Christmas parties are in full swing already and, of course, we all want to look our best. A facial and the right products may help you in the short term, but if you are looking for lasting changes, hydration and diet are the answer. And here is our pick of the 5 best foods to keep your skin healthy and looking gorgeous this Christmas and on into next year:
Protein
The main component of our skin is collagen which is made up of amino acids found in proteins. So, ensure each meal has a portion of skin-rebuilding, healthy, unprocessed protein like eggs, chicken, fish, tofu or beans to support your skin cell renewal process.
Kale
Pump up your green leafy veggie intake especially those from the brassica family like cabbage, kale and sprouts which are high in sulphur to help your liver eliminate toxins that otherwise might be eliminated through the skin, dulling your complexion. They are also high in vitamins C and A needed to boost collagen production.
Flax seeds
These little seeds are very high in fibre which is important to ensure your gut is eliminating toxins properly. Flax seeds are a great source of vegan omega-3 fatty acids which help maintain healthy skin cell membranes which help cells retain water and support healthier looking skin. Just remember to always grind them as their husks are too hard for our guts to break them down.
Green tea
Switch to green as these little green leaves are packed with antioxidants to zap nasty free radicals that can increase skin cell again. But green tea is your liver’s BFF because it works to balance your detox function which can only be a good thing for your skin!
Vitamin C
And last but not least, grab as much vitamin C as you can because this powerful antioxidant can boost collagen production and do wonders to zap those damaging free-radicals that dull your skin. The best ever source of vitamin C is fresh fruit and veg. And I mean really fresh as vitamin C degrades over time, especially if fruit and veg have travelled thousands of miles, been chopped or juiced and stuck in a plastic box. And a bonus from eating the whole fruit and veg instead of their juice as you will not waste the wonderful fibre that can help you eliminate toxins.
And a blog from us on gorgeous skin wouldn’t complete without a word of caution about sugar.
Sugar is as far from a friend to your skin as you can imagine. The white stuff in cakes and chocolate and, sadly, in those hard-to-avoid refined carbs like white 
bread and pasta, promote oxidation that in turn generate nasty free-radicals that can damage skin’s DNA and accelerate aging. But I know, we all need a sweet something every now and again, so here is a tip, why not make your very own energy balls (check our website for amazingly easy recipes) and be the envy of the entire office? Or if you don’t have the time or inclination to spend your evening rolling coconut balls, although I must confess I find it surprisingly therapeutic, destone a couple of dates and fill with some raw pistachios which will give you a good dose of copper that improves collagen elasticity and reduces excess pigmentation.
If you, like most of us, grab food on the go while you are at work, please read your labels and avoid anything with sugar, glucose, syrup or any other obscure ingredients especially those ending in –ose (like fructose or dextrose) as they are all types of sugar!
This is our last blog until the new year as we thought we could do with a bit of a digital detox (!) so….
Pilar, Paula and Agnes xx