With beauty clinics closed for the foreseeable future amid the coronavirus pandemic, a skin expert has revealed the best beauty food and ingredients lurking in your kitchen.
While many are seeing the lockdown as an opportunity to give their skin some downtime, Lorena Oberg, who is a leading Skin Repair Expert at Harley Street Clinic in London, has unveiled a number of everyday ingredients that can help preserve the skin naturally.
‘The best part is all you have to do is add these to your next shopping list or have a rummage in your kitchen cupboards or fridge,’ she explained.
Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, the expert has revealed the easy and cut-price alternatives to fancy creams and serums – including turmeric for pigmentation problems, discolouration, acne, age spots and sallow skin, and dark chocolate to help re-generate the skin.
Lorena Oberg, who works at Harley Street Clinic in London, has revealed the best beauty ingredients hiding in your kitchen during lockdown. Pictured, stock image
SPICE UP
‘One of the most powerful and proven anti-ageing ingredients is probably lurking in the back of your kitchen cupboard.’
‘Owing its bright colour to the bioactive compound, curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and anti-cancer properties, turmeric is an amazing spice to apply topically to the face to prevent pigmentation problems, discolouration, acne, age spots and sallow skin.’
‘Working instantaneously, turmeric applied topically on the skin imparts a radiant glow and leaves skin feeling soft and smooth to the touch – not bad from a £1 packet of spice!
Lorena Oberg (pictured) is a leading Skin Repair Expert at Harley Street Clinic in London
‘Although there have been no known side effects of using turmeric on the face, it can leave a slight yellowish residue and sensitive skin types should perform a small skin patch test first.’
EAT ORANGE
‘Collagen drinks created a storm a few years ago and they are still dominating the beauty market, with many brands purporting to reduce fine lines and restore volume and elasticity.
‘While there is evidence to prove that drinking these drinks can help with the appearance of your skin, they can be costly to purchase.’
‘But did you know that you can eat your way to luminous skin with food found at your local supermarket?
‘Orange produce, like carrots and sweet potatoes, are loaded with vitamin A, which restores collagen that’s been damaged.
‘Omega-3-rich fish like mackerel, salmon, and tuna along with grass-fed meat (which is also high in omega-3) protect the fatty membrane around skin cells.
‘So, add these super collagen-boosting foods onto your shopping list and spend less to get brighter, fresher looking skin.’
EAT CHOCOLATE TO RE-GENERATE YOUR SKIN
‘Resveratrol is a particularly potent antioxidant that neutralises free radical damage.’
‘The way it banishes wrinkles and enhances firmness is similar to the regenerating process that allows grape vines to live for a century.
‘Resveratrol is found in many expensive serums as it is dubbed the new superhero for your skin.’
‘It is great for brightening up tired skin and giving your skin a dewy appearance. It can also do wonders for reducing redness.
‘You can find resveratrol naturally occurring in pistachios, peanuts, fruits, cranberries, blueberries and cacao beans.
‘Yes, you heard right. Eating chocolate is actually good for your skin but only nibble on quality dark chocolate with 70% or higher total cocoa content.’
The expert claimed that nibbling quality dark chocolate with 70% or higher total cocoa content can help re-generate your skin.’ Pictured, stock image
REDUCE BROWN SPOTS WITH MELON AND GREEN TEA
‘You many have noticed some browns spots appearing or becoming more prominent on your skin such as the back of your hands whilst sunbathing in lockdown.
‘Age spots are the small brown patches – known technically as hyperpigmentation – bought on by long-term exposure to the sun and ultraviolet light, causing an over-production of melanin which clumps together forming noticeable spots.’
‘Age spots apparently bother Brits more that anything else but guess what? You can demise their appearance with these easy steps:’
‘Enhance your diet and eat the right foods that help treat your skin from within.
Foods loaded with age-fighting antioxidants, vitamin C and E are a must. Melons, for instance, are loaded with antioxidants and can boost your SPF.
Green tea can also protect your skin as it contains active antioxidant compounds that make your skin resistant to premature skin ageing.
Alternatively, if you already have age spots there are a number of natural home remedies that you can use to diminish them.
‘Raw fruits such as pineapple contain essential enzymes – take a fresh pineapple chunk (not canned) and gently dab it into your age spot – do this once daily for a few months and watch it disappear.
‘Fresh lemon juice, due to its citric acid properties, acts as a natural bleaching agent that will help treat the appearance of age spots.