Take a scroll on TikTok and you’ll quickly find that the wellness industry has a new philosophy—eating your skincare. And it’s beyond the supplements and ginger-tumeric shots, it’s cocktails that promise a glow, coffees that claim to fix any complexion, and concoctions rich in retinol; SPF after is merely optional. After all, you are what you eat, so why apply and absorb when you can ingest instead? But can we really trust the wellness industry’s latest fad? We speak to experts to weigh in on the topic.
For those not in the know, edible skincare can range from supplements and gummies, tonics and elixirs, and, according to social media, concoctions made with kitchen ingredients rich in skincare ingredients such as retinol or collagen. Although it sounds like a reasonable practice in theory, we teeter on scepticism. Speaking to experts, we look at both sides of the argument.
According to Boris Hodakel, founder of supplement brand Feel, the rise of edible skincare is just a full circle moment—a repackaged form of traditional practices. “For centuries, people have linked diet with complexion; the idea that what you eat directly affects how you look isn’t new,” says Hodakel.
He cites historical practices, saying, “Ancient beauty rituals often centred around nutrient-rich foods and herbal tonics to promote healthy, glowing skin. What’s changed today is our understanding of how specific nutrients, like collagen peptides or antioxidants, work at a cellular level. Edible skincare is really the modern evolution of that same age-old belief that beauty begins from within.”
One way or another, these ingredients need to penetrate beyond the skin to actually fix it. So by eating them, you’re likely fixing issues from the cellular level. But this brings up a key question—can our bodies ingest and absorb the right amount enough to make a change?
For Aleksandar Josipovic, a business and marketing consultant, edible skincare is purely a fad for that exact reason. “Much of its (edible skincare) success is driven by clever branding rather than proven science”, he says. “Words like ‘glow,’ ‘radiance,’ and ‘cell renewal’ look great on packaging, yet very few consumers realise how little active ingredient is actually absorbed by the body.”
And in the middle of these two opposing arguments lies a third, a moderate opinion of both. According to Orsi Matheisz, aesthetician and founder of Orskin Aesthetics, there is truth behind the hype however discernment is key.
“It is one of those trends that sounds gimmicky, but there’s real science emerging behind it,” she says. “Supplements can support the skin from within, but only when the formulas are bioavailable and taken consistently. The problem is that not all products are created equal; many are underdosed or poorly absorbed, so you’re essentially paying for flavoured sweets.”
And we agree. Not all products are created equal, so while there are credible options out there, you really need to speak to a professional first and cut through the clutter before committing. “Medical-grade options such as Nutrakos, which contains specific amino acids proven to stimulate collagen and elastin production, have far more clinical credibility. The smartest approach is to treat ingestible beauty as a complement to your skincare routine, not a replacement for it,” says Matheisz. And honestly, that’s the best way to treat edible skincare. With a grain of salt. Instead of buying into the hype or dismissing it altogether, it’s best to follow up on researching before eating. But if you’re adamant about eating to get that glow, we heard that a healthy diet will never let you down.
