Detox is a somewhat muddied word these days. There’s a lot of variation and opinion around the topic, from drinking cabbage soup solidly for a week to a more holistic approach.

Detox is ultimately supposed to be about giving your body a boost; make use of the good and get rid of the bad, and as your skin is your largest detox assisting organ in the body, a body scrub or good old fashioned body brush can work wonders.

Your skin is really quite incredible, it performs a number of functions in the body including acting as a visual sign of health and a bit of an indicator of what’s going on inside.  It is our biggest organ of elimination, and while the best way to detox is to work from the inside out, supporting the body through diet, hydration and a generally healthy lifestyle, stimulating the skin itself through saunas, steam rooms, wraps and spa treatments provides a welcome stimulus and support for detox and ultimately feeling your best.

A tried and tested home method for this is the body brush, a simple and effective tool that can be used in any shower or bath to give skin a good exfoliation.  Taking the experience to another level, and providing the opportunity to introduce oils and perhaps the aid of a therapist for added luxury, salt scrubs also have a longstanding reputation for their skin boosting, health revealing excellence.

Salts such as magnesium and Epsom salts (usually used in salt baths) have numerous benefits for the skin.  Extremely hydrating and highly therapeutic for skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis, they are also beneficial for stress relief and muscular relaxation.  They are said to decrease inflammation and speed up the healing process in the body, cleansing and detoxifying along the way.

In the context of a salt scrub, Himalayan salts are often used, invigorating and refreshing the skin, to remove dry and dead skin cells and bring fresh new skin to the surface for a youthful appearance.  The exfoliation process also helps remove impurities and toxins from the skin, unblocks pores and reduces inflammation.

Helpful additions to body scrubs include essential oils and minerals such as ginger, lime, green tea and seaweed, which add an extra level of detox support and help to achieve your surrounding objectives such as increased energy or relaxation.  For example, famed Irish skincare brand VOYA uses a blend of organic botanical herbs and seaweed extracts to soothe and nourish new skin as part of their body scrubs.

Naturally, there are plenty of scrubs on the market you can use at home, and in the winter months they are a welcome boost after a long day.  Of course, to get a real boost from them, nothing beats the expert touch of a good therapist, on which note, here are three of our favourite body scrubs at Spabreaks.com…

Pennyhill Park’s Rosemary and Lavender Body Therapy

Using the traditional healing powers of rosemary and lavender, the body therapy begins with a stimulating natural rosemary salt scrub followed by a hydrating and cleansing Kaolin clay body wrap to draw out toxins and cleanse the skin.

FIND OUT MORE

Montcalm Scrub

A 30-minute full body treatment using a lime and ginger scented salt scrub and an aromatherapy oil to detox, cleansing and removing dead skin cells; it smooths the skin and moisturises it as well so you don’t need to add extra creams and oils afterwards.

FIND OUT MORE

Ockenden’s Rebalancing Treatment

Part of a complete body treatment designed by Elemental Herbology, Ockenden’s Rebalancing Treatment includes a macadamia and papaya scrub before nourishing with cooling watermelon and cucumber to work on a mental, physical and emotional level to balance your energy.

FIND OUT MORE