3 Ways to Detox for the New Year
Start your year off right by refreshing body and mind with these three beauty recipes
Confession: I love a good new year’s resolution. While the final days of December are all about looking back, January 1st is one big, beautiful reset button to me. A time to look ahead, make plans, and think positively on the 365 days that lie before me. Top of my list this year? Take better care of myself. Sure, I’m pretty good at eating well and I feel like I’ve finally got my workout routine on lock, but I have one glaringly bad habit (ok, definitely more than one, but this is a big one): As soon as I get stressed out, all thoughts of self-care go flying out the window. Sleep? Suddenly terrible. Beauty routine? Hindered by the huge dark circles that have settled beneath my eyes. So today I’m starting 2016 off on a super positive note by giving my body the love it deserves with the three recipes below.
Maybe you’re spending the first day of the year recovering from too much fun celebrating its arrival, maybe you’re like me and vowing to take more time to care for yourself this year, whatever your reasons, the juice, scrub, and mask recipes below are the perfect detoxification rituals to add to your routine for 2016. Each one boasts incredible detox benefits, from supporting liver function to drawing toxins from the skin. Add these recipes to your weekly routine for best results, enjoy and happy new year!
Beta carotene, fiber, vitamin C, warming ginger and healing turmeric — this juice has it all and then some. Combined with hydrating cucumber and tart green apple, this spicy concoction will help support your liver’s detoxification process, allowing it to rid your body of toxins more efficiently. Chia seeds add an extra boost of fiber and antioxidants, easily synthesized by your body after they’ve been soaked.
Cleansing Green Juice
Ingredients:
1 or 2 small green apples
1 small cucumber
2 carrots
1 small handful parsley
3 large kale leaves
1/2-inch piece fresh turmeric root
1/2-inch piece fresh ginger root
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp chia gel (combine 1/2 tbsp chia seeds with 1 tbsp water and allow to sit until seeds gel, at least 10 minutes)
Squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lemon into the bottom of a tall glass. Add the chia seeds. Place the glass under the spout of your juicer and juice all remaining vegetables and fruit. Stir to distribute the seeds and lemon juice. Drink immediately for best nutrition. Enjoy!
Give your skin a caffeine boost! Exfoliating coffee grounds energize skin while providing a dose of anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Combined with cinnamon, which promotes circulation, and soothing sweet almond oil, this scrub will wake you up while making your skin feel super smooth.
Cinnamon Coffee Body Scrub
Ingredients:
1/2 cup coffee grounds (use course for extra scrubbing, espresso ground for a softer feel)
1 tsp cinnamon
2-3 tbsp sweet almond oil
In a non-metallic bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon to avoid any reactions with metals.
To apply: After dampening skin in the shower, turn off the faucet. Use your hands to apply the scrub to your body — avoiding your face — and scrub in circular motions. Rinse with warm water and pat dry before applying moisturizer or body oil.
Activated charcoal tablets are my new favorite health discovery. I regularly take them with water to calm my stomach and promote digestion, but I’ve recently begun using loose charcoal in my beauty routine, too. This mask is formulated to draw out impurities and dissolve blackheads. Be sure to spot test the bentonite clay before applying, as some may find it too harsh for sensitive facial skin.
Activated Charcoal Face Mask
Ingredients:
2 tbsp Greek yogurt
2 capsules food-grade activated charcoal
1/4 tsp bentonite clay
Rose water
Cotton puffs
Note: Before using bentonite clay, do a patch test to check for sensitivities on the inside of your elbow or the inside of your wrist. if you experience a reaction, this mask can be made without the clay.
Break open the charcoal capsules and place in a non-metallic bowl. Add the yogurt and bentonite clay and mix with a wooden or ceramic spoon. Because activated charcoal and bentonite clay draw out impurities and toxins, it’s important to use non-metallic mixing materials to avoid contamination.
Apply to a clean face using your fingers, avoiding delicate eye and lip areas. Leave on for 5 to 7 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Pat dry with a clean towel.
For a gentle toner, dampen a cotton ball with the rose water and apply to face. Allow to dry before patting on moisturizer or face oil.
+ How are you detoxing for the new year? I’d love to know!
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