Every now and then it is important to hit that reset button. Especially when it comes to skincare. An inside-out approach is really effective here. If you are healthy from the inside, it shows on your skin. Every small thing that we live with has an effect on our bodies. Our work culture, natural environment, the products we use, the food we eat, and our sleep cycle; all result in our skin health. Therefore, a holistic approach to skincare is the right way to achieve great skin naturally.
We understand that not everything is controllable, especially the external environmental stressors and contaminants. The deteriorating air quality, pollution, and carbon emissions are damaging our skin and making us age at a faster rate. This is why we must do all we can to support our skin’s ecosystem and help it flourish the right way.
What is a skin detox? Why Is It Important For Your Skin?
Skin detox refers to the process of cleansing and rejuvenating the skin to remove impurities, toxins, and pollutants that have accumulated on the skin's surface or within the pores. It involves adopting a holistic approach to skincare by focusing on both internal and external factors that can affect the health and appearance of the skin.
Our bodies encounter a lot of harmful toxins on a daily basis. And with our busy schedules, it is difficult to keep up with our health. But, it is a necessary road to achieve good, healthy skin.
You can make detox a part of your routine. A week-long detox is best to make your skin feel rejoiced. Now, if you are planning on detoxifying your body in 10 minutes it's not practically possible as the body's natural detoxification processes cannot be significantly enhanced or accelerated in just 10 minutes. Detoxification is a continuous process that occurs over time
Enjoy this skin ritual to your fullest with healthy tips to get desired results.
Skin Detox Tips
1. Drinking plenty of water
When you feel fatigued, tired, or bloated; chances are that your body is holding some toxins and excess waste inside. This not only causes physical discomfort but also skin congestion and dullness. Drinking at least 2.5 litres of water every day helps wash these toxins out of the system and ultimately brings a glow to your face - making you look fresh like a flower
2. Eating fibrous food
Fibres are known to clean your gut and nourish your system at the same time. With your digestive tract being healthy, it supports healthy cleansing and detoxification. Processed fibres bind to toxic waste in the gut, assisting with elimination.
3. Herbal teas
Herbal teas are proven to cleanse the blood by eliminating impurities from the liver, kidneys, lungs, intestines, and lymphatic systems, where toxins are present in large quantities. Here are 4 herbal teas that your skin loves!
Jasmine tea: If you have an oily skin type, jasmine tea proves very effective for you. It helps absorb nutrients better, has inflammatory properties, soothes skin, and also has anti-aging agents.
Green tea: This is a no-brainer because when it comes to internal detox, nothing works wonders than green tea. It has a high ECGC constituent (a very potent antioxidant) - which is known to rejuvenate dying skin cells. It also cures UV-damaged skin from the inside. Green tea is especially beneficial for people with sensitive skin.
Peppermint tea: This cooling elixir is a great way to detox for hormonal acne by slowing down sebum production and improving hormonal imbalances. It also encourages new cell regeneration by eliminating dead skin cells.
Chamomile Tea: Sleep sound and calm your stress down with Chamomile. Untimely sleep and stress are the main causes of dull, undernourished skin. So, sip Chamomile and stay calm.
Rooibos tea: If you want to slow down ageing, this would be the best tea for you. With high levels of antioxidants, alpha-hydroxy acids, and zinc, reverse fat loss under the skin and safeguards the skin from harmful radicals.
4. Go on a good-food cleanse
Plan a diet free from processed foods, dairy, meat, GMOs, gluten, toxins, etc. Research what food to consume to flush out toxins from skin. Following such an anti-inflammatory diet allows your body to reset properly and repair the damage from the inside. Sugar, gluten, and dairy cause irritation, inflammation, and acne when consumed in large quantities. Start with a 3-day detox diet for clear skin and then gradually move your way up.
5. Include a self-care/SPA day at least once a month
Massages, saunas, and other self-care practices are proven to relax strained muscles and energise you. They also help improve blood circulation in your body. So, once a month, plan a self-care day that includes a sauna, massage, steam bath, a bath soak, or a deep facial.
6. Consume Probiotic-rich foods
Our next tip on how to detox skin internally is eating fermented foods. They are super beneficial for your gut as they help the good bacteria to flourish and combat inflammation. Moreover, by supporting your body’s natural detoxification pathways, your liver health is also maintained well. And like we always say -
HEALTHY GUT = HEALTHY SKIN!
So, foods such as yoghurt, kimchi, miso, sauerkraut, pickles, etc are naturally high in digestive enzymes that aid digestion by helping break down compound nutrients to be absorbed by our body
7. Use antioxidant-rich & prebiotic skincare products
While you work on homemade detox for clear skin from the inside, it is important to support your skin from the outside for double protection. This technique also helps achieve faster results. The best way to do so is by using Prebiotic skincare products from iORA. Our foaming face wash, Vit C & Hyaluronic Acid-enriched Radiant Serum, Kaolin clay mask, etc. are MUST-HAVE products in your skincare kit.
8. Dry body brushing
Ever tried dry body brushing?! By brushing your body with gentle pressure, you stimulate the lymphatic system. This helps remove toxins from your skin.
9. Keeping your alkaline levels in check
Alkaline foods are good for your health. Maintaining a healthy pH balance by consuming alkaline foods is essential. Because otherwise, the overly acidic nature of our body can leach from calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other minerals from your bones and cause an imbalance. So start eating apples, pears, almonds, etc. to keep the acidic pH of your body in check.
10. Keep your body moving
Now, you don’t have to go all out here. You just have to make sure your body stays active through any means. Currently, most of our jobs involve sitting in front of the laptop majority of the time, and sadly we can’t avoid it. But what we can do is put our bodies through some kind of physical activity, like walking, taking the stairs, going to run errands on our feet, getting up to talk on calls whenever we can, going for yoga or pilates on the weekends, etc.
Practising mindful movements stimulates our blood and lymphatic flow. Moreover, sweating also releases toxins from your body.
11. Breathing exercises
Breathing deeply helps relieve adrenal stress hormones and anxiety that affect skin health. But once your parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated, a bunch of toxins are expelled through exhalation itself. Therefore, practising breathing exercises is recommended.
12. Skin minimalism
As you try to cut down on a bunch of things to give your body a reset on the inside, give your skin a break from the outside too. Try skinimalism. Minimise using a dozen skincare products. Give your skin a break from all the heavy formulas, skincare activities, and makeup products. Let your skin breathe and repair the damage that has already been caused.
Most skincare products today are made with heavy concentrations to give faster results. But this can damage the skin barrier or maybe too much to handle for your facial skin (which is more sensitive than the rest). Switch to organic skincare products with lighter yet effective formulations that work similarly to your concerns.
During this process, try nourishing products that also help in detoxifying your skin.
13. Clay Mask
As you practise skin minimalism, natural clay masks are very effective for a skin detox. It refines and cleanses your clogged pores, excess oiliness, any heavy metal residue that can be settled in your skin due to tap water, and other impurities. Bentonite clay and Kaolin clay are two top picks for a skin detox. Kaolin Clay has antibacterial properties and several essential minerals that not only cleanse but also refresh the skin.
14. Detox Drinks
This is a secret staple of all celebrities. A heavy glass of detox juice cleanses your body and gives you a flawless glow from within. It is inexpensive and highly nutritious.
Given below are some of our favourite DETOX DRINKS of all time.
Red Paradise (Beet, Carrot & Orange, Pomegranate Detox Drink)
- Beetroot - Fights acne, works as an anti-aging agent, and reduces pigmentation.
- Carrots - High in Vitamins A, C, and K, great for skin in general.
- Pomegranate - High in Vitamin C, great water content, boosts hydration, treats dullness.
- Orange - Richy source of Vitamin C, and antioxidants. Good for anti-aging, dullness, and pigmentation. It also boosts collagen production.
Ingredients you need :
- 1 beetroot
- 1 carrot
- 1 orange
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- Ginger
- Water as required
- Lemon
Blend all these ingredients in a juicer except the lemon. Once the juice is ready, squeeze in the lemon and enjoy your detox drink.
Detox Green Juice
Green vegetables/fruits are rich in all sorts of minerals and vitamins. This green detox drink is guaranteed to serve you and your skin well by purifying and boosting your immune system.
- Ingredients
- 2 Green Apples
- Spinach
- Zucchini
- Green cucumber
- Ginger
Wash the produce, cut them into pieces, and discard the seeds. Throw it all in the juicer and enjoy this on an empty stomach or before your meal.
15. Sleep well
Nothing is more effective than a good night’s sleep every day. And yes, it supports your detox journey majorly. Our body recovers when we sleep, both from the inside and outside. So, sleep well. Prepare a good cosy environment with dim lights, and a humidifier with your favourite essential oil. Rest your body for 7-8 hours every night.
Do not exercise close to your bedtime.
More tips -
Sanitise your phone screen frequently as bacteria from the screen can get transferred to your face, causing irritation and acne.
Avoid touching your face too much as it might clog pores and cause bacterial infections as well.
Wash your face after exercise. to avoid sweat accumulation.
So, a mindful diet, a healthy minimalist skincare routine, and other healthy habits are enough to keep your skin healthy. Detox for acne is also possible by avoiding junk food.
Hope this article helps you in your detox journey and gives you the skin of your dreams.
