Oil cleansers. They remove oil-soluble dirt and makeup along with the pollution that's stuck to it—and a creamy cleanser finishes the job. Smooth an oil, like Shu Uemura Anti/Oxi SkinRefining Cleansing Oil or Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil, over dry skin, rinse, then follow with a creamy face wash and water.
Cleansing masks. Charcoal is absorbent enough to pull all the gunk you don't want, like pollution and dirt, out of pores. Soft clay masks work the same way and are better for dry or sensitive skin than charcoal, which soaks up more oil. (Try Tammy Fender Purifying Luculent Masque and Charlotte Tilbury Goddess-Skin Clay Mask.)
The 5 Ingredients You Need to Detox Your Skin
Think of these ingredients as a ginger-lemon detox tea—for your face.
SEA SALT
Salt scrubs and soaks claim to detox skin with minerals (an unsubstantiated claim), but their real benefits may come from salt's moisturizing effects. In a study at the University of Kiel in Germany, participants with chronic dry skin soaked in sea salt for 15 minutes and found their skin's moisture barrier was significantly stronger for a full six weeks.
ANTIOXIDANTS
They don't totally protect your skin from pollution, but they do play a big role in detoxing. Antioxidants decrease the damage caused by pollution, including pigment formation and the breakdown of collagen and elastin. Look for serums with vitamin C, idebenone, niacinamide, or multiple botanical antioxidants, like pomegranate, mangosteen, and berry extracts.
CHARCOAL
This works like a vacuum. "Charcoal is absorbent enough to pull all the gunk you don't want, like pollution and dirt, out of pores," says Ron Robinson, a cosmetic chemist. It comes in face washes and konjac sponges, but in order for it to work, charcoal has to sit on skin for a full minute. For that reason, either leave the cleanser on skin for that time or choose a charcoal mask.
SOFT CLAY
We can all learn a few things from Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon—like, mermaid hair is sexy, and covering yourself in mud is a good idea. Soft clay masks are a new version of the old familiar clay masks. They work the same way as charcoal, by drawing dirt out of skin, with an added benefit: The clay is mixed with moisturizing botanical oils (like lavender, sweet almond, and safflower) to hydrate.
ALGAE
Algae, like seaweed, can protect skin. It stimulates blood flow in the skin enough to make you glow. It's not as cleansing as charcoal or clay, but it is often mixed with one or both in face masks.Algae is a good antioxidant, and it's rich in detoxifying minerals.
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