Kick-start the New Year with a face and body overhaul. Lisa Haynes reveals how to look and feel tip-top for 2014.
If December is all about over-indulgence, January is payback time with some deep cleansing – inside and out.
Put some sparkle back in your step with a beauty detox. Go au naturel and blitz your body with potions to make you feel wholesome again.
"The buzzwords for gorgeous skin are hydrate, nourish, sleep, repair and detoxify," says make-up artist Jemma Kidd.
Time to glow on a beauty detox...
Inner beauty
Give your complexion some New Year radiance by ditching the sugar and alcohol and going to town on raw foods and water.
"Like a mirror, our outer skin reflects the state of our inner skin – the gut lining," Kidd explains.
"If it's functioning properly, our skin will be balanced and healthy, which is why we talk about beauty coming from the inside."
Green vegetable juices will give your body a powerful shot of minerals and energy in a few glugs. Avoid adding fruits and vegetables that are naturally high in sugar, like bananas.
Some essential skin-boosting compounds, like antioxidants, can be difficult to absorb through diet alone, which is where beauty supplements come in. Try Functionalab for pills with beauty-boosting objectives for face and body.
Body blitz
Alcohol and too many festive seconds can leave your system feeling sluggish and your body looking bumpier than Santa's present sack.
The trick to flushing out toxins is stimulating blood circulation, drinking plenty of water and sticking to a daily regime.
"My top tip to start your New Year skincare regime is daily dry body brushing," advises Jo Parker, spa director at Champneys. "It's a great way to stimulate circulation, improve skin texture and banish cellulite."
Use a body brush daily on dry skin before your morning shower, starting at the ankles in upwards movements towards the heart.
Look for products with energising ingredients that will kick-start your circulation, like seaweed extract and caffeine, to make your skin look instantly more toned.
Face refresh
Take a breather from your cosmetics bag and give your complexion a detox by going au naturel for a few days over the festive break.
"When you are planning to detox your skin, you must begin by resting it," says skin therapist, Nataliya Robinson.
"We are all guilty of overusing skin care products, including make-up, which is full of chemicals and irritants."
Even minus make-up, the daily grind can cause a build-up of pollution and bacteria so seek out a killer clarifying cleanser that purifies the skin and gently exfoliates.
Robinson recommends going back to basics: "To truly detox the skin, put away all of your commercial creams and serums and turn toward organic natural ingredients such as banana, avocado and yoghurt for a weekend, or longer if you can."
Detox face mask
For a quick detoxifying treatment, try Nataliya Robinson's recipe for a banana face mask that's suitable for all skin types. Use once a week to help nourish the skin naturally.
:: 1 ripe mashed banana
:: 1tsp of honey or maple syrup
:: 10 drops of lemon juice
Method: Mix thoroughly. Apply this to clean skin and allow to set for 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.
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