In the era of endless food fads from juice cleanses to matcha madness, it’s clear as a society we are becoming more conscious of what we put in our body. The latest food trend takes it up a notch, extending to the cosmetics counter. While we know the benefits nutrient packed foods deliver internally for our health and wellbeing, we reveal how these can also translate into beauty.
Manuka Honey
More than just a sweet addition to your breakfast, honey is an undercover beauty hero loaded with nutrients, antioxidants and healing properties, which intensively hydrate and restore skin. “Manuka Honey is a natural humectant, which means it draws in and holds moisture,” reveals Nicola Macfarlane of Manuka Doctor. This moisture retention also has numerous benefits for our skins’ overall condition. “It enhances elasticity whilst rejuvenating and restoring softness, creating a dewy and radiant complexion,” adds Macfarlane.
According to Macfarlane, the benefits don’t stop there. Manuka Honey based skincare soothes inflamed skin, reduces redness, stimulates circulation and aids skin renewal, making it ideal for blemish prone skin. “It is also an anti-inflammatory that is naturally anti-bacterial, making it perfect for treating breakouts,” she says.
Try: Age Replenishing Night Essence or Natural Being Manuka Honey Eye Cream
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is another breakfast superfood making its way into our beauty cabinet. Not to be judged by their size, these little grains perform big miracles in the skin department. Oats are loaded with natural cleansers called saponins, which gently remove dirt and excess oil deep from within pores. The proteins in oatmeal also act as a conditioner, replenishing dry and tired skin.
Try: Dermalogica or LUSH King of Skin Body Butter
Coconut
It’s hailed by Hollywood’s elite as the “cure all” super fruit for beauty woes and Tatum Dunster of Pure Fiji New Zealand says it’s for good reason. For those new to coconut oil, Dunster recommends getting on the bandwagon quick smart. “You can reap the rewards of coconut in many forms, spanning from scrubs to hair oils,” she says. “Its antioxidant properties and nourishing fatty acids deeply moisturise and restore, leaving skin and hair silky smooth.” This also makes it an ideal treatment for various skin ailments such as eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis.
Try: Pure Fiji Sugar Rub or
Avocado
While avocado season may be on the out, you can still get your fix through your beauty regimen. Rich in potassium and essential vitamins, avocados are best known for their moisturising and strengthening properties. With use, skin and hair is noticeably smoother and radiant. Avocado’s fatty acids also boost elasticity in the skin, making it appear plumper and more youthful.
Try: or
Coriander
Apart from coriander being a staple herb in the kitchen, it also doubles up as a beauty remedy for skin and hair. Coriander is bursting with antioxidants that defend against free radicals, preventing damaged cells. The leafy herb stimulates hair follicles, promoting growth and revitalising fragile hair. It also strengthens skin by building up resistance to pollution and other environmental aggressors.
Try:
Cranberry
Where dull and dry skin is concerned, cranberries are your new best friend. With an abundance of antioxidants and vitamins B3, B5 and C, cranberries visibly brighten and regenerate skin. The super fruit is best utilised in the form of exfoliation and Carla Konik of Osmosis Skincare deems cranberry enzyme as an essential extract in peels and polishes. “It is full of antioxidants that help to remove redundant dead skin cells without affecting the live cells, providing a radiant glow,” she says.
Quinoa
Over the past few years health experts have been preaching the benefits of this protein packed seed and now it’s making its way into our shower. Containing more protein than its grain counterparts, Quinoa acts as a natural coating that feeds the hair follicle from within. It forms an invisible shield over the scalp that protects against the environment and nourishes hair from the roots down.
Try: and
