Use a mixed carotenoid complex, not just isolated beta-carotene.
The Rainbow of Power
I used to take a simple beta-carotene pill, thinking I was getting all my “carotenoid” benefits. I was only seeing in one color. I learned that nature provides a whole rainbow of different carotenoids—lycopene (red), lutein (yellow), astaxanthin (pink)—and they all have their own, unique, and powerful benefits. I switched to a mixed carotenoid complex. I felt like I was no longer just taking one, isolated nutrient; I was consuming the full, synergistic, and colorful power of the entire plant kingdom.
Stop thinking carotenoids are just for eye health. Do use lycopene (from tomatoes) and other carotenoids to protect your skin from oxidative stress.
The Skin’s Shield
I always associated carotenoids with carrots and eye health. I was missing half the story. I learned that many of these powerful, colorful pigments, especially the lycopene from tomatoes, are potent, fat-soluble antioxidants that accumulate in the skin. They act as a “first line of defense,” a natural, internal shield that helps to protect the skin from the oxidative stress caused by UV radiation. They are not just for your eyes; they are for your body’s largest organ.
Stop getting all your antioxidants from berries. Do recognize the unique, skin-protective power of red and orange pigments.
The Pigment Power
I was obsessed with the blue and purple pigments from berries like blueberries. I thought they were the only antioxidants that mattered. I was being color-blind. I learned to appreciate the unique and powerful protective properties of the red and orange pigments. The lycopene from tomatoes and the beta-carotene from sweet potatoes are absolute superstars for skin health and resilience. The secret isn’t to just eat one color; it’s to eat the entire, vibrant rainbow.
The #1 secret for giving your skin a healthy, natural glow and protecting it from sun damage is a diet rich in carotenoids.
The Glow from Within
I was chasing a healthy “glow” with bronzers and self-tanners. I was trying to create it from the outside. I discovered the secret to building it from the inside. A diet that is consistently rich in a variety of carotenoids—from tomato paste, sweet potatoes, carrots, and leafy greens—literally changes the color and the health of your skin. The pigments accumulate in the skin, giving it a natural, golden, healthy hue that is a real, tangible sign of a well-nourished and well-protected body.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that you need a tanning bed to get a healthy color.
The Carotenoid Tan
We’ve been sold a dangerous lie. We’re told that the only way to get a healthy-looking, golden “tan” is to subject our skin to the damaging, cancer-causing radiation of the sun or a tanning bed. The truth is that you can achieve a beautiful, healthy glow that is often perceived as more attractive than a UV tan, simply by eating a diet rich in carotenoids. It is a “tan” that is not a sign of damage, but a sign of profound health and protection.
I wish I knew that eating more tomato paste and sweet potatoes could actually improve my skin tone.
The Edible Glow-Up
I spent my younger years with a pale, sallow complexion, thinking it was just my genetics. I wish I had known about the power of an edible glow-up. The knowledge that I could have been actively and deliciously improving my own skin tone by simply incorporating more tomato paste (a super-concentrated source of lycopene) and more sweet potatoes into my diet is a source of real frustration. The secret to a healthier, more vibrant complexion was sitting in my pantry the whole time.
I’m just going to say it: The “glow” from a carotenoid-rich diet is a sign of a well-protected, healthy skin.
The Honest Tan
A tan from the sun is a sign of DNA damage. It is your skin screaming for help. The golden “glow” that you get from a diet high in carotenoids is the complete opposite. It is an honest tan. It is a visible, outward sign that your skin is saturated with powerful, protective antioxidants. It is a sign of profound health and resilience, not of damage. It is the only tan that is not just beautiful, but is also genuinely, authentically healthy.
99% of people make this one mistake: trying to get a healthy glow from the outside instead of building it from within.
The External Error
A person wants a healthy, radiant glow. Their first and only thought is to go to the beauty store and buy a bronzer, a self-tanner, or a shimmering lotion. They are making a huge mistake. They are trying to paint a healthy color on the outside of a body that lacks it on the inside. They are creating a temporary, cosmetic illusion. The true, lasting, and authentic glow is not something you can paint on; it is something you must build from within, with a diet rich in colorful, protective pigments.
This one habit of eating a “rainbow” of vegetables every day will change your skin’s appearance and health forever.
The Rainbow Rule
I was tired of a complicated diet. I adopted one, simple, powerful habit: the “Rainbow Rule.” Every single day, I make it my mission to eat at least five different colors of fruits and vegetables. This one habit ensures that I am getting a huge, diverse spectrum of carotenoids and other phytonutrients. It has had a more profound and positive impact on the health, clarity, and natural radiance of my skin than any other rule I have ever followed.
If you’re still eating a beige diet, you’re losing the vibrant, protective antioxidants that give your skin a natural radiance.
The Beige Blight
Your diet is a landscape of beige and brown. Bread, pasta, chicken, potatoes. You are living in a state of “beige blight.” You are losing. You are losing out on the entire, vibrant, colorful world of plant-based antioxidants that are designed to protect you. And you are losing the beautiful, external reflection of that protection: a healthy, natural, radiant glow. Your skin is a canvas, and the colors you eat are the paints you use to create a masterpiece of health.