Our skin can take a beating this time of year – from cold weather, central heating and lots of indulgent, sugary foods! We called upon the experts over at Plenish Cleanse get their healthy skin tips for those who have overindulged during the Christmas and New Year Period. By combining nutrition, supplements and skincare, you will give yourself the best start to the New Year!

Nutrition 

Over indulgence can make the skin congested, lacking luster and on the puffy side. There are certain foods that are going to benefit the skin and a detox is the best place to begin. Start the day with a hot water and slice of lemon and ginger to gently awaken the body and kick start the cleansing process. Mid afternoon opt for a fresh mint tea or a green tea which is packed with cleansing antioxidants.

In the New Year, you could start a juice cleanse program from 3 to up to 7 days. Or make it a New Years life change to include a green juice every day or 5 out of 7 days. With PLENISH offering a juice subscription service, this makes it easier than ever to do.

It’s also important to include alkalising foods into your body. Cucumber, lemon, celery, fennel, ginger, pear, spinach are all great for alkalising the whole body and improving the brightness and clarity of your complexion. A good combination of greens, especially spinach and kale, coloured fruit, berries and vegetables, with healthy proteins such as quinoa, nuts and healthy oils from brazil nuts, fish and avocado should make up the basics of a diet to ensure skin clarity. Avoid the obvious refined things like pasta, breads, cakes, cheese, and processed meats. For sweat treats fill your boots with dark chocolate, high in skin friendly antioxidants.

Supplements

New Year skin supplements should include Vitamin D, which is essential for all over health especially in the UK during the winter months. Vitamin C works on so many levels as well as assisting the liver to drive away toxins. Milk Thistle is great for liver function and to help keep those breakouts at bay, an effective probiotic to help rebalance an over indulged stomach and rebalance good gut flora.

Organic Pharmacy ‘Phytonutrients’ capsules are an amazing all round skin health supplement as well as being good for digestion.

Organic Burst ‘Spirulina’ is so easy to add to juices and breakfasts, ideal for alkalizing, improving the immune system and packed with protein and amino acids.

Wild Nutrition – Food-State Skin Hair and Nails is the staple you need for general skin health. The skin is going to recognise all of the ingredients and use them to its best!

Skincare

For skin detoxification it’s not just what you are applying to the face, the whole body is going to impact on the clarity of your facial complexion. You could go fully natural for a 6-week skin detox product period. Avoiding highly perfumed, heavy creams, synthetic ingredients, instead going natural, organic, raw or just cold formulated. All of this will give your lymphatic system the best space to be healthy. It’s important to cleanse morning and night. Kiehls Ultra Facial oil free cleanser is a good city skin cleanser without stripping, or their Ultra Facial cleanser is suited to a more sensitive skin.

Body brushing and skin exfoliating is a tried and tested method of improving the bodies natural detoxification process, sloughing off the tired dead skin cells on the surface to stimulate fresh cell growth will allow products to penetrate better and bring back some health to the skins surface.

Aesop Tea Tree Leaf Facial Exfoliant is perfect, powdered tea tree leaves; crushed nutshells and purifying clays tick all the boxes for skin detox.

Liz Earle Brightening Mask is just magical and really does do something for over-indulged skin. Containing a blend of camphor oil, white clay which draws out impurities, mineral silt high in magnesium, calcium and iron all really important for the skin along with almond oil and aloe vera.

Suki Pure Facial Oil – Non complicated with a delicate chamomile scent, absorbs beautifully and great for re-balancing and hydrating the skin without over powering. Use at night as a hydrator.

For a whole body and face detox, Epsom salt baths are old fashioned but work! Magnesium and sulphate absorbed through the skin are great for restoring the body after over indulgence, they naturally rehydrate and restore.

For more cleansing tips head to http://www.plenishcleanse.com