21-Day Morning Detox Routine To Transform Your Skin From Within
Fuss-free detox recipes to feed your morning skin
The lockdown lifestyle is taking over our lives, and it isn’t pretty. Erratic work hours, unhealthy eating habits, sleep deprivation, has got us all in this vicious cycle where we constantly feel and look tired. And it’s rather ironic considering we’re at home for most of the time. This takes a toll on our overall health, including our skin. Replenishing that glow goes beyond face mask Fridays and self-care Sundays. It actually means hitting reset from within, so that it reflects on the outside.
Detoxing may sound a little iffy, but in reality it’s the best way to flush out our body’s toxins. Remember, a healthy gut equals happy skin –– so we’ve curated a 21-day morning detox routine to boost your skin health from the inside out.
Mark your calendars, y’all!
21-Day Morning Detox Routine For Glowing Skin
Day 1 – Lemon juice and warm water
Start small on day 1! Instead of reaching out for that hot cuppa Joe, simply down a glass of warm water mixed with a few drops of lemon. It’s that simple.
Day 2 – Cucumber infused water
Hydration is the key to healthy, supple skin. Don’t miss out on the foods with high water content, they can hydrate your skin from within and add to that much needed moisture.
Day 3 – Cleansing kale salad
Remember the superfood Kale? Yes, the same green leaf that had its claim to fame when several celebrities were seen endorsing it. Kale is rich in vitamins C, E, and K, and therefore really works wonders for your skin.
Ingredients:
3 cups of kale leaves (finely chopped)
2 cups of red cabbage (grated)
1/2 cup coriander (chopped)
2 cups broccoli florets (chopped)
1 cup carrots (grated)
A few walnuts (semi-crushed)
3-4 green onions (diced)
1 avocado (diced)
For the dressing:
1 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon red vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard
1 clove of garlic (grated)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method:
Step 1
Separate the stem from the Kale leaves and finely chop. The chop the broccoli, red cabbage, and cilantro.
Step 2
Dice the green onions, walnuts and avocado.
Step 3
Mix all the ingredients in a salad bowl and add the prepared dressing, till it spreads evenly across all ingredients.
Step 4
Finish with salt and pepper.
Day 4 – Honey, lemon, and warm water
Great for combating acne, from the inside-out!
Day 5 – Kiwi Lime Smoothie
You’ve heard of kiwi lime pie, but have you tried its smoothie counterpart? The answer to clear glowing skin is just a kiwi (or two) away.
Ingredients:
2 kiwis
1 lime
1 cup of spinach (chopped)
Water to blend
Method:
Blend the kiwi pulp, lime juice, spinach, and water together. Add more water depending on the desired consistency, but make sure to not water the ingredients down. Serve in a mason jar or tall glass.
Day 6 – Berry good water
Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries –– basically the entire berry clan is known for their detoxifying properties. Pop some freshly washed berries of your choice in a bottle of cold water and keep sipping through the day.
PS: save a few berries for day 8 and pop them in the freezer!
Day 7 – Almond, chia, and mango breakfast bowl
A great way to end week 1 of this morning detox! This almond, chia, and mango breakfast bowl is the perfect sweet start to your day.
Ingredients:
¼ cup oats (lightly powdered)
2 tablespoons black chia seeds
1 cup almond milk
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
⅓ yoghurt
1 mango (sliced without skin)
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Method:
Step 1
Add the oats and chia seeds in a bowl and top it off with milk and cinnamon powder. Mix well, cover the bowl, and leave it to set overnight in the fridge.
Step 2
Place the oat mixture in two different bowls and top each off with yoghurt, mango, and almonds. You can even add some extra cinnamon to the mix, if you’d like.
Day 8 – Very berry smoothie
Got a few berries left over from day 6? Freeze them overnight and use them in this smoothie.
Ingredients:
1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries
1 cup raspberry
1 cup blackberry
1 ½ cups of milk
1 cup plain greek yoghurt
Method:
Blend the frozen berries, milk, and greek yoghurt together, until the consistency is super smooth.
Day 9 – Apple cinnamon fusion water
An apple a day, keeps the dermat away. Cut (don’t peel) an apple and add it to a jar of water. Take one stick of cinnamon and place it in there too. Refrigerate the water overnight and sip it first thing in the morning (and through the day).
Day 10 – Gazpacho me healthy
Note: Any green leafy vegetable is great for detoxing your system. This tomato and kale cold soup is a healthy (and rather interesting) way to start your day.
Ingredients:
¼ cup water
2 tablespoon lime juice
½ cup plain yoghurt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 large kale leaves (without stems)
1 cup fresh tomatoes (diced)
1 small carrot (chopped)
1 small cucumber (chopped)
1 stick celery (chopped)
½ cup ice (optional)
Method:
Add all ingredients in a mixer and blend into a smooth consistency. You can even add a dash of hot sauce or pepper to spice things up a little.
Day 11 – ‘Day’tox salad
Meet the skin friendly salad –– no really, it’s got ingredients that’ll make your face glow for days.
Ingredients:
2-3 cups spinach
2-3 cups arugula
½ cup carrots (grated)
½ cup cucumber (sliced)
½ cup celery (chopped)
¼ cup bell pepper (chopped)
¼ cup almonds
½ cup avocado
1 handful parsley
1 handful basil
1 handful coriander
½ cup sprouts
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add some olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
Day 12 – Pomegranate, beetroot, and aloe vera gel juice
Day 13 – Haldi chai
So maybe you can cheat a little on day 13 and treat yourself to a cup of chai. The catch? You’ve got to add haldi to the mix too.
Day 14 – Cucumber lemon mint drink
This refreshing summer favourite is apt for those warm mornings that leave you parched. The combination of cucumber and lemon act as antioxidants, while the mint soothes any stomach issues.
Ingredients:
1 cucumber
10 mint leaves
2 tablespoon lemon juice
Water
Ice
Lemon wedges
Method:
Step 1
Peel and blend the cucumber, along with the mint, and a cup of water.
Step 2
Use a muslin cloth or strainer to separate the juice from the pulp.
Step 3
Add the lemon juice, a pinch of black salt
Step 4
Pour into a glass and garnish with a lemon wedge and a few mint leaves.
Day 15 – Orange, carrot, ginger smoothie
Day 16 – The skin saviour salad
Everything about this salad points to healthy glowing skin! All the ingredients work together to flush out those toxins.
Ingredients:
¼ red cabbage
1 medium carrot
1 small leek
1 beetroot
1 radish
¼ cup coriander
½ cup sliced almonds
Day 17 – Fruit salad
This isn’t your normal fruit salad. Pick and choose ingredients that comprise antioxidants and anti-inflammatory –– and you’ll start seeing results on your skin. Opt for fruits like berries, kiwi, pears, figs, oranges, red grapes, and watermelon.
Day 18 – Mushrooms on toast
While we love ourselves a sweet-tooth breakfast, sometimes we like to go the savoury way.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
4 small onions (diced)
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
600 grams chestnut mushrooms
2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
4 brown bread slices (toasted)
Method:
Step 1
Add butter to a heated pan and wait till it melts. Throw in the diced onions and crushed garlic and let them cook till slightly brown.
Step 2
Add the chopped chestnut mushrooms into the mix and let it cook well.
Step 3
Sprinkle some parsley over the cooked mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
Place your toasted sliced bread on a plate and top it off with the mushrooms. Garnish with some dried herbs.
Day 19 – Orange and basil fusion water
Day 20 – Avocado toast
Who doesn’t love themselves some avocado toast? It’s simple to make, healthy, and really tasty (if you like avocados, that is). Feel free to add some lemon zest and garlic to the mix too.
Day 21 – Muesli banana bowl
End your 21-day detox with a bang! Replace your usual cereal with this delicious banana bowl.
Ingredients:
1 cup muesli
1 banana (chopped)
4-5 tablespoon plain greek yogurt
1 teaspoon sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon honey
Add the yoghurt to a bowl and top it off with muesli. Place the bananas on top of the mix and drizzle the honey over it. Garnish with sunflower seeds.
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