Halloween is this weekend, which means soooo much candy if you're going trick-or-treating or happen to know a ridiculously selfless child who will share. If you feel bad about snacking on Snicker bars and Sour Patch kids, do not fret. There's absolutely no shame in munching all that sugary goodness because there are actually lots of beauty benefits of candy. Yes, I have now just completely justified why you should be going HAM on Halloween candy this weekend. Whether chocolate or fruity is more your thing, there's a reason to chow down.
A word of caution, though: While beauty benefits are great, do pace yourself eating the candy. I was thirteen the last time I remember trick-or-treating, and this one crazy man on our street was giving out five pound Hershey's chocolate bars (everything's bigger in Texas, I guess?). Obviously I was stoked and started nibbling it with my pals immediately. Sadly, by the time I finally got home, I think I'd managed to eat nearly a quarter pound of chocolate and more or less wanted to curl into a ball and never look at the bar again. Moral of this story? The only thing sadder than not having chocolate is not even wanting chocolate. Don't let this be you!
Read on below to know exactly which candies to dig out of your (or your poor, unfortunate younger sibling's) bag to reap some legit beauty benefits!
1. Skittles For Strong Nails
Sugar-coated Skittles contain a surprising amount of Vitamin C, which is a crucial vitamin to prevent brittle nails.
2. Antioxidant-Packed Peppermints For Better Skin
Jillian Michael's blog shared that the peppermint oil in mints is packed with antioxidants. More, in fact, "than cereals, fruits, or vegetables." Say what? Antioxidants help reduce wrinkles, fight sun damage caused by free radicals, and are all-around dietary necessities. Excuse me while I pop another...
3. Payday Bars To Fight Pimples
OK, I can't directly link a Payday bar to curing acne, but StylishWalks pointed out that "the Vitamin E, zinc and magnesium present in peanuts make skin glow from within and act on the bacteria that causes acne." You could also apply this logic to peanut butter cups, if that's more your style...
4. Candy For Longer Life
No, seriously. Psychology Today reported a study from Harvard School of Public Health found that people who indulged in candy at least one to three times a month lived longer than those that always passed on the sweets. Since aging is beautiful, I say this count as a beauty benefit!
5. Sugar For Cat Eye Application Focus
Psychology Today also touted the benefits of straight up sugar. Turns out, the sweet stuff is directly connected to willpower and one small candy could help give you the focus you need to finally do a cat eye correctly!
6. Dark Chocolate For Sun Protection
According to Huffington Post, "Flavonols found in dark chocolate have been clinically shown to help your skin protect itself from sunburn, redness and other signs of UV damage." This isn't an excuse to skip sunscreen, but it's certainly another good reason to eat chocolate.
7. Dark Chocolate For Healthy Hair
Dark chocolate gets two shout outs because it's just that awesome. Huff Po also shared, "copper, zinc and iron are minerals that promote the cell renewal growth process, and dark chocolate happens to be full of them." Chomping on some dark chocolate will give your scalp better blood flow and result in healthy, shiny hair.
By Lindsey Rose Black | Bustle
