Wellness rituals all have one common goal: To improve our overall well-being. And, while they may vary quite a bit — from moving our bodies to finding more stillness to taking supplements to eat more seasonally — some of these practices work better together, despite their differences. A great example of this is the infrared sauna and chlorophyll.
Up ahead, we explore the benefits of chlorophyll, plus why the plant-powered superfood and infrared sauna are a match made in wellness heaven.
Meet the Experts
Jane Gee is a certified holistic esthetician, aromatherapist, flower essence practitioner, and founder of Nutritional Skincare.
What Is Chlorophyll? 
Chlorophyll is the green pigment that lets plants turn the sun’s rays into energy (a.k.a. photosynthesis). Perhaps you’re not familiar with the science. Still, you’ve likely seen an iteration of chlorophyll on TikTok: It’s a green, plant-based supplement that many wellness enthusiasts add to their water, smoothies, and juices for its antioxidant benefits.
“Supplements can be found in the form of powder, capsule, or liquid,” says Jane Gee, a certified holistic esthetician, adding that it can also be added to beverages such as water or smoothies for easier consumption.
“Found in all green plants, such as veggies, leafy greens, and algae, chlorophyll is the green pigment that assists in the process of photosynthesis, allowing the plant to use energy from the sun to create nutrients from carbon dioxide and water,” she says. According to Gee, the pigment is a fat-soluble compound high in antioxidants, neutralizing the free radicals that can wreak havoc on our health by causing damage to cells.
The Infrared Sauna
Infrared saunas are different from more conventional saunas — which heat the air and create a hot environment that provokes sweating — because they focus on heating the body from the inside out, not the environment surrounding it. These saunas use infrared light to generate heat that directly penetrates the body and ignites the body’s detoxification process through perspiration. In a way, they create an artificial fever that tells the body to dispose of toxins. In countries like Finland, where infrared saunas are more of a regular experience, studies show that in addition to detoxifying properties, they encourage pain relief, lower blood pressure, deep sleep, and increased focus.
Thanks to their detoxification benefits, the ritual of sweating in an infrared sauna has become increasingly more popular and more accessible in the world of wellness. Gyms and spas are now offering them within their facilities, as well as the growing number of specific infrared sauna spas and at-home infrared saunas, which range from full-blown wooden saunas to ones that resemble a sleeping bag.
How They Pair Together
While both go-to wellness boosters are fantastic as solo acts, they also make for a great duet, thanks to the way chlorophyll supports some of the benefits of infrared sauna and vice versa. Gee recommends “pairing chlorophyll mixed with water ahead of your [infrared sauna] treatment to get the most out of your next infrared sauna session, which can aid in enhancing the body’s detoxification channels. Combining chlorophyll and the infrared sauna is an especially effective method for eliminating heavy metals in the body,” she adds, noting how it can also alkalize the body, “helping it to maintain a healthy pH level.”
On top of assisting the body’s disposal of heavy metals, Gee says consuming chlorophyll 20-30 minutes before an infrared sauna sweat session can also “eliminate fungus, detoxify the blood, increase red blood cell count, energize the body, and clear the skin.” She also says that chlorophyll is known as “nature’s natural deodorant” as it can effectively deodorize the body from the inside out — and sweating it out in an infrared sauna can enhance that benefit.
Chlorophyll for Skin
As Gee mentioned, taking chlorophyll before a sweaty infrared sauna session can have extra skin-clearing powers. “In addition to being a fantastic supplement for detoxing, chlorophyll is great for boosting the health of your skin,” says Gee. “It works on the epidermis and dermal levels of the skin,” she adds, explaining how it can play a key role in decreasing bacteria on the skin and, therefore, helps prevent breakouts. “Internally, it can reduce inflammation levels and decreases redness and breakouts,” she adds.
On top of these perks, chlorophyll is another tool to add to your anti-aging arsenal, as “the high levels of vitamins A, C, E, and K all support skin health and collagen production,” Gee explains. These vitamins all have antioxidant properties, which can protect the skin from the environmental aggressors — think: pollution and the sun’s harmful UV rays — that so often lead to premature signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and brown spots. These antioxidants also help promote vibrant and glowing skin from the inside out, which helps counteract some of the dullness we might experience in aging skin.
Turning your next infrared sauna session into the ultimate detox is as easing as adding a few drops of chlorophyll to your water. Sakara Detox Water Drops are made of a blend harvested from white mulberry leaves known for their extra-healing benefits. All you do is add it to your next 16 oz. water bottle of H2O and you’re ready to detox.
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