I used to follow this skincare influencer. She had the kind of smooth, pearly white skin that made her look almost porcelain and she was constantly popping up on my feed. What drew me in wasn’t just her skin, though. It was the way she spoke. She sounded intelligent, confident and deeply knowledgeable about all things skin.
Then one day she said something that stopped me mid-scroll. “It’s not what you put in your body,” she declared. “It’s all about what you put on your skin.” I leaned in… it sounded provocative enough to be interesting. Surely, I thought, this was the setup. A little clickbait moment before she busted the myth and acknowledged that yes, products matter, and so does what we eat.
But she didn’t. Instead, she doubled down. Mocked the idea that food has any meaningful impact on skin. Insisted that protecting the skin from the outside world was all that really mattered if you wanted smooth, vibrant, youthful skin.
Fast forward a few years, and I decided to take her philosophy for a test run. It was around Christmas, and my skin was truly at its best, for the first time in many years. I’d long suspected that too much sugar and alcohol didn’t exactly do my skin any favors, but it was the holidays. I wanted to indulge, have cocktails and cookies with friends.
One bottle of RumChata, a generous helping of festive treats, and a week later, and I barely recognized my face. The bumps returned, the dark marks resurfaced, and the rough texture had crept back in like an old, unwelcome visitor. I had somehow managed to undo a year’s transformation in days. I was devastated.
Naturally, I blamed the influencer (half joking). And then, almost immediately, I blamed myself for ignoring my own intuition. Because I already knew. What I felt in my body wasn’t random or imagined. Sugar spikes inflammation, alcohol dehydrates the skin and disrupts sleep, and all of it affects the hormones. The gut and the skin are in constant conversation—and my skin was in revolt.
Since then, I’ve become increasingly aware of the relationship between what I eat, how I drink, and how my skin responds. What we put into our bodies undeniably affects us from the inside out. Our skin is not separate from the rest of us. It’s a living, responsive organ. And it’s one that reflects how we feed and hydrate ourselves over time.
New to this Slow Beauty Series? Start here.
My Slow Beauty Kitchen Foundations
A few weeks ago, someone asked me what my favorite food was. Years ago, I would’ve said Indian curry or southern American soul food (I die for some mac and cheese and cornbread!). Something rich, decadent, and hearty depending on my mood. And although those foods are still the ones I reach for on days when I feel like I need a little tender lovin’ care… These days, my answer is different.
My favorite food is “Colorful food.” And no, I’m not talking about Skittles—Ha! I mean bright, vibrant plates filled with color, texture, and life. Tropical fruits and vegetables, creamy nut sauces, seeds and different colored grains. Crunch next to softness. Food that looks like it’s actually living. You know that old adage, you are what you eat? Well, I want to be sitting pretty like a bright, juicy dragon fruit. This is the spirit behind my slow beauty kitchen. It’s about setting myself up so I can nourish myself in ways that support clear skin, healthy hair, and bright eyes.
My kitchen is stocked with a few intentional staples. I keep mason jars and simple labels because they make everything visible and accessible. When I can see what I have—nuts, seeds, grains, cacao—I’m more likely to use them. It sounds small, but this kind of organization removes friction, and taking care of myself feels easier when what I need to eat well is right in front of me. Healthy fats are always within reach. Nuts and nut butters, coconut powder and a good olive oil I actually enjoy using. These are what make food feel luxurious without needing excess. Of course, there are fruits and vegetables. And I also keep ingredients on hand to make raw chocolate, because pleasure is part of beauty… And because having something nourishing and indulgent ready means I don’t swing between deprivation and overdoing it.
Fresh, filtered water matters too. Hydration is foundational for skin, digestion, and energy, and having clean water on hand (in my glass gallon jug) makes it something I return to naturally throughout the day.
Setting up my slow beauty kitchen has been the greatest help! It seems daunting at first, but creating an environment where it’s easy to access what you need, when you want it, makes all the difference. Plus, I love how pretty my kitchen looks when it’s fully stocked with all the different shapes, textures and colors of natural, whole foods.
The Slow Beauty Foods Behind My Glow Up
Like I shared in my post on slow skincare, the year after my divorce came with a surprising side effect. Every time I ran into someone I knew, they’d say some version of the same thing: “Wow, Candis. The glow-up is real.” They weren’t wrong. With newfound time and a little single-girl freedom on my side, I had befriended the StairMaster, started drinking close to a gallon of water a day, and began casually experimenting with skincare products.
What I didn’t really talk about at the time was the way my eating had shifted too. Without the shared routines, social calendar, and eating habits I had with my ex, I was simply finding that my plates became more colorful. I wanted them to be prettier! There were fewer processed carbs and sugary drinks, smaller portions, and meals that actually satisfied me rather than leaving me foggy or bloated.
Looking back now, it’s clear that my skin wasn’t responding to one thing alone. It was responding to a constellation of changes. Movement, hydration, peace, good skincare, and proper nourishment I was giving my body day after day.
These are the slow beauty foods that were consistently on my plate during that glow-up season (and that I continue to be my go-tos now).
1. Berries & Greek Yogurt
This is my go-to breakfast. I’ll spoon thick Greek yogurt into a bowl, scatter over blueberries and raspberries, then finish it with whatever’s calling to me from my mason jars: chia seeds, hemp seeds, goji berries, pistachios, and sometimes a spoonful of raw peanut butter for good measure.
Part of why I love this breakfast so much is how it feels. It’s light but grounding. Berries are rich in antioxidants, which help protect skin from oxidative stress and inflammation—the culprits behind dullness and breakouts. Greek yogurt, meanwhile, supports the gut–skin connection. A happier gut often shows up as calmer, clearer skin, and I’m noticing that when digestion feels settled, my face follows suit.
2. Roasted Seaweed Sheets
After my divorce, I lived with a friend for a year, and sharing a refrigerator and pantry meant I started paying attention not just to my own habits, but to hers. One thing she always had on hand was nori sheets for wraps. I tried them once and was instantly hooked. To this day I’ll make simple seaweed wraps filled with fresh salad, tofu, and a splash of teriyaki sauce. They’re light, salty, fresh, and particularly appealing in the summertime.
I’m not a nutritionist, but I’m told seaweed is incredibly mineral-rich, providing iodine, zinc, and trace minerals that support hormone balance and cellular repair, and all of these things influence skin clarity.
3. Raw Chocolate
I’ve talked about raw chocolate a lot, and for good reason. It’s pleasure, energy and romance! And when done well, it’s surprisingly supportive of skin health.
I keep raw cacao butter and cacao powder in my cupboard so I can whip up treats when the craving hits. Like I said earlier, having it on hand means I don’t swing between deprivation and overindulgence. I get the pleasure and the nourishment. Plus, the healthy fats in cacao butter help maintain skin elasticity and moisture, which undoubtedly influences that subtle, sexy glow.
My friend Ky wrote a book called Chocolate Everyday and it’s full of delightful recipes worth checking out.
4. Salmon & Olive Oil
I hated salmon for years. The only versions I’d ever encountered were smoked or suspiciously raw. Neither of which appealed to me. Then one day, a friend broiled salmon in olive oil with lemon, olives, and cracked salt. That was it. I was converted.
Now, salmon drizzled generously with olive oil is a regular star in my diet. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, while olive oil is deeply anti-inflammatory. I’ll often finish salads, vegetables, and warm dishes with a slow drizzle of olive oil as a final touch.
5. Foods Rich in Water
If there’s one thing I believe has had the biggest impact on my skin, it’s water. The more hydrated I am, the more energized and luminous I feel. I’ve watched recurrent pimples disappear and fine lines fade within days of properly rehydrating. Water supports circulation and detoxification, amongst other things.
Hydrating foods like cucumbers, watermelon, and bell peppers only amplify this effect. If I do nothing else for my beauty on a given day, I drink water. It’s my simplest and most reliable slow beauty practice.
Slow Beauty Starts in the Kitchen
I find a lot of peace and pleasure in knowing that everything is connected. Nature is intelligent. It’s cyclical and self-renewing. And no matter how much we try to isolate beauty into products, routines, or trends, we’re still part of that system. There’s no escaping it. Not in our skin, our hair, or the way our bodies respond to how we live and eat.
As I’ve learned to observe the natural rhythms of my skin and hair, and the way food supports, rejuvenates, and renews my body, I’ve felt both a sense of control and surrender. Such an interesting paradox. I can make thoughtful choices, and then I can let my body do what it already knows how to do.
These days, I eat well because I’m aware of how food feels in my body, and how it influences my energy, my mood, and my skin. I recognize that beautiful food makes me feel beautiful from the inside-out. It’s simple math.
What I’ve come to know for sure is that slow beauty begins in intimate relationship with your body and the signals you learn to trust over time. And when you prioritize slow beauty in the kitchen, you set yourself up for a beautiful life.
So tell me—what’s in your slow beauty kitchen?
