Edible beauty products, or ‘nutri-cosmetics,’ are dietary supplements or everyday foods that can be incorporated into your daily routine to enhance the look and health of your skin, hair, and nails.
While this concept is not new, the recent popularity of Hailey Bieber’s $17 Erewhon ‘Skin Glaze’ smoothie has sparked interest.
Franchesca Villar, Beauty Editor at Cosmetify, has investigated edible supplements that you can add to your daily lifestyle to reap similar benefits.
Bee Pollen
Bee pollen is a mixture of flower pollen, enzymes, honey, wax, and bee secretions and is considered a superfood with numerous health benefits.
Focusing on beauty, bee pollen can:
- Help with anti-ageing: Bee pollen is rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids and carotenoids, which protect the skin from free radical damage caused by environmental factors like pollution and UV rays – another reason why you should wear SPF daily. Ultimately, bee pollen can help combat fine lines, age spots, and wrinkles.
- Boost collagen production: Collagen production naturally declines in our mid-twenties, but bee pollen can stimulate its production due to the amino acids it contains.
An easy way to incorporate bee pollen into your diet is by adding it on top of porridge, fruit, or yoghurt.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a powerful substance with numerous skincare benefits, and many beauty products now include it as a key ingredient. Here are the benefits:
- Softer skin: Hyaluronic acid is a powerhouse for skin hydration as it can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, helping to keep your skin moisturised and soft.
- Alleviates dry skin: Thanks to its moisturising properties, hyaluronic acid helps relieve dryness and flakiness—great for people with eczema.
- Aids wound healing: Hyaluronic acid can promote faster wound healing and reduce scarring, particularly for cuts, burns, and grazes.
Hyaluronic acid can be taken as a dietary supplement in pill or capsule form. It is also available in liquid form, which you can add to water or smoothies – similar to Hailey Bieber’s Erewhon smoothies.
You can naturally increase your intake of hyaluronic acid by consuming citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, and soy products – each of which contains it naturally.
Collagen
Collagen is a vital protein that provides structure and support to various tissues in the body, including the skin, and is widely regarded as beneficial for beauty and skin health. Here’s what it can do:
- Improves skin elasticity: Collagen helps maintain skin elasticity, making it firmer and, over time, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
- Supports hydration: Collagen supplements help increase moisture retention and improve the skin’s barrier function, preventing water loss and keeping the skin hydrated.
- Enhances nail health: Collagen can strengthen brittle nails, reduce breakage, and promote faster nail growth.
- Boosts hair health: Collagen also contains amino acids, like proline, which are essential for the production of keratin, the protein that makes up hair. Supplementing with collagen has been linked to healthier, stronger, shinier hair and a reduction in hair thinning.
Collagen is available in powdered, capsule, and liquid forms. While these supplements can be taken daily, it’s always best to follow the packaging instructions or consult a healthcare professional if you’re unsure.
Some collagen supplements can be mixed with coffee, making it an easy way to get your daily dose. Additionally, collagen is present in protein-rich foods like beef, chicken, and beans—so make sure you’re not relying solely on supplements.