Is chocolate really bad for my skin?

March 25, 2021
Is chocolate really bad for my skin?

Approx 3 minute read |

Is chocolate really bad for my skin?

Chocaholic or not, chances are that you’ve been told “chocolate will make your skin break out” before. Chocolate has a bit of a bad reputation for itself, but is it really true that chocolate makes your skin break out? 

The powerful properties of cacao

Chocolate per se, is actually not bad for your skin, however (you knew a but was coming, didn’t you?) the quality of chocolate you’re consuming will make all the difference to whether you might breakout or not. Chocolate comes from cacao beans, which aren't bad at all if consumed in a raw, unprocessed form. 
Cacao in fact is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids that are known to prevent and slow down the damage caused by free radicals; this means that cacao can actually improve the condition of your skin thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidants properties. Yup, it’s true… you hear it here first, chocolate can actually be good for your skin!
Antioxidants and flavonoids are found in many different plant foods, including berries, tea, dark leafy greens, citrus fruits, nuts and more. 

Will indulging this Easter = spots?

If you’ve eaten a bar of chocolate in the past and then got a few pimples the following day, the culprit was more likely to be the added sugar and dairy, rather than the cacao itself. Due to their inflammatory effects, both sugar and milk have in fact been linked to many skin conditions, including acne!

Most chocolate on the shelves are highly processed with other ingredients, so there isn’t much of the goodness of cacao left. Check out the label next time you pick up a bar, you will most likely find that the first ingredient is milk, followed by sugar.

So, if you plan on getting a chocolate fix this Easter, we recommend you opt for a dark chocolate egg or even a vegan one. Vegan chocolate is more like milk chocolate in taste, but with plant-based milk as opposed to dairy, so there is less chance of a breakout after eating it. “If you suffer from breakouts, I always suggest switching to a more plant-based diet. I used to suffer from acne myself and changing my diet has made a huge difference” says Claire Williams, WOW facial’s founder and CEO.

Claire continues, “Although moving to a cleaner diet has numerous benefits, it might not be enough to “fix” your problem, as I discovered. But, there are plenty of active ingredients that can heal and restore skin health, including improving acne and even acne scars”.

What can I do if I am suffering from breakouts?

If you suffer from breakouts, a WOW fusion® treatment could be a great option for you, restoring your skin health with active ingredients that work from within. 
Ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and multivitamins are fantastic at targeting acne, because they give nutrition to the skin, help balance sebum production so that there’s less incidence of acne and even reduce inflammation as they have calming, soothing, and restoring properties too.

In addition to professional treatments, incorporating a simple hyper-personalised skincare routine at home will also make a great difference to your skin health. Your WOW practitioner can suggest a specific combination of an active cleanser, active serum, active moisturiser, and SPF for you to use at home to keep your skin clear between treatments.

Author: Claire
Category: Skincare, WOW Journal