When it comes to skincare, we always hear the buzz about the importance of detox, but what exactly does that mean? Today, we’re here to break it down for you. From where you can find harmful toxins in your daily life to how to banish them for good!
What is a toxin?
A toxin is a substance the body can’t dispose of naturally. This could be the product of environmental stressors, bacteria, or even cellular waste. As these toxins accumulate, symptoms start to appear. While the liver and lymph nodes contribute to the detoxification process, an excess of toxins tends to show up in our skin. If your system becomes overwhelmed, your skin may develop issues to compensate as it works to banish these impurities. Examples of an overly worked detox system are outbreaks of eczema, redness, or breakouts. For more on what exactly toxins are, see our simple breakdown here!
Examples of common toxins
1) Air pollution
Pollution contains PAHs, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These particles’ small size (which can be up to 20 times smaller than pores!) allows them to enter the deeper layers of the skin and cause skin dehydration and inflammation. On a cellular level, pollution destroys with the lipid layer and collagen, which impairs the skin barrier function. Specifically, it can lead to skin dehydration, compromised barrier function, inflammation, uneven tone, and loss of elasticity!
2) Stress
Increased stress causes a chemical response in the body that makes skin particularly sensitive and reactive. This can lead to more breakouts, redness, and irritation. Stress also inhibits the natural turnover process, which means it takes more time for blemishes and irritation to heal. When the body is stressed, it produces more hormones like cortisol, which lead the skin to produce more oil. In excess, too much oil makes the skin more prone to acne and other skin issues. Stress also can agitate skin conditions such as psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema.
3) Product buildup
Heavy use of sunscreen and makeup without deep cleanses in between can cause skin dullness, congestion, and irritation. While mineral sunscreens tend to cater better to acne-prone skin, some sunscreens are too heavy for the face and tend to have negative side effects. Similarly, its important to be cautious of makeup! Too much makeup wear, or sleeping in your makeup (yikes!), can be detrimental to the skin. Each night you sleep in makeup, your pores become increasingly clogged. Ultimately, this results in a microcomedone, which attracts acne-causing bacteria to your pores. Making sure your face is clean before going to bed is a skincare must-do.
Why detox?
Every day our skin is exposed to countless external stressors, such as pollution, foods that we aren’t able to process, UV rays, makeup, etc. This constant exposure to harmful chemicals leads to a build up of toxins in the body. By putting in effort to actually detox your skin and body, you’re able to not only remove those toxins, but actually replace them with crucial nutrients. This helps your skin become more clear, luminous, and healthy. Of course, the benefits this has for our overall body are even greater.
When your skin is telling you that you need a detox…
-You experience more breakouts of acne, eczema, redness, etc.
-Your skin appears dull or sallow
-Your skin tone is uneven
-Your skin is particularly oily
-You notice thinning skin
-Your skin feels dry or sensitive
How to detox on the daily
-Wash your face with an oil cleanser, which helps pull out impurities from your pores and remove pollution (we recommend our Facial Cleansing Oil!). Follow-up with one of our facial toners, which acts as a double cleansing step. Always go to sleep with a clean face!
-Hydrate with water (the more, consistently throughout the day, the better!). Water trumps everything…even tea!
-Eliminate “congesting foods” like animal fats, dairy products, white bread, fast food, sugar
-Add foods and supplements that promote regular bowel movements, like flaxseed and a daily probiotic!
-Mix up a detoxifying mask, like our customizable Chlorophyll Mask. This will help increase circulation, encourage the toxin removal process, and help with the skin renewal process. Research has shown that chlorophyll actually binds itself with various toxins and removes them from your system. With regular use of our chlorophyll mask, you’ll notice an improvement in your complexion and less inflammation.
-Steam your face and/or body. This helps draw out impurities and toxins and remove them from your body.
-Exfoliate (we recommend 2-4x a week with our Sea Moss Exfoliator!). Removing dead skin cells is crucial to making sure your skin is able to “renew” itself and get rid of toxins.
-Sweat it out – working out is a great way to purge toxins and reduce cortisol levels
