8 Best Drinks for Your Youngest-Looking Skin

When it comes to your skin, it’s not about trying to look like you’re 21 if you’re 51. Instead, it’s about trying to look as young as you ought to look, right?

On that note, there’s bad news and great news.

Stated directly, the bad news is that many, perhaps most, people today have skin that looks considerably older than it ought to look due to the “usual suspects” that impact health in other ways— excess exposure to environmental toxins, poor diets, excessive time in the sun, not enough exercise, and so forth.

The great news?

Your skin is incredibly receptive to positive change. Faster than perhaps any other body part, you’ll see results you love when you make healthy shifts for your skin!

And whether you are feeding it to your body via your mouth or your skin, consuming “the right stuff”— and eliminating the wrong stuff— will often result in some of the fastest changes of all.

That’s certainly the case for what you choose to drink, primarily because all the best drinks for your youngest-looking skin have the ultimate drink as their base— water! So, it only makes sense to dive into water first.

Key Water Benefits for Skin

Essential for Hydration

You may have heard the fact that about 60% of the adult human body is made up of water. Well, your skin contains slightly more water than this average with about a 64% water content.

Given the fact that your skin is more than half water, it only makes sense that getting enough H₂O every day is key to keeping your skin hydrated.

Surprisingly, there have been few studies completed on this subject, but some research does confirm that drinking more water can improve both superficial and deep skin hydration. Notably, the biggest impact was seen in those who had a low water intake to start with.

Improves Blood Flow to Your Skin

Good circulation is vital for healthy-, young-looking skin because your blood is responsible for carrying oxygen and valuable nutrients to your skin cells and tissues.

There are many ways you can improve overall circulation, including by exercising every day, but one study found that simply drinking water is another way to boost blood flow to the skin. Interestingly, the researchers also noted that the best improvements were for midlife and older adult participants.

Helps Flush Out Toxins

Your skin may be the outermost part of your body, but it’s still connected to everything inside your body— including toxins that accelerate aging and contribute to numerous skin issues.

Pure water is one of the best drinks for skin glow and health precisely because it helps to get these harmful toxins out of your body efficiently.

Water is involved throughout the whole detoxification process, but it’s especially essential for keeping toxins moving out via your kidneys and digestive tract. In fact, low water intake contributes to a sluggish digestion (not to mention constipation), which keeps toxins trapped inside your body.

May Increase Skin Thickness

It’s common for your skin to get thinner as you age. This is caused by a thinning of skin cells in the epidermis and can be accelerated by excessive sun exposure, toxins, and certain lifestyle factors.

One study found that drinking at least 2 L (about 67 oz.) of water a day may help to combat this age-related change by increasing skin thickness. Once again, researchers discovered that the most significant changes occurred in the skin of participants who had low water intake to begin with.

In other news, several studies indicate that water may also improve skin elasticity, giving it even more anti-aging effects!

Important Note on Water Purity

There’s no doubt that water is outstanding for your skin— but only if it’s pure!

Unfortunately, there are often numerous toxins lurking in drinking water sources, including both tap water and bottled water. You should strongly consider getting your water tested for contaminants and/or check the EWG’s Tap Water Database to see if there is any information for your area.

If there are toxins in your water, consider something like a reverse osmosis counter filter to make sure you are providing your skin (and body) with truly clean, pure water.

7 Other Top Drinks for Younger-Looking Skin

Lemon Water

Lemon water combines the skin-boosting power of H₂O with a good “dose” of vitamin C, which is a top anti-aging nutrient for skin.

If you aren’t familiar with all the benefits of vitamin C for your skin, research shows it can:

• Boost collagen production to fend off wrinkles
• Fade the appearance of hyperpigmentation
• Brighten and soothe skin
• Help protect against UV damage (photodamage)
• Rejuvenate skin cells

The best news is that lemon water is incredibly easy to make. Simply squeeze a wedge of lemon into a glass of water (warm or cold), stir, and drink. For an extra antioxidant boost, grate in a little lemon zest— but only if you have an organic lemon!

Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe vera is one of nature’s most potent plants for your skin. Perhaps you are familiar with it as the “burn plant” due to its ability to help skin heal, but it also has outstanding anti-aging properties for your skin.

To give you a brief overview, studies have found that aloe can increase collagen synthesis, improve the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin elasticity, and boost skin hydration. It also has a protective effect that may help shield your skin from UV damage.

Now, your skin can gain all of these benefits from aloe when you apply it topically AND consume it as a beverage.

When buying aloe vera juice, be sure to look for a USDA Certified Organic option to avoid toxins and synthetic ingredients. The juice should contain at least 99% aloe vera with the other 1% being a natural preservative. To avoid the laxative effects of aloe, get a latex-free version.

Coconut Water

Coconut water is one of the top drinks for skin glow and youthfulness because it’s 94% water with some extra nutrients. Plus, you get a hint of natural coconut flavor and sweetness, which can make a nice chance from “plain” water.

One of the best aspects of coconut water is its decent vitamin C content— a surprise to many people— which is about 5.76 mg per cup. It also contains a variety of essential electrolytes, including potassium and magnesium.

Even better as far as your skin is concerned is the fact that coconut water has antioxidant properties, as demonstrated by several studies. Antioxidants are key to neutralizing free radicals that accelerate skin aging, so this is a huge win for your complexion.

When shopping, make sure you get a product that is 100% coconut water (USDA Organic whenever possible) with no added sugars or artificial ingredients.

Enjoy this beverage as is or use it as the base liquid in smoothies (see the recipes further below).

Green Tea

Green tea could well be considered the ultimate anti-aging beverage. It’s filled to the brim with antioxidants— particularly a super-powerful catechin known as EGCG— that are outstanding for your skin (and your overall health).

As a perfect example, research has shown that green tea can improve skin elasticity and may even delay collagen aging. Lab studies have also found that EGCG can effectively “re-energize” dying skin cells and cause them to start dividing again, which is incredible!

There are many different varieties of green tea, making it easy to add this “super beverage” to your daily routine. (As always, buy organic whenever possible to avoid pesticide residue and other toxins.)

Perhaps the most powerful version of green tea is matcha, a concentrated powder with a sky-high antioxidant content.

Here’s a simple matcha tea recipe that will “feed” your skin all the good stuff:

Ingredients:

• 1-2 teaspoons organic matcha powder
• 2 ounces hot water, plus 3-4 additional ounces hot water
• Honey or maple syrup (optional)

Instructions:

1. Sift the matcha powder into a mug.
2. Heat the water just short of boiling.
3. Pour 2 ounces of hot water over the matcha and whisk the mixture until fully combined.
4. Add the rest of the water slowly, whisking as you go, until you get the strength of flavor you want.
5. Stir in a natural sweetener, like honey or maple syrup, if desired.

Cucumber “Juice”

Cucumbers are surprisingly beneficial for your complexion. They are made up of about 95% water (the ultimate skin-rejuvenating beverage) and contain antioxidants that fight inflammation and free radicals.

In addition, some research has shown that the antioxidants and nutrients in cucumbers may possess anti-wrinkle and anti-aging effects for skin!

You can use cucumber to make a number of hydrating drinks for younger-looking skin. For maximum nutrition, be sure to use the entire (organic) cucumber— especially the peel, which is the most antioxidant-rich part.

To get you started, here’s a nutrient-packed cucumber “juice” recipe with citrus for extra vitamin C and spinach for some skin-boosting vitamin A and minerals. Feel free to place cucumber slices over your eyes while you sip it.

Ingredients:

• Small to medium cucumber
• Handful of fresh spinach leaves
• Wedge of citrus (lemon, lime, orange)
• 1/4-1/2 cup water or coconut water
• Honey or maple syrup (optional)

Instructions:

1. Wash and add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. If using organic citrus, leave the peel on for extra antioxidants and vitamin C.

Smoothies

Smoothies are the perfect way to “feed” your skin nutrient- and antioxidant-rich plant foods. They provide your body with all the fiber found in the whole foods (which fruit/vegetable juices do not) and make it easy for you to up your fruit and veggie intake.

Here are two recipes that are particularly nourishing for your skin.

Tropical Green Smoothie

This simple smoothie combines the vitamin C powerhouses of mango and pineapple with the superfood avocado, which is rich in skin-protective vitamin E and antioxidants.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mango (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup pineapple (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 banana (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 avocado
• Handful of spinach or kale
• 1/4-1/2 cup coconut water (or plain water)

Instructions:

1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Super Orange Smoothie

Oranges bursting with vitamin C are combined with carotenoid-rich carrots and digestion-boosting ginger in this refreshing smoothie. (Carotenoids help protect your skin from UV damage and have anti-aging effects.)

Ingredients:

• 1 large orange (peeled or unpeeled)
• 1 large carrot (washed and chopped)
• 1 medium banana (frozen)
• 1-2″ piece of ginger (peeled)
• 1 tablespoon flax or hemp seeds (optional, adds omega-3s)
• Water or ice

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add water and/or ice as needed to get your desired consistency.

Herbal Tea

Most herbs are filled with antioxidants and other plant compounds that lower inflammation, fight free radical damage, and help cleanse your body of toxins. If you consume them regularly, you are almost guaranteed to have younger-looking skin based on these attributes alone.

However, there are a few specific herbs that have a long history of use for glowing skin and well-researched benefits. You can turn all of them into healthy drinks for your skin simply by adding hot water.

Here are a few of the top choices:

• Rosehips— One of the best known sources of vitamin C in the world. Rosehips have shown an ability to decrease the appearance of wrinkles and improve skin hydration and elasticity. (Note: Vitamin C content will decrease somewhat with the addition of hot water but will still be very good.)
• Chamomile— Known to calm stress, which can contribute to older-looking skin. Chamomile has anti-inflammatory effects on skin and can promote wound healing as well as improve skin hydration.
• Peppermint or Ginger— Both have proven benefits for aiding digestion and protecting the gastrointestinal system, even soothing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Because skin health is directly connected to gut health, enhancing digestion can improve the appearance of your skin.

To make an herbal tea, use 1-3 teaspoons of your chosen herb and steep in hot water for 15-20 minutes. In the case of ginger, you can chop or grate the fresh root and simmer in water for 10-15 minutes.

Feed Your Skin Nature’s Ultimate Youth Botanicals, Too!

As you’ve just seen, you can greatly help your skin to regain its natural youthful appearance and glow simply by adding the right drinks to your daily routine.

However, it’s important that you don’t forget about what you “feed” your skin topically as well!

For truly outstanding skin “nutrition”, look into the Age-Defying Dream Cream from Purity Woods.

This carefully formulated cream is made with nature’s most powerful and effective botanicals that deeply moisturize skin and work to erase signs of aging. You’ll find top vitamin C ingredients— like camu camu, Indian gooseberry, and mango seed butter— as well as soothing aloe vera and chamomile extract.

(No surprise, some of the top skin-boosting drink ingredients are equally powerful when applied to your skin.)

The entire formula is USDA Certified Organic, which means zero toxins or synthetic additives, and cruelty-free.

Learn more about the Age-Defying Dream Cream here, and be sure to routinely supply your skin with the nutrients it needs— both inside and out!