Skincare Begins Long Before It Reaches Your Skin
We have been sold a very convincing story and it goes something like this. Skin improves when you apply the right cream, the right serum, the right oil, the right miracle in a bottle that promises magic glow by morning and youth by Friday, without any effort at all.
Whilst I will always believe in what we put onto our skin, I have also learned something quieter, something less glamorous, and something far more powerful.
Skincare does not begin at the bathroom sink.
It begins in the kitchen. It begins in the gut. It begins in the invisible processes happening beneath the surface, long before any moisturiser ever touches your face, long before you lean into the mirror searching for reassurance.
Skin is not separate from the body, it is the body. It reflects everything happening within us. Stress, nourishment, inflammation, balance. It tells the truth, even when we try to cover it, blur it, or convince ourselves that a bit of retinol or the latest must have serum will fix everything overnight.
Over the last few weeks, I have explored raw skincare and clean skincare. I have talked about raw skincare and why it makes the most sense, because our skin absorbs what we put onto it, and the more natural the ingredient, the more harmonious that relationship tends to be. It is reassuring to know that what you are applying is working with your skin and not against it.
But it has led me to wonder something else entirely.
What happens when we feed the skin from the inside out?
Because skin does not create itself from nothing. It is built from what we give it. Vitamins like C help form collagen. Minerals like zinc support healing. Amino acids repair and strengthen. Antioxidants calm inflammation before it ever reaches the surface. Long before a moisturiser can soften the skin, these nutrients are working quietly beneath it, deciding how strong, clear, and resilient it will be.
It is easy to forget that skin is living tissue, not just something we polish and perfect from the outside. It is constantly rebuilding itself from within, using only what we give it to work with.
This is where the motto that has always felt so right to me comes alive.
Olive & Joyce Skincare. So natural, you’ll want to eat it.
Not because you should eat your face cream, obviously. Although Olive & Joyce is 100% natural, I would not recommend spreading it on your morning toast. Frankincense butter is, sadly, unlikely to replace Lurpak anytime soon.
But the truth is, the most powerful skincare ingredients do not just belong in bottles. They belong in your body.
And few ingredients illustrate this better than spirulina.
Spirulina: The Quiet Overachiever
This is one of my favourites.
Spirulina does not look particularly appealing but it is one of the most nutrient dense substances on earth. It is a deep blue green microalgae that can be taken as tablets or added to a smoothie.
It is rich in antioxidants, particularly phycocyanin, which helps calm inflammation. And its inflammation that is one of the most underestimated contributors to skin ageing. It weakens collagen, disrupts the skin barrier, and slowly breaks down the strength of healthy skin.
When inflammation is reduced, skin behaves differently. It becomes calmer, clearer, and more resilient.
Spirulina is also rich in amino acids, the building blocks of collagen and elastin. Without them, skin cannot repair itself efficiently. It becomes thinner, slower, and less able to maintain its firmness.
What spirulina offers is not overnight transformation, but something far more valuable. Consistent support. The kind that allows skin to function properly, to repair itself, and to regain its natural clarity.
It works quietly, from within, which is perhaps why I trust it so much. The most powerful skincare is rarely the loudest. It is the kind that simply gives the body what it needs, and allows the skin to do what it was always designed to do.
This is exactly why spirulina has become part of our Everyday Family Supergreens Smoothie. It brings together spirulina, chlorella, healthy fats, antioxidants, and essential nutrients that help support collagen, calm inflammation, and give the skin exactly what it needs to remain strong, balanced, and resilient. It is a simple daily ritual, but one that reflects everything I believe about caring for skin properly, from within.
Vitamin C: The Architect of Brightness
Vitamin C, commonly known as the fighter of colds and flu, is also a huge star in topical skincare, and rightly so. It brightens, protects, and supports collagen production.
But its role within the body is even more important.
Vitamin C is essential for forming collagen, the structure that keeps skin firm and resilient. Without it, skin becomes weaker, slower to repair, and more vulnerable over time.
It is also a powerful antioxidant, helping neutralise the oxidative stress caused by pollution, UV exposure, and everyday life. These stressors do not just affect the surface. They affect the skin at its foundation.
Vitamin C works from both directions, supporting the skin from within whilst strengthening it from the outside.
Collagen: The Structural Support
Collagen has become something of a buzzword, often marketed with dramatic before and afters and glossy packaging.
But beneath the marketing, collagen plays a very real and important role.
Collagen makes up around seventy five percent of the skin’s dry weight. It provides structure, firmness, and elasticity, keeping skin strong and resilient.
From our mid twenties onwards, collagen production begins to slow. This is not a flaw. It is simply biology.
Consuming collagen, or nutrients that support its production, gives the body the raw materials it needs to maintain and repair skin. While it is not a miracle cure, many people notice improvements in hydration, texture, and overall resilience over time.
One brand I personally trust, and have returned to for almost three years, is Feel Pro Collagen by Feel. It is thoughtfully formulated, easy to incorporate into daily life, and supports the body in a way that feels consistent and sustainable. It is also vegan and plastic free, which aligns closely with my own values.
What matters most is consistency. Skin responds to steady nourishment, not panic.
Collagen reminds us that maintenance will always be more powerful than correction.
Chlorella: The Detoxifier
Chlorella is spirulina’s lesser known cousin.
It is another green algae, rich in chlorophyll, vitamins, and minerals, and it supports the body’s natural detoxification processes. It helps the body clear what it no longer needs, reducing the internal imbalance that can often show up on the skin.
When the body is overloaded, the skin often becomes the outlet. This can appear as dullness, congestion, or irritation, without any obvious external cause.
By supporting the body internally, chlorella helps create the conditions for skin to function as it should. It does not force the skin to change. It simply allows it to return to its natural balance.
Because healthy skin is rarely about forcing change. It is about removing what stands in its way.
Zinc, Omega Oils, and the Supporting Cast
Beyond the headline ingredients, there are other vitamins and minerals quietly supporting the skin every day.
Zinc helps regulate oil production and supports healing, making it essential for calm, balanced skin. Omega oils strengthen the skin barrier, helping retain moisture and protect against irritation. Iron supports oxygen transport, influencing how vibrant and energised the skin appears, while B vitamins regulate cellular turnover, ensuring skin can renew and repair itself efficiently.
None of these nutrients work alone. They work together, forming a network of support beneath the surface, because skin is not just something we treat. It is something we build.
Why Skincare Still Matters
Vitamins and minerals help build the skin, but skincare plays an equally important role. It protects what we have already created.
Skincare nourishes and supports the outermost layer, shielding the skin from environmental stress and reinforcing its natural barrier. It helps prevent the damage that daily life inevitably brings.
But skincare works best when the internal foundation is strong.
It is like caring for a plant. You can polish the leaves endlessly, but if the roots are neglected, the plant will never truly thrive.
The most beautiful skin is supported from both directions. From within, and from without.
A Philosophy That Has Always Made Sense
This idea has always guided how I formulate Olive & Joyce products, skincare should work in harmony with the body, not against it.
Skincare So Natural You’ll Want To Eat It is not just a playful phrase. It is a philosophy. It reflects a belief that skin recognises and responds to ingredients that feel familiar, supportive, and gentle.
When we nourish ourselves properly, our skin reflects it. Not in perfection but in strength. In resilience. In that quiet, unmistakable glow that cannot be faked, because the truth is, the best skincare routine does not begin with what you apply.
It begins with how you care for yourself as a whole.
And when you support your skin from within, everything you apply on the outside works better. Including that small, thoughtful bottle and jar waiting patiently on your shelf.