After a few too many summer brunches and sugar binges, Beauticate writer Molly decided her skin was looking a bit dull and in need of a wakeup call. In a bid to get to the root of the problem, she decided to put a few popular beauty diets through their paces, and descended upon two week long Beauty Detox Diet. See her verdict...

IMAGE: @DOWNSHIFTOLOGY

THE DIET

Hoping to reap the most benefits, I combined a few diet plans that were created by leading nutrition experts (like this onethis one, and this one). When it rains, it pours. Amiright? This was pretty easy considering the plans followed super similar rules, like the following:

-Get rid of dairy, processed foods, refined grains and sugars, all alcohol (except red wine), soy, and gluten.

-Drink an adequate amount of water every single day (mine was approx. 3 liters, but you can tally yours here.)

-Limit coffee to a maximum of 2 cups per day. (P.S, this was the hardest part)

-Eat slowly and mindfully

-Eat meals provided by the program, or from the approved list of “glow” foods.

Along with a few other supplement and herbal tea recommendations, beautifying rituals, and sleep hygiene guidelines, that was it! None of the plans were restricted in calories or food groups (minus the bad stuff, that you shouldn’t be eating anyway!), so I had free reign to get creative with meals, within the guidelines.

WHAT I ATE…

The only downside to the diets was their focus on portion control and eating mindfully. For someone who’s always on the go, it was a much-needed challenge. The meals most often looked like something off a fitspo Instagram account- perfect portions of whole grains, vegetables, proteins, and fats. The goal was to include all food groups, not omit anything, which made finishing each meal a little challenging, as they were so filling. All of the programs offered a large variety of recipes and snack suggestions, so there was never a shortage of meal ideas.

Unlike most diets that recommend steering clear of fruits- due to high sugar content- these diets included lots of yummy berries and tropical fruits. A few of the plans placed a heavy emphasis on fermented foods, but don’t stress if these aren’t your jam, there were plenty of other foods to substitute with.

IMAGE: WWW.ALEXANDCORBAN.CO.NZ

WHAT DO I THINK? 

I’m hooked. This program was less of a diet, and more of a lifestyle change. It was easy to follow, since meals could be made as easy or a complicated as needed, and each book offered recipes that could be made at any price point. Now for the burning question: Did it work? I’m pleased to report that your girl got her glow back. At the end of the second week, I went out in public sans makeup, and a saint-like stranger asked what highlighter I was wearing. Bless.

IMAGE: @THEBEAUTYCHEF

WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?

Absolutely. Although, I went a little crazy with my plan, so I’d recommend starting with one regime, then substituting or tweaking it as needed.

Story by Molly Gay

Comment (0)

  1. March 14, 2018
    Sally.penman

    Hello! Can I ask what diet you actually followed? Sounds amazing Thankyou