When summer is in full swing, our focus often shifts to sunscreen and protective clothing. But true skin resilience starts beneath the surface. The foods you eat, the nutrients you absorb, and your overall lifestyle play a powerful role in helping maintain healthy skin when exposed to sunlight. Here’s how to protect your skin from the inside out—making it ready for the sun, not just hidden from it.

The Science of Skin Protection

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and its first line of defense against the outside world. While topical products like sunscreen are essential, internal factors—especially your diet—can help support resilient skin and protect against environmental stressors such as pollution. 

Why Internal Protection Matters

• Antioxidant Defenses. Supporting the body’s antioxidant defenses help combat free radicals—unstable molecules produced by UV exposure, pollution, and normal metabolism—that can damage skin cells, DNA, and proteins, contributing to visible signs of skin aging. 

• Inflammation Pathways. The ability to help maintain a normal inflammatory response helps combat visible signs of skin aging. 

• Collagen and Elastin Production. Collagen and elastin are proteins that help keep your skin firm, elastic, and looking youthful. UV exposure, pollution, and poor diet can degrade these proteins, leading to wrinkles, sagging, and dullness. 

Key Nutrients for Skin Defense

1. Collagen & Collagen-Boosting Foods

Collagen is the main structural protein in your skin. It helps support skin firmness, elasticity, and barrier function. Collagen production naturally declines with age, but you can support it by consuming:

• Vitamin C-rich foods: Vitamin C supports collagen production for firm, elastic skin and acts as a powerful antioxidant to help protect against signs of aging and skin damage.

• Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, lemons)

• Bell peppers (especially red and yellow)

• Broccoli and Brussels sprouts

• Bone broth and collagen supplements: These provide direct collagen peptides, which may help improve skin elasticity and hydration.

2. Antioxidants: Your Internal Sunscreen

Antioxidants neutralize unstable free radicals, helping to reduce cellular damage and modulate inflammatory processes. Some antioxidants even accumulate in your skin, providing a natural defense.

• Carotenoids (beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein): Found in colorful fruits and vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and leafy greens. They help prevent oxidative sun damage and may improve your skin’s natural glow.

• Vitamin E: Found in nuts, seeds, and avocados, vitamin E protects fatty cell membranes from oxidative damage and helps skin retain moisture.

• Flavonoids: Present in green tea, berries, and dark chocolate, flavonoids protect collagen and elastin from breakdown and may reduce UV-induced skin damage.

3. Healthy Fats: The Skin’s Moisture Barrier

Skin cells are rich in lipids (fats), which helps maintain skin hydration and supports hormone production—both important for keeping skin looking healthy and moisturized.

• Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for maintaining skin hydration, elasticity, and help balance the body’s natural anti-inflammatory response.

• Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines): Rich in omega-3s, which help keep skin plump and smooth.

• Chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts: Plant-based sources of omega-3s.

• Avocados: Provide both healthy fats and vitamin E for moisture retention.

4. Polyphenols and Other Phytochemicals

• Pomegranates: Packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals and stimulate the growth of new skin cells, thickening the skin’s upper layer and improving texture.

• Cherries and figs: High in antioxidants that help maintain a normal inflammatory response to support healthy looking skin.

• Try our sustained-release California grape seed extract: Meganatural®-BP Grape Seed Extract. This potent formula delivers powerful plant compounds over several hours to promote optimal blood vessel function and antioxidant protection.

The Gut-Skin Connection

A healthy gut microbiome is linked to clear, calm skin. Diets rich in whole foods—fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats—promote a balanced gut, and support a healthy inflammatory response needed for clear, supple and youthful looking skin. Highly processed foods and excess sugar, on the other hand, can disrupt gut health and leave skin looking less than its best. Targeted nutrients and support can help, like those found in our Gut Health Bundle that provide triple-action support for healthy skin—promoting a strong skin barrier, antioxidant defense, and a balanced gut microbiome. *

Foods to Embrace for Summer Skin

• Tomatoes: High in lycopene, which supports the skin’s natural defenses and promotes heart and skin health.

• Red/yellow bell peppers: Loaded with beta-carotene and vitamin C for collagen production and antioxidant protection.

• Sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin: Excellent sources of beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A—a nutrient essential for skin cell turnover and repair.

• Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, and Swiss chard provide carotenoids, vitamin C, and other antioxidants.

• Nuts and seeds: Sunflower seeds, almonds, and walnuts supply vitamin E, selenium, and zinc for skin barrier support.

• Fatty fish and plant-based omega-3s: For hydration and helping to modulate the body’s natural inflammatory response. 

• Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries are rich in antioxidants that help protect skin from oxidative damage.

Foods and Habits to Limit

• Fried foods and processed meats: Contain advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that break down collagen, accelerating wrinkling.

• Sugar and refined carbs: Promote inflammation and glycation, leading to dullness and loss of elasticity.

• Excess alcohol: Dehydrates the skin and may contribute to facial aging.

• Ultra-processed foods: Affect the body’s ability to maintain a healthy inflammatory response and gut health, both of which impact skin health.

Lifestyle Tips for Skin Resilience

• Stay hydrated: Water supports all skin functions and helps flush out toxins.

• Prioritize sleep: Skin repairs itself during deep sleep, so aim for 7–9 hours nightly.

• Manage stress: Stress can disrupt the body’s natural inflammatory processes, which can affect the appearance of the skin.

• Bonus Tip: Looking for a clean, nourishing topical to complement your internal skin routine? Two personal favorites right now: 

  • #1: Sun Milk by Tallow Twins – Inspired by ancestral skincare, this mineral-based formula blends non-nano zinc with antioxidant-rich oils to help nourish the skin barrier and support moisture—without synthetics or hormone disruptors. While we don’t have an official partnership, Tallow Twins is offering an exclusive discount to the Endur community—click here to shop and use code SUNMILK15 at checkout for 15% off

  • #2: Freaks of Nature by Kelly Slater – Performance driven skincare for the modern outdoor athlete: a modern, minimalist take on sun protection from one of surfing’s most trusted names.
    

To take your summer skin and wellness routine to the next level, don’t miss our Summer Health Bundle—the ultimate trio for all-around seasonal support. This exclusive bundle includes:

• Taxifolin Complex SR: Supports immune health and antioxidant defense to help you enjoy outdoor adventures during the summer and all year long.*

• Electrolyte SR: Helps you retain the fluids you drink so you can stay hydrated and energized through long, hot sessions—whether you’re training, traveling, or just soaking up the sun.*

• Endur-C™ Vitamin C with Rose Hips: Supports your immune system and helps your skin stay resilient, thanks to its role in collagen production and antioxidant defense. *

Three essentials. One powerful bundle. All summer long. Plus, you save when you purchase the bundle together—making it easier than ever to stay healthy, hydrated, and ready for whatever summer brings. *

Give your body the nutrients it needs to thrive from the inside out. Stock up on the Summer Health Bundle and make this your healthiest, most vibrant summer yet! *

Conclusion: Feed Your Skin for Summer Radiance

Protecting your skin from the inside out is about more than just looking good—it’s about supporting your skin’s natural defenses, strength, and resilience. By embracing a diet rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and collagen-boosting nutrients, you can make your skin truly ready for the sun, not just shielded from it. This July, let your skin glow from within—and enjoy the season with confidence and health.

Resources

Ahmed IA, Mikail MA. Diet and skin health: The good and the bad. Nutrition. 2024;119:112350. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2023.112350

Pu SY, Huang YL, Pu CM, et al. Effects of oral collagen for skin anti-aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients. 2023;15(9):2080. doi:10.3390/nu15092080

Sinha S, Lin G, Ferenczi K. The skin microbiome and the gut-skin axis. Clin Dermatol. 2021;39(5):829-839. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2021.08.021