Fashion

7 Post-Thanksgiving Beauty Detox Smoothies

by Lindsey Rose Black

Feeling a little less than bright and beautiful after hitting that Thanksgiving spread (and the necessary days of leftovers) hard? Consider sipping these essential post-Thanksgiving detox smoothies to get your glow back. Every smoothie below is full of powerhouse antioxidants and vitamins to help your system clear out all the sugar from those ridiculously delicious pies.

Before I share these detox smoothie recipes, I want to emphasize that the point here is to feel good inside your skin, not lose weight or crash diet. Eating healthy is like giving your body a giant hug from the inside, but doing so out of self-loathing is about the furthest thing from body positivity you could engage in. These smoothies are meant to add a refreshing and nourishing boost to your day, not take the place of meals and create restrictions.

Whether you're all about fruity smoothies packed to the brim with berries, love packing your blender with as much kale as possible, or would prefer a concoction that tastes like ice cream, the smoothies below will put a smile on your face and also brighten your skin, hair, and nails. Pick your favorite or try all seven this week and see how good you look and feel!

1. Green Monster

You'll need:

  • One cup of chopped kale
  • One frozen banana
  • One tablespoon ginger
  • One cup almond milk

Blend the above ingredients together to make this delicious green smoothie adapted from celebrity nutritionist, Shira Lenchewski, RD. She told Yahoo, "Kale is loaded with chlorophyll, a potent antioxidant that circulates much-needed oxygen in your body ... and bananas, which are loaded with potassium, can help counteract the puffiness that comes with excess sodium." Farewell sluggish, puffy under-eye bags!

2. Orange Creamsicle

You'll need:

  • One peeled orange
  • One frozen banana
  • Flesh from half an avocado
  • Splash of maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup almond milk

For the ultimate in creaminess, this is the smoothie for you. Blend all the ingredients together and prepare to sip on deliciousness packed with antioxidants and fats in oranges and avocados that moisturize and nourish dry skin. This is my go-to hangover smoothie!

3. Tropical Berry

You'll need:

  • 2 cups mixed frozen berries
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

The beauty benefits of coconut water are many, and sipping on it helps cleanse toxins and clear skin. Blend it with a generous portion of antioxidant and fiber-packed berries, and you've got a recipe for radiance.

4. Creamy Cucumber Cooler

You'll need:

  • 1/2 cup chopped ice
  • 1/2 peeled English cucumber, sliced
  • 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt

Blend everything together until creamy and delicious! According to Livestrong, cucumber is packed with "Pantothenic acid, or vitamin B-5 ... that helps your skin retain moisture." It also has vitamin A (retinol), which helps combat dark spots. Add a scoop of protein and skin clearing lactic acid-packed Greek yogurt for the ultimate revitalizing smoothie.

5. Healthy Pina Colada

You'll need:

  • 1 cup freshly chopped pineapple
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk

This super rich smoothie mimics the flavors of a pina colada without all that alcohol. Fellow Bustle writer Kristen Collins Jackson shared how coconut milk is "exceptionally great for oily skin because the fatty acids that coconut milk is known for are naturally antiseptic and do not have a habit of clogging pores, meaning you can clean and hydrate your skin at the same time." Sweet! Blend with pineapple, which has tons of anti-inflammatory properties, to brighten and clear skin asap.

6. Detox Strawberry Daquiri

You'll need:

  • 2 cups frozen strawberries
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • Pinch of salt (optional)

This smoothie gives you all those beloved daiquiri flavors without that awful hangover. Lime has antibacterial properties that quell acne-causing bacteria, and the ellagic acid in strawberries promotes collagen production to keep skin supple.

7. Cocoa Berry

You'll need:

  • One cup frozen blueberries
  • One cup coconut water
  • One heaping tablespoon raw cacao powder

If you're a dark chocolate fan, this is the smoothie for you. According to DailySuperFoodLove, raw cacao powder contains "nearly four times the antioxidant content of regular processed dark chocolate" and is a great source of sulfur, which promotes shiny hair and strong nails. Blend with blueberries for an antioxidant-packed treat that will leave your sweet tooth satisfied and your body super happy!

Want more beauty tips? Check out the video below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle’s YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!

Images: Ken Hawkins, Bobbi Bowers, José Luis Sánchez Mesa, liz west, Stacy, ECohen, Sancho McCann, Andrea/Flickr