With spring here, the time has come to improve your dull winter skin and give your face some extra care it needs this month. If you’re anything like me, you are hearing a lot about detoxes for your body; well, the same sentiment holds true to your skincare routine too. Here’s a few tips to help detoxify your skincare regimen.
Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and every day it comes into contact with environmental pollutants and toxins. In fact, did you know your skin is a breathable organ, and that up to 60% of what you apply topically on your skin is actually absorbed into your bloodstream? This is why it’s so important to do a thorough evaluation of what products (e.g. deodorant, hair products, makeup, moisturizers, shave gels etc.) you choose to put on your skin when you decide to detoxify your skincare. In recent decades, reproductive and developmental problems have become more prevalent, and recent reports have highlighted the presence of low-level concentrations of potential reproductive or developmental toxicants, particularly phthalates in personal care products.
Phthalates, are known endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with the body’s endocrine system, and can cause over or under production of certain hormones. For example, a 2015 study revealed that exposure to phthalates contributed to a decline in semen quality. In particular, makeup, skin lotion, shampoo, and nail polish also contain chemical ingredients that have been linked to male genital birth defects, decreased sperm counts, and altered pregnancy outcomes.
Over time, these toxins can damage your skin, leave it looking red and irritated, dry, dull, or acne-prone; it can also increase the signs of aging. Starting the spring with a detoxification routine will not only help any issue, but will likely give you your best skin yet. If you detoxify your skincare, you essentially help your body to detox as well.
What are some examples of toxic ingredients you should look out for before buying a product?
- Parabens
- Coal tar dyes: p-phenylenediamine and colours listed as “CI” followed by a five digit number
- BHA and BHT
- DEA-related ingredients
- Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
- Dibutyl phthalate
- Parfum / fragrance
- PEG compounds
- Petrolatum
- Triclosan
- Siloxanes
- Sodium laureth sulfate
A good mantra to have when choosing self-care products is to not put something on your skin that you wouldn’t eat. You might be thinking that this sounds like lot of work, but really all it boils down to is a few small changes and you will really reap the rewards in a matter of days or weeks.
1. Detoxify your diet
You know what they say, “you are what you eat.” This is the same when it comes to your skin; what you’re putting into your body matters! Changing your diet to one that is more plant-based is a great start.
- Cut back on refined sugar – eating refined sugar can decrease the elastin and collagen in your skin (which keep your skin looking youthful).
- Eat healthy fats – yes there is a such thing as healthy fat, and these can help your body to absorb essential vitamins and keep hormones balanced. My favorite sources of health fats are rich omega-3, including salmon, olive oil, almonds and flax seeds.
- Drink more water – Drinking half you weight in ounces (typically 8 to 10 glasses of water per day) helps flush out toxins and keep your skin hydrated.
2. Detox your Skincare
What you put ON your body, is just as important as what you put IN your body. Detox your skincare through taking steps like:
- Using a charcoal mask – The charcoal works by drawing bacteria, toxins, chemicals, dirt, oil, and other micro-particles to the surface of the skin and then absorbs those substances and carries them away when you rinse the charcoal mask off your face.
- Exfoliating 2-3 times per week – Exfoliating helps sloughing away dirt and dead skin cells and helps eliminate dullness and dryness and leaves you with smooth, radiant skin. Many people make the mistake of skipping this step entirely or only exfoliating once a week, scrubbing vigorously or using something harsh and irritating their skin in the process.
- Keeping your skincare clean – once you have done all this good work to detox your skin, make sure you maintain it by using a skincare that is free of toxins! Lucky for you, we have a great option!
Courtney lives in Stoneham, MA with her husband and her two energetic little boys. She is a former cancer researcher turned work-at-home mom. Courtney found our company while searching for products free of harmful chemicals (many of which she used in her research laboratory) and instantly fell in love with the company’s mission, products and business opportunity. She joined as a consultant in April 2017 because she saw an incredible opportunity to have a meaningful career and earn additional income without sacrificing time away from her family. Courtney truly believes this business opportunity has allowed her to transition from researching cancer treatments to helping to prevent it. She is able to send her sons to private preschool, pay for their extracurricular activities, pay her family’s car payment, make multiple renovations on her 100 year-old home, and most recently, she hired a house cleaner! Courtney loves helping her customers make safer choices in their homes, the daily inspiration from her team, traveling for free with our incentive travel, and empowering her team members to do the same. But, what she loves most is that this business allows her to “have it all”!
