Copper for collagen, silica for strong tissue, and zinc for oil control. Minerals might seem boring compared to anti-aging moisturizers and colorful serums, but they’re often the missing piece for disrupted skin.

Minerals are essential to the human body, regulating the heartbeat, balancing hormones, and carrying oxygen to our blood cells. But in our skincare routines, minerals are usually overlooked, since it’s easy to assume we get enough minerals from our diet.

This used to be true. But America’s topsoil is disappearing rapidly, which means fewer nutrients are delivered to our food and our skin. Here’s how to fix that.

 

The Best Minerals for Skin and What They Do

Minerals are cofactors for healthy skin. That means they’re used in the biological process that builds our skin structure and cells. These are the most important ones to include in your diet and skincare routine, and exactly how they function.

 

Silica for a collagen boost

If you have connective tissue problems or early signs of aging, you need more silica. This mineral isn’t widely talked about, but silica deficiencies are common, especially if your body struggles to absorb nutrients. It helps with skin elasticity, natural hydration, and cell turnover. Silica deficiency could be the reason your skin doesn’t bounce back like it used to, even with supplements and an avid skincare routine.

Quick tips to build silica stores:

• Take a silica cell salt.

• Eat more leafy greens and legumes.

• Try a face mask that’s made with Australian pink or kaolin clay.

 

Copper for healthy skin cells

Copper helps with tissue repair. That means if you have redness, a disrupted skin barrier, or even eczema, copper is your skin’s best friend. It helps stimulate the cells responsible for building connective tissue while sending blood flow to the affected area. It’s also great for cellular health, acting as an antioxidant to defend skin cells from free radicals.

Quick tips to build copper stores:

• Be aware that high levels of zinc, iron, and manganese can interfere with copper absorption.

• Use beef tallow skincare with trace amounts of copper.

• Check out the Root Cause Protocol.

• Eat plenty of organ meats and shellfish.

 

Selenium for resilient skin

If you’ve ever heard a friend gush about the benefits of a hot spring, thank selenium. Since it’s a trace mineral, selenium doesn’t get the attention it deserves for skin wellness, but it’s key to skin resilience. Balanced selenium levels mean better sun defense, impressive cell turnover, and deep hydration. You’re less likely to experience skin barrier disruption and dryness.

 

Quick tips to build Selenium stores:

 

• Soak in a selenium-rich natural hot spring.

• Take selenium trace mineral supplements (especially if you have blood sugar issues).

• Eat selenium-rich foods, like Brazil nuts, wild-caught seafood, and mushrooms.

• Use a grass-fed tallow balm with trace levels of selenium.

 

Magnesium to promote recovery

Topical magnesium is your ultimate tool for sore muscles, period cramps, and skin inflammation. In other words, it’s the recovery mineral. Magnesium deficiency is one of the most common mineral deficiencies, affecting about 45% of Americans. But when you add magnesium back into your diet and skincare routine, you’ll probably feel calmer, banish stress-related breakouts, and resolve skin barrier problems. Remember, magnesium is required to make cellular energy, so your body always needs it.

Quick tips to build magnesium stores:

• Take high-quality magnesium supplements.

• Get topical magnesium that’s infused in your skincare.

• Eat magnesium-rich foods like edamame, dark chocolate, and organ meats.

 

Potassium when you wake up puffy

The banana peel face mask trend is proof that potassium belongs in your skincare routine. Most of us use potassium as an electrolyte supplement to keep fluid balanced throughout the body. It works the same way for our skin. Potassium manages hydration, which means plump and snatched skin.

Quick tips to build potassium stores: 

 

• Use skincare or makeup with aloe vera, a source of potassium.

• Eat potassium-rich foods, like potatoes, avocados, yogurt, and bananas.

• Soak in a hot spring that has trace elements of potassium.

 

Calcium when your skin needs repair

Another mineral and electrolyte, calcium builds the skin barrier’s foundation. It signals the release of lipids (aka healthy fats) to build the epidermis. As your mineral skin barrier protection, calcium helps lock in nutrients and hydration while banishing irritants. If you don’t eat a lot of calcium, you may find that adding it to your diet or skincare resolves eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin.

Quick tips to build calcium stores:

• Apply a clay mask weekly.

• Eat plenty of grass-fed dairy products.

• Be aware that legumes and foods high in oxalic acid can block calcium absorption.

 

How to Find Out If Your Mineral Levels Are Low

There are a few symptoms that key us into mineral deficiency.

• Hair loss

• Weak nails

• Skin disruptions

• Muscle cramping

• Poor concentration

• Sleep issues

• Fatigue

• Mood swings

But if you want to dig deeper, you can complete a test that shows your mineral levels in real time. We recommend the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA), which can analyze your mineral levels and give you clarity for next steps. These tests are especially helpful for pregnant or breastfeeding women who are burning through nutrients rapidly.

 

Coming Soon … Dreamy Topical Magnesium

We can’t dish all the secrets, but we can tell you there’s a brand-new product coming to the Toups shelf. Prepare for dreamy scents, mineral-rich ingredients, and skincare that’s all about recovery.

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