Let’s face it: we all love trying new makeup trends and snatching up the latest beauty goodies faster than they can hit the shelves. That said, if you’re using makeup as a lazy girl hack to conceal sickly skin, you might need to revaluate your priorities.
This summer, the girls at Nykaa have resolved to dial back on all those airbrushing layers of makeup, and turn to a regime that’s a little more skin-deep. Our first step? Feeding our skin some superfoods. No, they’re not Marvel productions, but they’re just as marvellous. And no, we’re not living on a diet of rabbit food, either.
With all our favourite beauty brands making these super, sometimes unheard of, inclusions, we thought it time to figure out exactly what they’re good for.
Read on to find your superfood soulmate for hair and skin:
Manuka Honey
Honey doesn’t just go well with waffles, honey. Brim-full of antioxidants and friendly enzymes, a dripping dose of honey works to slow the clock and keep you young, refine and unclog pores and deeply moisturize your skin to give you a baby’s complexion. Suffering from acne? Honey can help with that too. Anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, it sooths redness, irritation and breakouts. Thank the bees, later.
Rice
Heavy on the stomach, but light on the skin, rice water has long been used by the women of the Orient for their porcelain, dewy complexions. Back in the day, rice farmers’ wives bathed in the water left over from cooking the crop. Full of vitamins and minerals, rice makes for a natural toner, brightening and cleansing skin, stimulating cell growth and blood flow, and equally as useful for your hair. We wouldn’t go against this grain if we were you.
Acai Berries (Karvandha)
The exotic cousin of blueberries, Amazonian Acai has enough alphabet to one up the Oxford Dictionary. We’re talking Vitamins A, B, C and E, working to repair damage, restore moisture, lighten scars, and keep away acne and ageing. If that’s not enough, they also pack Omega 3, for mental clarity, antioxidants and a superpower that scares away free radicals, leaving you looking like a Glamazon with regular use.
Spirulina
Algae isn’t just your regular sea bacteria – it’s the purest source of protein you can find. Derived from its powder, Spirulina comes bearing aquatic antioxidants and chlorophyll, which boosts the immune system and shuns toxins, working wonders for the skin. In addition, Vitamin B, Iron and Beta Carotene pump iron – all bio nutrients that are easily absorbed, and especially useful to vegetarians, pregnant and lactating women. Forget mermaid makeup, this is pure mermaid magic!
Chia Seed
If you’re sick of Chia Seed in your pudding, why not give it a spin on your skin? Just ask the Mayans, who harnessed its benefits for thousands of years. Here’s the skinny on the seed: it’s rich in Vitamin E, a powerhouse antioxidant; Magnesium, which keeps stress, headaches and fatigue at bay; amino acids that stimulate serotonin, and essential fatty acids that deeply condition your skin. Smile and say Chia Seed!
Coffee
If you have OCD (Obsessive Coffee Disorder), you’re going to be relieved to learn your guilty pleasure ain’t all bad. Cocoa works better than your facialist to soften, hydrate and tighten your skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties conceal last night’s sins, covering dark circles and puffy under-eyes. With a higher concentration of antioxidants than fruits and veggies, it remedies sun damage, removes fine lines and tightens skin. That’s not all – your best bean also works to dehydrate fatty cells, reducing the appearance of cellulite.
Avocado
Recently, a businessman sarcastically suggested millennials stop buying avocados so they might save enough money to buy their dream homes. Obviously, this guy hasn’t gotten the memo on the fleshy, Mexican berry everyone’s fangirling over. Avocado Oil works as a natural sunscreen, protecting from summer’s sleuth UVA and UVB rays; it moisturizes parched and aging skin, reducing any irritants, and plumps from within, reducing wrinkles. Oh, and lest you forget, it’s damn delicious, too.
Liquorice
A root by any other name would serve as sweet, and that couldn’t be truer for Liquorice. Its benefits are known far and wide, from the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks to the Chinese, and that’s because the perennial potion cures an array of infections, menopausal issues, heartburn, sore throat, hair fall, dandruff and more. Choline, Protein, Vitamin B and Essential Oils brighten skin, regulate oil production, and safeguard the health of your hair and scalp. Consumed in tea form, the lanky root protects from UV rays, too.
