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Let’s talk about how to get clear skin because the struggle is real! If you have sensitive skin, eczema, acne or psoriasis then get sippin’ on this clear skin smoothie.
I’ve had my own issues with teen acne and adult acne. It seemed like I couldn’t escape it! Once I tweaked a few things in my life, it made such a difference (as you can see in the photos below).
I asked my friend and Simple Green Smoothies team member, Erin Mottayaw, to write this post and share her journey with finding the best foods for clear skin. I think you’ll be inspired and learn some great tips to get your skin looking amazing.
Table of Contents
A Journey to Clear Skin
Erin: Most of my life I was a “makeup kind of gal” because I didn’t have good skin. It was sensitive, prone to breakouts and splotchy. I tried every cleanser, soap, mask and more to try and tame my face, shoulders and arms, yet nothing worked.
After Jen taught me how to make a smoothie, I was intrigued, but a total newbie. But it’s amazing how quickly I changed.
- I swore I’d never drink a green smoothie without dairy. Now I use water or homemade almond milk as the base.
- I said I’d never blend (or eat) kale. Now I literally have a 4×4 foot garden of kale. That’s 18 kale plants that I treat like my own offspring! #leafygreens4life
- Finally, I said I’d never leave the house without makeup. These days, you’ll only find me a bit of eyebrow tint, mascara and a great face lotion with SPF on date night. Why? Because I discovered the secret of how to get clear skin and I’m never going back.
Healthy Skin: Where to Start?
Jen talked about the glowing skin she experienced with green smoothies, yet I was skeptical. I always had a kitchen full of fresh fruit growing up, yet I still had bad skin.
I agreed to try seasonal cleanse when Jen was asking friends to test it out and share feedback. For 21 days, I ate a TON of plants, drank a bunch of water and avoided these food groups entirely:
- dairy
- meat
- alcohol
- processed sugar
- gluten
We replaced all these things with plants: fruit, vegetables, nuts and grains.
As hard as it was to do, that cleanse made me see the light. My face started to clear up around day 5. By day 15, I was acne-free for REAL!
The Results: A Healthy Glow
I never realized how much food affected my skin issues until I gave up dairy and sugar on this cleanse. I saw that certain foods were causing my acne and others were promoting overall health like:
- Better skin: All my life I had these red bumps on the backs of my upper arms. Embarrassing and annoying. When I fueled my body with whole foods for clear skin, these bumps vanished. Food did what medication hadn’t accomplished.
- Healthier nails: My nails were easily broken and thin, yet now are super strong, healthy and beautiful.
- Less acne: I thought acne was just for teenagers until mine never left, even after college. A few months of daily smoothies and a cleanse changed all of that. I notice that when I stop drinking smoothies daily, my skin is all too eager to let me know.
- Better sleep: Cleansing forced me to listen to the sleep needs my body had, and led me to better sleep habits overall.
- New passions: I gained a newfound love for baking, cooking and gardening through eating whole foods. I even started a small pallet garden in my townhouse so that we could use the herbs for smoothies and future cleanses. Now I’ve got a thriving kitchen garden, and I’m growing food my college self didn’t even know existed.
I included numbers four and five because believe it or not, stress can show on our skin. Lack of sleep leads to bad eating habits, greater stress and premature aging. I find my stress levels go down when I sleep better, as well as when I work on projects that fuel my passions.
Both of these have the space to take place in my life when I’m eating foods that give me strength and longevity, not foods that work against me.
Now after the cleanse, my family still eats meat and dairy on occasion. Yet we also use the Rawk the Year Meal Planner to fuel our weeknights with plant-based meals and we love them!
Recipe Ingredients
My skin journey has me blending smoothies like the one below almost every day. I love how a daily smoothie makes me look and feel, so let’s find out what’s in this great recipe!
- Spinach: Spinach contains vitamin A, which helps our bodies control oil production. This keeps those clogged pores in check to minimize acne.
- Coconut water: Especially during warmer months, I need an electrolyte boost to get me through these long, hot days. Coconut water is nature’s Gatorade and helps replenish my body!
- Pineapple: The bromelain in pineapple has been shown to help reduce inflammation and improve recovery times from skin procedures.
- Avocado: Aside from being a great healthy fat that can help you feel full, avocado helps stabilize blood sugar and reduce inflammation in the body. Plus, they also fight adverse effects from UVA/UVB rays.
- Booster: I boost this smoothie with homemade protein powder to give it more protein, healthy fat and fiber. This helps me stay full longer, stay regular and have the energy to keep up with my kids.
Best Foods for Clear Skin
What other kinds of food can one expect in a whole food, clear skin diet? A lot of beautiful and delicious plants! Here are some incredible whole food, plant-based ingredients that will help your skin look great both now and in the future:
- Walnuts: Rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, walnuts are a powerhouse in fighting inflammation.
- Sweet potatoes (and other orange veggies): Beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in the body and acts as a natural sunblock.
- Red/yellow bell peppers: Also full of beta carotene, these specific bell peppers contain tons of vitamin C, which promotes the collagen that keeps skin firm.
- Broccoli: The sulforaphane found in broccoli protects against skin cancer.
- Berries: Low in sugar and high in flavor and antioxidants, berries will help generate glowing skin.
Foods to Avoid
Here are foods and ingredients to limit when figuring out how to get clear skin:
- Processed sugar: Refined sugar causes acne due to increasing blood sugar in the body, creating inflammation.
- Dairy: Though you may not have a dairy intolerance, consuming dairy can disrupt your hormones, creating acne and eczema.
- Complex carbohydrates: Processed foods of any kind can interrupt the body’s natural processes, clog pores and create reactions that are seen in the skin. Reading labels and limiting the overall intake of processed food can lead to healthier skin (and keep your other organs thriving as well!).
- Alcohol: Affects our hormones and influences acne development.
How to Blend a Clear Skin Smoothie
Daily smoothies are an easy habit because they take five minutes to put together. You can even cut down on that time if you choose to prep ahead smoothie packs! Since this smoothie has leafy greens, here’s how I use the two-blend method for a creamy result:
- Blend spinach and coconut water until there are no leafy chunks. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed to get every last chunk.
- Add remaining ingredients, including any boosters, and blend again until smooth. Depending on the type of blender you have, be patient! This may take a minute or two to really break down the ingredients.
- Enjoy! I try to drink my smoothies within 15 minutes of blending, yet it’s totally okay to put them in the fridge to enjoy later.
If you are using frozen ingredients you should get a refreshingly cool smoothie. If not, feel free to stick a blended smoothie in the fridge to chill.
FAQs
Drinking a daily green smoothie can seriously help clear up skin. You are nourishing your skin (and body) with a whole lot of nutrients from real, whole foods that will make your body work for you, not against you. My clear skin smoothie has only four ingredients and yet it is a hydrating force in my life.
My clear skin smoothie has spinach, coconut water, pineapple and avocado. This gives me a good dose of vitamins, minerals, fiber and healthy fat to keep my complexion clear and glowing.
Yes! Drinking a daily smoothie full of leafy greens and whole fruits and vegetables can hydrate and nourish your skin in the best way possible. Avoid adding extra sugar or other weird ingredients and stick to the real, natural ones to give you the best results.
More Recipes to Help You Glow
- Vegetable barley soup: This soup is packed with fiber, which helps your digestive system get moving. The more toxins and waste you can excrete through your digestive system, the less chance your skin has to do it.
- Carrot ginger soup: This warm and cozy soup contains fresh ginger root which is a natural anti-inflammatory.
- Sleep well smoothie: This bedtime smoothie encourages sleep, which in turn helps your skin out.
- Apple celery smoothie: This smoothie is low in sugar and high in fiber.
- Alkaline smoothie: Ingredients shown to hydrate your body leaving it happier and clearer.
Drop a comment letting me know some of your favorite foods for glowing skin, and let me know if you try this smoothie by leaving a rating!
Clear Skin Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 ยฝ cups spinach fresh
- 1 cup coconut water unsweetened
- 1 cup pineapple frozen
- ยผ avocado
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Blend spinach and coconut water until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.
Equipment
Notes
- Use at least 1 frozen fruit for a refreshingly cool smoothie.
- Use the leafy greens of your choice.
- Swap coconut water with regular water.
How would I be able to use this smoothie on my face, how long do I wait till I wash it off?
Hey there Anastasia! Interesting question! Actually Jen was saying that tongue and cheek. She just wanted to emphasize that the ingredients are so clean and helpful to the skin. We hope you’ve been blending and noticing some helpful differences. ๐
Hi! Could I use coconut milk ?
You can totally use coconut milk here, although we’d def recommend it be plain and unsweetened if possible.
Iโve tried this smoothie and love it! How often is it advised to drink for clear skin benefits? I wouldnโt say I have severe acne but I get little blemishes here and there which always add to insecurity.. it tasteโs so good although I did substitute the coconut water for almond milk as my local shop didnโt have any
Any of our smoothies can be blended as often as every day if you’d like when working on a specific condition like acne. However, we’d highly recommend you switch up the greens regularly in that smoothie to avoid an unhealthy build up of alkaloids. For great suggestions on which greens to use, check out our Ultimate Guide to Leafy Greens.
Simply delicious! And creamy and so fresh tasting to boot.
This smoothie has been helping me. I am looking for a new breakfast/dinner recipe
Hi Anna – check out our Meal Replacement Smoothies for some great new recipe options!
Hi there! i just had a question. I’m starting a new green juice journey lol and I started today with a green smoothie for breakfast, and as most people, I shared it on Instagram, but a friend responded and said to make sure to add protein to all my juices and smoothies, but I haven’t seen that as an ingredient for your recipes. Do I need it? My goal is just to lose some weight and also to add more greens to my body.
Awesome question! You have a very smart friend, actually! If you’re going to be using your green smoothie as a meal replacement, yes – you should def add clean protein (like…um…homemade protein powder from Simple Green Smoothies for example!) and healthy fat (I’m looking at you avocado or MCT oil). Any of our recipes can be turned into a complete meal that way. If you’re smoothie is more of a snack or dessert, then feel free to rawk it as is without those add-ins. Happy blending!
Can I use fresh pineapple?
You can absolutely use fresh pineapple! Really, is there anything better? Honestly, it’s like candy. We opted to say ‘frozen’ in our recipe because using at least 1 frozen item in a smoothie helps it to be deliciously cold. Totally up to the one doing the blending though.
My skin itโs becoming really bad, I eat everything that is bad for me. Iโm 54 I once had great skin . Never had acne as a teenage . Please help Iโm addicted to sugar, salt. Canโt leave my home without makeup Iโm inspired by your story !!!
We hear ya Kathy! Those addictions can be strong ones. We’d suggest you try one of our cleanses to help kick those habits, create healthy new ones and put you on a path to more clear, glowing skin. Check out our Plant-Based Cleanse-Day or Thrive Plant-Based Cleanse cleanses in our Rawkstar Shop.
Hi there
I am needing major help in getting my metabolism back in gear… so sluggish and acne playing up.
What diet plan can I follow to get on track again, targeting wellness, weightloss and hopefully get my skin clearer too? Please help
Hey Candice – We’ve got you! Check out our Metabolism Tea Recipe and our Thrive 7-Day and Fresh Start Plant-Based Cleanses in our Rawkstar Shop. Remember that small steps work best for lasting change!
Can you substitute the water? Maybe Alkaline water
Hi LO – you can def sub the coconut water with alkaline water, plain water or unsweetened coconut milk for this recipe.
This is one of my go-tos. Few ingredients, delicious, and awesome benefits!
I couldn’t agree more!
I have this smoothie a lot. Like… a lot, a lot. It’s so good I never mind having it over and over!
Same, Kat!!
I love the pineapple in this! Make me feel like I’m on vacation. ๐
It’s such a great tropical flavor!
I love this recipe! I especially love adding herbs like mint, cilantro, or ginger for an added herbal boost!
Herbs would a great addition to this smoothie!
WOW! I canโt wait to see and feel the benefits of this smoothie!
Awesome, Esperanza!
Love this smoothie! So sweet and fresh, doesnโt feel like youโre drinking a green smoothie, it feels like a tropical vacation!
So true!! I love adding some unsweetened coconut flakes to get a piรฑa colada vibe. ๐
This is such a refreshing smoothie! I love it.
Me too! It’s part of my regular rotation. ๐