What Do Food and Beauty Have in Common?
Hi everyone! I’m the editor behind the beauty pages at Martha Stewart Living and I’ll be blogging here occasionally (don’t worry, Mariel isn’t going anywhere!).
Recently, I met with Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan, Eucerin’s Skin First Ambassador and founder of Apartment Therapy’s The Kitchn. As a mother, award-winning blogger and author of the new cookbook Good Food to Share: Recipes for Entertaining with Friends and Family, Sara Kate knows a thing or two about healthy living. She’s taken the Eucerin pledge to make caring for her skin a priority. Over the summer, she toured the country to get the word out, talking to women about eating right, balancing your life, and taking care of your skin, which is probably top of mind right now (hello, winter dryness!). Here, she talks about why skincare should always be a priority, the connection between food and beauty, and how she maintains a healthy glow.
Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan
Q: You said that when you were on the road with Eucerin a lot of people were very confessional about their beauty regimens. What’s your biggest beauty confession?
A: Up until a few years ago I did not wear a daily SPF. Having a child made me get my priorities in line. Now I wear it every single day, rain or shine.
Q: Why is it important to make skin a priority?
A: The skin is the largest organ in the body. It is our filter for the outside environment. When you eat well, especially foods that promote healthy skin, and when you take care of your skin with products that are gentle and safe, you are keeping that outer layer of your body intact and strong. Putting the health of your skin first pays off short and long-term.
Q: What’s the connection between food and beauty?
A: Eating healthy foods is immediately reflected in the skin. To me, there is also a deeper connection that has to do with the joy and peace that comes from cooking and eating well. That positive feeling comes through in my face. I truly believe that I’m my most beautiful when I’m connected to my food by eating well and cooking often, especially if I’m cooking with and for people I love. When you smile, you look better!
Q: What’s your beauty philosophy?
A: I keep things as natural as possible. I wear minimal make-up, if any, though now and then I like a little color or sparkle on my face. I pay attention to ingredients, too. Sometimes reading the side of a cosmetic bottle feels like it requires a chemistry degree. Knowing how a few of the most common cosmetic ingredients react with the skin can really help a consumer discern which products are best for their bodies.