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Although the beauty and cosmetic markets are crowded with products that promise to deliver flawless skin, true health starts with your own body. Instead of depriving your body of nutrients—as many brides do by going on crazy fad diets before they walk down the aisle—nourish your body with the right, natural foods. Add these colorful, skin-friendly foods to your diet about six weeks before your big day to bring out your natural inner glow.
1. Blueberries
Think of these little berries as your secret weapon against dull skin. Blueberries (and other members of the berry family) are ripe with antioxidants and Vitamin C, which brighten your skin, even out its tone, and fight off the free radicals that cause signs of aging. A handful or two of blueberries each day will make sure you look just as invigorated as you're feeling when you walk down the aisle.
2. Eggs
If you've done at-home face masks, you know that eggs are a typical ingredient, and for good reason: This breakfast staple is an easy way to infuse vibrancy into your skin tone. That's thanks to Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), the member of the B Vitamin family most responsible for your skin's glow. And here's an added bonus for beyond your wedding day: When you eat eggs and other Riboflavin-rich foods, you'll also clear up rosacea and ward off major skin diseases.
3. Mangoes
No one wants washed out skin, especially on a day as memorable as his or her wedding. If you're prone to a pale, colorless look, stock up on mangoes. This superfruit is packed with carotenoids, pigments that improve the color of your skin and give you that picturesque rosy complexion.
4. Cottage Cheese
If your skin is short on vibrancy, it may be because it's also short on moisture. When you see people with glowing, bright skin, you're often witnessing a byproduct of proper moisturizing. To prevent your skin from becoming dry and dull, add a serving of cottage cheese to your plate a few days per week. This dairy product is filled with selenium, which will infuse moisture and color into your skin.
5. Dried Apricots
Is your uneven, pasty or pale skintone making you dread your wedding day photos? Here's a quick fix: Dried apricots. Packed with iron, these snacks will even out your skin tone, putting you a step closer to the flawless, luminous complexion of your dreams.
6. Salmon
By now, you've probably heard doctors and nutritionists singing the praises of omega-3 fatty acids. This is one case where the truth lives up to the hype! Salmon and other foods full of omega-3 fatty acids act like natural lubricants for your skin, warding off the dullness, inflammation and redness that would make you feel less than your best as you walk down the aisle. Adding a few ounces of salmon to your plate each week will ensure your inner glow shines through when you tie the knot.
When it comes to your skin, you really are what you eat. Add these colorful superfoods to your plate a month or two before your big day to ensure you're glowing as much on the outside as you are on the inside.
Huffington Post contributor Robert Applebaum is a board certified skincare expert with a practice based in Beverly Hills, CA
—Robert Applebaum, Huffington Post Weddings
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