Applying serums or creams with retinol—a vitamin A-derivative known for its anti-aging and acne-fighting properties—may be a mainstay in your skin-care routine. Some social-media influencers claim you can benefit by “eating your retinol” in the form of carrot-dense salads. Is that true?
“The answer is yes and no,” says Dr. Lawrence Green, a clinical professor of dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and vice president of the American Academy of Dermatology.
The “eating your retinol” trend centers on the “retinol salad,” which typically includes ribboned carrots, garlic, vinegar, peppers, sesame oil, and lime juice, though recipes vary. The idea is that carrots are packed with beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), which some influencers claim your body converts to retinol, similar to what’s found in skin-care products.
“This is a great skin-saving salad, but I think the name is misleading,” says Dr. Rajani Katta, a dermatologist and author of Glow: The Dermatologist’s Guide to a Whole Foods, Younger Skin Diet. The retinol salad provides vitamin A, which is good for the skin, but it’s not the same as applying an over-the-counter retinol or prescription retinoid topically, she explains.
Here’s what to know about the role of vitamin A and skin health, and whether the “retinol salad” offers any skin benefits.
Vitamin A helps maintain the health of several vital organs, including the heart, reproductive system, eyes, and skin, says Amy Bragagnini, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Beta-carotene, a natural pigment that gives red and orange fruits and vegetables their color, is a precursor to vitamin A, meaning your body needs to convert it to the vitamin, Bragagnini says.
It’s true that the body converts beta-carotene into retinol (which is preformed vitamin A, or its active form). But it’s “not an efficient conversion,” Green says. “It happens, but it takes a lot of beta-carotene to get a lesser amount of retinol.”
You can actually get retinol directly from foods, including eggs, milk, and beef liver, Katta adds.
A 2025 systematic review found that topical and dietary carotenoids (a group of plant compounds that include beta-carotene) offer anti-aging skin benefits, including lowered inflammation and improved hydration and elasticity.
However, eating a retinol salad or other forms of beta-carotene “nowhere compares to putting retinol directly on your skin as a cream,” Green says.
When applied topically, retinol penetrates your skin, where it can speed up cell turnover and boost collagen production, Katta says. Research shows that topical retinol can improve fine lines, hyperpigmentation, roughness, and signs of sun damage. Retinol can also exfoliate and plump the skin and help treat and manage acne.
Consuming carrots or other foods rich in beta-carotene is an inefficient way to get these benefits, since your body has to go through the process to convert it into vitamin A, Katta explains.
The retinol salad is still good for your skin. But its benefits mainly come from the antioxidants in the ingredients, rather than the potential to add retinol to your diet, Green says.
Antioxidants help maintain skin health by reducing the effects of oxidative stress from the environment, such as ultraviolet light radiation and pollution, research shows. Antioxidants also protect against free radicals, or unstable molecules that lead to premature aging and collagen breakdown, Katta says.
