‘Blazing sun, dry air, lashing rain, dust, pollution and the onslaught of various cosmetic products from moisturizers to sunscreens and night creams!’- thinking about the fate of our poor skin, we really feel sorry for it.
Rather than helping out, we choose to lather it by more chemicals!
Skin is the largest body part involved in elimination; it is constantly keeping our body healthy by throwing out waste products through sweating. However with time - oil, dirt, pollutant particles and cosmetics clog up its pores. What your skin needs now is not just thorough washing but exfoliation (removal of dead cells) and detoxification!
Why should you detoxify your skin?
- Detoxification clears up the pores, eliminates toxins especially the soluble toxins that cannot be thrown away by sweat.
- Exfoliation helps improve blood circulation of the skin as well as the dead skin cells.
- Detoxification keeps the skin- supple and wrinkle free.
- Detoxification prevents cellulite, which is a mass of fats that is collected in parts of body especially near the buttocks, thighs and abdomen.
- Detox helps you get a clear, smooth skin that breathes.
Ways to detox your skin:
Dry Brushing: This method is practiced in Sweden and Germany since many years now. Dry brushing helps in the getting rid of cellulite and stimulates lymph (that contains and carries white blood cells) and blood flow in the skin. Dry brushing is very simple and just requires a large brush with soft bristles. It is recommended to be performed in the morning, before the bath.
You need to rub the brush from your legs upwards. The movements for the legs need to be brisk and long and you need to brush towards the heart to aid the circulation. Brush the areas where you have cellulite for a longer time, say for 5-10 minutes, overall dry brushing can take around 15 minutes.
Remember: Don’t be too harsh on your skin and brush towards your heart not away from it. Avoid brushing sensitive areas or where there is extra skin.
Sauna: Sauna or Steam baths are a good way to detoxify your skin. Though sweating generally helps to remove the toxins, sauna helps your skin do a more thorough job of it. Sauna has now been scientifically proven to help the skin physiology by helping deal with dehydration as well normalizing high pH levels.
You need to drink plenty of water before you enter the sauna room and carry a bottle along to help prevent dehydration. Also sitting for 10-20 minutes is recommended, but stay only as long as you can bear the heat.
You don’t always need to go to a Sauna clinic to experience the Detox; you can have it right at your home by taking a hot bath and using various herbal bath salts.
Mud and Clay Mask: Wearing a mask made of clay is a good way of getting rid of all the toxins and reenergizing your skin. When you apply a mud mask to your face, it reaches all your pores and as the water evaporates, the dust, dirt and grime are absorbed on the outer layer of the skin. So when you wash your skin, all the dirt and grime is washed away and all your pores are clear! The water in the mask hydrates your skin and the ingredients provide nourishment to your skin.
Mud and clay masks are especially good for those with oily skin; these are also beneficial for those suffering from acne and pimple.
A mud mask can be bought in a beauty shop or herbal store near you. Remember for dry skin or combination skin, mud mask may just soak up the moisture in your skin and you need to moisturize your skin immediately.
Contrast Shower: It simply means alternating between cold and hot showers. Contrast showers stimulate blood circulation in the body as well as helps removing the toxins. These showers are excellent after injuries, strenuous work, etc. A cold shower causes a flow of blood towards your skin and for your muscles to throw toxins and lactic acid - formed during strenuous work, lactic acid causes fatigue of skin cells - out while the consecutive hot shower causes rush of blood devoid of toxins, back in the muscles. It is recommended that you start with a cold shower and follow it with hot one. Also the duration of the hot one should be more than that of cold.
Some of the common contrast shower durations are:
- 30 seconds cold, 1 minute hot
- 1 minute cold, 1 minute hot
- 1 minute cold, 3 minutes hot
Do not opt for contrast showers if you are hypertensive, stop the shower is you feel dizzy, chilly or nauseous. Your skin may look flushed and pink initially, but is normal.
Other tips to detox your skin:
- The simplest and the best way to detox your skin is through drinking plenty of water throughout the day. If your skin is hydrated, it will flush out the toxins by itself.
- Don’t wear make up at least three days in a week. Remove your make up at night and allow your skin to breathe.
- Use cosmetic products with natural ingredients and avoid those with oil that clogs your pores.
- Avoid alcohol consumption and smoking as both of these can be detrimental to your skin.
A skin with clear pores and is breathing glows all the time. With simple tips mentioned above, you know that a clear smooth skin is not out of your reach!
