Sure, we all love that fresh, new glow we get after a thorough spa treatment. But what if you don’t have the time-or in this economy, the money?
You can still slough off dead skin cells, banish the effects of the weather, and emerge with a fresh face using a few easy at-home detox steps over the weekend. Try it and see!
Start from the inside. For your weekend skin renewal, refresh from the inside out with cleansing foods like apples, grapes, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and spinach. These goodies help repair damage and protect your skin from future environmental assaults. Juicing with green veggies is also a great option. In the meantime, avoid refined, processed, and fast foods. Go all natural-you can do it for two days!
Give your skin a break. We all think that a new moisturizing cream, cleanser, or treatment will give us that youthful glow we’re looking for, but during a detox period, piling on products (especially if they are full of carcinogens and synthetic chemicals) can have the opposite effect. Your skin may react by breaking out, or receding into dullness. Instead, give it a break from all the products (and toxins) you normally use.
Drink, then drink more. During your weekend detox, drink lots of water. Water helps to remove toxins from your body. In addition, add in a few cups of tea whenever possible. Choose blends that include ginger, dandelion, nettle, burdock, or sarsaparilla root-these calm inflammation and can help reduce puffiness. Green tea is also a good option, or my favorite, Yogi Tea Detox.
Indulge in a feel-good massage. Massage helps encourage circulation, which assists your body in getting rid of toxins. You can enlist the help of a massage therapist or a willing partner, or do it yourself. Concentrate on areas like the neck, armpits, stomach, and behind the knees-where the lymph areas reside.
Make your own facial. Before you go to bed, make some time for a simple homemade facial. Heat up 1-2 cups of water, pour it in a bowl, add a few drops of citrus essential oil, and you’ve made the perfect formula for opening up pores. Soak a hand towel in the water, wring it out and drape it over your face for about ten minutes. Follow with a detoxifying mask made with clay that will absorb oil and pull toxins and impurities out. (Try “Yes to Carrots” soothing mud mask.)
Scrub! During your morning shower, scrub your skin. Exfoliating products with coffee remove dead, dulling cells. (Try BodyCoffee Scrub Body Polish.) Use a soft brush or scrubbie to heighten the effect. (If you’re going through chemotherapy, skip this step as your skin is too fragile.)
Get moving. Exercise is one of the best detox activities you can do, and it increases circulation to your face to help stimulate repair and encourage toxin release. Try jogging, a brisk walk, swimming, yoga-anything that will get your blood pumping. Step into the steam or sauna after your workout for further detoxing!
Moisturize. As you come to the end of your two-day detox, you’ll want to be kind to your skin and replenish moisture and nutrients. Try some raw honey on your face, topped with cucumber slices and a damp washcloth, which will help seal in moisture and reduce irritation. Or, you can substitute an organic moisturizing mask, such as Queen Helene Vitamin C & Honey Peel-Off Masque.
After your weekend is over, perhaps you can adopt some of these techniques and habits into your regular schedule? It’s best in the long term if you make healthy choices every day, as opposed to just doing short periods of detox and indulging the rest of the time. Try it. Your body will thank you!
Did you try this 2-day detox? Tell us how you felt.
Photo courtesy Phlora via Flickr.com.
