Food for dry skin

A healthy and balanced diet is essential for your skin health. Discover the best foods to restore skin hydration and avoid dry skin.

Certain foods can help the skin protective barrier to better fight against external aggressors and to stay hydrated. Learn which nutrients to add to your daily diet to support your skin in its protective functions.

What are the causes of dry skin?

Dry skin can result from different factors including:

Internal causes like genetics, aging or hormonal changes
Environmental causes like cold weather, dry climate, excessive sun exposure and air conditioning or heating
Lifestyle-related causes like harsh cleansing, over exfoliation, poor hydration and nutrition or stress and lack of sleep
Medication-induced causes because of certain medications like diuretics, retinoids, chemotherapy drugs

Nutritional deficiencies can sometimes be responsible for dry skin. It comes from the lack of essential vitamins and nutrients that support skin barrier health and hydration.

There are specific vitamins for dry skin like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B3, vitamin B7 and omega-3 fatty acids which can help improve dry skin symptoms.

What is the best food for dry skin?

Certain foods can assist in protecting and moisturizing the skin. They can easily be added in your skincare routine for dry skin.

Animal-based food

Animal-based food is a good source of different nutrients which are essential for your skin health.

Beef liver

Beef liver contains vitamin A which is an essential nutrient for cell growth. It is recommended not to overconsume vitamin A as it can result in toxicity. Limit your consumption to a couple of times a week.

Oysters

Oysters contain zinc which is an essential nutrient for skin health. It helps repair and maintain the skin and protects against UV damage. It works as an antioxidant for the skin. Most experts recommend eating no more than a dozen oysters a day.

Yellowfin Tuna

Yellowfin tuna is a good source of selenium which protects the skin from UV damage and helps in the treatment of psoriasis. You should eat 2 servings of oily fish per week.

Eggs

Eggs contain vitamin B7 which can significantly enhance skin moisture and reduce extreme skin dryness. They are usually used for face masks and can be combined with honey or olive oil. Do not overuse eggs in your skincare routine to prevent excess nutrients from causing irritation or sensitivity. Two or three times a week is enough to benefit from egg’s benefits.

Vegetal-based food

Vegetal-based food contains essential nutrients for dry skin.

Tempeh (fermented soybean)

Tempeh is rich in biotin, and it is considered to be the one of the best skin allies. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, it reduces inflammation and boost skin heath. Tempeh can be added to your everyday diet.

Vegetables & legumes

Vegetables are another good source of various vitamins for dry skin.

Sweet Potato

Sweet potato contains provitamin A known for its benefits to protect the body from free radicals and to slow down the aging process. You can eat sweet potato raw and cooked, but it is important to properly clean the outer skin to remove dirt and other residue.

Sweet red pepper

Sweet red pepper is a good source of vitamin C which may be useful in preventing dry skin as it strengthens skin barrier protection. Vitamin C also increases collagen production leading to the reduction of wrinkles. Sweet red peppers are a nutritious and easy addition to any meal.

Carrots

Carrots and orange-colored fruits in general contain high levels of beta-carotene which work as a precursor of vitamin A. It is very effective in the prevention of dry skin and aging process.

Spinach

Just like orange-colored fruits, spinach contains vitamin A, and it is part of the good food diet for dry skin.

Fruits

In addition to vegetables, fruits are known for their benefits on your health.

Kiwifruit

Kiwifruit contains vitamin C which is essential for your skin. A lack of vitamin C can lead to joint pain, a decrease in wound healing or even bleeding and bruising.

Avocado

Avocado contains vitamin E, and it is considered a healthy fat. Thanks to its different vitamins and minerals, it helps speed skin repair and improve skin conditions like eczema and acne. As eggs, avocados can simply be added right on your skin as a face mask.

Seeds & nuts

Seeds and nuts also play their part in helping fight dry skin.

Sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds contain vitamin E which works as a great antioxidant for dry skin.

Almonds

Almonds also contain vitamin E and can be added either in your skincare product or in your diet.

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc which has several benefits like moisturizing the skin and boosting wound healing process.

Plant-based milks

Plant-based milks are a great substitute for dairy products and contain essential nutrients.

Soy, almond and oat milk

Soy, almond and oat milk contain vitamin D which helps the skin keep moisture and hydration.

Vegetal oils

Vegetal oil can also be considered as a good source of nutrients for dry skin.

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil contains vitamin E like sunflower seeds and benefits from antioxidant properties.

Almond oil

Same with almond oil which contains vitamin E and can easily be added in all your recipes or in your skincare products.

Green tea

Green tea contains a variety of vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin B2, vitamin E and vitamin B9. These vitamins benefit your skin in many ways like reducing oxidative stress and increasing collagen and elastin production.

Basil

Basil contains biotin which can reduce inflammation like tempeh.

Food to avoid or limit if you have dry skin

Adopting a healthy diet with key foods is a great starting point to take care of your skin. On the contrary, adding high fat foods, alcohol, and others sugary foods has a negative impact on skin health. Avoiding this type of food will help you reduce inflammation and protect your skin.

The PubMed Central explains that “high-fat diets (HFDs) have been shown to alter the composition of the gut microbiota and increase systemic inflammation, which can manifest in the skin as inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. The increased levels of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines contribute to skin barrier dysfunction and exacerbate inflammatory skin diseases.”

A balanced diet is precious for healthy skin, remember to adopt certain foods in your daily routine to take good care of your skin.