Grab a great holiday read

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Whether you use a Kindle, iPad or are still a lover of paper, having something good to read when you are on holiday takes you to a whole new level of escapism.

A book is the perfect way to get through a flight (add a G&T), is the perfect poolside partner and if you get stuck on the way home, you can read away the hours.

We have had a look at some of the best reads out there for Summer 2017 and wanted to share them with you.

If you are looking for a little nostalgia, look no further than Mandy Berman’s debut novel, Perennials. This easy to relate to friendship story reunites Rachel Rivkin and Fiona Larkin at Camp Marigold, but as camp counsellors rather than students. This is a summer of heat, flagged by the past, flamed by the present and page by page the thrill and pain of growing up becomes apparent from a writing with endless talent and perfect prose.

OK, it’s not new but if you haven’t read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, where have you been? If you are looking for a book you won’t be able to put down (perfect for a transatlantic flight), download this totally addictive read. Love, hate, danger, power, fashion, it’s all there for the taking people.

Another coming of age book is on the shelves this summer and this time it is Modern Lovers by Emma Straub. This is the tale of three friends, who also happen to be ex-band members, who are now old enough to have kids doing the things they remember, only too well, themselves doing. This time it might be 50-year-olds coming together but they do it in a style that beats any Hollywood beach babe who might be on the next lounger.

Maybe not the lightest read on the shelves right now, but So Much I Want to Tell You: Letters to My Little Sister by Anna Akana, is a brilliant read. After her younger sister killed herself, Anna started what is now, a 1.8-million strong brutally honest, highly engaging YouTube channel that cleverly combines advice with commentary and has a deep emphasis on suicide prevention. This outstanding first book is part memoir, part instruction manual, and it is equally as compelling as Anna herself, but have the tissues ready!

If you want a mix of laughter, tears and travel, it has to be Paige Toon’s latest novel, The Last Piece of My Heart. Bridget a quirky journalist has decided to turn her popular relationship blog into a book, however, after a number of painful rejections she gets a very different proposition. From London to Cornwall and further onto Thailand, readers join her on an unexpected journey into the unknown and what unfolds is better than she could have ever of imagined.

Out at the end of June, The Duchess by Danielle Steel hit the shelves. If anyone can write a really good beach book, it’s the fourth best-selling fiction author of all time. This time she brings us the story of how a high-class British lady becomes a French madam and it’s all there for the taking. We can’t wait to get our hands on this, but may need shades and a hat to hide our blushes.

To end this round-up we are going for a classic, My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier. Currently out on the big screen, this is the tale of a young Englishman who plots revenge against his mysterious, beautiful cousin, believing that she murdered his guardian. But his feelings take a turn and this fabulous page, turning mystery-drama will keep you guessing to the end of your cocktail at the pool bar.

So, pack your passport, tickets and sun cream, buy your books and relax.

Team Pure Beauty

Look After Your Lips

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collagen, contour, cream, decleor, Decleor Post-Wax Cream – Sensitive Areas, delicate, dermalogica, Dermalogica Lip Renewal Complex, drying, Elemis, Elemis Lip Revive, Elemis Pro-Definition Eye and Lip Contour Cream, Elemis White Flowers Eye and Lip Make-Up Remover, fine lines, lips, lipstick, long-lasting, make-up, mouth, plump, sensitive, skin

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Your lips are one of those areas which take a lot of punishment, be it with long-wear lipsticks which dry them out, too much sun, cold weather, central heating, dehydration, there seems to be a million ways that they can end up damaged! Fortunately, the geniuses at Elemis, Dermalogica and Decleor have many products which will help you to keep your lips in perfect condition, despite any external factors. Here are our favourites:

Elemis Lip Revive

Petroleum-based lip preparations may feel like they’re lubricating your lips but they are actually well-known for drying your lips out over the long term. This nourishing lip reviver from Elemis contains no petroleum and is based on a natural combination of white beeswax and peppermint oil which will soothe dry, chapped lips and make your pout appear plumper.

Decleor Post-Wax Cream – Sensitive Areas

Lots of women don’t talk about the fact that they wax their upper lip or other areas of the face, but you’d be surprised just how many of us do it on a regular basis. The skin under your ‘tache is pretty delicate though and can end up red and damaged with too much waxing, so this cream from Decleor has been designed specifically to soothe sensitive areas like your top lip after waxing. It also prevents ingrown hairs and slows regrowth, making it less necessary to wax so often.

Elemis Pro-Definition Eye and Lip Contour Cream

Thinner skin around the lips means that this is one area which is particularly susceptible to wrinkles and the dreaded “cat’s bum” mouth (not our favourite expression, but a descriptive one nonetheless!), an affliction particularly seen on smokers. This cream from Elemis is gentle yet powerful and is designed for the delicate eye and lip areas which need a boost. It contains active plant stem cells from edelweiss, as well as mafane flower and alaria esculenta which combine to make the areas appear firmer, plumper and redensified.

Dermalogica Lip Renewal Complex

As we age, our body loses the ability to produce collagen and retain moisture, which can leave it looking prematurely aged and wrinkled. This Lip Renewal complex from Dermalogica has a sophisticated formula which minimises contour lines and smoothes rough, uneven lips. Its superior conditioning lasts hours beyond application and is ideal for wearing alone or as a smoothing primer before lipstick application.

Elemis White Flowers Eye and Lip Make-Up Remover

With long-lasting, matte lipsticks more popular than ever before, having a product which removes all traces of make-up whilst conditioning the lips is really important. Elemis White Flowers Eye and Lip Make-Up Remover cleanses the eye and lip area of all make-up, including waterproof mascara. Formulated with White Peony extract to hydrate and cooling White Tea to soothe and refresh.

Bowls are the new plates

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Every now and again, a food trend comes along from nowhere and takes us by storm.

This year is no different, but it isn’t a super food or celebrity chef, it’s the mere kitchen bowl.

From breakfast and lunch through to dinner with a snack along the way, if you are going to eat, then do it from a bowl.

We aren’t talking nuggets and chips being tipped into a cereal bowl and squirted with extra ketchup, but more about blending grains, veggies and proteins to balance portion control and goodness.

Bowl meals are fast, unfussy and full of fantastic flavours. They can be prepared the night before and be eaten while working or enjoyed at home, tucked up on the sofa with no trays and balancing needed.

We have put together our favourite combinations, so you can have a try.

Don’t be afraid; all you need to do is mix the ingredients together and then decide which bowl you are going to enjoy them from.

Cucumber, cherry tomato, rye bread and halloumi
1 handful of ripe cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
40g of halloumi, cut into slices and stir fried
Cucumber, chopped into chunks
1 slice of rye bread, toasted and cut into strips
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
A drizzle of olive oil
Fresh basil to decorate
Salt and pepper to season

Courgette, bean and mackerel
1 courgette, shaved
1 handful of olives (black or green), pitted and halved
4 tablespoons of kidney beans, washed and drained
1 smoked mackerel fillet, skin off and shredded
A drizzle of olive oil
Fresh parsley to top

Tuna, bean and rice
1 red onion, finely chopped
½ can of tuna
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 small can of sweetcorn
4 tablespoons of red kidney beans, washed and drained
300g cooked brown rice with added quinoa
50g kale, washed and chopped
Lime wedges and natural yogurt, to serve

Salmon and broccoli
½ head broccoli, cooked and cut into florets
100g fresh salmon fillet, skinned, deboned and pan-fried
½ cup of peas, cooked and cooled
2 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1 tablespoons of mayo

Grilled chicken and red pepper
1 chicken breast, cooked
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
1 cup of organic baby spinach, steamed
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon of roasted sunflower and sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of olive oil
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Sweet and green smoothie bowl
75 ml organic apple juice
1 banana, peeled and sliced
2 Juice of ½ a lime
1 large handful spinach
1/2 avocado, peeled and stoned
100g pineapple chunks
Granola, blueberries and raspberries to serve

To make this sweet bowl, put the banana, lime juice, spinach, avocado and pineapple in a blender and whizz until smooth. Pour into a bowl and then add the granola and blueberries and enjoy.

Each suggestion on this list makes one bowl and ingredients can be varied to suit tastes.

Got a bowl meal you love? Let us know about it so we can give it a try.

Team Pure Beauty

Combatting the Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

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aching, ageing, bath, dark circles, decleor, dermalogica, Dermalogica Power Rich, Dermalogica UltraCalming Redness Relief Primer SPF20, Dermalogica UltraSmoothing Eye Serum, dry skin, Elemis, Elemis Absolute Eye Mask, Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak, Eyes, fatigue, gentle, harmful, hydration, hypothyroid, hypothyroidism, joints, limbs, medication, muscles, pharmaceutical-grade, protection, puffiness, puffy eyes, rays, redness, repair, sensitive, serum, soak, sun, thyroid, thyroxine, tiredness, underactive thyroid, UVA, UVB

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Hypothyroidism, also known as an ‘underactive thyroid’ is a condition that occurs when the thyroid gland, located in the front of your neck, doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone and causes your metabolism to work too slowly. Hypothyroidism is mostly seen in women between the ages of 40 – 50 and is seen in women ten times more often than men. It often occurs during the menopausal years and symptoms are often ignored during the early stages by both patients and doctors if the patient is at this age. There are many symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, and while taking medication and maintaining proper levels will help, some of the symptoms will persist. Here, we take a look at a few of them and how Pure Beauty can help:

Dry Skin

One of the single most common symptoms of an underactive thyroid is dry skin. As well as maintaining good levels of hydrating by drinking plenty of water, you should try to use a rich moisturiser like Dermalogica Power Rich, which is a pharmaceutical-grade formula, designed to give maximum levels of repair and hydration to depleted skin.

Facial Redness

As well as dryness, hypothyroidism can cause redness and tight-feeling skin, similar to the symptoms of rosacea. As well as feeling unpleasant, it can be tricky to hide without layers of heavy make up, which is why Dermalogica UltraCalming Redness Relief Primer SPF20 is a great product to help with this. As well as providing a sheer green tint to counter redness it also contains ingredients to calm and soothe the skin as well as protecting against skin-irritating UVA and UVB rays.

Fatigue

When your metabolism grinds to a halt, it can feel a lot like you’re wading through custard constantly, with fatigue dragging you down. We don’t have a magic trick to make you feel less tired other than getting a good night’s sleep and eating well) but we can recommend something to help with a tired complexion. Elemis Absolute Eye Mask will help to decongest, firm, tone and minimise dark circles, making you LOOK less tired, even if you don’t feel it.

Muscle and Joint Pain

Muscle and joint pain is hugely common with an underactive thyroid and when you combine this with tiredness, it can make you feel about 100 years old. Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak

Is designed to be added to a hot bath to help you to soothe aching limbs, harnessing the powers of birch, juniper, clove, alpine lavender, wild thyme and blue chamomile, combined with sea salt to recharge mind and body.

Eye Puffiness

As well as dark circles around the eyes, hypothyroidism sufferers also suffer with puffiness around the eyes. This can be easily combatted by adding Dermalogica UltraSmoothing Eye Serum into your daily routine; it’s a highly active eye treatment which is designed to be used on even the most sensitive eyes, giving excellent results whilst being completely gentle. It’s perfect for getting rid of puffiness and will have you feeling yourself in no time.

Don’t let hay fever get you down

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allergic reactions, Antihistamines, apples, beer, blocked nose, Broccoli, brown rice, cabbage, carpets, cinema, clear sinuses, control, corticosteroids, curries, dehydrates, difficult, ease congestion, enjoy, Eyes, flowers, garlic, ginger, GP, grass, histamine, Home comforts, honey, Housekeeping, impractical, inflammation, itchy, itchy eyes, leeks, Low-allergen foods, mushrooms, nutshell, organic, over-the-counter medicines, pears, peas, pillow, plants, pollen, quinoa, red, red onions, Reishi mushrooms, runny, salads, shopping centre, sleep, sneezing, spirits, stir fries, summer, sunglasses, sweep, sweet potatoes, swelling, symptoms, tips and tricks, vacuum, Vaseline, Wash your hair, wet, windows, wine

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, off the shoulder dresses are on trend and everyone is happy.

Well, nearly everyone.

With an estimated one in five people suffering with this common allergic condition during their life, summer can be unbearable for many.

In a nutshell, pollen from grass, flowers, plants and trees can cause sneezing, runny or blocked nose and itchy eyes and it can be both painful and frustrating as there is no known cure.

Of course, the most effective way to keep hay fever under control is to avoid pollen exposure. This, however, it’s difficult and impractical, so we have some tips and tricks to help keep it at bay so you can enjoy your summer as much as everyone else.

Medicines
Hay fever can be controlled with conventional, over-the-counter medicines on sale at your chemist. Antihistamines help prevent allergic reactions and corticosteroids ease inflammation and swelling. If you try these and they aren’t helping it is worth speaking to your GP to see if prescription medication is needed.

Diet
Eat organic food where possible as this helps avoid pesticides and additives. Low-allergen foods such as brown rice, quinoa, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, leeks, peas, pears, apples and papaya are all good options and of course will aid general peak health.

Mushrooms
Mushrooms aren’t just for breakfast and can really help regulate the immune response. A good quality organic extract from Reishi mushrooms is a good option and worth investing in if you are serious about dealing with hay fever for once and all.

Drinking
Keep your water drinking up and reduce your alcohol intake. Beer, wine and spirits all contain histamine, which is the chemical that sets off allergy symptoms in your body so as well as making you more sensitive to pollen, alcohol also dehydrates you, making your symptoms seem worse.

Wash your hair
Did you know pollen can stick to your hair? Well it can and when you go to bed it transfers to your pillow and will affect you as you try to sleep. If you have been out for the day, it is a good idea to have a shower and change your clothes before going into your bedroom and sprinkling pollen around and making life harder.

Go for sunglasses
As well as shades protecting your precious peepers, they are also a great way of stopping pollen from getting into your eyes. Go for a decent wrap around pair to create a barrier and to ensure your eyes are less red and itchy.

Housekeeping
We aren’t saying you don’t clean but given that pollen can easily get into your carpets it is a good idea to vacuum regularly and sweep it away. Try not to have the windows open too much and dust with a wet cloth so pollen doesn’t unknowingly spread around your house

Barrier
It is said that applying a little Vaseline (petroleum gel) around your nose can stop pollen getting into your system.

Home comforts
This isn’t going to happen every day but if the pollen count is high (over 50 grains per cubic metre of air) you might want to stay at home or visit a shopping centre, cinema or museum rather than being outdoors and at risk of symptoms getting worse.

Spice up your life
Garlic, ginger, red onions and other spices are all brilliant ways to help clear sinuses and ease congestion. Add them to curries, salads, stir fries and BBQs to keep your pain away.

Honey
Pop some honey on your toast or in your green tea and let the bee pollen in it desensitise your body to the plant pollens that cause the hay fever grief.

We hope you find a way to keep your hay fever under control this summer, and if you have a top tip, would love to know what it is.

Team Pure Beauty