5 Super Drinks To Achieve Glowing Skin

So many factors go into achieving radiant skin. Sometimes, it can be a little overwhelming when you start digging into all the advice — there’s lots of it out there. We are obsessed with finding the best natural beauty tips for glowing skin, and we’re obsessed with making it easy for you to implement those tips to get that beautiful glow you’ve always dreamed about.

What Causes Dull Skin?

Truthfully, that’s a big question, with an equally big answer. Just remember, glowing skin is healthy skin. And part of keeping your skin healthy is making sure your body has all the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function properly.

So while it’s important to apply hydrating and nutrient-filled creams and serums topically to your skin, it’s also imperative that you are eating a nourishing diet.

Here are 5 drinks that will help you get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals for better-looking skin, stat!

1. Water

Ok, this first drink doesn’t (typically) consume vitamins and minerals, per se, however consuming an adequate amount of water is important for making skin glow, simply because our bodies need a certain amount of water to run properly. Drinking enough water helps ensure proper blood flow, which in turn helps nutrients reach our skin.

Board-certified dermatologist Margarita Lolis, MD, explained to Byrdie, “…at the cellular level, drinking water is great as it flushes the system and hydrates our bodies overall."

Recommended amounts vary depending on a few factors, like gender and height, to name a few. Check out this handy calculator if you’re curious about just how much water you should be consuming.

If you struggle to drink enough water, you can make it taste better (and do double duty!) by combining it with lemon. The lemon adds Vitamin C, which we all know is super important for achieving bright skin (more on that below). To get these benefits for your own skin, try squeezing the juice from half of a lemon into an 250 ml (8 oz) of warm or cold water.

2. Pineapple-Banana Turmeric Smoothie

Vitamin C-loaded pineapple and potassium-rich banana combine with skin-lightening turmeric to create a nutritious smoothie that helps brighten and lighten your skin, all in one.

Turmeric has long been used in traditional medicine, and scientists have confirmed that curcumin (a substance in turmeric) contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. Results suggest that eating turmeric may help with a host of skin issues, including acne, atopic dermatitis, photoaging (read: sun damage), and more.

Research also indicates that turmeric may possess the ability to suppress the effects of melanogenesis (a skin-darkening process that can be activated by UV rays from the sun). More research is needed and you should definitely still use SPF, but between the known and potential benefits of turmeric, adding this yummy superfood into your diet is a no-brainer.

Pineapple is an incredible source of Vitamin C, which is an important antioxidant that can help protect our bodies from the effects of free radicals — aka molecules that are produced when we are exposed to things like the sun, cigarette smoke, smog, and other sources.

Our bodies can’t produce Vitamin C on their own, so we need to get it from external sources (aka through our diet or supplements). Vitamin C is necessary for so many reasons — one is that our bodies need it to synthesize collagen — a crucial element to maintaining glowing, youthful skin.

Try blending the ingredients below for a tasty and glow-inducing smoothie.

(Recipe courtesy of Downshiftology!)

• 1 cup dairy-free milk
• 2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
• 1 banana
• 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric, grated (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1/3 teaspoon ground ginger)

3. Coffee and Green Tea

Lots of us drink coffee and green tea for that kick of caffeine to get us through the day, but a study published in 2020 showed that drinking coffee and green tea can also diminish the effects of photoaging – which is basically a fancy word for sun damage.

The study followed 244 Japanese women and showed that those who consumed the highest amounts of polyphenols (aka antioxidants found in plant-based foods) developed hyperpigmented spots at the slowest rates.

Translation? Consuming coffee and/or green tea (your choice!) provides you with tons of antioxidants and can help prevent dark spots from developing – a crucial component of getting better-looking skin!

4. Kombucha

Next on our list of drinks that can help increase your skin’s glow factor is kombucha (another type of tea!). Kombucha is a fermented, fizzy black tea that contains bacteria and yeast. That magic of kombucha comes from the fact that it’s fermented.

"The fermentation process amplifies the naturally occurring concentration of probiotics, vitamin C, B vitamins, and antioxidants which protect cells from damage," Dr. Marina Peredo, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, told The Zoe Report.

She added, “Probiotics in skin care work with the skin to promote good bacteria and keep the microbiome in a balanced state…This repairs and strengthens the skin barrier to aid in better natural protection from environmental stressors."

Making kombucha at home is definitely possible, but you’ll need to acquire a SCOBY (which stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast”). You can read about how to make your own kombucha here, or check out your local health food store.

5. Bok Choy Ginger Juice

Last but not least on our list is a green super juice! You can make or buy so many variations of green juice, but we love this combination of bok choy and ginger for its serious skin-glow-inducing benefits. The important thing, though, is finding a recipe that you enjoy.

Bok choy contains high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, and beta-carotene. It’s also a great source of folate, calcium, and vitamin B6.

Note: Bok choy contains high amounts of vitamin K, which helps regulate blood clotting. If you’re on a blood thinner, consult your doctor about the proper amount of vitamin K for your diet.

We love a green juice that includes ginger. Using ginger adds a yummy zing to your tastebuds, while also helping to reduce the signs of aging, flush out toxins, and aid in circulation — all while containing antioxidants that can help reduce scars and provide protection from harmful UV rays.

Try out this recipe from Stephanie Leach’s healthy eating blog for a green juice recipe that’s good for your skin, from the inside out.

• 3 large leaves bok choy
• 2 medium apples
• 1-2” ginger root, depending on preference
• 3-4 large ribs celery, or more

Cut the produce above to fit your juicer and you’re ready to go! Alternatively, you can use your blender to make a smoothie, if you don’t own a juicer.