Edible Beauty Products That Are Good for You, Inside and Out
It's safe to say we have all opened a new face mask or lotion and with one whiff, thought to yourself: “That smells so good I could eat it!”
But, despite the urge to scoop a dollop into our mouths like chocolate frosting off a cake, we refrain, knowing that what gets smoothed all over our skin isn’t meant to go any further.
While we take great care about what we put into our bodies—swapping out conventional produce for organic, or opting for natural foods instead of processed—when it comes to our skincare, that same thought process isn’t always used.
Recently, however, consumers are becoming savvier about what they put on their bodies, recognizing that the link between inside and out is more than skin deep. And companies are taking note, developing vegan and cruelty-free edible beauty products that are good for your skin and body—and some that will even make your tastebuds happy!
WHY THE EDIBLE BEAUTY SHIFT
Although edible beauty sounds like a novel trend, the concept is actually older than you might expect. We can all think back to a time when we experimented with mashed avocado to hydrate patches of dry, scaly skin, or slathered on ground-up oats and baking soda or pumpkin to bring out a youthful glow. While green-faced avocado monsters sound like something out of a Halloween movie, we were actually onto something, even if we didn’t know it then.
A more holistic approach to health and beauty products has been gaining momentum in response to growing consumer awareness over the potentially harmful effects of what’s in our beauty lotions and potions. According to a consumer survey from Statista, nearly 70% of respondents aged 18 to 29 said they would prefer natural and organic skincare products, while 60% of those aged 30 to 59 expressed this preference.
These findings are reflected in market analyses: the global market for organic and natural beauty is expected to continue to grow to $32.3 US billion by 2027 from the estimated $18.5 US billion in 2020.
It’s hard to scan any beauty aisle and not see products touting their naturally derived ingredients, or that they’re paraben- and phthalate-free—but these claims can be misleading since products can contain other unhealthy ingredients. If you’re thinking, “But it’s just going on my skin, not in it,” think again.
Our skin absorbs more than 60% of what we put on it, with some ingredients having the ability to make it into our bloodstream. What’s even more bananas is that the safety of skincare products doesn’t need to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—and products aren't even reviewed unless they have been shown to pose a health risk, meaning someone has already gotten sick.
If that wasn’t enough to make you think twice about what’s going on your skin, a Harvard University study raised the alarm on the potential exposure risks that our everyday products can pose, pointing out that some ingredients, like parabens, are classified as endocrine disrupters and have the potential to cause cancer, birth defects, and developmental disorders.
Clearly, it’s more important than ever to take a second look before soaking your skin in the latest age-defying face mask or miracle cream. At Kinder Beauty, we guarantee the products in our boxes and our marketplace are free from the most common toxins—and we love to see the edible beauty product movement flourish!
WHAT ARE EDIBLE BEAUTY PRODUCTS?
Given the growing concern over what is going on peoples’ skin, it’s no surprise that beauty companies have gone back to the basics to concoct products that are pure enough to eat in order to promote a more holistic approach to your beauty regimen. Harmful chemicals like parabens, sulfates, aluminum, and phthalates, along with a whole host of others that no one can pronounce, are being swapped out for active botanicals, natural oils, clays, mushrooms, and more.
Instead of slathering on a chemical peel to fight the effects of aging, companies are harnessing the powers of ingredients like Kakadu plum for its high levels of vitamin C to lighten and even out skin tone; pomegranate extract to support the loss of moisture and strengthen cells against oxidative damage; and apple extracts for the natural alpha-hydroxy acids that smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
When it comes time to detoxify, products can make use of super nutrients found in spirulina and chlorella to heal troubled skin. But, you can also eat these algae to reap major health benefits and detox from the inside out! Chlorella is an antioxidant all-star, packed with magnesium, B vitamins, iron, Omega 3’s, and zinc to help support a healthy immune system.
Many well-known brands have jumped on the edible beauty bandwagon by offering selected products that are good for your skin and beyond. Cocokind has developed products designed to harness the detoxifying powers of plants, while Four Sigmatic uses mushrooms to provide immune-enhancing effects.
Other brands, like Edible Beauty Australia, put food first by creating fully edible beauty lineups meant to limit chemical exposure for both people and the environment. Owner and founder Anna Mitsios started the company while working as a naturopath in a natural fertility clinic where she realized, in trying to make recommendations to her patients, that there was a large gap in the market for products that are clean and safe.
Edible Beauty’s business model takes a holistic approach that prioritizes “your inner wellness and outer glow at the same time.”
If a more holistic approach to beauty is something you’re interested in adding to your skincare routine, be sure to check out these three companies and their edible beauty options.
WHERE TO FIND EDIBLE BEAUTY PRODUCTS THAT ARE GOOD FOR YOU INSIDE AND OUT
Edible Beauty Australia
Available online and through Sephora and Amazon
Every vegan and cruelty-free product from Edible Beauty is crafted without any parabens, sulfates, phthalates, artificial preservatives, propylene glycol, petrochemicals, EDTA, or aluminum. With the promise of being “so pure, you could eat them,” these products are formulated with active botanicals like cocoa butter, revered for their moisturizing properties which also have the ability to enhance skin elasticity and firmness. Wattleseed extract also makes an appearance, known for its ability to cleanse and refine pores.
Edible Beauty’s list of bestselling must-have beauty products includes an Exotic Goddess Ageless Serum to help you achieve a youthful glow, Belle Frais Cleansing Milk to purify and cleanse the skin of oils and makeup without leaving skin feeling unbalanced, and plant-powered collagen powder to improve your skin from within!
If you want to take a targeted approach to your own unique skin needs, start with the skin quiz to get a perfectly curated beauty regime.
Cocokind
Available online and in select retailers
Cocokind is a big believer that “skin health starts from the inside out.” No matter how many detoxifying masks you drape over your face or cucumber slices you lay over your eyes, if you don’t treat your skin holistically, you’re never going to maximize your glow potential!
With that ethos in mind, Cocokind has developed multiple products that are great for your skin and are so edible that you can take a sip or two for maximum health benefits.
The inflammation-fighting chlorophyll face mask is made out of a few simple ingredients: spirulina, chlorella, and wheatgrass powders come together to purify and smooth aggravated skin. But the benefits don’t end there.
After you’ve whipped up a quick face mask with a little water, consider swapping your morning coffee for Cocokind’s chlorophyll matcha latte. The recipe calls for 1-2 scoops of the face mask whipped up with non-dairy milk and matcha powder to kick start your day and combat internal inflammation.
Cocokind’s second edible beauty product is a rosewater facial toner that utilizes fresh rose petals and radish root to balance your skin’s pH, fight inflammation, and hydrate. You can take those same benefits internally by mixing up a rosewater lemonade with just 2 tablespoons of the rosewater toner, along with agave, lemon, and water for a delicious and refreshing treat!
Four Sigmatic
Available online
It’s no secret that mushrooms are a nutritional superfood star. The powers of fungi include supporting immune health, boosting energy and mood, regulating blood sugar, and so much more. Nowadays, you can find many food products that have been mushroom-enhanced, including coffee, snacks, and wellness elixirs. But can they really be used in beauty products?
If you thought mushrooms were just for your internal health, think again. Four Sigmatic has been a leader in creating superfood products for all that ails you and has also added beauty to that lineup with the addition of the Superfood face mask, serum, and body butter.
Abiding by the company’s guiding principles of creating nutrient-dense products to support health and wellbeing, this Superfood skincare routine contains mushroom all-stars like organic reishi and Chaga as well as mango seed butter, organic avocado, charcoal, and organic coconut to help you bring your inner glow out.
And if you’re thinking, “Well all that sounds good enough to eat,” you’d be right! The Superfood mask, containing charcoal to help clear up skin congestion when applied to your face, can also be mixed up with a little coconut milk for a delicious and creamy treat! The charcoal in the mask binds with bacteria and impurities internally while the mushrooms go to work with their adaptogen benefits.
And you’ll probably be tempted to taste given that the mask smells like brownie batter! Go ahead and enjoy these yummy benefits with abandon.
Rebecca Gade Sawicki is the creator of the vegan travel blog, Veggies Abroad and is based in Detroit.
***
Sign up for Kinder Beauty today.
***
Restore Your Self-Care Routine with KND
