I have a secret to tell you regarding the truth about glowing skin, and you're probably not going to like it. Are you ready?
Your skin is a direct reflection of what's happening inside your body. Know what that means?
It means all the products, including cleansers, moisturizers, retinol, Botox, and more won't make up for the internal factors that could be harming and even aging (!) your skin!
Look, we all want to have glowing skin and find ways to turn back the clock. And that means that when it comes to your skin, you have to start thinking from the inside-out.
A global survey revealed that of 14,584 people interviewed, 94 percent reported a strong desire to improve their skin and made specific mentions of desiring “glowing skin.” [1]
But before we can dive into how to get glowing skin, let’s first discuss what glowing skin actually is.
Scientifically speaking, glowing skin can be described as skin that appears youthful and well-hydrated. It’s rich in collagen and elastin and free of inflammation. Glowing skin is typically free of large pores, wrinkles, blotchiness, and dryness. [2]
But what determines the health of your skin? The truth of the matter is that how healthy—or unhealthy—your skin is depends greatly on your lifestyle. So, let’s look at some of the top factors that affect your skin health.
The appearance of your skin depends on a few factors: the amount of collagen in your body, your diet and hydration status, and other lifestyle factors. And as you may have guessed, that first factor is dependent on the following ones.
Here’s why: Collagen isn’t only the structural protein that keeps your skin plump and wrinkle-free, but it’s also vital for maintaining the structure of many parts of your body, including your bones, muscles, tendons, skin, and more.
Simply put, collagen makes up almost 80 percent of the protein found in your skin! [3]
Without proper collagen stores, you’ll begin to experience joint discomfort, stiff muscles and tendons, and, ultimately, signs of aging in your skin.
Now, as you age, your natural collagen production decreases at a rate of about 1 percent each year after you reach age 20. [4]
And while aging alone diminishes your collagen production, poor lifestyle choices can also impair the amount or quality of collagen in your body.
According to a 2009 review, stress impairs the quality of your collagen and even further lowers your production of this vital protein! [5]
And eating a diet high in inflammatory foods only wreaks further havoc on your skin, causing dryness, blotchiness, and even premature wrinkles.
In addition to the above-mentioned factors, there are skin conditions that plague many. From eczema to psoriasis to acne, many skin conditions are rooted in inflammation and may often be traced back to dietary and other lifestyle factors, though not always.
If you have a skin condition that’s causing regular issues for you, I want to encourage you to speak with a doctor about the possible root cause of your troubles. You deserve to feel confident and get the glowing skin you deserve!
Speaking of, let’s get the heart of why you came here: How can you get glowing skin? Keep reading for my top four tips!
In addition to cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing your skin along with implementing safe sun practices, there are several things you should be doing to get glowing skin that comes from within. Here are my top four tips.
Your diet is perhaps one of the most important factors in your endeavor to get glowing skin.
So often, we hear about how certain animal-based foods, such as bone broth, are great sources of collagen. But the truth is that your body needs vitamin C in order to actually produce collagen in the first place!
In fact, vitamin C is responsible for helping to maintain activity in the enzymes that are part of collagen synthesis. [6]
So, how effective is it? Well, according to a study published in 2015, vitamin C significantly induces collagen synthesis in women of all ages, but especially in those under age 50. [7]
Some of the best sources of vitamin C come from plants. These include berries, ginger, citrus fruits, and more. And, interestingly, plant-based foods are also known to help fight inflammation, which we know wreaks havoc on your skin.
How’s that for a win-win?
When your cells are dehydrated, it shows up on your skin, plain and simple. That’s why one of the best ways to get glowing skin is to stay well hydrated.
In fact, as confirmed in a 2015 study, increased water intake was directly linked to increased skin hydration. [8]
So, how much water do you need to consume each day to help get glowing skin? Aim for a minimum of half your body weight in ounces daily, meaning that if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink at least 75 ounces of water each day.
We reviewed above that vitamin C is essential for collagen production—and therefore essential for glowing skin. And because sometimes it’s hard to get enough nutrients from your food, it’s a good idea to consider supplementing.
In addition to taking a vitamin C supplement, you may also want to consider supplementing with vitamin E, which has been shown to help fight wrinkle development, and vitamin D, which is a powerful antioxidant known to help slow the aging process. [9]
Additionally, research has shown that taking a quality probiotic provides great benefits in treating a range of skin troubles from eczema to acne. And it has even shown promise as a cosmetic product! [10]
In your quest for glowing skin, there’s one final tip that you must take into consideration: the amount of stress you’re under.
Unfortunately, if you’re under a lot of stress and aren’t adequately supporting your body’s ability to handle it all, that stress can manifest on your skin the form of acne. And this is all thanks to the fact that stress slows your digestion, which causes toxin buildup that releases through your skin.
Another reason why you need to support your body’s stress response in order to get glowing skin is because higher basal levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) is linked to accelerated aging. [11]
If you’re not sure where to begin, check out my article on how to best support your body’s ability to handle stress. It includes everything you need to begin, including tips on dietary habits, supplementing for optimal stress response, and even mind-body practices.
The key to getting glowing skin is to remember that it starts on the inside. By supporting your body at the cellular level, you’re ensuring that you’re healthy from the inside-out—and what you see reflected in the mirror is truly an outward expression of your overall health.