The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Skincare

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base, clean, cleanse, combination, comedogenic, complexion, daily, dry, grime, hydration, make-up, normal, oily, perfect, pollution, primer, sensitive, skin type, skincare, SPF, spots, sun protection, sunscreen, unbalanced, water

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Whether you’re a young person who’s just started to take care of their skin, or an older person who’s steadfastly refused to deal with skincare before, being an absolute beginner can be a little intimidating, especially when you consider the vast amount of products available. We decided to put together some tips that we thing every skincare virgin should know, so that it doesn’t feel so daunting.

Take your make up off every day, no matter how tired you are

When you leave your make up on, not only are you leaving potentially comedogenic (that’s blackhead-forming, to you and me) products on your face, you’re also leaving the days dirt and grime. This can cause your skin to become dry, red, sensitised and generally unbalanced. Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser is a great cleanser for most skin types as it melts make-up and removes the daily pollutants that can dull the skin.

SUNSCREEN!

Baz Luhrmann said it years ago, and it’s still as true as ever – “ALWAYS wear sunscreen”! The fastest way to age your skin is with prolonged, unprotected sun exposure, and this can be highly damaging even beyond the signs of ageing. Decleor Anti-Pollution Hydrating Fluid SPF30 is the perfect daily SPF for normal to dry skin and leaves skin feeling hydrated and comfortable.

Barely anyone has ‘perfect’ skin

We know that the slew of airbrushed images that we’re bombarded with makes it easy to believe that loads of people have perfect skin, but it’s actually very rare and we guarantee that almost every single person you asked would say they have at least one bugbear with their own complexion. Using a primer is a good place to start to get a flawless base before you apply your make up, allowing you to fake it all the way!

Know your skin type

When it comes to skincare, using the right type for your skin type is hugely important. If you have dry skin and are using products for normal skin, they won’t be powerful enough to keep you hydrated. If you’ve got normal skin, products for oily skin could dry you out and if you’ve got sensitive skin, anything perfumed or too rich will have you red and itchy. Use our guide to work out your skin type before you buy anything.

Drink plenty of water

You can use all of the moisturisers and skin-fixing products you like, but if your body is severely dehydrated then the source of your dryness isn’t going to be fixed. The old ‘eight glasses a day’ thing isn’t necessarily the right amount for everyone, but if your urine is almost clear and the skin doesn’t feel papery, you’re probably hydrated to a decent level.

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Dealing with Acne Scarring

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acne, azelaic acid, base, damage, Elemis, Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask, Elemis Herbal Lavender Repair Mask, Elemis S.O.S. Emergency Cream, enzyme, glycolic acid, irritation, Jan Marini, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Bioclear Cream, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Bioclear Lotion, keratolitic agents, oily skin, primer, proteolitic enzyme, redness, relief, resurfacing, Salicylic Acid, Scar, scarring, sensitised, sensitive, soothing, Subtilisine, surface, unbalancing

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Finally getting your acne under control to the point where you don’t have breakouts any more can be life-changing, but the sad fact is that for many people, even after the spots have gone, you can be left with scarring and lesions. There are things you can do to improve the appearance of acne scarring and we’ve got a whole bunch of products which can help.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask

Acne scarring can often change the texture of your skin, leaving you with skin which lacks smoothness. This gel mask from Elemis uses Subtilisine, a skin compatible, bioactive micro-encapsulated enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of proteins into polypeptides to dissolve dead skin cells. It also contains protease, a proteolitic enzyme with keratolitic agents to improve cell renewal. It actively resurfaces your skin and leaves scarred areas noticeably smoother.

Jan Marini Bioglycolic Bioclear Cream

This cream contains a powerful combination of three separate acids (glycolic acid, salicylic acid and azelaic acid) which dramatically improve the appearance of acne scarring, as well as pigmentation, rosacea and fine lines and wrinkles. Because it’s such a strong formula, drying may occur, so we recommend using it alongside a rich moisturiser to maintain balance.

Elemis Herbal Lavender Repair Mask

Although scarring is what’s left after the acne has gone, often skin which is damaged by acne can still suffer with inflammation and redness, and is often easily irritated. This gentle mask from Elemis contains lavender, which soothes the skin and reduces irritation, calms redness and rebalances the complexion, giving your skin a more even tone.

Jan Marini Bioglycolic Bioclear Lotion

This product from the Jan Marini Bioglycolic range is a lotion version of the Bioclear cream, which is light and less oily, making it ideal for normal to oily skin. It contains the same combination of glycolic acid, salicylic acid and azelaic acid which will totally resurfance the skin without unbalancing oily skin and leaving you with excess sebum.

Elemis S.O.S. Emergency Cream

This cream from Elemis works in a number of ways; as well as providing the skin with an intense dose of moisture, rebalances inflamed or hormonal skin conditions and provides soothing relief with protection. It’s also a great base for make-up, as it acts like a primer, giving skin an velvety finish.

Combatting Some of the Most Common Body Issues

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advice, bath, body, bumpy skin, callouses, cellulite, Decleor 1000 Grains Body Exfoliator, Decleor Prolagene Gel, dry skin, Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, Elemis Cellutox Active Body Oil, Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow, Elemis Skin Nourishing Body Cream, Elemis Sweet Orchid Monoi Body Oil, Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream, feet, hard skin, Keratosis pilaris, problems, pumice stone, shower, skin, stretch marks

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Thanks to years of airbrushing in magazines and unrealistic beauty expectations, it’s a sad fact that most women will easily pinpoint at least one issue with their body that they don’t like. While we can’t do anything to address the deeper issues of insecurity, we can offer some advice to help with some of the more superficial ones, so we’ve put together a list of some of the most common body beauty complaints and how to deal with them.

Cellulite

It’s estimated that 90% of women have cellulite in at least one area of their body, and yet it’s still talked about in hushed tones, like it’s the last taboo. While we’re all for embracing your body in all of its glory, dry brushing with Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, followed by a thorough massaging with Elemis Cellutox Active Body Oil can greatly help to break up fatty deposits under the skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks can be caused by a number of different things, such as pregnancy, weight gain or muscle-building, and although they generally fade by themselves over time, some people like to have a helping hand and reducing them. Decleor Prolagene Gel is contains an amino acid called Proline L., which is similar to plant collagen and helps re-build the skin’s supporting fibres, helping to heal stretch marks from within.

Dry Skin

Dry skin is often caused by using products containing soap, spending too much time in the sun or central heating and is usually worse on areas like elbows and knees. Exfoliate dry areas using Decleor 1000 Grains Body Exfoliator Travel to get rid of the top layer of dry skin and follow up with Elemis Skin Nourishing Body Cream which is designed to nourish and soften dry skin, for a perfectly moisturised body.

Bumpy Skin

A lot of people we speak to complain of having skin which has a “chicken skin” appearance, with tiny bumps all over it. This actually has a name; it’s called keratosis pilaris and is incredibly common. Regularly using Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow, which is rich in mineral salts and hibiscus to cleanse and exfoliate your skin will reduce the appearance of these little bumps, and following it with Elemis Sweet Orchid Monoi Body Oil will prevent parched skin from creating too much keratin.

Calluses

Hard skin on the feet can be really tricky to deal with as it becomes impacted under the weight of your body, making it even harder to remove. Using a pumice stone after a hot bath or shower can help to reduce the amount of hard skin, and using Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream can stop the hard skin from building up so much in the first place.

Say ‘NO!’ to Shine

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acne, acne prone, acneic, Balm Mint, blackheads, Camphor, cause, central heating, Cornflower, decleor, Decleor Velvet Mattifying Fluid, dermalogica, Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier, Dermalogica Matte Moisturiser SPF15, Dermalogica Oil Control Lotion, Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF30, grease, greasy, hormones, irritation, make-up, matte, mattifying, microsponges, moisture, moisturiser, oil, oil free, oiliness, oily, over-production, over-stimulation, pores, Pro-Vitamin B5, root cause, Salicylic Acid, sebum, shine, shiny, skin, SPF, SPF15, SPF30, spots, target, teen skin, teenage skin, winter

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You may think that Summer is the prime-time to be worrying about shiny faces, what with the heat making you sweat, but if you suffer with over-production of sebum then winter can provide it’s own challenges. Constant changes of temperature, drying central heating and lack of sunlight can all conspire to make your skin create it’s very own oil slick, so we thought we’d showcase five of our best products to help you fight the shine

Dermalogica Oil Control Lotion

When we, here at Pure Beauty, read the description of this featherweight lotion, we weren’t quite sure we’d read it right, but yes, it actually contains microsponges! The particles are super absorbent and mop up excess sebum from your skin, and the lotion is suitable for people with oily, breakout-prone and acneic skin. Salycilic acid clears blocked pores while camphor, balm mint and cornflower reduce inflammation, attacking the root cause of sebum overproduction.

Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier

This incredibly potent lotion contains a multitude of hard-working ingredients which combine to perform a number of different functions. It’s a medicated, topical treatment which can be applied directly to an area of excess shine or breakouts and uses green tea, vitamin A, yeast extract, grape seed extract and pro-vitamin B5 (amongst other things!) to keep your skin totally clear and mattified.

Decleor Velvet Mattifying Fluid

Decleor have developed this fluid which attacks the problem of oiliness by increasing the amount of oxygen that the skin can absorb. This improves performance on a cellular level, rejuvenating your skin and discouraging the production of sebum as an overcompensation. It’s a really lightweight fluid which literally mattifies your skin upon touch and continues working all day to keep it look fresh.

Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF30

Keeping oily skin protected from the sun can be really tricky because so many sun lotions are oil-based and add to an already shiny face, making wearing make-up almost impossible. This lotion from Dermalogica is not only completely oil-free, but it also contains a broad-spectrum, high SPF to fend off the sun’s harmful rays whilst helping to prevent shine, regulate oil production and soothe inflammation.

Dermalogica Matte Moisturiser SPF15

This matte moisturiser from the Clear Start range is designed specifically for teenage skin, moisturising the skin from deep with, clearing excess sebum and targeting the cause, as well as helping to reduce inflammation and breakouts. It contains a light SPF for added protection and can be used in conjunction with the rest of the Clear Start range to keep teenage skin well under control.

Is Your Skin Routine Wrong for You?

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acne, ageing, anti ageing, balance, blemishes, damage, decleor, Decleor 24 Hour Hydrating Cream Rich, Decleor Energising Smoothing Cream SPF15, Decleor Phytopeel Smooth Exfoliating Cream, Decleor Triple Action Shave Perfector, dermalogica, Dermalogica UltraCalming Sensitised Skin Treatment Kit. MediBac range, dryness, hair, hyaluronic acid, moisture, oily, older, pores, serum, skin, smoothing, soften, SPF, sun, wrinkles

You might feel as though you’ve got your skincare routine dialled in with a solid “cleanse, tone and moisturise” using your favourite products, but if you’re still having issues then it may be that the products you’re using are not quite right for you. Today, we’re looking at some common skincare issues and where you may be going wrong with your products.

Dry Patches

If you’re suffering with areas of dryness, there’s a good chance that your products aren’t rich enough to deeply moisturise your skin. There’s also a chance that your current cleanser is a little too harsh, so switching to a gentle cleanser like Decleor Phytopeel Smooth Exfoliating Cream will allow you to gently remove dead skin and debris, while Decleor 24 Hour Hydrating Cream Rich will keep your skin hydrated all day long.

Acne

If you suffer with acne and have regular breakouts despite having a skincare routine in place, it could mean that your selection of products simply isn’t medicated or strong enough to deal with such a complex skin complaint. Opting for products from the MediBac range from Dermalogica will help you to target the cause of your acne and get it under control, giving you clearer skin in the long term.

Oily Skin

The cause of oily skin can be quite complicated – sometimes, it’s because the products you’re using are too rich but sometimes it can be because your skin is highly sensitised due to dryness and your skin responding with too much sebum to overcompensate. The Dermalogica UltraCalming Sensitised Skin Treatment Kit contains everything you need to help to soothe and repair sensitive skin, helping you to regain balance.

Wrinkles

Wrinkles are, for most of us, a fact of life and simply a side effect of getting older. However, if you moisturise daily but still feel as though your skin is ageing at an exponential rate, it may be that your products don’t contain enough anti-ageing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid. Decleor Energising Smoothing Cream SPF15 contains active ingredients which will fight fine lines and the signs of ageing, as well as containing SPF to protect against further damage from the sun.

Ingrown Hairs

Lots of people who shave regularly suffer with ingrown hairs, especially people who shave their faces, however there are plenty of products you should be using to combat this problem. Decleor Triple Action Shave Perfector is a super serum which softens hair, opens the pores and protects the skin before, during and after shaving to ensure you avoid ingrown hairs and shaving rash.