Beautiful, healthy skin in 3 steps: How to achieve sustainable care?

⏱ 9 min read

Does true beauty come from within?

A resounding yes!

Because if we are supplied with the most important nutrients, our skin also radiates this. Unfortunately, however, many people today have a nutrient deficiency, which can also be seen in the appearance of their skin, hair and health. 

As our largest organ, our skin needs regular care and support. Especially as we get older, our skin needs more intensive care to prevent wrinkles and dry skin.

Did you know that almost a third of people with skin problems also experience psychological problems such as depression? 

But what is good for our skin? We have summarized the most important points here.

➤ Almost one in three people with skin problems also has psychological problems!

Why is skin care important?

The skin is the barrier between your body and the environment: it keeps moisture in and keeps germs, UV radiation and pollutants out. Regular care keeps this barrier intact, and that pays off in several ways:

• More moisture: well-cared-for skin loses less water and feels smooth instead of tight and dry.
• Fewer wrinkles: care from the inside and the outside slows down the visible signs of skin ageing.
• A clearer complexion: gentle cleansing and the right nutrients help with blemishes and problem skin.
• More well-being: when your skin looks healthy, you feel more comfortable in it.

Prevention is easier than repair: the earlier you start with a good routine, the longer your skin stays firm and radiant.

Step 1: the right diet

Yes, your skin also benefits from a good and balanced diet, especially if you are already struggling with skin problems. Proper care always starts from the inside. Even the most expensive creams are useless if your diet is not adjusted accordingly. After all, an unhealthy diet is not only harmful to your general health, your skin also reacts to too much sugar, fat, milk and alcohol with inflammation.

The good thing is that if you have previously consumed a lot of dairy products, refined sugar and fats, you will see the first positive improvements after just a few weeks. Incorporate lots of green vegetables and fruit into your diet, drink plenty of water and cook fresh food. Give it a try!

➤ Not even 1% of the population has a truly balanced diet!

Which foods are good for the skin?

Studies show which parts of the diet make a visible difference:

• Fruit and vegetables rich in vitamin C: in an analysis of 4,025 women aged 40 to 74, higher vitamin C intakes were associated with a lower likelihood of a wrinkled appearance and of age-related dry skin (Cosgrove et al., 2007). Good sources are peppers, berries, citrus fruit and broccoli.
• Linoleic acid from nuts, seeds and plant oils: in the same analysis, higher linoleic acid intakes were associated with a lower likelihood of age-related dry skin and of thinning skin.
• Fewer fast carbohydrates: in a randomized trial with 43 young men with acne, a low-glycemic-load diet reduced the number of acne lesions more strongly within 12 weeks than a carbohydrate-dense diet (23.5 versus 12.0 fewer lesions) (Smith et al., 2007).
• Plenty of water: in a study with 49 healthy women, an additional 2 liters of water a day for 30 days significantly changed the hydration of the superficial and deep skin layers. Drinking more had a positive effect above all in women who normally drank little (Palma et al., 2015).

View the Beauty Package  ➜

✓ Hyaluronic Acid + Silica + Hair Active Capsules

Step 2: the right nutrients as support from within

Collagen - the inner scaffold

Collagen is naturally most abundant throughout the body and in the skin. From the early twenties, however, the body's own production slowly decreases. The complexion then begins to lose volume. What can you do about this? You can take collagen supplements to slow down or improve the signs of skin ageing.

In a Swiss study, test subjects regularly took collagen hydrolyzate for 8 weeks. The study showed that skin elasticity improved statistically significantly overall. After a 4-week follow-up treatment, a significantly higher skin elasticity was observed. In general, it was observed that skin hydration and skin evaporation improved.

Hyaluron - the moisturizer

Hyaluronic acid has moisturizing properties and has a high water retention capacity for our skin. The acid becomes particularly important when the skin ages. What can you do about it? Hyaluronic acid as a supplement ensures optimally moisturized skin, as it acts like a sponge that stores a large amount of water in the skin and replenishes the reservoirs. This reduces wrinkles and improves the appearance of the skin. Hyaluronic acid therefore ensures that you retain your youthful appearance and small wrinkles are reduced.

In a Japanese study, test subjects were given hyaluronic acid for 12 weeks. After this time, the participants showed a significant reduction in wrinkles. The skin's shine and suppleness improved significantly compared to the initial situation. The results indicate that hyaluron reduces wrinkles and improves the general condition of the skin.

Probiotics - the solution to causal problems

Probiotics can also support the complexion as they solve underlying skin problems. So they help in the gut instead of just superficially. How does this work? Probiotics improve digestion, reduce inflammation and have an anti-allergic effect. They also strengthen the immune system, as 80% of it is located in the gut. According to experts, the beneficial bacterial strains have the potential to prevent and treat common skin conditions such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, acne and allergic inflammation, skin hypersensitivity and more.

In one study, test subjects took lactobacilli for two months. As a result, previous skin conditions such as acne, rosacea and sensitive skin were shown to improve.

➤ Prevent wrinkles from the inside with the right nutrients!

Collagen and hyaluronic acid: what do recent studies show?

Newer and larger studies confirm the effect of both nutrients. A meta-analysis pooled 19 randomized, double-blind, controlled trials with a total of 1,125 participants aged 20 to 70. Compared with placebo, hydrolyzed collagen improved skin hydration, elasticity and wrinkles. The authors conclude that taking hydrolyzed collagen for 90 days is effective in reducing skin ageing (de Miranda et al., 2021). Collagen is available as capsules or as collagen powder.

For hyaluronic acid, a double-blind, randomized trial with 129 women of different ages and skin types showed that hyaluronic acid taken as a supplement significantly promoted skin hydration after 2 to 8 weeks. Skin tone improved after 4 to 8 weeks, and after 12 weeks the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin, had become thicker (Gao et al., 2023).

Silica: the building block for skin, hair and nails

Silicon, the mineral in silica, has an important function in the formation and maintenance of connective tissue. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 50 women with sun-damaged facial skin took either 10 mg of silicon a day or a placebo for 20 weeks. Skin roughness decreased in the silicon group, while it increased in the placebo group, and hair and nails were less brittle than at the start (Barel et al., 2005).

Silica complements hyaluronic acid well: one supports the connective tissue, the other stores moisture in the skin. The Beauty Package combines both with hair active capsules for skin, hair and nails.

View the Beauty Package  ➜

✓ Hyaluronic Acid + Silica + Hair Active Capsules

Step 3: the right care from the outside

If you care for your skin from the inside, you also need optimal care from the outside. High-quality and above all natural products, such as those from MSG, are ideal for this.

The ABC of facial care:

• a) Cleansing: Use a mild facial cleansing water such as MSG Tonifying Lotion for cleansing. The lotion is particularly suitable for problem skin as it gently cleanses, moisturizes, soothes and refreshes the skin.
• b) Serum: A good serum such as the MSG Day & Night Beauty Revitalizer provides the skin with all the necessary antioxidants and thus protects your skin against premature aging.
• c) Cream: High-quality creams protect the skin from drying out and harmful environmental influences. MSG's anti-ageing facial care for all skin types contains 100% natural and optimally combined micro-active ingredients - naturally without animal testing.

Sun protection: how does daily sunscreen slow skin ageing?

Chronic exposure to sunlight damages the connective tissue under the skin, and the skin loses elasticity and firmness. Daily sun protection therefore belongs to the care from the outside: apply it in the morning as the last step after the cream.

A randomized trial in Australia with 903 adults under 55 shows how much this helps. The group that applied a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day showed no detectable increase in skin ageing after 4.5 years. Their skin ageing was 24% less than in the group that used sunscreen only at their own discretion (Hughes et al., 2013).

You can also support your skin from within. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, healthy participants took 4 mg of astaxanthin a day. After 9 weeks, their skin tolerated more UV radiation before it reddened, and the irradiated skin lost less moisture than with placebo (Ito et al., 2018).

Conclusion:

For beautiful and radiant skin, it is important to look after it both inside and out. Proper care starts with a balanced and healthy diet. The right nutrients also ensure that the skin is optimally nourished from the inside. If you then also use a good, high-quality and natural skin routine for the outside of your skin, nothing stands in the way of radiant, fresh and healthy skin.

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of skin care?

Regular care keeps the skin moisturized, protects it from drying out and from harmful environmental influences, and helps to prevent wrinkles. Care from within counts as well: in a meta-analysis of 19 studies, hydrolyzed collagen taken for 90 days reduced wrinkles and improved skin elasticity and hydration.

What are the 5 basics of skincare?

Five things form the basis of healthy skin: a balanced diet with plenty of water, the right nutrients from within such as collagen, hyaluronic acid and probiotics, mild cleansing, a serum with antioxidants and a high-quality cream. During the day, sun protection completes the routine.

Is sunscreen the best anti-aging step?

Daily sun protection is one of the best-documented steps against skin ageing. In a randomized trial with 903 adults, the group that used sunscreen every day showed no detectable increase in skin ageing after 4.5 years. It works best together with a good diet, the right nutrients and a natural care routine.

Does hyaluronic acid actually hydrate skin?

Yes. Hyaluronic acid acts like a sponge that stores a large amount of water in the skin. In a double-blind trial with 129 women, hyaluronic acid taken as a supplement significantly promoted skin hydration after 2 to 8 weeks.

Is toner necessary for healthy skin?

A mild toner is the first step of the facial care routine in this guide. It gently cleanses, moisturizes, soothes and refreshes the skin and prepares it for serum and cream. It is particularly suitable for problem skin.

Sources (in English):

Oe, M., Sakai, S., Yoshida, H., Okado, N., Kaneda, H, Masuda, Y. et al. (2017, July). Oral hyaluronan relieves wrinkles: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study over a 12-week period. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 10:267-273, doi: 10.2147/CCID.S141845

Proksch, E., Segger, D., Degwert, J., Schunck, M., Zague, V. & Oesser, S. (2014). Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 27(1):47-55, doi: 10.1159/000351376

Roudsari, M. R., Karimi, R., Sohrabvandi, S. & Mortazavian, A. M. (2015). Health effects of probiotics on the skin. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 55(9):1219-40, doi: 10.1080/10408398.2012.680078

Jeong, J. H., Lee, C. Y. & Chung, D. K. (2016, October). Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria and Skin Health. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 56(14):2331-7, doi: 10.1080/10408398.2013.834874

de Miranda RB, Weimer P, Rossi RC (2021). Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Dermatology, 60(12):1449-1461. doi: 10.1111/ijd.15518

Gao YR, Wang RP, Zhang L, Fan Y, Luan J, Liu Z, Yuan C (2023). Oral administration of hyaluronic acid to improve skin conditions via a randomized double-blind clinical test. Skin Research and Technology, 29(11):e13531. doi: 10.1111/srt.13531

Barel A, Calomme M, Timchenko A, De Paepe K, Demeester N, Rogiers V et al. (2005). Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photodamaged skin. Archives of Dermatological Research, 297(4):147-153. doi: 10.1007/s00403-005-0584-6

Hughes MC, Williams GM, Baker P, Green AC (2013). Sunscreen and prevention of skin aging: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 158(11):781-790. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-158-11-201306040-00002

Ito N, Seki S, Ueda F (2018). The Protective Role of Astaxanthin for UV-Induced Skin Deterioration in Healthy People: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 10(7):817. doi: 10.3390/nu10070817

Cosgrove MC, Franco OH, Granger SP, Murray PG, Mayes AE (2007). Dietary nutrient intakes and skin-aging appearance among middle-aged American women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86(4):1225-1231. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/86.4.1225

Smith RN, Mann NJ, Braue A, Mäkeläinen H, Varigos GA (2007). A low-glycemic-load diet improves symptoms in acne vulgaris patients: a randomized controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86(1):107-115. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/86.1.107

Palma L, Marques LT, Bujan J, Rodrigues LM (2015). Dietary water affects human skin hydration and biomechanics. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 8:413-421. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S86822