What Can CND Products Do For You?

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Photo by Valeria Boltneva from Pexels

Even if you’re someone who has a regular appointment with a salon to have your nails done, there are lots of things that you can do in between appointments to maintain your nails. We’ve recently added CND to our brands, the global leader in professional nail, hand and foot beauty, so we thought we’d take a look at the products they offer to show you what you can do for your hands until your next nail appointment:

CND Cuticle Eraser

If your cuticles are fast growers, you may find that they look ragged before your next appointment. Cutting them yourself can be tricky and potentially damaging, so using CND Cuticle Eraser is the best thing to use. It micro exfoliates cuticles with a rich, creamy blend of AHA that effectively moisturises cuticles and helps prevent hangnails, keeping your hands looking neat and tidy.

CND RescueRXx

If your nails have become damaged for any reason, you’ll need a product which can help to repair the. CND RescueRXx is a highly effective treatment from CND that repairs damaged nails with the power of keratin protein and moisturising jojoba oil. With daily use, peeling and white spots are dramatically reduced.

CND RidgeFx

If your nails are ridged but you don’t want to deal with the effort of buffing them yourself, this ridge-filling product from CND is the perfect way to get smooth nails with minimal effort. This is a nail surface enhancer and ridge filler that smooths out ridges and masks imperfections for a beautiful colour application and chip resistant wear.

CND Solar Oil

Nails and cuticles are one area which needs lots of moisture, but many people forget to moisturise them. This oil from CND is an award-winning formula which drives moisture deep into the nail and cuticles, combining vitamin E and jojoba oils to reduce visible signs of aging and keep hands soft and supple.

CND Solar Oil Nail and Cuticle Care Pen

This nail and cuticle care pen is the pen version of CND’s award-winning solar oil, which gives you a convenient and portable application method. It’s perfect for shoving in your handbag and is a favourite with nail care professionals. Repeated use actually drives the oils deeper in the natural nail, for results that only get better with time.

How to eat for a less stressed life

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They say you are what you eat, and this is so true when it comes to our stress levels.

Not only is stress linked to serious physical health issues like heart disease, a poor immune system and digestive problems, but it plays a significant factor when it comes to our mental wellbeing.

You might not know this, but eating a balanced, nutritious diet isn’t only good for your body but it’s key for your brain, too.

Food can also affect our hormones, so eating well will help you to keep your cool and you’ll find that the more of the right stuff you eat, the less of the bad stuff you will feel.

We have had a look at some ideas that could help you get a better balance in your life and help the world to look like a better place.

Keep your blood sugar levels steady
This step is so important and can be done if you start to swap sugary and starchy foods for complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats as these are more satisfying and keep things balanced. Sweet potato and broccoli (complex carbs) with salmon (healthy fats and protein) make a great meal for lunch or dinner and will not only fill you up but also keep things steady so your stress levels don’t though the roof. Celery sticks with hummus, a handful of nuts, and a banana with some almond butter are all great snacks that will keep stress away, and if you start your day with porridge, you are onto a winner.

Get your B vitamins
You might not know this, but B vitamins are brilliant because they help your adrenal glands deal with stress. Luckily for us, they are everywhere and in everything from wholegrains, eggs and meat to nuts and seeds. If you can try to eat more of these wholesome, nourishing foods, your stress levels will thank you.

Make time for magnesium
Magnesium is great for helping your body to deal with stress, it is thought that a magnesium deficiency can be linked to anxiety. If you want to boost your magnesium intake, it’s pretty easy – just pile your plate with broccoli, eggs, spinach and pumpkin seeds and if you are worried you aren’t getting enough, take a supplement and let the goodness calm you down.

Cut back on stimulants
We do take them on board so easily, that we forget just how much stimulants can make our stress levels worse. If you love tea and coffee because it powers you up, that’s ok, but try to have just one or two cups a day, rather than ten.

Those energy drinks, even the sugar free ones, are full of nasties that can make you feel as if your heart is racing and your stress levels are off the scale, so cut them out.
If you find yourself needing a caffeine hit, get it the natural way and go for green tea instead – it contains a compound called l-theanine which helps you feel calmer, and the warmth will soothe you but your stress levels won’t go through the roof.

Keep hydrated
One of the best things you can do for your mind and body, is to drink plenty of water. We know we say this a lot, but that’s because it’s true. Starting the day with a cup of warm water and lemon can really help to kick start your system and clear away the toxins from the night before. Carry a bottle of water with you on the go (a reusable one of course) and fill it up when you are running low, adding lemon, lime and ice for taste. As well as a glass on your desk or at your workstation, also try out herbal and fruit teas as an alternative to the skinny, double shot, extra hot flat white that will set your nerves on edge and add to your stress levels.

Managing your diet is key to helping with stress, but if you’re feeling overwhelmed and things are getting out of hand, it’s really important to speak to someone or seek professional support, you don’t have to struggle alone.

Team Pure Beauty

Dermaplaning – A Beginner’s Guide

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Photo by Antonika Chanel on UnsplashDermaplaning – A Beginner’s Guide

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 6 months, there’s a good chance that you will have seen the videos doing the rounds where it looks like people are using a knife to scrape their skin off. What you’re actually witnessing are videos of dermaplaning, something that is considered the next big thing in the beauty world. We thought it was time that we took a look at what dermaplaning is and give all of the details you need to know before taking the plunge. Read on for more information:

What is it?

Dermaplaning is an exfoliating treatment which should only be done by a doctor or licensed practitioner and involves gently scraping the surface of your skin off with a surgical scalpel to remove dead cells and the fuzzy hair that most of us have on our faces.

What does it do?

Dermaplaning is said to have many benefits; as well as making your skin feel baby soft, it helps foundation to apply smoothly and is also said to be useful for acne, rosacea and people with hyperpigmentation.

Who is it good for?

The answer to this is basically anybody who feels that their skin needs a boost. If you have dull skin, dry skin, sun damage, fine lines, keratosis pilaris, sensitive skin, rosacea, acne or any other skin condition which causes you you bother dermaplaning is probably worth a go.

Is there anything I need to bear in mind?

Dermaplaning is considered safe for all skin types, however, if you do have highly sensitive skin it’s worth bearing in mind that dermaplaning might cause you added irritation. As we mentioned above, dermaplaning should only be carried out by a professional so we definitely do not recommend going out and buying scalpels and trying this yourself. Scalpels and faces really do not mix!

Which products should I use before and after?

If you have sensitive skin, it’s worth bearing in mind that dermaplaning can cause a little irritation. We’d recommend adding Dermalogica UltraCalming Serum Concentrate to your daily skin routine in the run up to your appointment as this will help to keep irritation and inflammation to a minimum.

Lots of people also opt for a chemical peeling treatment immediately after dermaplaning as the newly revealed skin is more receptive to strong treatments. If you want to do this yourself, we recommend Decleor Thyme Gentle Peeling Cream, a gentle cream exfoliator that removes dead skin cells for a clear and radiant complexion.

Finally, you’ll need to protect your skin from the sun for a few weeks after treatment, so make sure you start using Decleor Ultra Protective Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF50 Face on a daily basis, too.

Simple ways to get fit at home

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When it comes to getting fit, many of us shy away from making a start as it feels like a massive mountain to climb, and the thought of sweating it out in a room full of regular gym goers just doesn’t appeal.

So, we don’t get started and nothing changes.

Let’s stop right here for a moment.

What if we said that you can start to shift your fitness levels for the better in the comfort of your own home in just 20 minutes a day?

Yes, you heard us right.

You don’t need anything fancy, it’s all in your house already, and in no time at all we think you might start to like it.

Skipping
Let’s go back to basics and grab a skipping rope to get fit. It’s super simple and you probably remember it from your school days, but you’re jumping the rope, not stepping over it, and the idea is to increase your speed over time and being out of breath will show you are working well! Clear out some space, go outside if you need more room, and we would say skip for one minute, then do star jumps for a minute and keep going for as long as you can.

The reason this is good for you is because it gets your heart-rate up and gives you some cardio action, but it’s not too intense. Oh, and using the rope can help improve your co-ordination which is never a bad thing!!!

Sofa leg raises and crunches
To do this, simply sit on the edge of your sofa and put your hands either side of you. Straighten your legs out in front of you, raise them to 45-degrees, and then go back down, stopping just above the floor. Do twenty reps of these and avoid dropping your legs back to touch the floor in between. In addition to this as you sit on the sofa, do 20 crunches by bringing your knees up to your chin and then straightening your legs directly out in front of you.

This might hurt to start with, but both exercises work your abdominal muscles and improve your core strength, and you don’t even have to get up off the sofa – so try this double win!

Stair runs
Forget the step classes at the local sports centre, you can use your stairs to get fit. Start with walking up and down them ten times, then do it two at a time – you will feel a difference. As you become fitter, up the speed and you will see your fitness and stamina improve. You might find that in time, you start to walk to the shops rather than drive the car, try a jog in the woods or even have a go at a park run, you never know what small changes can bring to your life.

Workout with bottle weights
Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted hip width apart on the floor. Hold a bottle in each hand with your arms outstretched above you, then bring your elbows towards the floor with a 90-degree bend in your arms, hold for one, and keeping your elbows where they are, unbend your arms to bring your forearms towards the floor. Try not to let your arms touch the floor as you do this, and while you can start with ten reps, build it up to 30 on each side over time. If you do this you will strengthen your triceps, shoulders as well as your chest. If you enjoy this, you can buy some real weights, but start here just to check out how it makes you feel.

Yoga
This beauty won’t see you out of breath, but it will help you to improve your focus, core strength, flexibility and mental calmness and it can help you to relax and stretch out – what’s not to like?

If you don’t feel like braving a class, there are a lot of online videos and apps out there which safely introduce you to the wonderful world of yoga where there is something for everyone.

We love the easy to do tree pose. To do this, bring one foot up to rest on the inner thigh of the opposite leg above the knee. Once you are feeling balanced, put your palms together and raise your arms above your head until they are nearly, but not quite, straight. Then, breathe in and out slowly as you maintain your balance and and feel your strength grow. We like this because it’s brilliant for posture and lengthening your spine, but it also opens your lungs and relaxes your mind which makes it great if you are feeling stressed out and over worked.

Got an indoor fitness tip you think we would like? Send it over, we would love to know more.

Team Pure Beauty

Save Your Nails from Damage

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bend, Camphor, chip-resistant, crack, cuticles, DBP, flexible, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, growing, growth, healthy, moisturised, nail, nails, Nailtiques Nail Moisturiser, non-greasy, oil, polish, split, toluene, trim, trimmer

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

There are many many things which can damage your nails from cleaning with chemicals to too many acrylic manicures and many things in between. Thankfully, there are also lots of things that you can do to revive your nails once they’ve been damaged, and although some of these solutions may be time-consuming, it will be well worth it to see your nails back to their best condition. Today we’re looking at five tips for saving your nails from damage and getting your hands back to their best.

Nourish Them

Nails which are suffering from damage are often dry and depleted from weeks and months of mistreatment. This means that you need to opt for a properly nourishing regime to help to replenish what your nails have lost. Nailtiques After Artificial Treatment Kit is a two-part treatment which nourishes and replenishes nails to quickly strengthen and rebuild them back to a healthy condition. Each formula should be applied every day for 5 days, and by the end of the ten day course, your nails will be revived.

Use a Nail Cream

Many people will use a moisturising hand cream, but forget that their nails also need to be moisturised. Nailtiques Nail Moisturiser is a non-greasy conditioning nail cream which is enriched with jojoba and aloe to nourish and condition the nails. This moisturiser will help your nails to build strength but remain flexible, which is the holy grail of the healthy nail.

Trim Them

If you’re trying to grow your nails, suggesting that you trim them may seem entirely counter-intuitive, but actually, trimming your nails will help them to grow evenly, which will make them stronger and healthier in the long run. Make sure you use a proper nail trimmer so that your nails aren’t bent and fractured in the process.

Opt for Nourishing Polishes

If you must use nail polish, you need to ensure that you opt for something which will both help to strengthen your nails, but do so without the use of damaging ingredients. We now stock CND nail polishes which are formulated without formaldehyde, DBP, toluene, formaldehyde resin or camphor and offer a week-long wah of colour and chip-resistant wear.

Don’t Forget Your Cuticles

Keeping your cuticles (the skin around your nails) healthy and nourished is also an important part of maintaining nail health. Nailtiques Cuticle Care Oil comes with a convenient rollerball applicator and instantly softens cuticles and sealing in moisture. It’s easy to apply and will help to keep your nails nourished and growing evenly.