Detox Your Body, Skin, And Hair Before New Year

Even if you’ve never done a body cleanse or body detox before, you’re probably familiar with the concept — go on a some sort of restricted diet, often supplemented with vitamins, minerals, teas or other foods that are supposed to have detoxing properties, and wait until accumulated toxins leave your body.

In reality, it’s often hard to understand from all the “best detox diets” which “toxins” exactly you’re trying to get rid of. Our bodies already have natural detox mechanisms: liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin and lungs. All of which do their job rather well. 

That said, our organs are most effective only when they are healthy. So while following a hyped-up body detox program for a few weeks is not likely to give you any meaningful long-term results, it’s absolutely possible to optimize your body’s natural detoxification system. The best part is you have enough time to do it just before the New Year!

How To Start A Body Cleanse

It’s best to approach your natural detox as comprehensively as possible. This means not only taking care of your body but also your skin and hair, which need our attention more than ever during the onset of winter. To begin your detox, there’s no need to seclude yourself from the world — you can use the following tips to improve your body, skin and hair at your pace, in the comfort of your home.

1. Full body detox

It’s the end of the year — perfect time to give your body a break. Let your body rest, nourish it with natural food and try to move around as much as possible. Then attempt the following regimen. 

Limit your alcohol intake as much as you can. In your liver, alcohol is metabolized into toxins that are later converted into acetate and safely removed from your body. But consuming more than a few drinks a day puts a lot of strain on your liver. So give it a break and drink more water instead.

Water not only quenches your thirst but also regulates your body temperature, lubricates joints, helps with digestion and removes waste products, such as carbon dioxide, from your system. So make sure to hydrate frequently throughout the day. 

As for your diet, try not to eat processed foods and high-glycemic carbs (e.g. sugar) to unload your kidneys and liver.

Instead, substitute junk food for pecans, dark chocolate, blueberries, artichokes, kale, spinach and beets — everything with high antioxidant content. Additionally, embrace prebiotics in your food, which help you develop good gut bacteria. You can find prebiotics in tomatoes, bananas, asparagus, onions, garlic and oats. 

Finally, don’t forget to move your body around. Regular exercise reduces inflammation and makes your immune system stronger. It’s recommended that you do at least 75 minutes of high-intensity physical activity every week. Exercise also makes your sleep better, of which you should get a healthy eight hours every night.

2. Skin detox

Skin is the largest organ in your body and its outermost layer, so naturally when we think of detoxing, some of us mean going through a skin detox in particular. 

Similar to other organs, skin is largely “self-detoxing.” You can’t sweat the toxins out (sweat is mostly water). Just make sure you don’t collect too many harsh exfoliating products that can leave your skin dry and irritated. Gentle exfoliation twice a week should do the trick.

In addition, find your perfect cleanser, moisturizer and toner (if your skin tends to be oily) and use them daily. In a sunny climate, an SPF product is a must. If you find that your skin is lacking collagen, using an appropriate retinoid can help stimulate it.

3. Hair detox

You might notice that by the end of the year, your hair becomes more itchy and oily. You could also have an inflamed scalp or feel that your follicles are way too dry. All these should be convincing enough to start a hair detox. 

In general, a good way to tell if you need a hair detox is when you start noticing a buildup from harsh chemicals or low-quality product ingredients on your hair. Even more importantly, a timely hair detox is actually useful, since it stimulates hair follicles.

For the duration of your natural detox, try to avoid using hair products with chemicals, heat tools as well as dyeing or bleaching your hair. If you don’t have one, get a wide-toothed comb and a scalp scraper to use during shower time. 

Product-wise, begin your hair detox by removing impurities and buildup with Alterna’s My Hair. My Canvas. New Beginnings Exfoliating Cleanser. It will leave your hair clean, smooth and protected. 

After cleansing and towel drying your hair, try Alterna’s Caviar Anti-Aging Clinical Densifying Scalp Treatment. Just spray on the scalp, one section at a time, and massage it in for even distribution. Repeat twice daily and don’t rinse it out. In no time, your hair will feel denser and fuller. 


That’s all there is to perfect and healthy detoxing! So give it a try and enter the new year completely rejuvenated, whether it’s your body, your skin, your hair or all in one.