We all know the right foods can boost brain power and affect our moods, and we recently learned the ones that can help us live longer. But have you ever thought about how what you put in your mouth shows up your face (beyond that whole pizza/acne myth). Here, dietitian Jae Berman dishes out how you can truly eat your way to better skin:

1. Vegetables: Think green and orange foods (spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, citrus). They contain the antioxidant vitamin C which facilitates cell turnover and aids in collagen production. Carrots also contain vitamin A which, combined with the C, helps increase the skin's natural sun protection-and they help prevent breakouts by getting rid of dead skin cells.

2. Berries: The flavinols in cherries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries (and in dark chocolate!) act as an antioxidant and improve skin texture, leaving it soft and smooth.

Related: Eat More of These 9 Foods and Weigh Less

3. Fish: Skip the facial and eat fish two to

Beauty expert Nonie Creme's advice for battling dry winter skin Manicure

Don't make moisture-starved hands a winter mainstay. Here, Nonie Creme, creative director for Butter London and Fashion Week regular (she manicured nails at Jenni Kayne and Vena Cava's spring 2010 shows), shares her smooth-skin secrets.

What ingredients should you look for in a winter hand cream?
A healthy dose of Shea butter ensures that the product can seal in and help retain moisture. Also, look out for natural oils like avocado oil, sunflower oil and coconut oil, which moisturize and heal using the power of nature.

Any at-home tips for maintaining smooth cuticles?
After a hot bath or shower gently push back cuticles using an orange wood stick or cuticle tool. Next, stimulate blood flow by vigorously rubbing cuticles with a clean, dry towel until pink and exfoliated. Then spend five minutes rubbing in some organic olive oil from the kitchen. It's salon perfection at no cost!

If you get dry

Nobody's perfect-but you can overcome some of the most common bad habits. We asked the pros for solutions for even the worst chewers, pickers, and overstylers.

Overstyling Your Hair
Stylist Julien Farel warns that too much heat-styling can cause damage-and that stretching your hair with a brush can make it lose elasticity. Farel suggests a little tough love: blow-dry only every other day. Easier for styling addicts? A moisturizing treatment, Phyto Phytojoba mask, to repair damage.

10 Beauty Mistakes That Add 10 Years

Chewing On Your Lips
By damaging the skin barrier, you expose your lips to germs and damage from cosmetic ingredients, such as peppermint oil in a lip gloss or a retinoid, says dermatologist Leslie Baumann. To quit: If you chew when your lips are dry (a common problem during cold winter weather), try using petroleum jelly to protect the skin and seal in your lips' natural moisture.

Picking At Your Skin
Messing with pimples makes them worse

istockphoto

Ugh. Winter is upon us. Global warming might be melting the ice caps, but it sure hasn't made the northeastern United States any less crappy during the dark, cold month of November. Anyone else's hair feel dry as a bale of hay? Yeah, it's the pits. The dry air has been making my usually cute bob look terrible for weeks and I just couldn't take it anymore! So, last weekend, while my guy attended to a manly Korean barbecue expedition someplace, I ransacked the kitchen cupboards so I could test my very first at-home olive oil hair mask.

The how-to and results, after the jump!

How to do it:

I found 407 recipes for "olive oil hair mask" on the internet, all with different ingredients. A girl could add drops of frankincense or honey to her conditioning mask, but I opted to just use olive oil by itself. I have short, chin-length hair, so I poured about a half a shot-glass worth of oil into a cereal bowl. I then wrapped a ratty old towel around my shoulders and headed to the

The holidays are around the corner, and that means it's time for lots of schmoozing-and not much sleep. To the rescue: these five fool-proof skin tricks that will undo (or at least disguise) the dark circles, puffy eyes, bloating, and other joyful party favors.

To get rid of dark circles, choose a creamy concealer that's slightly lighter than your skin. Apply it after foundation, so you don't use too much, and dot it only at the inner corners of the eyes and over the dark areas. (We love DuWop CircleBlock.)

8 Holiday Party Makeup Mistakes to Avoid

To reduce morning bloat, apply a cold compress to your face for 10 to 15 minutes to bring down the swelling. (A bag of frozen peas wrapped in a paper towel will do.) Or, do a little subtle contouring: dust bronzer or tawny blush just below the cheekbones and blend outward. (Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Soft Duo Bronzer is one of our favorites.)

To deflate puffy eyes, the old tea-bag trick works every time. The caffeine

It may be freezing outside, but that's no reason to stash away your sunblock with your beach towels. We chatted with Ariel Ostad, a New York City dermatologist, to find out the most common misconceptions about wearing sunscreen in the colder months.

THE MYTH: My makeup contains SPF 15, so I'm protected from the sun.

THE TRUTH: "Makeup with SPF won't fully protect your skin unless you really cake it on, so you're getting a false sense of security," says Ostad. "Science has shown that for you to get an adequate amount of protection you need a teaspoon or two of sunscreen just for your face. Then, a shot glass full for your arms, another for your chest and abdomen, and so on," he says.

THE MYTH: The sun is the only way to get enough Vitamin D.

THE TRUTH: "This is one of the biggest controversies," says Ostad. "As a dermatologist, 99% of the skin cancer that I see is due to sun exposure. People do need vitamin D for bone loss, but

Have you recently woke up horrified to a big, bright red blemish has appeared smack in the middle of your face? Sitting prominently on your otherwise smooth cheek is a pimple so big that you immediately run to the bathroom mirror and start squeezing away at the sucker.

Before you get yourself into pimple panic mode, stop, take a deep breath, and remember it's only natural that blemishes appear from time to time. Everyone encounters a blemish or two; nevertheless, it's essential that you care for them so that they disappear instead of sticking around for good.

Here's our step-by-step guide on how to hide those unwanted blemishes beautifully without damaging your skin.

Rinse And Repeat

Use a clean washcloth and a bar of soap to cleanse the surface. Try and stay away from makeup remover cloths, as they use certain chemicals that may sting or burn your blemish. Use hot water and press on your blemish (do not squeeze or pop, apply minimal pressure). Make sure that

What cool, crunchy snack is good for your figure... and your face?

Cucumbers! These cool complexion-helpers are rich in silica, a mineral that maintains collagen production. Plus, at only 8 calories per half cup, they're the ideal diet-friendly fare to eat... and eat... and eat... Dip in hummus or a favorite dressing to add a dash of flavor.

For more get-pretty tips check out the beauty flash on page 60 of our November issue!

Related: Simple strategies for clear skin!

MORE FROM SELF:

• 4 foods that fight cancer (and one to avoid)!
  
• Healthy Food Awards: Our 54 waist-friendly winners
• Sexual confidence: Learn to ditch your hang-ups and start having your best sex ever!
• 20 superfoods for weight loss