Now that the weather is changing, it’s time to get ready for the upcoming sunny days. And what better way to end the harsh winter than to reboot your mind and body with a skin detox?
Getting your skin in the best possible condition will improve your overall health, including your confidence and happiness. After reading this article, you’ll know how to complete an effective skin detox and get a naturally glowing skin.
Exfoliate
I’m sure you know that it’s essential to clean your skin, but cleaning correctly and using the right products can be challenging. You can read all about that in our previous article To Clean or Not To Clean. In addition to cleaning, it’s important to exfoliate your skin. Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the outer layer of the skin, allowing a layer of new, fresh skin to be revealed beneath. There are different ways to exfoliate the skin, often divided into the categories chemical and mechanical. Chemical exfoliation utilizes acids or enzymes to detach dead skin cells from living ones, whereas mechanical exfoliation involves the use of a rough or abrasive surface (i.e. washcloth, cleansing brush) or exfoliating substance (i.e. facial scrub) to manually remove dead skin cells.
Each exfoliating method has its own benefits and is better for certain skin types, but whether you choose chemical or mechanical exfoliation, be gentle with your skin as you don’t want to dry out or damage the skin! All of our exfoliating products use different combinations of ingredients that gently, yet effectively smooth your skin:
+ Sans [ceuticals] – Bio Active Exfoliant
+ Three Warriors – Tasmanian Sand Scrub
+ Ipsum Skin - Enzyme MicroPolish
+ Eco Tan – Super Acai Exfoliator
+ INIKA Organic – Phytofuse Renew Caviar Lime Exfoliator
Exfoliation should be part of your regular skin care routine, but try to limit it to every 3-7 days depending on your skin type and the season, as overdoing it is can do more harm than good to your skin microbiome. A healthy skin microbiome assists with reducing breakouts, inflammation, redness and irritation. Want to rebalance and improve your skin’s microbe balance?
Try the Retreatment Botanic – Ageless AHA Glow Concentrate, which is a toner and exfoliant in one. Its the ultimate formulation that gives you that oh-so-desired glow, including prebiotic and probiotics to restore the natural microbiome of skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
Use a face mask
An effective skin detox isn’t complete without a face mask. Taking time for a face mask gives you both a power packed dose of revitalizing ingredients and some relaxing me-time, giving you a chance to relax and focus on your mind and body. Try one of our regenerating masks:
+ Eco Tan – Face Compost Purple Power Mask
+ Biologi - Hydra Boost Bio Cellulose Mask
Live healthy
Finally: there is more to an effective skin detox than just picking the right products and using them properly. Attention to several aspects of your life is needed to keep your skin healthy and radiant as they all have a great influence on the condition of your skin. Some tips:
+ Keep your body hydrated and eat healthy. Water, fiber, probiotics and prebiotic food will detox your complexion from the inside.
+ Get your body moving. Sweat helps to rid your skin of toxins and impurities, but even half an hour walks every day can have a positive effect on your skin.
+ Get enough sleep and find ways to manage stress. To achieve deeper and more restful sleep patterns or to help with relaxation:
They say spring is nature’s way of saying ‘let’s party’. With a naturally glowing skin, you can enjoy this party to the fullest!
This article was written by guest contributor Drs. Coco Dekkers. Coco lives in Amsterdam and is a PhD medicine - dermatology student.
References
+ (American Academy of Dermatology Association). How to safely exfoliate at home. [Internet]. Retrieved from https://www.aad.org
+ Skowron, K. et al. Human Skin Microbiome: Impact of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors on Skin Microbiota. Microorganisms 2021, 9(3), 543.
+ Katta R. et al. Skin and Diet: An Update on the Role of Dietary Change as a Treatment Strategy for Skin Disease. Skin Therapy Letter. Volume 23 Number 1, January 1, 2018
+ Orion, E. et al. Psychological factors in skin diseases: Stress and skin: Facts and controversies Clinics in Dermatology,Volume 31, Issue 6, 2013;707-711.
