Spinach, spirulina, pomegranate, goji berries, flaxseeds, chia seeds. The ingredients on some new skin care launches sound more like the recipe for a smoothie or acai bowl than a beauty product. The food industry has long touted the benefits of superfoods and now the beauty industry is getting involved by harnessing the power of healthy food ingredients to produce some incredible skin care products.
Skeptics might be tempted to write this off as another example of brands capitalizing on the wellness movement, but it has a solid scientific foundation. The premise of eating a lot of superfoods is that they nourish the body from the inside out, lowering the risk of chronic disease while giving us glowing skin and healthier hair and nails. Superfood-packed skin care products essentially reverse the process as the ingredients are being applied topically and sinking into skin to work their magic.
Similar to organic and natural beauty products, most superfood-infused skin care focuses on using effective, natural ingredients as opposed to irritating nasties. And with names that sound like a green juice concoction you found on Pinterest or a healthy brew from your local tea room, these products sound positively good enough to eat. (Reminder: they’re not.)
Find out how superfoods can supercharge your skin care regimen with some of our favorite products in the gallery above.
[ Next: 12 (Delicious) Superfoods That Help Fight Sun Damage ]
15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #1
PLANT Apothecary MATCHA Antioxidant Face Mask, $24 at PLANT Apothecary
Matcha, a potent antioxidant, is the hero ingredient of this purifying powder mask. Mix a teaspoon with a few drops of water until it forms a paste, then apply it to the face to fight free radicals and soothe stressed skin.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #2
Elemis Superfood Facial Oil, $55 at Elemis
Elemis didn't just slap a "superfood" label on this oil. The nourishing product is worthy of its name thanks to the mix of flaxseed, broccoli, cucumber, daikon radish and macadamia. Apply a few drops of the omega-rich oil for a healthy glow minus any stickiness.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #3
First Aid Beauty Hello FAB Triple Protection Skin Tint SPF 30, $34 at First Aid Beauty
This natural-looking skin tint helps even out complexions, while superfood ingredients like goji berries and a microalgae help condition skin and protect against harsh elements.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #4
Origins By All Greens Foaming Deep Cleansing Mask With Green Tea, Spirulina and Spinach, $36 at Origins
There are as many greens packed into this versatile product as there are in a green goddess smoothie. It mixes spinach, spirulina and green tea with coconut and kaolin clay to cleanse skin. Its self-activating foaming formula can be used as a gentle cleanser or a mask for a deeper treatment.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #5
Pacifica Quinoa Sensitive Face Wash, $10 at Ulta
Oats are in a number of skin care products thanks to their soothing abilities, but quinoa is the hero ingredient in this gentle cleanser. It's combined with soothing herb extracts and aloe to wash away dirt, makeup and oil without stripping skin.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #6
Peter Thomas Roth Camu Camu Power C x 30 Vitamin C Brightening Sleeping Mask, $62 at Sephora
Healthistas in the know have been raving about camu camu, a Brazilian fruit that has anti-inflammatory benefits and 30 times the vitamin C of an orange. Peter Thomas Roth is taking advantage of this by creating a camu camu mask that brightens skin. Apply the sleeping mask before bed and wake up to a glowing complexion.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #7
Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam, $11 at Ulta
Fun fact: Skinfood is a Korean skin care line dedicated to utilizing the nutritive benefits of food in beauty products. This pore foam's star ingredient is one of the original superfoods, the humble egg. Apply the frothy product in circular motions and the protein-packed egg whites will make pores look smaller, wash away impurities and manage oil production.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #8
E.L.F. Cosmetics Hydrating Gel Mask, $12 at E.L.F. Cosmetics
E.L.F.'s budget-friendly makeup range gets a lot of praise, but the skin care line is equally as brilliant. Case in point: This gel mask is packed with aloe, coconut and chia seeds. Apply the cooling formula to face and neck and watch skin go from parched to radiant in 15 minutes.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #9
The Body Shop Pomegranate Firming Serum, $18.50 at The Body Shop
Pomegranate is prized for its scent and for making a great addition to sweet and savory dishes. It's also a fantastic skin care ingredient because it's rich in antioxidants. This firming serum makes full use of pomegranate oil. The anti-aging formula plumps skin and diminishes the appearance of lines.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #10
Odacité Ac+R Youthful Glow Serum Concentrate (Acai + Rose), $55 at Space.NK
As much as we love smoothie bowls, it's time to start thinking about acai in other places. This serum is a good place to start. The cold-pressed berries have been mixed with soothing rose to create a glow-boosting concentrate that will make you forget about highlighter.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #11
Sephora Collection Eye Mask - Avocado, $5 at Sephora
Everyone and their mama knows that avocados are great on toast, but they're also a superfood skin care ingredient. The fruit's (yes, fruit!) high fat content provides nourishment for dry eye areas.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #12
Nerium IllumaBoost Brightening & Shield, $80 at Nerium
When people aren't waxing poetic about matcha lattes, they're encouraging us to make our own kombucha. Even those who haven't yet acquired the taste for the fermented tea will still enjoy this illuminating booster. It combines green tea with a kombucha ferment and fruit juices to help fade discoloration. Don't fear, it doesn't smell like vinegar.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #13
Captain Blankenship Mermaid Detox Face Mask, $30 at Captain Blankenship
Mermaids are clearly in the know about superfoods because this detoxifying mask is packed with them. Organic spirulina, matcha, Atlantic bladderwrack and kelp mix with French green clay to create a mask that purifies pores and manages excess oil.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #14
Kiehl's Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque, $32 at Kiehl's
Skin looking dull? Apply some of this cranberry and turmeric mask. The superfoods gently exfoliate dead skin cells while upping radiance. Unlike a failed DIY turmeric face mask, this one won't turn skin orange.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #15
Youth To The People Kale + Spinach Green Tea Hyaluronic Acid Age Prevention Moisture Cream, $48 at Youth To The People
Kale? Check. Spinach? Check. Green tea? Check. It may sound like a healthy grocery list, but they're actually some of the ingredients found in this nourishing cream. The formula relies on leafy greens to fight free radicals and environmental stresses as opposed to harsh chemicals. The product is also free of sulfates, soap, phthalates, fragrance and added color.
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15 Superfood-Packed Skin Care Products #16
Yes To Blueberries Intensive Skin Repair Serum, $9.95 at Amazon
This 99 percent natural serum contains anti-oxidant rich blueberries and black currant, which are rich in essential fatty acids to help nourish and soothe skin. Add to that organic cotton thistle to help repair age-damaged skin and you've got one potent skin-loving serum that just happens to smell like blueberries.
