The concept of wellness has exploded over the past couple of years.
We all want to be our best selves, live our best lives and look our absolute glowing, most beautiful selves.
And why shouldn't we?
The lines between beauty and wellness products are being blurred, and now fits in more with the 'you are what you eat' ethos, meaning, what you put into your body not only affects your health, but also your looks. This has also gained momentum over the past year, as researchers and experts are devoting more and more attention to our guts, and realising that the importance of this on our overall health – even when it comes to our skin and hair.
In the name of research (and vanity), I have been testing a few drinkable skincare 'potions' over the past few months, and the results surprised me. Having written about beauty and skincare for more than a decade – and tested hundreds of 'miracle potions' over the years – never have a seen such a real and impressive result as I got with some of these.
In fairness, it makes sense. Incorporating skin-boosting ingredients as part of your diet means the effect will be of the 'from the inside-out' variety. And eating well, in general, tends to be far more important for how you look on the outside than what creams and serums you apply topically.
The composition, quality, and quantity of what we eat has the biggest impact on our skin – hands down. And plenty of research has lead most experts to agree that a colourful, Mediterranean-style, plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, legumes/beans, whole grains, dairy, fish, and limited meat is the foundation for promoting beautiful skin, hair, and nails. However, dietary supplements can offer additional support, and target more specific skin concerns we might have, such as lack of elasticity, dullness and even acne.
1. The Beauty Chef Glow Inner Beauty Powder
Having been an avid follower of her blog (and read her cookbooks too), I was super eager to test The Beauty Chef Carla Oates' Glow Inner Beauty Powder.
This organic, bio-fermented superfood powder is designed to be blended into your smoothie, mixed with a yoghurt or simply added to water, and contain a whopping 20 whole-food ingredients that work together to support gut health, collagen synthesis, and beautiful hair, skin, and nails.
The powder itself didn't taste much when I mixed it into my morning smoothie bowl, but having used it for a couple of weeks, I absolutely started noticing a difference, both in my skin, and also my gut health. Having always had a rather sensitive stomach, and having struggled with digestion over the past few years, I started noticing how much less I seemed to bloat after a couple of weeks using the Glow Inner Beauty Powder. I also was a lot more – ahem, regular, and didn't suffer from stomach cramps in the evening anymore, which is something I have struggled with a lot lately.
As for my skin, it always feels super-dry and tight in the winter, but I was soon noticing a difference and a glow to my skin – enough so that my own mum commented on what I was doing or using!
£40, Cult Beauty
2. Rejuvenated Collagen Shots
Collagen is one of the absolute biggest buzz words in skincare at the moment, and it's easy to see why.
From our 20s, our skin starts to loose collagen, and will in time start to look less firm and taut.
To counteract this, the Rejuvenated Collagen Shots deliver 10,000 mg of collagen, antioxidants, vitamins and hyaluronic acid, all formulated to increase the production of collagen naturally.
All of these yummy youth-boosting ingredients will work together to smooth, plump and firm your skin, as well as strengthen your hair and nails.
According to the packet, you could just blend this into a glass of water, and ideally at night, as this is when your cells naturally renew themselves. I often drink some herbal tea before going to bed, so would often just put into this and stir to dissolve.
I began to notice a difference after a couple of weeks. It was hard to pinpoint at first, but my skin definitively looked plumper, I guess is the best way to describe it. I don't have many wrinkles yet, probably as I am religious about sunscreen and staying out of the sun, but overall, my whole face just looked smoother and less tired, even in the mornings.
Again, with this supplement, I also noticed an overall effect in that I just felt great, had more energy and my whole digestive system just seemed to work better.
£44, Cult Beauty
3. Votary Super Seed Supplement
I have been a fan of Votary's all-natural skincare products for a while, and cannot live without their Super Seed Face Oil at this stage. I am a big believer in nourishing your skin from the inside out with plenty of good fats, so was eager to test the Super Seed Supplement oil, which is blended with 10 virgin cold-pressed extracts.
Organic Flaxseed, Borage and Chia boost cell's water retention and will literally supercharge your skin's hydration levels. I took this alongside the collagen supplement above for a couple of weeks, so it can be hard to distinguish what product had which effect, but overall, I have read enough and talked to enough experts to know the importance of Omega 3, 6 and 9 for your skin health. As for this product, I especially loved knowing it is entirely vegan and organic, meaning no sneaky pesticides or nasties, just good-for-my-skin lovely oils.
€41, Net-A-Porter
2. Rejuvenated Collagen Shots
Collagen is one of the absolute biggest buzz words in skincare at the moment, and it's easy to see why.
From our 20s, our skin starts to loose collagen, and will in time start to look less firm and taut.
To counteract this, the Rejuvenated Collagen Shots deliver 10,000 mg of collagen, antioxidants, vitamins and hyaluronic acid, all formulated to increase the production of collagen naturally.
All of these yummy youth-boosting ingredients will work together to smooth, plump and firm your skin, as well as strengthen your hair and nails.
According to the packet, you could just blend this into a glass of water, and ideally at night, as this is when your cells naturally renew themselves. I often drink some herbal tea before going to bed, so would often just put into this and stir to dissolve.
I began to notice a difference after a couple of weeks. It was hard to pinpoint at first, but my skin definitively looked plumper, I guess is the best way to describe it. I don't have many wrinkles yet, probably as I am religious about sunscreen and staying out of the sun, but overall, my whole face just looked smoother and less tired, even in the mornings.
Again, with this supplement, I also noticed an overall effect in that I just felt great, had more energy and my whole digestive system just seemed to work better.
£44, Cult Beauty
3. Votary Super Seed Supplement
I have been a fan of Votary's all-natural skincare products for a while, and cannot live without their Super Seed Face Oil at this stage. I am a big believer in nourishing your skin from the inside out with plenty of good fats, so was eager to test the Super Seed Supplement oil, which is blended with 10 virgin cold-pressed extracts.
Organic Flaxseed, Borage and Chia boost cell's water retention and will literally supercharge your skin's hydration levels. I took this alongside the collagen supplement above for a couple of weeks, so it can be hard to distinguish what product had which effect, but overall, I have read enough and talked to enough experts to know the importance of Omega 3, 6 and 9 for your skin health. As for this product, I especially loved knowing it is entirely vegan and organic, meaning no sneaky pesticides or nasties, just good-for-my-skin lovely oils.
€41, Net-A-Porter
