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Operation detox: Reviving skin radiance after the holidays
You need to reset your skin to deal with the effects of the excesses often associated with this time of year.
Picture: iStock
With a diet often high in sugar and fat, increased alcohol intake, and lack of sleep, there’s no doubt that the holiday season can take its toll on skin. But panic not, because a detox program — even a not especially drastic one — can help you regain a fresh, radiant blemish-free complexion in just a few weeks.
It’s by no means essential to detox after the holiday celebrations, but it can be a good way to reset for anyone who feels the effects of the excesses often associated with this time of year. As we know all too well, increased consumption of fat, sugar and alcohol in a very short period of time can play havoc with the skin, as can a lack of exercise and of sleep.
At the end of the festive season, skin can often be duller and drier — a phenomenon accentuated by temperature variations. Blemishes can also be an issue. But a few simple steps taken throughout the month of January can help remedy the situation.
Put healthy eating back on the menu
While some people might opt for a strict detox, involving just fruit, vegetables and juices, it’s often sufficient to return to your pre-holiday habits in order to restore skin radiance.
The first step is to reduce fat, sugar and alcohol intake — something that you’ve probably already done, or will do, naturally. But to optimize the results, it can be advisable to add fruits and vegetables with antioxidant properties to your diet, or those that help eliminate toxins and stimulate digestion.
When it comes to vegetables, choose celery, artichoke, cabbage (in all its forms), watercress, chicory, beet, broccoli and leeks. Note that black radish, cooked or in the form of a supplement, is a great partner for tackling digestive disorders, but also, more generally, to cleanse the body.
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It’s an excellent food for a post-holiday detox, as long as you respect the recommended doses. For fruit, citrus fruits have the power to help regulate digestion, and are obviously rich in vitamin C, an essential ally of the skin. But kiwis are also perfect for a detox of this type, as are red berries — although it’s better to choose fruit that is in season.
In addition, try drinking a glass of warm water (or room temperature water) with lemon in the morning to help detoxify the skin.
A full beauty routine
Beyond diet, it is essential to resume your usual beauty routine, and even step it up after the holidays. Late nights and fatigue lead many to skip the makeup removal step at this time of year, increasing the risk of blemishes.
This risk is even greater since the end-of-year celebrations are synonymous with more elaborate makeup looks that can prevent the skin from breathing.
Makeup removal, skin cleansing morning and night, with a chemical peel and a detoxifying mask once a week, plus daily moisturizing, are among the essential steps of a full and comprehensive beauty routine. But certain beauty allies can also help you regain a fresh and radiant complexion more quickly.
This is particularly true of purifying treatments, but also of facial saunas and massage tools that will help eliminate signs of fatigue.
Other tips, which may already be part of your daily routine, can help your skin look its best. Drinking plenty of water is recommended for glowing skin — some say 1.5 litres, but it really depends on the color of your urine (light yellow for good hydration).
Similarly, resuming some form of exercise is beneficial for the skin, as is letting it breathe by considerably reducing the amount of makeup you wear for a few days. All in all, it shouldn’t be too difficult to get your healthy, glowing skin back after the holidays.
