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There’s no denying that there’s nothing more confidence-boosting than having glowing, healthy, youthful-looking skin.
While we’ve long been provided with a wealth of ways to care for our skin and try and slow the signs of ageing from the outside – think topical creams, serums and cleansers – taking a closer look at what we eat, or don’t eat, could be the new key to seeing the visible differences you desire.
Just as we strive to fuel our bodies with nutritious food rich in vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies as healthy as possible, our skin also needs healthy doses of specific nutrients to help it function and look its best. That’s where beauty supplements come in.
What are beauty supplements?
Containing key skin-enhancing ingredients, ingestibles promote everything from youthful, smooth skin to luscious locks and strong nails.
While topical creams and serums will usually only penetrate as deep as the outer layer of skin – meaning, not that far at all – ingesting essential skin-enhancing nutrients via a supplement can help get to work at a cellular level, giving you a higher chance of seeing visible results.
Sounds like a no-brainer to us.
But with so many different supplements on the market, it’s hard to know what to look for or where to begin – luckily we’re here to help.
While some supplements focus on collagen and others on ingredients such as zinc and biotin, Mānuka Health’s Beauty Enhancer supplement instantly caught our eye, because it combined all of the essential skin-enhancing ingredients into one.
Containing hydrolysed collagen, zinc, vitamin C, biotin, grape seed extract and evening primrose oil, all essential for promoting healthy skin, the Beauty Enhancer supplement, which retails at $65.99 for 120 capsules, even includes the additional benefits of Queen Bee Royal Jelly – an ingredient that has been used for years in Chinese traditional medicine as an ‘age-less’ tonic.
Furthermore, the Beauty Enhancer’s formulation of vital nutrients also works to boost your body’s natural ability to function – an ideal product for not just beauty, but wellness too.
As Mānuka Health’s in-house naturopath Kim Bulder explains, “We are what we eat – it’s a really old adage but it’s so true – so for this formula we looked at key nutrients that we know are essential for skin health and what we also know are quite commonly deficient in a lot of our modern diets.
“It’s providing your body with key nutrients to rebuild the skin from the inside out.”
But what exactly are these key nutrients and how do they work?
Here, we put the seven ingredients of Mānuka Health’s Beauty Enhancer under the microscope to discover the benefits of each, and how they work together to create the ultimate, all-in-one beauty supplement.
Queen Bee Royal Jelly
One of the defining ingredients of Mānuka Health’s Beauty Enhancer is its inclusion of royal jelly, an ingredient that is quite literally food fit for a Queen, as it the exclusive food fed to growing Queen bees. Used for years as an anti-ageing tonic, the secret lies in the skin-enhancing nutrients found within the jelly-like substance.
Found to contain up to eight B vitamins, essential vitamins for your skin’s health and appearance, also rich in antioxidants it is great nutrient support for the skin.
Hydrolysed Collagen
Collagen has been a fixture in the beauty industry for a while now, as an addition to face creams and serums, but we’re now seeing the move towards its consumption for beauty benefits, stirred into smoothies and morning coffees.
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body and while our body produces the protein naturally, as we age we begin to produce less, which is what causes signs of ageing.
Taking collagen can help support and boost your body’s natural production of the protein, which in turn helps to smooth and firm skin, aid in moisture retention and skin elasticity and can fight the signs of premature ageing.
Zinc
Zinc is a powerhouse mineral, vital for our body’s functionality and development. When it comes to our skin, it can help with maintaining skin health and can help your body remove old collagen and create new collagen and works with vitamins to promote smooth, supple skin.
However despite being such a vital mineral to help keep our immune system strong, it’s something that is commonly deficient in modern lifestyles, so along with helping to support healthy skin, you’re also doing your immune system a huge favour.
Vitamin C
Like zinc, vitamin C helps to strengthen your body’s natural defenses.
When it comes to your skin, vitamin C is a key player in helping our body form our skin’s favourite protein – that’s right, collagen – working to boost your body’s natural production.
A powerful antioxidant, vitamin C also helps to reduce free radicals, which are linked to the signs of ageing both internally and externally.
Biotin
Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, has been shown to help strengthen brittle nails and reduce breaking and splitting and is also a key component in the formation of keratin which is essential for maintaining healthy, shiny hair.
Glowing skin, shiny hair and strong nails? Sign us up.
Grape Seed Extract
Grape seed extract is extracted from, as the name suggests, grape seeds, which are rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids which are shown to help stablise collagen and connective tissue integrity, another welcome addition that our skin will love.
Evening Primrose Oil
This oil is made from the seeds of a native North American plant and has been used externally to help calm irritated skin.
When consumed, evening primrose oil can help to calm, soothe and balance the skin, working to help retain moisture and elasticity and restore the complexion.
There’s no denying that what we eat, or don’t eat, has a big impact on the health of our skin, and while healthy food is always the best source of your daily nutrients, in reality it can be difficult to ensure you’re meeting all those optimal amounts each day.
That’s why a multi-nutrient supplement such as Mānuka Health’s Beauty Enhancer not only works as the ultimate all-in-one for all things beauty, but it’s also a fantastic way to ensure you’re getting your daily dose of essential nutrients to help maintain your overall health and wellness.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive all-rounder beauty product that will help reduce signs of ageing, give you a glowing healthy complexion, keep your hair and nails in tip-top shape, all while benefiting your overall wellness, you’ll want to add Mānuka Health’s Beauty Enhancer to your daily beauty routine, stat.
Mānuka Health’s new dietary supplements range is available at Life Pharmacy and Unichem pharmacies and online. Always read the label and use as directed. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional. Mānuka Health NZ Ltd, Auckland.
