[Beauty] 5 Foods for Naturally Brighter Skin

“You are what you eat.”

Not even kidding! As cliche as it sounds, beauty does come from within. What you feed your body will reflect on how your body looks and feels. Here are some of the foods you can eat for brighter skin to battle dullness.

Tomatoes

Yes! These are not only yummy to eat but are rich in Lycopene - a red carotene found in orange or reddish foods. Other fruits and vegetables such as carrots, watermelons, and papayas also contain lycopene but the highest percentage of lycopene is found in tomatoes.
As an antioxidant, lycopene helps to fight free radicals which are produced when you are exposed to the sun and protects your skin against ultraviolet lights. When taking regularly in your diet, tomatoes boost the reversal of skin ageing while whitening and firming skin. The high content of Vitamin C also works to revive dull and tired skin while treating acne.
How I eat them: Raw with a sprinkle of salt, in a salad, chopped up to make tomato pasta sauce, tomato omelette.

Lemon

Clear skin will help you look brighter and less dull. Diminish acne, pimple scars and blackheads with this bright yellow fruit. With the high content of vitamin C, it promotes synthesis of collagen and has anti-ageing properties when consumed regularly.
How I eat them: Half a lemon squeezed into a bottle then mixed with warm water. I leave the peel in the bottle and refill it throughout the day. You may add honey or sugar but I think going natural without sweetener tastes the best.

Pumpkin Seeds

These tiny seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and natural antioxidants. They help your skin retain moisture while controlling oil production. Also, the zinc and vitamin E content boost skin cell renewal. As a result, skin is clearer, more youthful and hydrated.
How I eat them: You will find that pumpkin seeds make excellent movie snacks! I like to sprinkle them on my salads and overnight oats to add some crunch too.

Carrots

Apart from being another rich source of lycopene, carrots contain lots of beta carotene which becomes vitamin A in your body. This vitamin is beneficial to your eyes and fights wrinkles too. Regular inclusion in your diet will give you glowing skin.
How I eat them: Chopped up as a salad with other greens and some roasted sesame sauce, as a midnight snack when I’m having cravings, stir fried to accompany rice.

Berries

No way. Not only are berries super delicious but they also help your skin look brighter? Berries such as blueberries, strawberries and cherries are naturally rich with antioxidants, which give you a healthy radiance from within while fighting pimples. Malic acid also acts as a natural whitening agent.
How I eat them: Chopped and layered in my overnight oats, as part of my fruit infused water, salad, cereal topping, fruit juice.

To complement your new brightening diet, match it with drinking loads of water, use some whitening serum made in France, exfoliate regularly and wear sunblock whenever you leave the house.