With everything from pollution to the food that you eat leading to the creation of toxins in your skin, it is so easy for your skin to become weighed down by all of these impurities.

To keep your complexion looking fresh and healthy, here are eight tips to follow to purify your skin, from both inside and out.

Cleanse Your Skin at the End of Each Day

Everyone is guilty of neglecting to cleanse their skin once in a while, but if you do this too often, this is a sure-fire way for impurities to build up on your skin.

Most people only need to properly cleanse their skin once a day, so save this for the evening. This gives you the chance to clear away all of the dirt, pollution, bacteria, sweat and more that will have settled on your skin throughout the course of the day.

Do not forget…

Once you have cleansed your skin, it is in quite a vulnerable state, so a layer of moisturizer immediately afterwards is essential. The moisturizer will form a barrier over the surface of your skin, preventing impurities from working their way into your skin’s layers.

This means that, in the morning, you only need to rinse your skin with water, rather than using a cleanser again.

Why shouldn’t you use a cleanser in the morning too?

Because over-cleansing can be almost as bad as not cleansing at all. Your skin needs its natural oils in order to thrive, and clearing these away too frequently will leave your skin red, irritated and damaged.

Unclog Those Pores

When impurities build up on your skin, they need somewhere to go, and the only place is into your pores.

For those who suffer from oily skin, this is especially challenging, as the impurities end up mixing with your skin’s natural oils and really affecting your complexion with acne and pimples.

Fortunately, there are quite a few ways in which you can unclog your pores and rid them of any impurities:

• Pore strips – these are made with bonding agents that act like a magnet, lifting away any dirt and toxins that have built up within your pores

• Steam cleaning – all you need to do is fill a bowl with boiling water, and then place your face over this, draping a towel over your head to keep the steam in. Do this for about ten minutes to open up your pores and give them a good cleanse. Add some essential oils to the water for added benefits

• Exfoliation – this should be done a couple of times a week to keep your pores clean. If you find that exfoliation does not seem to be working for you, try a different method of exfoliation 

• Purifying face masks – these will contain ingredients to help purify the skin, and are discussed in more detail below

• Extractions – this is a professional procedure that usually involves an esthetician manually clearing out your pores, using a set of metal tools 

Use Purifying Face Masks

From hydrating to anti-aging, there are so many different types of face masks out there, each designed to target specific skin issues. 

One type of face mask that you will often see is the purifying face mask.

These come in a variety of forms, from clay masks to sheet masks, so use whichever type you are most comfortable with.

Wondering how they work?

It all comes down to their active ingredients.

There are certain ingredients out there that have been proven to help extract impurities from the skin, and these are what tend to be used in purifying face masks.

Clay masks are usually the go-to mask type when it comes to purifying the skin, as they begin to work their magic in just a couple of minutes. They basically draw all of the toxins out of your skin, and also absorb excess oil.

They are fantastic for those with oily skin, but those with dry skin may find that their skin feels even drier afterwards. The key here is to really be diligent with the amount of time that you leave the mask on for, as leaving it on for too long can leave your skin dehydrated.  

Activated charcoal is another popular ingredient in purifying face masks.

What exactly does it do?

It binds to dirt and toxins in the skin, helping to pull them out, ready for you to wash away. It is also able to help treat acne, speed up skin healing, and can be used on the hair and scalp too. 

Algae is also extremely effective, because not only does it contain a wide range of antioxidants, amino acids, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which help the skin to detox, but it also adds moisture to the skin. This then plumps up the skin’s natural protective barrier, therefore preventing more impurities from settling into the skin.

Other common ingredients in purifying masks include lemon, tea tree oil, and coconut oil, all of which help to rid the skin of toxins.

Hydrate With Water

If you decide to only follow one of these tips, then this should be the one to choose.

Water is essential when it comes to purifying the body, and even a small amount of dehydration can result in a huge build up of toxins.

You should aim to drink at least eight glasses, or two litres, of water each day, and try to sip on this throughout the day, even if you are not feeling thirsty. 

Find it difficult to drink so much water?

Try infusing your water with some fruit, or give herbal teas a try, which are discussed in more detail in tip number six. 

Purify Your Skin Through Your Diet

Your diet directly affects your skin in several different ways. By consuming a diet that is rich in certain foods, you will be able to stimulate your skin’s natural detoxification process, encouraging purification. These same foods will also help to keep your blood healthy, and since your blood is your skin’s source of oxygen and nutrients, this can, again, have a huge impact.

So, what should you actually be eating?

Here are a few of the most popular purifying foods out there:

• Garlic – contains sulfur, which helps to purify the organs, including the skin

• Leafy Greens – greens such as kale, cabbage, and broccoli contain certain compounds that help the body to detox

• Cilantro – especially effective when it comes to purifying the skin of heavy metals

• Apple Cider Vinegar – keeps the blood clean but also contains antiseptic compounds, which help to fight infections within the body. ACV also naturally balance’s the skin’s pH levels, resulting in a healthy complexion

• Beets – a strong anti-inflammatory that purifies the body and boosts the immune system

• Turmeric – contains curcumin, which is a natural antioxidant that produces detoxifying enzymes within the body 

In addition to incorporating more purifying ingredients into your diet, you should also try to cut back on the amount of refined sugar, dairy, and fried and processed foods that you eat.

Why?

Because these are filled with impurities that are severely detrimental to your skin. It may not seem like it now, but once you take the steps necessary to improve your diet, you will definitely notice a huge improvement in your skin too. 

Drink 3 Cups of Herbal Tea a Day

There are so many herbs out there that have been proven to help purify the skin and body, but incorporating these into your diet can be challenging.

This is where herbal teas come in…

Infusing certain herbs into a tea gives you the opportunity to really make the most of the antioxidants that these herbs contain. 

Wondering which herbs will work best for your skin?

Here are a few to try:

• Dandelion – this will have a diuretic effect, which significantly helps the liver to flush out toxins from the body

• Burdock – when it comes to impurities that result in acne or boils, burdock can really help

• Green tea – packed with antioxidants, green tea will also rejuvenate the skin

• Green Nettle – this also has a diuretic effect, and will cleanse both the body and skin

Aim to drink around three cups of a herbal tea a day, especially if you are proactively trying to purify your skin in a set time frame.

Try Dry Brushing

From face masks to facial cleansers, many of the external skin-purifying methods tend to be focussed on the face.

But what about the rest of the body?

This is where dry brushing comes in…

This is an effective, inexpensive, and quick way in which you can purify the skin all over your body on a daily basis.

Never heard of dry brushing before?

It is a technique that has actually been used for centuries, mostly for the way in which it purifies the body and skin. It does this in numerous ways, from boosting circulation to stimulating the sweat glands, all of which help the skin to detox.

You do need to purchase a dry brush to do this, but these are generally inexpensive and widely available. Try to opt for a brush that has natural bristles, as these will be kinder on your skin.

Once you have your brush, begin at your feet and slowly work your way upwards, simply brushing your dry skin. Make sure that your strokes are always aimed towards your heart, and do not dry brush any parts of your skin that are cut or infected.

Dry brushing is best done right before you step into the shower, as this then enables you to wash away all of the impurities that you have dislodged.

Wondering how long it takes?

Well, in the beginning, it may take you about 15 minutes. But, once you get the hang of the technique, you should be able to dry brush your entire body in just five minutes. 

Want to try dry brushing your face too?

This can really help your complexion, but make sure that you purchase a dedicated facial dry brush. These will be made with softer bristles, which is essential since the skin on your face is much thinner, and more delicate, than the skin on your body, therefore much more susceptible to damage.

Enjoy A Purifying Bath

Purifying baths are exactly what they sound like…

They are a bath that is able to purify the skin, as well as the rest of the body.

How?

This all depends on the type of bath that you choose.

An Epsom salt bath is the most popular type of purifying bath out there. Epsom salts are actually a naturally occurring mineral compound, rather than an actual salt, and are packed with magnesium. Magnesium basically acts as a toxin repellent, flushing any impurities out of your skin cells.

Adding some bentonite clay to your bath can also help to purify your skin. Bentonite clay has a negative ionic charge, while the toxins in your skin tend to be positively charged. This means that the clay and the toxins end up bonded together, so, when you wash the clay away, you are also washing the toxins away.

Other ingredients that you can use in a detox bath include ginger, essential oils, sea salt, seaweed and apple cider vinegar. 

When running a purifying bath for yourself, make sure that you do not add any commercial products to the bath.

Why?

Because the majority of these will contain at least one type of chemical, and since you are purifying your skin, you want to keep unnatural chemicals as far away from it as possible.

Following these tips and taking the steps necessary to purify your skin can have a huge impact on your complexion.

You will likely notice that your skin develops a bright, healthy glow, and skin issues such as acne, psoriasis, rosacea and more will all be improved.