Between greasy food and those delicious cocktails that were a bit boozier than you originally thought, holidays have a way of making us overindulge. And then you wake up the morning after, hair tangled, face swollen (and still full of makeup because you were of course way too tired to take it off), with a hangover stomping all over your head as you grumble and narrow your eyes at the anaemic-looking reflection of yourself in the mirror.
Well, when it happens to me, I know it’s time for a good detox. Neglect, air pollutants, bad food, and alcohol can all strain our system and make our skin react by breaking out or becoming ashen, and that’s really no way to start the new year. To make sure we’re all splendidly radiant and happy, I want to share a few tips that are bound to help make your skin lush, pampered, and naturally glowy!
Steam Your Face
Steaming your face is a natural way to open up the pores and improve circulation in your skin. This step can really make a difference and it’s quite easy to do:
- Boil some water and pour it in a bowl.
- Add a spoon of dried herbs of your choosing (rosemary, peppermint, lavender, and thyme are great), and maybe a few drops of tea tree essential oil if you’re trying to combat acne.
- Stir the herbs and the essential oil in, then lean over the bowl and place a large towel over your head so it makes a tent.
- Let your face steam for about 5-10 minutes.
Sugar Scrubs For Smoothness
Now that we’ve opened up our pores, it’s time to slough away the dead skin cells and dirt from our face. My favourite thing to use is a DIY sugar scrub: 1 tbsp of brown sugar, 1 tbsp of honey, and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil. I use Cobram Estate, but any other will do as long as it’s unrefined. Rub your face in gentle, circular motions, and then wash this out with lukewarm water and a few drops of whichever cleanser you use – you definitely do not want to leave any residue on your face, so wash thoroughly.
Make A Clay Mask
Mud and clay masks are pretty much the best way to draw out all those deep-rooted impurities from your pores. Bacteria, sebum, and various toxins can just be gone, so grab your clay mask (I like Kiehl’s Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque), mix a little of it with water, and spread it over your face.
Pro tip: if you have dry skin, you can also add a spoonful of Greek yogurt into the mix.
Hydrate With Natural Ingredients
After this treatment, your skin will need a lot of nourishment. You could just use a nice moisturiser, but what I prefer is simple coconut oil. Honestly, my Coco Milagro from Purple Peach does a better job than any moisturiser I have ever used, and it’s completely natural, so you know it won’t have any harmful chemicals in it. Coconut oil is also high in lauric acid which helps kill bacteria, and it leaves your skin as smooth as satin.
Fix It From The Inside
If you continue to ingest bad food, it won’t matter what you do on the outside. The inner inflammations will keep making your skin look bad, so a very important detox step is to actually fix your diet and cut down on processed food and sugar as much as you can. Drink detox smoothies, avoid bad food and caffeine, and you’ll look and feel better in no time.
Drink Only Water
Well, water and those smoothies I mentioned. No alcohol, no coffee, no fizzy drinks. At least for a couple of weeks, try drinking only water and you’ll be amazed at how much your skin clears up!
This is a good little detox process for whenever you feel like your skin has lost its lustre. Cleanse thoroughly, nourish with natural ingredients and organic cosmetics, and eat well. Soft, bright, undeniably radiant skin will come your way!
Sophia Smith is Australian based fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogger. She is very passionate about organic beauty products, yoga and healthy lifestyle. Sophia writes mostly in beauty and lifestyle related topics, mainly through blogs and articles. She is regular contributor at High Style Life and Ripped.
Find her on: Facebook Twitter Google +
Sophia is one of our experts – you can find out more about her and ask her anything beauty related by heading over to her expert profile page here.
