Spring is lingering in most states and while you’re probably looking forward to consistent fun in the sun, now is a great time to detoxify your skin before summer kicks into full gear. Nothing says summer like beautiful, glowing skin and nothing gets your skin glowing faster than a good detox!
First let’s talk about why it’s important to detoxify the skin and how that process differs from, say, a body detox. We already know the skin is our body’s largest organ. It protects our inner functions from potentially harmful microorganisms that can cause issues even at low levels in our body. Without a durable layer of healthy skin, our bodies would be exposed to many environmental irritants it couldn’t possibly fight.
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For the most part, our skin is generally fit enough to combat toxin damage, but all this defense takes its toll and impacts skin’s protective abilities. That’s when a five-day skin detox can be helpful. When most people think of a detox, a recovery program likely comes to mind. A skin detox is sort of like a recovery program for skin. The impact is almost immediate, but the process only takes a few days. Your skin will not only be in better shape to protect you, but it will look healthier and more hydrated with a beautiful glow. Here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Pick Your Serum
First, determine your major skin concerns. Extremely dry or oily skin, congested skin, sensitive skin and dull skin are common concerns that can be a result of environmental irritants. Next, pick a treatment product that addresses your skin concern. Serums are excellent treatments. These potent topicals are effective due to their highly concentrated and vitamin-rich formulations. Many are made with active blends of alpha and beta hydroxy acids, vitamin C, and other skin resurfacing ingredients. Adding a target-specific serum will elevate any skin care regimen.
If your skin has several concerns, it is totally okay to use up to three serums, one for each of your skin care concerns. When layering, always apply the serum with the thinnest consistency first and build from there. Never apply a second layer before the first layer has dried completely, as doing so can clog pores and block absorption. Also, some ingredients cancel each other out, so allowing each layer to dry between applications helps prevent this. Be sure to look for serums that are free of dyes, alcohol and synthetic preservatives.
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Step 2: Think Food
Now you’ll need to examine your diet. It’s important to eat clean during your detox. A diet full of fresh salmon, organic berries, olive oil and Brazilian nuts is best. You’ll be shocked how quickly your skin can improve in just five days on this diet. These foods are a part of many popular ‘beauty diets’ due to their healthy fats and antioxidant properties. Once the skin starts to heal itself, the immediate results are beautiful!
These are antioxidant rich foods, so they help fight glycation (the best friend of aging skin) and cell oxidation (another one of her buddies). For an effective detox, you’ll need to avoid reactive foods like dairy, sugar, starch and alcohol, all of which can impede the cell renewal process. You should also commit to drinking only water and tea. Matcha tea is a great option, being an antioxidant powerhouse and rich in detoxifying chlorophyll (more on chlorophyll later).
Step 3: Give Yourself A Boost
Topicals and diet are a great start, but to rev up the detox process, your body will need a detoxifying boost. Supplementing with spirulina is an effective way to do this as it helps to balance bacteria function. Plus, spirulina can aid in the body’s natural detoxification process. This is great, because it not only improves facial skin, but total body skin. Like matcha, spirulina is packed with chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is an excellent detoxifier, having a structure very similar to human blood with the ability to replenish our cells.
Step 4: Start Your Detox
Okay, now it’s time to pick a day to start. If you work Monday through Friday, Friday is a good day to start so you’ll have the weekend to get started. Some people report an early “purging” phase in which the skin helps the body detoxify, causing breakouts. Keep in mind, if you do experience this (and not everyone will), this process is normal and doesn’t last long. It’s all a part of the process. Stay the course!