Refresh Your Entire Beauty Routine With This 30-Day Detox Challenge
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Imagine waking up every morning to a vanity filled with safe beauty products, bacteria-free makeup tools, and an eco-friendly approach to your regimen. It sounds relaxing, clean . . . and kind of daunting. A green beauty routine means avoiding harsh chemicals and instead favoring natural ingredients packed with inherent skincare benefits, and while it can be difficult to fully commit to it at first, now's the time.
"There is really a lot at stake, especially when you consider that women use 12 products a day on average," says Tina Sigurdson, who supports consumer education on safe cosmetics for the Environmental Working Group. She recommends women stop and think about what we put on our skin, eyes, and mouth in order to avoid harmful ingredients that can disrupt normal hormone or other bodily functions. Your appearance and overall health will be better for it. But it's hard to know where to start.
This 30-step challenge will help you do just that, putting you on the path to a cleaner beauty routine. It's filled with natural DIY remedies, product recommendations, and simple lifestyle changes you need for a total refresh. There's an antioxidant-rich matcha mask that will rid your face of free radicals and plenty of low-tech antiaging tips, like swapping out your pillowcase for something silky. You can even try an armpit detox! Complete each phase, and you'll be closer to nourished skin and a toxin-free makeup collection. You can get there in just a month, if you tackle one step each day.
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Toss Expired Products
Dying to make room for new products? Start by getting rid of your old stuff. To keep things safe and effective, experts suggest tossing anything you've had opened for more than year. Yes, that includes a lipstick you wear on special occasions and your crusty mascara.
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Make Sure Your Products Are Free of Toxic Ingredients
Unfortunately, the FDA doesn't have very much authority over the ingredients that go into personal care products. But you can get informed and check your stash for toxic ingredients, starting with this list of eight to avoid.
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Clean Your Makeup Brushes
What's the point of washing your face twice a day if you're going to use filthy makeup brushes? You can make your own easy cleaning solution with olive oil and antibacterial soap. Then, include washing your brushes as part of your regular makeup routine.
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Disinfect Your Beautyblender
While the leftover foundation you see after cleaning your blender are harmless stains, you can get an even better clean with this gentle double-cleansing technique.
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Clean Your Eyelash Curler
Be honest: your eyelash curler is not a pretty sight. Use cotton and makeup remover to clean it, and don't forget to change the rubber pads from time to time.
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Get a Gentle Makeup Remover
Harsh doesn't equal clean. Replace your strong stuff with micellar water to remove makeup.
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Favor Fragrance-Free Products
You'll have a better chance of avoiding an allergic breakout or potentially toxic chemicals if you look for fragrance-free products. Do a spot-check with your existing stuff by putting it on your hand three nights in a row to see if it makes you break out.
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Eliminate Pore-Clogging Ingredients
Just because a product says it's noncomedogenic or oil free doesn't mean it won't clog pores. Instead, check for these four culprits: alcohol, petroleum ingredients, silicones, and sulfates.
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Refresh Your Daily SPF
Now is a great time to secure a good sunscreen. Make sure your tube from last year hasn't expired, and when buying new SPF, look for safer options, like mineral-based products with a higher percent of zinc oxide.
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Make Sure Your Moisturizer Has Hyaluronic Acid
Look for moisturizers with hyaluronic acid, which has a great ability to hydrate and thus reduce fine lines and wrinkles. If someone like Kerry Washington swears by it, you know it must be good.
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Swap in a Silk Pillowcase
Minimize bed head and wrinkles by changing your cotton pillowcase for something silky. If you're going to spend eight hours with your face smashed up against something, it better be soft!
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Treat Your Chapped Lips With Natural Remedies
There are various natural ways to treat stubborn chapped lips. Try brushing them with a new toothbrush to exfoliate them, drinking more water, and eating more leafy greens.
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Eliminate Foods That Cause Breakouts
Cow milk may trigger acne. And did you know canned soup can make your skin retain water and appear bloated and dry? Make these seven food swaps and soon you'll notice a brighter complexion.
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Up Your Omega-3 Intake
Omega-3 fatty acid will improve your skin's natural hydration and suppleness and promote healthy oil production. Look for them in wild-caught salmon, spinach, walnuts, or flax seeds, which you can add to your morning smoothie.
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Do a Mayonnaise Hair Mask
Mayonnaise can help solve brittle hair or an itchy scalp. Take advantage of its moisturizing properties with this 15-minute at-home mask.
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Use a DIY Treatment to Make Your Nails Grow Faster
Too many gel manicures have your nails feeling brittle? With this natural at-home treatment, you'll just need an orange, garlic, and some olive oil to get your nails back in shape.
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Combat Cellulite With a DIY Honey Body Treatment
Mixing honey with coffee grounds and coconut oil will help tighten your skin (thanks to the caffeine) and moisturize (thanks to the honey and coconut oil).
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Detox Your Armpits
Your armpits collect sweat and bacteria — but actions like skin brushing or moisturizing overnight with coconut oil will declog those pores and smooth dry skin. Give the full armpit detox a try.
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Test Out an Aluminum-Free Deodorant
Consider swapping your chemical-laden antiperspirant for a natural deodorant that uses essential oils to curb bacteria. Look for less-harmful minerals like zinc ricinoleate and sodium bicarbonate, which will keep the underarm area dry without stopping sweat altogether. Here are 10 aluminum-free options.
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Do a Korean Beauty Eye Treatment
Korean beauty products often hold the key to brighter, smoother undereyes. Try this Panda's Dream eye patch ($3) soaked in bamboo extract (which soothes and brightens skin) and vitamin B3 serum (which reduces redness and prevents skin cells from getting darker).
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Steam Your Face With Essential Oils
Rejuvenate your tired, stressed skin with the help of essential oils. Try peppermint or eucalyptus oil and see how the steam along with the oils will open up pores and loosen toxins.
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Opt For Superfood-Infused Skincare Products
Organic acai, kale, and green tea are all superfoods that also come in skincare products. To get a vitamin boost for your skin, check out these superfood serums, peels, and creams.
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Do an At-Home Oxygenating Facial
Grab a mask that will bubble and foam once applied to your skin. Dr. Brandt's Oxygen Facial Flash Recovery Mask ($70) is a good one to try, and so is Miss Spa's Recover and Refine Oxygenating Bubble Mask ($4). Models swear by these facials to refresh their skin during Fashion Week.
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Try a Matcha Face Mask
Matcha contains chlorophyll, which is both an antioxidant and detoxifier. According to experts, it can rid skin of impurities and ward off free radicals. Plus, it has antiaging qualities. All good reasons to give these matcha DIY face masks a try.
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Try Turmeric Products
The Asian spice turmeric can reduce inflammation, minimize acne, and bring down a rosacea flare-up. You can also rely on it for antiaging benefits. Check out these DIY turmeric treatments to get started.
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Explore the World of Farm-to-Bottle Products
Eating fresh, organic food from the farmers market makes you feel good, right? Apply the same approach to farm-to-bottle skincare products. More brands are creating goods like a rosemary and citrus makeup remover, a rose water toner, and an essential-oil spot treatment.
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Combat Pimples With a Nutmeg Spot Treatment
Nutmeg has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that will zap away zits. This at-home treatment simply calls for some nutmeg and milk.
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Try an Avocado Face Mask
The fatty acids in avocados can keep your skin hydrated without irritation, making an avocado face mask a great option for people with sensitive skin. Here are five facialist-approved avocado formulas you can try at home.
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Use a DIY Cream to Get Rid of Eczema
Products, the weather, and even stress can all trigger eczema. This natural DIY cream will help you deal with any inflamed and red skin.
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Drink More Water
Hydrating from within is a key way to improve your skin. Here's one nutritionist-approved secret: drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, try 75 fluid ounces — just about nine and a half cups of water.