As mentioned above, there’s much debate in scientific circles about the properties and value of vitamin C, not to mention controversy over whether or not such ingredients can have an actual impact on your skin or not.

In this study, ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (AA2P), a vitamin C derivative, was found to promote wound healing and helped protect cellular DNA against damage caused by oxidation.

Oxidation, caused by free radicals, is associated with premature aging of your skin. Antioxidants like vitamin C may offer protection against this kind of damage, which bodes well for natural cosmetics.

It’s important, however, to realize that since nearly everything you put on your skin is absorbed into your body, you need to investigate ALL the ingredients in your personal care products. The fact that something contains vitamin C is no guarantee that it’s beneficial. Many brands, including so-called all-natural brands, will oftentimes include other harmful ingredients.

But I certainly believe that just as feeding your body with only the best ingredients from nature, you also need to do the same for your skin. This was a major reason for creating my own USDA Certified Organic skin care line.

That said, if you want truly gorgeous skin, you cannot ignore the importance of having a healthy lifestyle.

Donna Gates, author of The Body Ecology Diet offers great advice on how to optimize the look and feel of your skin from deep within.

Cleaning Your Skin From Within

Although advertisers would want you to believe that a beautiful complexion can be purchased in a jar, truly radiant, blemish-free skin is the result of clean, healthy living.

The first step is to make sure your blood is continuously supplying healthy nutrients to every cell in your body. This is no easy task in today’s world. You’re assaulted with toxins from a multitude of sources, so cleansing your body of these dangerous substances while putting in the finest nutrients is essential.

The good news is that your body is constantly in a cleansing mode and was created with the ability to push out toxins as long as you supply it with the energy to do so.

By eating a healthy diet that is suitable for your nutritional type; focusing on whole, bioavailable organic foods, is your number one strategy for helping your body to detox naturally.

Six Organs That Keep Your Skin Healthy

The six organs responsible for providing you with beautiful skin include your:

• Liver

• Kidneys

• Adrenals

• Thyroid

• Large intestines

• Small intestines

Your liver and kidneys are the two organs that filter out impurities on an ongoing basis. If your diet is less than ideal, these two organs can easily become overtaxed.

Sitting on top of your kidneys are your walnut-sized adrenals. Often called the "workhorses" of the body, they make many essential hormones including pregnenolone, DHEA, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Healthy hormones are an essential ingredient when seeking energy and beautiful skin.

A well-nourished, energetic thyroid also provides hormones and works closely with your adrenals to create energy.

Dry, flaky, sluggish skin is evidence of a weak thyroid.

Your liver, kidneys, adrenals and thyroid are also dependent on the condition of your small and large intestines. These two organs not only provide nutrients to other organs, but they are also responsible for the removal of waste products from your body. When waste meant for elimination remains in your intestines your skin becomes thick, oily and blemished.

Pure, flawless skin is a reflection of clean intestines.

All of the following items will have a negative effect on your inner organs, and therefore need to be avoided if you want clearer, healthier skin:

• Drugs and alcohol

• Chemicals and heavy metals

• Trans fat

• Refined, processed table salt

• Processed foods

• Pasteurized dairy products

Foods that Promote Beautiful Skin

Green foods that promote healthy liver function include chlorella and dark green leafy veggies, such as:

• Kale

• Spinach

• Dandelion greens

• Broccoli

Other foods known to contribute to healthy skin include raw and virgin fats and oils. Coconut oil is especially good for your thyroid.

You’ll also want to include plenty of mineral-rich foods (dark green leafy veggies, ocean veggies and seafood) and antioxidant-rich foods (black currants, blueberries) in your diet.

Another group of foods worth mentioning are fermented (or cultured) foods.

Fermented foods help promote the growth of friendly intestinal bacteria and aid in digestion. They also support healthy immune function, including an increase in B vitamins, omega-3, digestive enzymes, lactase and lactic acid, and other immune chemicals that fight off harmful bacteria.

By keeping your insides healthy and clean, your skin will have no choice but follow suit and mirror your internal state.