Food does so much more than keep you fed, happy & healthy. Of course, getting that glow from within starts by eating the right foods – but certain foods, when applied topically, allow the epidermis to also reap similar benefits. Skin-friendly foods can hydrate, tighten, heal or exfoliate – leaving your skin looking well nourished. It’s becoming noticeably more popular for cosmetic products to contain plant-based and/or edible ingredients, which might just be because they’re the perfect harm-free alternative to genuinely help the skin.

A starter pack of skin-friendly foods known to be gentle & great for your skin’s health — including how they work their wonders:

Almond meal: effortlessly removes dead skin cells while moisturizing the skin. Being one of the most nutrient-rich nuts and containing high levels of Vitamin E, almond meals needs to be ground from raw almonds. (Roasted almonds lose their beneficial oils when heated.)

Almond meal can be simply mixed with raw honey to create a facial mask, or with almond oil to make a scrub. It can be abrasive, though, so always apply gently.

Almond oil: is mild & lightweight; it easily absorbs into the skin, making it suitable for soothing dryness. It’s also hypoallergenic, and safe to use on babies.

Almond oil is best applied at night by patting it gently into a damp face & neck – enough to leave a fine protective film on the skin.

Apple cider vinegar: helps to restore pH balance of the epidermis (the thin, foremost layer on the skin’s surface). It works as a toner, and can be beneficial for both oily and dry skin profiles. Plus, it can prove useful in reducing flakiness for those with dry skin.

Always dilute apple cider vinegar with water before putting it on your skin.

Apricot oil: is colorless, odorless & light; it holds a lipid content akin to that of the skin. It works best when it is applied at night before bed — in order to prevent overnight dehydration. And it is more than ideal for a whole body rub after skin brushing.

Apricot oil is a good alternative for almond oil if the latter doesn’t suit you.

Cinnamon: stimulates blood circulation, giving your skin a rejuvenating effect by bringing a rosy appearance to its surface. It also gives the short-term benefit of an increase in collagen production after being applied to the skin, leaving you with a more youthful & plump look.

Read more on cinnamon.

Cucumber: is an age-old skin-beautifier that’s still a go-to. A raw, cooled cucumber can reduce facial shin, making it particularly useful on oily skin. But the toning & soothing effects can be equally beneficial for dry and/or sensitive skin, or for lines/wrinkles.

No matter your skin type, it will always soothe and soften the skin.

Honey: is a humectant, allowing it to draw in moisture to the skin and retain it – making it optimal in hydrating dry and/or mature skin. Beneficial as a cleanser or mask, but also for treating abrasions, wounds, burns, and even scarring.

Simply apply honey like you would a cream – leave for 5-10 minutes, then rinse.

Oatmeal: helps soothe & calm eczematous skin. When used simply as grounded oats (as with almond meal), it can added to a lukewarm bath (in a bath bag), which will aid in restoring the skin’s barrier & moisturizing factor, alleviating the itch and helping to regulate inflammation & irritation.

It’s important to use a pouch for the oats when bathing, otherwise the drain will clog.

Sugar: doesn’t necessarily promote health internally and can be hard to avoid; externally, it’s abrasiveness and ability to dissolve easily make it a perfect tool for exfoliation.

Mix sugar with coconut oil to make a simple lip scrub that is both soothing & polishing for chapped lips.

Turmeric: is also known as curcuma; it encourages wounds to heal faster and reduces redness caused by inflammation. It’s also been proven effective in calming symptoms of eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and other related skin diseases.

Use a bit of caution when applying, as the skin will turn yellow – thankfully only temporarily.

It’s easy to forget our very own kitchens often store a banquet of skin-friendly foods that heal the skin – making organic skincare a rather easy & affordable option. The best way to use these ingredients is to simply mix them into your pre-existing beauty regime. So go and get your facial on!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in February 2016 and was updated in July 2018 for accuracy.