Spices for skin health? How does that work out? Your gut may be your second brain, but it also influences the health of your skin. You are what you eat, but when it comes to skin health, this was never truer. If you’re looking for an easy and rapid way to boost skin health while combating inflammation and working through skin troubles from the inside out, the answer may lie in your spice cabinet.
Spice adds more than just flavor to food. Spices, if consumed internally or applied topically, have medicinal properties that rejuvenate and heal the skin. Potent aids for improving digestion, spices can even get to the root of acne. Spices are rich in antioxidants too, which work to fight oxidative stress and free radical damage.Many spices are rich in anti-inflammatory agents and nutrients that can ensure your skin looks and feels great in next to no time at all. Driving away systematic inflammation which leads to chronic diseases, apart from skin trouble, spices are the way out for a glowing, radiant, and healthy complexion
Spices are natural wonders with secret ingredients that can take your skin care regimen to a whole new level. Spices are also rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory substances and important nutrients for your skin and hair. Spice up your skin with these condiments, that help to bring out the glow in your skin. As your skin is your largest organ, it is important to nourish it if you want to banish blemishes, wrinkles and fine lines.
Whether it involves reducing red patches, nursing eczema or battling wrinkles, spices are the right option. This is why spices have been used cosmetically and medicinally. Spices restore your skin to soft suppleness and make age into just another number. Additionally, spices are great for detox and combating aging.
Spices also protect the skin from the harsh sunrays on account of potent antioxidants. It helps you to look years younger. The spices nourish and strengthen the complexion leading to strong, smooth and flawless skin. For the perfect detox and radiant skin, look no further than these spices.
Spices for Skin That Is Soft, Smooth and Healthy
#1 Hot Peppers
Photo By: Babawawa/ CC BYSpicy peppers ranging from cayenne to chili and paprika are rich in vitamin C and A. They also fend off free radicals. Working in one to two peppers in your daily intake can help you to gain instant benefits. Use red pepper flakes or cayenne for exfoliating the skin and removing dead skin cells. Try mixing the peppers with hot olive oil for an amazing body scrub.
Pepper ingredients, when applied topically on your skin, loosen the pores and this removes blackheads and acne. It is a hot favorite among beauty practitioners for ensuring clear skin! Hot peppers include not just the usual, but also the more exotic variants like jalapeño. These can alert more than your taste bud. They can also serve to combat skin related issues.
Preventing the breakup of collagen which ensures the skin remains smooth and flawless, vitamins A and C in peppers are antioxidant-rich and the perfect tool for combating free radical damage. Peppers are a vibrant hue on account of an ingredient called capsaicin which serves as a sunscreen to shield skin from damaging ultraviolet radiation.
Peppers have to be ingested to benefit from their power to regenerate the skin. For example, capsaicin cannot be applied topically, because it will burn. It can work wonders for the skin inside out to try peppers such as cayenne and jalapeño in Mexican food or chili peppers in your curries. You can also coat veggies and meats in pepper.
When it comes to topical application, pepper is the perfect spice for massage oils and scrubs. It offers tremendous exfoliation capabilities, keeping skin soft, silken, supple and flexible. It can also serve as a useful treatment for acne through a yogurt mask, along with cayenne.
To cut down on the aging process, nothing works better than paprika. This is because this spice is rich in antioxidants and contains vitamins like C and A which absorb free radical in the blood. Free radicals are the known cause of oxidative stress that triggers collagen damage. So, applying paprika can work to undo the damage and restore skin to a soft, smooth and supple state.
For exfoliation and blackhead or pimple removal, black pepper should be used as a face mask. Combine it in powdered form with yogurt and rinse after ten minutes for lasting relief.
#2 Red Clover
Photo By: Max Pixel/ CC BYRed, scaly and itching eczema patches can be a real problem. Until you try red clover, that is. Medicine and herbal science has long acknowledged and used this spice for combating eczema problems. According to research by the University of Maryland’s medical center, red clover can be ingested as tea or even applied topically. If you consume red clover tea, three cups a day is what works for reaping the benefits. Ointments can also be used containing red clover flower of 10-15 percent.
#3 Cinnamon
Photo By: Weinstock/ CC BYThis is a potent antioxidant that reverses the signs of aging due to sun or environmental damage. It also increases blood flow and circulation to boost the repairing of skin and cell turnover. Just a stick of cinnamon can impact the flavor of any dish. When used externally, cinnamon draws blood to the skin’s surface, speeding up the circulation of the blood, helping the skin to breathe and get rid of pimples.
Cinnamon adds a kick to hot drinks and baked items, but it is also packed with antioxidants that combat skin damage. Cinnamon adds greater antioxidants than half a cup of blueberry. For an easy way to boost antioxidant content, sprinkle the cinnamon on the coffee grounds before brewing.
Stimulating the olfactory senses as well as ideal for blood circulation, cinnamon has the ability to draw nutrients and oxygen to the skin and use antibacterial properties to get rid of acne.
#4 Turmeric
Photo By: Steven PB/ CC BYAn antioxidant in turmeric known as curcumin is an anti-inflammatory agent that aids in acne reduction, reduce hyperpigmentation and brightens the skin fighting free radical damage. Adding turmeric to moisturizers or other treatment products can really work well for the skin.
Part of the ancient Indian culture and medicine systems as a remedy, turmeric has been used for anti-inflammatory purposes. Turmeric has been used in kitchens as a spice. But its inclusion in skin care products is equally well known.
It offers excellent antiseptic and antibacterial properties. This spice is therefore, part of skin creams. It even offers the ability to remove lines and wrinkles and is known for its anti-aging properties. It naturally speeds up healing and lightens the skin.
High amounts of curcumin exert a powerful anti-inflammatory benefit. It has also been helpful in fighting melanoma because the affected area undergoes angiogenesis which is the generation of blood vessels. Reduce dullness of your skin tone and fight acne using this amazing spice. It even reduces bacteria that triggers acne. Turmeric significantly reduces inflammation which makes it a perfect cure for skin problems.
#5 Fennel Seed
Photo By: Public Domain Pictures Net/ CC BYAn excellent anti-inflammatory spice, fennel is the top solution for skin troubles. Get 1-4 grams per day in terms of intake to end all skin troubles. The irritation and redness of skin and sensitivity due to exposure from the sun can also be eliminated using fennel seeds. Fennel also works wonders for sensitive skin.
#6 Ginger
Ginger improves skin texture and tone. It makes a person looking and feeling younger. Ginger is a powerful root for rejuvenating the skin, combating blemishes, and lightening age spots. Use a paste with ginger by mixing it with lemon juice. Add raw organic honey for the perfect paste. Apply this to the face, leaving it for a while and washing it with cold water.
Photo By: Couleur/ CC BYGet natural radiance and an instant pick-me-up using ginger. Applying it topically can help you to bid farewell to blemishes. Ginger is essential for refreshed and radiant skin. This spice has the ability to improve skin tone, lighten age spots and fight blemishes. It comprises anti-aging antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds apart from skin brightening nutrients and minerals that can benefit those with a host of skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea.
#7 Fenugreek
Photo By: Ajale/ CC BYA spice with the capability to cool and sooth the skin, fenugreek is best taken after soaking overnight in water. Apply the water it has been steeped in and over your eyes and skin to get a bright skin tone and radiant, smooth complexion.
#8 Witch Hazel
This comes from the witch hazel shrub found in America. If you have never heard of this spice before, learn more about it right here. For example, it is called witch hazel
Photo By: Si Griffiths/ CC BYbecause it is pliable and bendable, for the Middle English term denoting the same. Also called winter bloom, this spicy herb’s leaves and barks contain anti-inflammatory agents to sooth the swelling.
#9 Cumin
Cumin contains skin nourishing vitamins. This spice is rich in Vitamin E. Its natural antioxidants help in fighting free radical
Photo By: Ajale/ CC BYdamage leading to young looking skin. Vitamin E is essential to prevent premature skin aging. The powerful spice has disinfected properties clearing the skin from toxins and infections.
#10 Chamomile
Matricaria recutita is a potent anti-inflammatory herb that has amazing healing properties. It’s perfect for treating a
Photo By: Nikolay Frolochkin/ CC BYbeard burn too. Chamomile also helps in disinfecting skin infections using chamomile tea. Chamomile tea also offers nourishment and moistens the skin. It also lowers inflammation in the body.
#11 Nutmeg
This is a natural antiseptic that reduces irritation and inflammation of the skin. It also hydrates the skin and provides a smooth experience. This spice reduces marks and signs of acne. It also moistens the skin and helps in exfoliation making it perfect for rejuvenating dull, lifeless skin.