Step into any grocery store, department store, or pharmacy and you'll quickly be reminded that the personal care industry is big business.
Entire aisles are devoted to lotions, creams, shampoos, conditioners, gels, sprays, cleansers, toners, scrubs, and countless other products.
Manufacturers know people are willing to spend substantial amounts of money—and try almost anything—to look their best. I sometimes joke that a personal care company could bottle used motor oil, market it as a moisturizer, and people would buy it with the right advertising!
Now, there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to look your best. Feeling attractive can boost confidence, improve self-esteem, and even lift your mood.
What many people don't realize (and what many personal care companies hope stays that way) is that the real key to glowing skin, healthy nails, and shiny, silky hair comes from within.
Topical products certainly have their place, but lasting skin and hair health begins with taking care of your body from the inside out.
Let's start with a few...
Fun Skin and Hair Facts
Your Skin
Your skin accounts for approximately 7% of your total body weight and ranges in thickness from about 4/100ths to 16/100ths of an inch.
If you could somehow "slip out" of your skin and lay it flat, it would cover roughly 21 square feet—about the size of a twin mattress!
Although it's thin, your skin is made up of three distinct layers.
The Epidermis
This is your body's outer protective shield. Your fingernails are actually part of the epidermis, so healthy skin also means healthy nails.
The Dermis
This middle layer is where new skin cells are produced before moving upward to the epidermis. It also houses your sweat glands and oil glands.
The boundaries between the epidermis and dermis aren't always smooth. On your fingertips they're filled with tiny ridges and bumps—which is exactly how your fingerprints are formed.
The Subcutaneous Layer
This deepest layer anchors your skin to underlying tissues and bones and is also where your fat cells are located.
Your Hair
The average adult has approximately 100,000 hairs on their scalp, and each individual hair lives for about four years before naturally falling out.
Hair roots extend into the dermis, while the follicles themselves begin in the epidermis.
The visible portion of each strand is called the shaft, and its shape determines your hair type.
- Round shafts produce straight hair.
- Oval shafts produce wavy hair.
- Flat, ribbon-like shafts produce tightly curled hair.
Hair color comes from specialized cells called melanocytes, located at the base of each follicle. These cells produce varying combinations of yellow, red, brown, and black pigments.
Unfortunately, as we age, melanocytes gradually die off—which is why our hair eventually turns gray, white, or salt-and-pepper.
How to Help Your Skin and Hair Shine From Within
Nourish Your Skin and Hair
A diet built around nutritious, real foods is essential.
As they used to say in the computer industry: "Garbage in, garbage out." If you consistently fuel your body with junk food, eventually it will show on the outside.
Focus on foods such as:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Meat, poultry, and fish
- Full-fat dairy
- Eggs
- Real butter
- Avocados
- Coconut oil
At the same time, limit or avoid:
- Seed and vegetable oils
- Refined grains
- Ultra-processed foods
While every nutrient plays an important role, several deserve special attention for healthy skin and hair:
- Biotin
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Zinc
If you're looking for an easy way to help cover those nutritional bases, Super Core provides all of these nutrients, along with antioxidants to help combat free radical damage and anti-inflammatory ingredients that support healthy skin.
Get Enough Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids
Healthy cell membranes depend on adequate omega-3 fats—and that includes the cells in your skin and hair.
In addition to eating more fatty fish, such as wild salmon, VitalMega-3 helps provide 1,200 mg of pharmaceutical-grade omega-3 fatty acids in a daily two-capsule serving.
Besides supporting healthy skin and hair, omega-3s may also help support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol already within normal ranges.
Stay Hydrated
Water naturally moisturizes your body, transports nutrients to your skin and hair, and helps remove waste products.
Rather than worrying about a specific number of glasses each day, make filtered water your beverage of choice and drink it freely throughout the day.
For extra flavor and added health benefits, try adding a wedge of fresh lemon or lime.
A simple way to gauge your hydration is by looking at your urine. Aside from first thing in the morning, it should generally be very light yellow and nearly clear. Dark yellow urine is often a sign you need to drink more water.
Get Your Thyroid Checked
Dry skin, hair loss, and brittle nails can all be signs of hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid).
If you suspect thyroid problems, talk with your healthcare provider.
Ask about a TRH Stimulation (TRH Challenge) Test. While the standard TSH test is commonly used, additional thyroid testing may identify cases that TSH alone can miss.
You may also wish to discuss a complete thyroid evaluation that includes:
- Free T4 and Free T3
- Total T4 and Total T3
- Thyroid antibody testing
- Reverse T3
Quit Smoking
This one is simple.
If you smoke—quit.
Few habits damage your skin, hair, and overall health faster or accelerate visible aging more dramatically.
Fortunately, there are many smoking cessation programs and resources available to help you succeed.
Choose Quality Topical Products
While healthy skin starts on the inside, choosing quality products for the outside matters too.
Look for skin and hair care products made with natural, organic ingredients whenever possible and avoid unnecessary harsh chemicals.
One company I personally recommend is Absolutely Natural, a family-owned business right here in my hometown of Melbourne, Florida.
They offer outstanding skin and hair care products, mineral-based sunscreens, deodorants, baby care products, and more in a variety of wonderful scents.
I originally discovered them while shopping for a gift for a friend—and I'm certainly glad I did.
Healthy skin and beautiful hair don't come from a bottle alone.
Taking care of your body through good nutrition, proper hydration, healthy lifestyle habits, and quality personal care products allows your skin and hair to reflect what's happening on the inside.
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the difference.
To your health,
Sherry Brescia
