We’ll be the first to admit that hydration and nourishment are two of the top benefits we promote with Land & Lore products. But we’ll also gladly tell you that your body’s overall state of hydration and nutrition play a huge role in your skin health—no products needed. 

On the whole, good hydration and a healthy diet are key for ridding your body of toxins and keeping every organ functioning. And remember what you learned in middle school biology—the skin is your largest organ. Since it’s the only one that’s, well, on the outside of you, it tends to take a beating compared to other organs

Your skin needs nourishment just as much as it needs hydration. And some nutrients simply can’t impact your skin topically through products. Eating right can protect skin against aging, acne and blemishes, and perhaps even against diseases like skin cancer and psoriasis.

Proper hydration can help improve skin health in a few key ways:

Hydration

Regulating skin oil production

Oil plays a big part in skin hydration, leading many people with oily skin to mistakenly believe that drinking less water will lead to “dryer” skin. Unfortunately, the opposite is true: dehydration tends to lead to overproduction of skin oil as your body tries to compensate. Reason #6,437 to drink more water.

Getting rid of toxins

For most people, the air is actually the biggest source of toxins and free radicals that they’re exposed to on a daily basis. No matter how much time you spend indoors or outdoors, you’re going to be exposed to compounds and pollutants that can cause skin damage and signs of aging. But just like your sweat glands, kidneys, and intestinal tract, your skin needs plenty of water to adequately flush these toxins out.

Strengthening elasticity

Skin’s ability to bounce back (literally and figuratively) decreases as we age with collagen production in your body slowing down. This leads to signs of aging like fine lines and sagging skin. Father time, Mother Nature, and gravity are simply undefeated. However, staying hydrated is one of the easiest and most effective ways to maintain your body’s natural ability to produce collagen and keep skin strong, smooth, and youthful

Maintaining a “glow”

Dry skin is one of the most common side effects of dehydration. Like earth and leather, dry skin is prone to cracks and irritation that only make the dry, dull appearance even worse. What’s more, dry skin is far more susceptible to damage. Adequate hydration creates strength through flexibility.

Healthy diet

Anti-aging

Just like water, your diet plays a role in collagen production and ultimately the elasticity of your skin. Sugar in particular can be harmful to skin as it has been shown to inhibit your body’s ability to fight compounds that cause discoloration and stiffness. The same goes for fried food. However, spices and herbs like oregano, garlic, cinnamon, and ginger can fight these damaging compounds. So can lipoic acid, which is commonly found in fruits and vegetables.

Blemishes and acne

While the myth of chocolate causing acne has been debunked, there is a tie between food consumption and acne. Most dermatologists will tell you that acne is more closely tied to foods and diets with a high glycemic index. Think white carbs—sugar, white rice, and white bread, for example. Since these foods absorb more rapidly into the body, they can cause insulin spikes which can lead to higher production of sebum. Excess sebum (a fat-like lipid) is one of the main culprits causing breakouts.

Skin cancer and psoriasis

There’s evidence showing that nutrients and antioxidants in whole foods can greatly decrease the likelihood of non-melanoma skin cancer. Fruits and vegetables are your best bet. When it comes to psoriasis, its ties to cardiovascular disease make dietary intervention a commonly recommended treatment. Just as anti-inflammatory compounds can help irritated skin, they can also help cardiovascular inflammation and, in turn, a potential root cause of psoriasis.

Sometimes, even with proper hydration and diet, skin still needs a little help. Check out the lore of our ingredients to help you figure out what your skin needs.