It’s just a week to Valentine’s day. How about we dedicate this one week to detoxifying our skin, while going absolutely make-up free?Says Dr Swati Srivastava, dermatocosmetologist, “Skin is the largest organ of our body. So it needs our utmost care. With the increasing pollution, stress and make-up overload, our skin bears the brunt and starts showing premature signs of ageing. Skin has a lot of layers. The superficial layer can be detoxified from the top. For the deeper layers, you need to give importance to your diet, which will start showing result in around a month’s time, since that’s the amount of time needed for the deeper layers to come to the top.”
With all the contouring, strobing and dusting, the first thing that happens is our skin pores get clogged. This stops the skin from breathing. Interestingly, around ’60s, it was actually believed that a person could die from surface suffocation — for example, if the entire body was covered in paint. Even though it has been proved that the skin suffocation can not really be fatal, skin still needs to breath, if only to rejuvenate itself. So, no foundation, no compact. However, just ditching the makeup box will not help you achieve the optimum skin health — one must also commit to a strict skin-care regime.
Says Dr Abhishek Pilani, “Going make-up free helps promote skin cell turnover, which results in faster formation of new cells. Allowing healthy skin cells to regenerate results in a youthful, glowing complexion and reduces the risk of fine lines. However, even while going make-up free, one must not forget the basics — such as the sunscreen.”
The 5:2 make-up detox routine
If you have heard about the 5:2 diet, which is when you eat normally for five days a week and then restrict your calorie intake for two days, you probably also know about the 5:2 make-up detox. It is basically going two days a week absolutely make-up free. It is a comfortable way to ease into a make-up detox routine, since it does not require you to go completely make-up free for more than a week, and it also takes into account the skin’s natural exfoliation routine. If you are the heavy foundation, full make-up kind of person, this one should do you a world of good.
The complete au natural routine
Sometimes, you just need to leave stuff to themselves. And that goes for your skin too. Our body is well equipped to handle itself, without any external help. If you are ready to take the plunge, take a ten from all kinds of beauty products, be it colour cosmetics, make-up brushes, eye make-ups, moisturisers, essential oils or even facewash. Stick to plain, cold water for a couple of days and see the difference. Apart from saving up on a tonne of money, you will also be able to differentiate between what products your skin actually appreciates — like a good moisturiser — and what you had been using all these years without any need, like masks and serums!
The ‘no make-up, yes skincare’ detox routine
Here, you let go of your colour cosmetics and foundations, but retain the moisturisers and toners. If you are the tinted sunscreen/BB cream kind of person, this is what you should aim for. Even while you let your skin heal itself by carrying on its natural process of cell regeneration, you compliment with just the right amout of skin care. Ms Natasha Tuli, skin care expert, stresses on the oil cleansing method. “Jojoba, avocado and castor oils, when mixed together, forms an excellent solution for cleansing your face. Jojoba oil is good as a make-up remover while avocado oil helps to tone up your skin. Oil cleansing method helps your skin regain the required moisture and shine.” However, even while going for the CTM routine, one needs to stay away from harsh cleansers. A good way to judge a product is by its fragrance. Dr Srivastava warns, “Use fragrance-free products. A lot of chemicals go into making appealing fragrances. Use mild cleansers which don’t produce foam. Foam is because of detergents and they are bad for skin. Use a scrub once a week which contains micro vegetal enzymes. Choose a moisturiser which has hyaluronic acid in it. It will keep your skin supple and restore your moisture balance which is very essential. Stay away from sun and chlorinated water of swimming pools. Photo damage is the worst for ageing. And don’t forget your diet and antioxidants.” Sometimes we don’t even notice when our skin starts to show the effects of excessive make-up. You might just not notice the nails turning yellowish, since they are always covered in polish. Or, you might not even see the gradual decrease in your lash, due to the daily use of mascara. So, to make up for those damages, going without make-up for some time, even if only to assess the damage done, is important.
The skin diet detox routine
This process concentrates on our diet, to help the skin regenerate itself from within. “A beauty detox is also about cleansing the system with the help of proper food,” says nutritionist Dr. Riddhesh Jani Start the day with warm water, honey and cinnamon to eliminate the toxins from the body. He recommends a complex carbs (oatmeal, quinoa) for breakfast instead of a protein diet. You can add to that good fat (almonds, flax seeds) which are rich in vitamins, minerals and anti oxidants. A mid-morning drink can be a vegetable-fruit juice (kale+ dudhi+ carrot+beet+pear) which, Jani says, is excellent for purification. For lunch, he warns against combining protein and carb. A fruit in the evening and a protein rich diet for dinner should form your basic detox diet. “Add a piece of dark chocolate for desserts,” says Jani while adding that drinking water with freshly squeezed lemon juice or infused with citrus fruits (strawberry, kiwi) can be refreshing.
Things to be avoided in adetox diet.
Dairy
Meat
Processed Foods
Gluten Foods
Sugar & Salt (Moderation)
Saturated & Trans Fat
When to go for a complete beautydetox
When you start to break out often
When your skin is itchy and irritable
When redness and patches appear on your skin
If you notice your eyelash thinning
And when you want to save up some money