Skincare consumers believe sleep and nutrition are the most essential factors in their pursuit of a “healthy glow,” new research by wellness company Lycored has shown. “Consumers are looking for a healthy glow but they know they can’t always get it from a tube. Increasingly they understand the link between wellness factors, such as getting the right amount of sleep and eating a balanced diet, in achieving healthy, radiant skin,” explains Zev Ziegler, Head of Global Brand & Marketing, Health at Lycored.

Lycored surveyed more than 500 regular users of skincare products in six different countries, as part of its “Cycle of Glow” campaign. Almost all (98 percent) agreed with the statement: “Good nutrition is necessary to achieve a healthy glow.” Participants from the UK, US, France, China, Japan and South Korea took part in the survey. Respondents had all purchased a skincare product (either a topical product or a supplement for beauty or skin health) over the past 12 months.

When the consumers were asked which factors were most likely to provide their skin with a “glow,” the second highest score was for healthy diet/nutrition, which was selected by 65 percent of survey respondents, second only to getting the right amount of sleep (66 percent). Both factors ranked higher than skin hydration (56 percent), or skincare products applied physically to the skin (39 percent).

The survey respondents were also asked to rank four foods in order of how likely they thought they were to give their skin a healthy glow. Eight in ten (79 percent) ranked foods rich in vitamin E, such as almonds and sunflower seeds in either first or second place. Foods rich in carotenoids, such as carrots and tomatoes, were ranked in either first or second place by two thirds (65 percent) of respondents, ahead of foods rich in collagen (46 percent).

Lycored offers a range of whole food extracts and blends rich in the carotenoids lycopene, phytoene and phytofluene. Lycoderm, its proprietary blend for skincare supplements, is also rich in vitamin E.

The company created the “Cycle of Glow” concept as part of its #rethinkbeautiful initiative. It highlights the importance of nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle factors such as healthy sleep in skin health. It also brings to life a recent scientific study which demonstrated the role of Lycoderm in supporting the skin’s UV resilience.

Lycored showcased a physical “Cycle of Glow” pop-up at Vitafoods Europe 2019 earlier in May. The pop-up sought to highlight “the bridge between beauty and nutrition.

At the event, Karin Hermoni, Head of Science and Nutrition at Lycored, told that the “Cycle of Glow” pop-up talks about the holistic approach to rethinking beauty and how beauty comes from within