8 Reasons Your Skin Is Dull + How To Get It Glowing ASAP

By now you likely know there’s no cure-all for turning back the hands of time. However, there are valuable lifestyle choices you can make to slow the depletion of elastin, collagen, and hyaluronic acid. Ingesting vitamin C will support the synthesis of collagen and hyaluronic acid.* Consume foods high in the vitamin, like oranges, red peppers, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and strawberries—as well as supplements.

You can also promote natural collagen production by ingesting hydrolyzed collagen peptide supplements.* These have been shown to support your natural collagen levels by improving your fibroblast function, which produce collagen and elastin themselves.* Other foods like bone broth contain a bioavailable form of collagen, which your body can use upon ingestion. Other collagen-supporting foods include chicken, fish and shellfish, egg whites, berries, and leafy greens.

Meanwhile, avoid consuming too much sugar and too many refined carbs, which can cause inflammation and damage collagen. According to board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., “[These kinds of diets] may interfere with wound healing, including healing of environmentally damaged skin cells.” Sugar, in particular, can be tough on collagen. “High sugar levels can lead to hardening and fragmentation of collagen, weakening the skin foundation, and promoting premature skin aging,” Zeichner says. And be sure to always wear sunscreen! UV radiation activates enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which break down collagen.