reduce damage caused by sun exposure. It also boasts the ability to decrease wrinkles, improve skin texture, and boost hydration. 

• Pycnogenol

  Growing along the southwest coast of France are maritime pine trees, and from the extract of their bark comes the antioxidant Pycnogenol. In a recent study, this extract improved skin hydration, elasticity, and helped reduce wrinkles. The research also found that this antioxidant helped increase collagen.

  Pycnogenol seems to increase the immune system. Supplementing with it may decrease the effectiveness of medications that decrease the immune system.

If you’re in the market for a new facial mask or want to try a potent rejuvenating cream, look for natural products containing the following key ingredients.

Antioxidants for Your Face

Both masks and repair creams should contain antioxidants for anti-aging benefits.

• Green Tea

  Green tea helps prevent oxidative stress and eliminates free radicals.

• Vitamins

  Look for products containing vitamins A, C, and E, all of which protect collagen (the protein in connective tissue that keeps skin firm and youthful). Topical vitamin C not only helps boost collagen production, it also regenerates oxidized vitamin E, so look for these vitamins in combination.

• Pycnogenol

  Pycnogenol, taken from the bark of the French Maritime pine tree, contains more antioxidant power than vitamins E and C.

• Astaxanthin

  Astaxanthin, a marine-based ingredient harvested from micro algae is “500 times more powerful than vitamin E,” says Linda Miles, LAc, DOM.

• Alpha Lipoic Acid

  Alpha lipoic acid, another powerful antioxidant that protects collagen from free radicals, also appears to make other antioxidants work more effectively, says Miles.

• Fruit Extracts

  Certain antioxidant fruit extracts—including acai berry, mangosteen, and pomegranate—work to prevent fine lines and firm skin.

Protect Against UV Damage

The sun is enemy number one when it comes to the health and appearance of skin.

Research has shown that in addition to antioxidant-rich topical products, supplementation with certain nutrients can help protect skin from sun damage from the inside out.

• Astaxanthin

  Recent research found that natural astaxanthin can prevent UV damage from occurring and can also reverse external signs of aging.

  One clinical trial showed significant benefits for middle aged women taking 4 milligrams (mg) of natural astaxanthin per day.

  Results included the reduction of wrinkles, the improvement of skin elasticity, and increased moisture levels. Visible signs of UV-aging were reduced within four to six weeks of use.

  Another study showed that women taking astaxanthin found improved crow's feet and decreased age spot size.

Natural Skin Soothers

Nature’s restorative plants can work overnight to leave skin feeling soft, smooth, and refreshed by morning.

• Herbal Extracts

  Both primrose and borage oils diminish the dryness common to aging skin.

• Fruit Extracts

  Cranberry and grape seed oils offer moisturizing effects along with antioxidant protection.

• Calendula Extract

  Calendula flower extract works as both an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant and is good for problem skin.

• Soy Extracts

  Products containing soy help keep skin firm and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, which naturally decline with age.

  Research involving soy extracts indicates that this ingredient decreases skin roughness and minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.