There’s something to be said for giving your body what it needs—no one ever oversold eight hours of sleep, and entire industries have been built on how much better people feel after consuming food that grows from the earth, rather than products that are rep'ed by cartoon cats wearing statement accessories. During the height of NYC's NeverEnding Winter, I decamped to balmy and unapologetically sunny Los Angeles, where I found one such mecca of do-your-body-goodness, Detox Market. Its makeup-free, bronzed, and glowing salesgirl walked me through the store's own ingredients-conscious product line, Odacité. She took a look at my winter- and plane-dulled skin and, as if presenting me with the Hope Diamond, gingerly held out the Ac +R Serum Concentrate for Youthful Glow. “It’s the only serum I've seen that contains this much pure açaí oil.” Mixed with a synergic blend of essential oils (including capillary-repairing rose and hydrating Vitamin E), the green, subtly floral 0.17 oz concentrate boasts a minimum of 98% of the superfood and its powerhouse antioxidant—anthocyanin—which is where the anti-aging “youth' component comes from.

I mix three drops of it into my winter moisturizer and feel my skin literally soak it up. “Açaí penetrates the skin very easily.” says Odacité founder Valérie Grandury, explaining why it's a safe bet even for oily complexions. My skin feels nourished and satisfied, the way my stomach feels after a breakfast of Dimes' Kale Açaí bowl. And the finish was smooth and dewy, not sticky and shiny. That would have been enough for me, but then my boyfriend commented that my skin looked great. So did my roommate. So did Emily Weiss. It doesn't hurt that Açaí is nature's best free-radical-fighting ingredient, either. If only I could find a natural substitute for Cool Ranch Doritos...

—Mackenzie Wagoner

Photos by Devon Swartz.