Green Pasture Products / August 4, 2026

Page Contents

Introduction

The skin is our largest organ and serves as the first line of defense, forming a protective boundary between our bodies and the outside world. When people think about skincare, they usually think about what is put on the skin like cleansers, lotions, serums, oils, and balms. 

But skin health is also influenced by what’s happening inside the body. Nutrition, hydration, age, environmental exposures, and everyday habits can all play a role in that. The skin even has the incredible ability to give us visual signs on the outside that something may need attention on the inside. [1] Supporting healthy skin means considering both the nutrients we consume on the inside and the ingredients that are in what we apply on the outside.

Why The Skin Barrier Matters

The outermost layer of the skin is called the stratum corneum. One of its primary jobs is helping keep moisture in while providing a protective barrier from the surrounding environment. Picture it as a brick wall. Skin cells are the bricks, while lipids, fat-like molecules such as ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids, help form the “mortar” that holds everything together. [2]

Those lipids are an important part of what keeps the skin barrier functioning normally. Everyday factors such as cold weather, dry air, frequent washing, and harsh cleansers can remove or disrupt some of the skin’s natural oils. [3] When that happens, skin may begin to feel dry, rough, tight, or flaky.

This is why moisturizing is about more than simply putting water on the skin. It also involves supporting the skin’s ability to retain moisture by caring for its outermost layer, which is naturally rich in protective lipids.

How does nutrition affect skin health?

The nutrients we eat become part of the raw materials the body uses to build, maintain, and renew its tissues, including skin. Let’s take a look at how nutrients including omega fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid, vitamins A and D, and antioxidants relate to skin health.

Omega Fatty Acids and the Skin

Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, are incorporated into cell membranes throughout the body. Researchers have studied omega 3 intake in relation to skin moisture, barrier function, sensitivity, and the way skin responds to environmental exposure. [4,5]

Omega 6 fatty acids are important as well. Linoleic acid, an essential omega 6 fatty acid, is incorporated into lipids within the skin barrier and helps support the skin’s structure and its ability to retain moisture. [6]

One form of omega 7, palmitoleic acid, is naturally present in human skin and sebum, the oily substance produced by the skin. Research has explored its relationship with skin moisture and elasticity. [7]

Conjugated Linoleic Acid’s Relationship with the Skin

Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is a group of naturally occurring fatty acids found primarily in foods from ruminant animals, such as beef and dairy. CLA has also attracted interest in skin research. In one animal study, dietary CLA and other fatty acids altered the fatty-acid composition of the skin, suggesting that the types of fats consumed can influence the fats present within skin tissue. [8]

Researchers have also explored topical CLA in relation to skin barrier function, including skin hydration and proteins involved in maintaining the barrier. [9]

Vitamins A and D: Fat-Soluble Vitamins for Skin Health

Both vitamins A and D are fat soluble, meaning dietary fat helps the body absorb them.

Vitamin A has a particularly close relationship with the skin. The body uses vitamin A to help maintain tissues, including the skin, and vitamin A derivatives play important roles in normal cell growth and differentiation. [10]

Vitamin D also has a unique relationship with the skin because exposure to UVB light initiates vitamin D production in the skin. Vitamin D receptors are also present in skin cells, where vitamin D signaling is involved in normal cell growth, differentiation, and skin function. [11]

The Role of Antioxidants in Skin Health

The skin regularly encounters sunlight, pollution, smoke, and other environmental stressors. These exposures can contribute to oxidative stress, which occurs when reactive molecules outpace the body’s normal protective systems.  Antioxidants are part of those natural protective systems. [12]

The skin contains its own network of antioxidants that help manage reactive molecules. Some antioxidants obtained through food can also reach the skin. Polyphenols have been studied for their roles in the skin’s antioxidant defenses and its response to environmental exposure. [13]

Traditional Fats From Green Pasture

Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil, Fermented Skate Liver Oil, and Concentrated Butter Oil each provide their own unique combination of naturally occurring fatty acids and fat soluble nutrients.

Fermented Cod Liver Oil naturally contains omega 3, 6, 7, 9 fatty acids, including EPA and DHA, along with vitamins A and D. It also contains naturally occurring antioxidant compounds.

Fermented Skate Liver Oil provides omega 3, 6, 7, and 9 fatty acids, as well as naturally occurring vitamins A, D and antioxidants compounds.

Concentrated Butter Oil is a natural source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and fat-soluble vitamins. 

Each of our traditionally prepared oils is different, but all provide naturally occurring nutrients from carefully sourced whole foods.

Why Skincare Ingredients Deserve a Closer Look

Nutrition is an important part of supporting healthy skin, but the ingredients we apply to our skin every day also deserve careful consideration.  As we discussed in our blog  “The Return to Traditional Natural Skincare: Why Animal Based Skincare is Back”, the skin is in constant contact with the products we apply to it, making thoughtful ingredient selection an important part of a skincare routine.

Cod Liver Oil for Topical Skincare

The topical use of marine oils reaches back to ancient Roman writings, which reference oil rendered from dolphin liver being applied externally to the skin. [14] The topical use of cod liver oil has been documented in medical literature for decades. A 1937 paper published in The American Journal of Surgery described the local application of cod liver oil on skin ulcerations. [15]  

More recent research has continued to explore the potential role of marine oils in skin health. In one animal study, a cod liver oil ointment supported the formation of new surface tissue and new blood vessels during the wound-healing process compared with the ointment base alone. [16] Another animal study examining topical DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid naturally found in marine oils, observed changes in skin cell activity and wound closure.[17] This research is part of what makes marine oils such an interesting addition to topical skincare.

Grass-Fed Tallow in Skincare

Grass-fed tallow brings another traditional fat into the topical side of skincare. It naturally contains fatty acids including stearic and palmitic acids and has a lipid-based texture that makes it well suited for balm formulations. Tallow is also often appreciated in skincare because of similarities in its fatty acid profile to some of the lipids naturally found in human skin, contributing to its smooth, emollient feel when applied. [18]

At Green Pasture, we carry a traditional approach into our personal care line with balms, rubs, and beauty bars made with animal fats and carefully selected naturally derived ingredients.  Hydro Balm combines grass-fed tallow with Fermented Cod Liver Oil, Fermented Skate Liver Oil, and Concentrated Butter Oil in a soft, spreadable balm. It can be used on areas such as the face, lips, hands, feet, elbows, and other places where skin feels dry or benefits from added moisture. Many people enjoy using richer balms during colder weather or in dry environments when skin may appreciate additional moisture and protection.

Skincare Inside And Out

Caring for the skin means considering both what we consume and what we apply. The skin interacts daily with the nutrients we provide through our diet, the products we use, and the environment around us. 

Traditional fats are especially interesting in skincare because they are found in the foods we eat, play a role in the skin’s natural structure, and have a long history of topical use.

Green Pasture Products reflects that connection by using traditional fats both nutritionally and topically. Fermented Cod Liver Oil, Fermented Skate Liver Oil, and Concentrated Butter Oil provide naturally occurring fats and fat soluble nutrients as part of a whole food diet, while Hydro Balm and Muscle Balm incorporate these traditional ingredients into topical skincare products. 

Healthy skin isn't just something we apply, it's something we cultivate.

Sources

[1] Gripp, A. C., et al. “Skin Manifestations Associated with Systemic Diseases – Part II.” Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, 2021, vol. 96, no. 6, pp. 672–687. PMCID: PMC8790166.  

[2] Bouwstra, J. A., et al. “The Skin Barrier: An Extraordinary Interface with an Exceptional Lipid Organization.” Progress in Lipid Research, 2023.

[3] Ananthapadmanabhan, K. P., et al. “Stratum Corneum Fatty Acids: Their Critical Role in Preserving Barrier Integrity During Cleansing.” International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2013.

[4] Thomsen, B. J., and Chow, E. Y. “The Potential Uses of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Dermatology: A Review.” Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 2020.

[5] Huang, T. H., et al. “Cosmetic and Therapeutic Applications of Fish Oil’s Fatty Acids on the Skin.” Marine Drugs, 2018.

[6] Parke, M. A., et al. “Diet and Skin Barrier: The Role of Dietary Interventions on Skin Barrier Function.” Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, 2021.

[7] Koh, Y. G., et al. “Efficacy and Safety of Oral Palmitoleic Acid Supplementation for Skin Barrier Improvement: A 12-Week, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study.” Heliyon, 2023; 9(6): e16711.

[8] Oikawa D, Nakanishi T, Nakamura Y, et al. “Modification of Skin Composition by Conjugated Linoleic Acid Alone or with Combination of Other Fatty Acids in Mice.” British Journal of Nutrition. 2005;94(2):275–281. 

[9] Tang L, Cao X, Li X, Ding H. “Topical application with conjugated linoleic acid ameliorates 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis-like lesions in BALB/c mice.” Experimental Dermatology. 2021;30:237–248. doi:10.1111/exd.14242. 

[10] Dawson, M. I., Xia, Z., & Liu, G. “Vitamin A in Skin and Hair: An Update.” Nutrients, 2022, 14(14), 2952.

[11] Bikle, D. D. “Vitamin D and the Skin: Physiology and Pathophysiology.” Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, 2012.

[12] Valacchi, G., Sticozzi, C., Pecorelli, A., Cervellati, F., Cervellati, C., & Maioli, E. “Cutaneous Responses to Environmental Stressors.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2012. 

[13] Nichols, J. A., & Katiyar, S. K. “Skin Photoprotection by Natural Polyphenols: Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant and DNA Repair Mechanisms.” Archives of Dermatological Research, 2010;302(2):71–83.  

[14] Pliny the Elder. The Natural History of Pliny. Vol. VI. Translated by John Bostock and H. T. Riley. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1857. Book XXXII, Chapter 27. Project Gutenberg, eBook no. 62704.  

[15] “Local Application of Cod-Liver Oil in Skin Ulcerations.” The American Journal of Surgery. 1937;36(2):472–475. doi:10.1016/S0002-9610(37)90754-2.

[16] Terkelsen, L. H., Eskild-Jensen, A., Kjeldsen, H., Barker, J. H., & Hjortdal, V. E. “Topical Application of Cod Liver Oil Ointment Accelerates Wound Healing: An Experimental Study in Wounds in the Ears of Hairless Mice.” Scandinavian Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Hand Surgery. 2000;34(1):15–20. doi:10.1080/02844310050160123.

[17] Arantes, E. L., et al. “Topical Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Accelerates Skin Wound Healing in Rats and Activates GPR120.” Biological Research for Nursing. 2016;18(4):411–419. doi:10.1177/1099800415621617.

[18] Weston A. Price Foundation. “Traditional Nourishing and Healing Skin Care.” Weston A. Price Foundation.