POST-FESTIVE DETOX

GET YOUR GLOW BACK

The festive celebrations are a great excuse for over-indulgence – but they can leave your skin, body and sense of wellbeing with quite a hangover. Follow these simple steps to restore, refresh and re-energise yourself from head to toe.

Too much rich food and not enough exercise, lots to drink and late night partying, it all takes its toll. We could go into long scientific explanations about the effect on your blood sugar levels, glycaemic indexes, liver function and hormone imbalances…but you don’t really need any of that – your skin and body are giving you all the messages you need! Let’s just focus on what you can do to help your system sort itself out so you can get back to feeling and looking your absolute best.

GET ACTIVE

There’s nothing like a bit of exercise to help our bodies shrug off the sugar, fat, caffeine and alcohol that we’ve been merrily consuming.
If the idea of intense gym sessions, or spinning, boxercise and Zumba sounds a little excessive then there are plenty of less intense options. How about yoga, pilates or some swimming, jogging or cycling?
The great thing about any form of activity, no matter how gentle, is that it’s so much better for you than just sitting!

TIDY UP

Christmas is a time for receiving gifts that we then struggle to find a place for. Life today is busier than ever before so our homes swiftly become cluttered and disorganised, which in turn leads to stress.
This explains the phenomenal recent success of Marie Kondo , best-selling author of ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing’. Her mantra is “Tidy your space, transform your life”, the idea being that a well organised and decluttered space promotes a sense of calm and wellbeing. Watch her new series of home makeovers on Netflix and you’ll discover her approach is surprisingly simple – discard anything that does not “spark joy”. Once you’ve turned your home into a space of serenity and inspiration you’ll find it much easier to maintain a routine that’s good for your wellbeing, body and skin.

STAY HYDRATED

Before you rush out a buy a Nutribullet smoothie maker or put yourself on the latest fad detox diet you should do something much cheaper, easier and (dare we say it) more effective. Drink plenty of water.
Alcohol, bingeing on salty fatty foods and lack of sleep leads to a build-up of toxins.
This can overload our the liver, impair its ability to cleanse our system and make our skin look tired and dull.
The quickest fix is drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. You might find warm water with a little fresh lemon juice more palatable.

EAT WELL

Party food tends to be highly processed and salty, dehydrating your skin and encouraging your body to hold onto water.
This can make your face appear bloated, with puffiness around eyes. So, no more crisps, pastries and chocolate brownies!
Your system is designed to detox itself, so you really don’t have to resort to anything too drastic. Extreme or wacky diets can actually do more harm than good – the key is balance. Avoid fatty or sugary foods in favour of fresh vegetables, fruit, fish and lean cuts of meat. Antioxidant and vitamin C rich fruits like berries, pomegranate and citrus fruits are especially good. These help to protect the skin, support cleansing and the production of collagen for healthy, glowing skin.

COMFORT YOUR COMPLEXION

At Anne Semonin we advocate a holistic approach to skincare that provides long-term anti-ageing benefits. Our philosophy is one of gradual incremental steps which promote a radiant and youthful-looking glow.
Having said that, we can help you achieve immediate results. After the festive excesses you’ll almost certainly see a big difference when you start to use our Exfoliating Mask. Infused with astringent red seaweed it helps eliminate dead cells on the surface to smooth, refine and brighten the skin. Kaolin absorbs excess oil and mattifies the complexion.Another product you’ll probably want to make a part of your regular regime is our Extreme Comfort Cream. This is a luxurious, deeply protective face cream for skin that craves comfort. Rich in moisturizing macadamia nut oil, it brings immediate comfort to very dry, sensitive skin. It nourishes, hydrates, soothes, protects and improves elasticity - ideal for damaged skin or skin exposed to the elements.