Nature's candy is the key to great skin

I preach constantly about beauty starting from the inside.  Like a nosy mother I'm all "Eat your berries and drink your tea because the antioxidants are amazing for your skin".  Beauty brands have caught on to the fact that “super fruits” can also be applied topically to help the cell turnover in your skin, and protect from menacing outside elements like sun or pollution.  There are so many products out there that you can find to harness the power of Mother Nature and make your skin radiant. 

IO Beauty Beauty Booster ($38)-

This brainchild of makeup artist, Sue Devitt, and nutrition expert, Tanya Zuckerbrot, is the only one on this list that can be ingested or applied topically.  The dropper-style bottle contains a super concentrated formulation of Acai, Goji Berries, Australian Blackberries, white grape, grape, Elderberry, cranberry, blueberry, and Mangosteen (among other items).  You can apply a couple drops directly on your tongue because it's delicious, or you can mix it into your favorite drink, OR apply directly to the skin.    

Meaningful Beauty By Cindy Crawford-

An affordable and effective (Hello, just look at Cindy’s skin) line that focuses on the star ingredient: French Melon.  I don’t pretend to know the difference between French Melon and the melons that I buy from the fruit stand on the corner, but I do know that it makes for great skincare.  First of all, you can get a 30-day supply of a 5 piece skincare system for $39.95, which is just amazing and unheard of, but let’s discuss my favorite product, Crème De Serum.  Cream of serum?  Sounds contradictory, but it’s actually a crème, a gel, and a serum swirled together in a bottle that automatically combines together when you dispense from the pump, so you’re getting the benefit of 3 products in one.  The orange has the powers of the French Melon, the white is the anti-aging crème, and the clear gel has moisturizing hyaluronic acid.  The feel of the product is so amazingly lightweight, it almost feels like a makeup primer that makes the rest of your products go on smoothly.   

(BTW, I also really love the Wrinkle Smoothing Capsules that hydrate and stimulate collagen reproduction in the skin).

Yes To Tomatoes-

You can debate with me all you want about whether it’s a fruit or a vegetable, but nobody can deny the health benefits of the tomato.  This fruit/veggie is rich in Lycopene, which has been known to be good for heart and for eye health, but it’s also great for oily or combination skin.  The Yes To Tomatoes Acne Control Gel Cleanser ($9.99) controls sebum secretion to help prevent future breakouts, and to heal the already existing ones, but it’s gentle enough and non-drying for those with combination skin like myself.  I love to use this after the gym and I’ve even got my boyfriend hooked on it!  For those that are really feeling the effects of breakouts and inflamed skin, the Repairing Acne Lotion ($14.99) helps to heal the inflammation, and protects from environmental stressors that can irritate sensitized skin.  These products won’t give you the stinging/burning sensation that some acne-control products will give you since it’s derived from 95% natural ingredients, like the tomato.  The skin-care benefits combined with the price makes this a must-have in my book. 

PeterThomasRoth Laser-Free Regenerator Moisturizing Gel Cream-

Get ready for an action-packed list of Nature’s finest ingredients being used in a face cream.  This contains Dragon’s Blood… but don’t worry, no Dragons were harmed in creating this cream.  It’s actually the name of an Amazon tree resin that’s red and has been a best-kept-secret for its restorative and anti-inflammatory properties.  There’s also Red Poppy, Japanese Cherry, Purple Orchid,  watermelon, apple, grapefruit, & Dragon Fruit in there to protect, restore, brighten, and calm the skin.  It sounds good enough to eat, but please don’t.  Please enjoy the unique texture on your skin to reap all the benefits.