Your Summer Glow-Up: Our Top Skin Secrets and the Best Antioxidants

Summer is nearly here, but what a spring we’ve had! Doesn’t it just lift your spirits having longer days, warmer weather, and more time outside than in?

Even though it’s only spring, the sun has already been surprisingly strong, so we wanted to share how your skin and body react to UV exposure, and how you can support yourself from the inside out for the best protection while still beaming with a summer glow.

What Is Pigmentation, and How Does Sun Damage Cause It?

There’s no secret that the sun can be taxing on the skin, especially when it comes to pigmentation. You know those dark patches that pop up after a sunny holiday or a long afternoon in the garden? Yep, that’s pigmentation at work.

But what is pigmentation? In simple terms, pigmentation refers to the colouring of your skin, controlled by a natural pigment called melanin. When your skin is exposed to UV rays, it produces more melanin as a defence mechanism, which is why you tan. Isn’t that so interesting, that your tan is actually your body protecting you?

But this is where it can get tricky, as sometimes the melanin response goes a little overboard, leading to uneven patches, dark spots, or what’s often called “sun spots” or hyperpigmentation.

This can be triggered by:

✔ Too much sun exposure.
✔ Hormonal shifts (like pregnancy or birth control).
✔ Past skin injuries or breakouts (post-inflammatory pigmentation).

Luckily, there’s a lot you can do for pigmentation nowadays, like combining topical care with natural remedies like antioxidant rich foods and supplements. But it does involve an inside outside kinda approach, to help fully strengthen the skin.

Why Food and Supplements Don’t Replace Sunscreen:

Before we start talking about all the amazing foods and nutrients that support skin health, we want to be really clear that no amount of antioxidants or supplements replaces a good SPF. They just work perfectly together. 

Sunscreen creates a physical barrier that blocks or absorbs harmful UV rays. But, the quality of SPF really matters, too, as many contain quite nasty chemicals, 

So, when looking for a sunscreen, here are a few tips:

• Look for mineral sunscreens with non-nano zinc oxide which sit on the skin’s surface and reflect UV rays, without being absorbed into the body. Nano-sized particles are so tiny they may penetrate deeper, and while research is ongoing, many experts recommend non-nano, especially on children or sensitive skin.
  

• If using chemical sunscreens be mindful of:
  – Oxybenzone and octinoxate (linked to coral reef damage and potential hormone disruption).
  – Synthetic fragrance (can irritate skin, especially in heat).
  – Make sure it’s labeled “broad spectrum” to cover both UVA (ageing) and UVB (burning) rays.

So, if you’re wondering how to protect your skin from the sun naturally, sunscreen plus antioxidants from food and supplements is your best defence.

How to Protect Your Skin from the Sun Naturally:

There are so many foods and supplements that can support your skin’s resilience, and help your skin bounce back faster, reduce oxidative stress, and keep you glowing through the summer.

Here are our top supplements and why we love them:

Advanced Beauty Complex with Collagen:

A nourishing, antioxidant rich complex that’s great all year round, but especially in summer, when your skin faces extra stress. Here are some of the hero ingredients: 

• Astaxanthin: Known as an “internal sunscreen,” this is one of the most powerful antioxidants for skin. It helps protect skin cells from UV damage and oxidative stress, meaning less redness and more even tone. Astaxanthin can also help to increase collagen levels by protecting it from breakdown and is clinically-proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

• Vollagen: A vegan, patented collagen alternative with a DNA profile identical to human collagen, so your body knows exactly what to do with it and how to use it for smoothness and elasticity. VOLLAGEN® also provides the building blocks for ALL 28 human collagen types (Type I, Type III, Type III, etc).

• Trans-Resveratrol: The ‘red wine’ antioxidant, that protects against environmental stress and supports youthful skin. It’s particularly great for mature or stressed skin.

• Beta Carotene & Vitamin A: Classic skin protecting antioxidants that help defend against sun induced damage and support healthy cell turnover. Beta carotene is actually what gives carrots and sweet potatoes their orange colour, and when you eat it, your body can convert it to vitamin A as needed.

• Grape Seed Extract: A potent polyphenol that strengthens capillaries, reduces redness, and helps protect skin’s collagen matrix. Also fantastic for calming skin prone to eczema, due to the anti-fungal and anti-bacterial benefits.

YourGut Glow:

An award winning blend of skin loving nutrients paired with an advanced probiotics and prebiotics blend. In fact, the entire range of YourGut has won the top nutrition and beauty industry awards, so you know you’re in good hands.

Here’s why we love it for summer:

• Hyaluronic Acid: Holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water, keeping skin plump and hydrated, which is especially important when you’re out in the sun or enjoying a summer cocktail.

• Pine Bark: A lesser known antioxidant, but incredibly powerful for skin health. It’s brilliant for pigmentation, hydration, improving circulation of the skin, and it even helps to recycle vitamin C in the body - a big win for the skin! In fact, combining the two is one of the most powerful duos for reducing pigmentation. 

• Butterfly Pea Flower Powder: Not just a pretty name, this bright blue flower is rich in anthocyanins, helping brighten and strengthen the skin.

• Probiotics: As we may well know, the gut reflects what is happening in the skin. So, calmer gut = calmer skin. Probiotics help support the gut skin axis, which can reduce breakouts and inflammation, even when your skin’s under sun stress.

• Haskap Berry Powder: A little known super berry that is rich in antioxidants, and vitamin C, helping protect skin from free radicals and supporting collagen health. 

• MSM: A powerful anti-inflammatory that supports the skin’s structural proteins, helping keep your complexion smooth and resilient, especially when facing summer heat or environmental stress.

Omega 3:

We had to include omega 3s, as they are one of the greatest anti-inflammatories that help to calm reactive skin, boost hydration, and strengthen the skin barrier against environmental stressors like heat and UV. Plus, they help nutrients get where they’re needed, making your overall health and skin better.

Definitely one for the summer months, but really, we recommend you take it all year round!

Our favourite hand’s down is the world’s purest omega 3 supplement, Pure and Wild, or Vegan Omega as a vegan alternative.

The Power of Antioxidants: Your Skin’s Internal Shield:

When your skin is exposed to UV rays, it produces free radicals, which can damage skin cells, break down collagen, and trigger more pigmentation. The antioxidants then help to neutralise those free radicals before they cause harm, supporting skin repair and resilience.

Alongside your supplements, here’s how to naturally pack your diet with skin-protective goodness:

1. Omega 3's & Healthy Fats:

Alongside your omega 3 supplement, focus on other omega rich foods, such as wild caught oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), flaxseed, chia, hemp seeds and extra virgin olive oil.

2. Vitamin C:

Colourful fruits and veggies (kiwis, berries, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, cherries, lemons) for vitamin C. We also love to start the day with hot water (or cool water) and lemon for a good vitamin C boost upon awakening. 

3. Vitamin E:

Vitamin E is another potent antioxidant that helps to hydrate and smooth skin. Snack on nuts and seeds to increase vitamin E through the diet.

4. Antioxidant Rich Greens:

Leafy greens like spinach and kale are rich in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. They may be lesser known but powerful UV-protective antioxidants

5. Antioxidant Teas:

Sip on green tea or hibiscus tea, both which are antioxidant rich and can help cool the body internally, supporting skin from the inside out.

6. Hydrate:

And of course, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Even mild dehydration can leave skin looking dull or stressed 

Build Resilience, Don’t Stress About Perfection:

Glowing summer skin is an all year round effort. Whether you’re dealing with pigmentation, acne, or eczema, please remember that it’s not about perfection. It’s more about adding in small habits that build your skin’s natural resilience over time.

The supplements we’ve recommended are designed to take all year round, not just for summer. They don’t just offer skin benefits but also hormonal balance, gut health, and detoxification. So, while this post focuses on summer, the real magic comes from looking after your skin all year, so you’re glowing before summer even arrives.

We know skin can make or break your confidence (trust us, we’ve been there). So, wear your SPF, hydrate, nourish your body from within, and your skin will thank you, not just this summer, but all year long.