Seasonal Focus: Almonds

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almond, base, brittle, carrier, chamomile, complexion, de-stress, Decleor Essential Cleansing Milk, Decleor Micellar Oil, Dermalogica Multivitamin Hand and Nail Treatment, dirt, dissolve, dryness, Elemis De-Stress Massage Oil, Elemis Hydra-Nourish Night Cream, geranium, hands, hydrate, hydration, impurities, lavender, linoleic acid, make-up, marjoram, massage, melissa, nails, neutral, oil, oleic acid, pores, radiant, rosemary, rosewood, stress, sweet, sweet almond oil, tighten, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, waterproof, well-balanced, Ylang-Ylang, youthful

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Using seasonal produce is a great way to ensure that the body gets what it needs when it needs it; things which appear at certain times often contain essential nutrients which are ideal for their season. Winter is the season for almonds, which are not only highly nutritious, containing essential fats, they’re also a fabulous ingredient in beauty products. Here’s our top 5 almond-containing products from Decleor, Dermalogica and Elemis.

Decleor Essential Cleansing Milk

Almond oil is an incredibly nourishing ingredient which infuses moisture into the skin, reducing tightness and leaving it feeling soft and supple. This cleansing milk from Decleor contains sweet almond oil, among other ingredients, to cleanse the skin, remove all traces of make-up and daily dirt, and tighten pores for a clearer, more radiant complexion.

Elemis De-Stress Massage Oil

Almond oil is both moisturising and very neutral, making it the perfect carrier oil for other combinations of fragrant oils for massage therapy. This oil from Elemis is designed to de-stress the muscles and combines rosewood, melissa, marjoram, geranium, rosemary, lavender and chamomile in an almond base for regenerative results.

Dermalogica Multivitamin Hand and Nail Treatment

The hands and nails benefit hugely from moisturising products as they often have to deal with the harshest elements, such as cold weather and washing dishes, which contribute to dryness. This non-greasy hand and nail treatment from Dermalogica is made on an almond oil base and helps to repair chapped hands and strengthen brittle nails.

Decleor Micellar Oil

Micellar oil is a revolutionary way to cleanse the skin, which uses the powerful combination of oil and water to work deep into the pores, dissolving and dispersing dirt and impurities and removing all traces of make-up. Almond oil ensures hydration and make-up melting power, and even works on waterproof cosmetics.

Elemis Hydra-Nourish Night Cream

Almond oil contains oleic and linoleic fatty acids, as well as containing vitamins A, B1, B2 and B6, all of which are essential for youthful, well-balanced skin. This night cream from Elemis is a rich formulation which works intensively while you sleep to deeply hydrate the skin, regulating skin hydration, and helping to maintain skin’s firmness. Geranium and ylang-ylang add to the sweet fragrance of the formula, reviving the senses and counteracting stress, anxiety and depression.

Make yours a healthy breakfast

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almond, bake, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, black pepper, blueberries, blueberry, bus, butter, cereal, chia seeds, cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats, classic, creamy avocado on toast, eggs, extra hungry, fibre, food processor, free range eggs, hearty dinner, home, lemon juice, light brown sugar, margarine, Monday meetings, nut butter, oat milk, olive oil, orange zest, organic oats, packed with protein, PB, peanut butter on toast, plain Greek yogurt, Poached Eggs, popular, pure orange juice, sahre, salt, scrambled eggs, slices of banana, smoked salmon, smoothie, strawberry, sugar, team, toasted rye bread, vinegar, white toast, wholewheat flour, work, yogurt

We all know breakfast is an important meal of the day, so getting it right is important.

Rather than opting for white toast loaded with margarine or a bowl of sugar-coated cereal that will have your mood drop before you get the bus, instead choose a meal packed with protein, vitamins and minerals that will keep you full until lunchtime, or at least your 11am banana break.

Poached Eggs With Mushrooms and Tomatoes
Beef tomatoes and golden brown mushrooms served with a perfect poached eggs is a breakfast winner. To help the egg whites set, add a splash of vinegar to your water and add a little olive oil to the toast. If you want to make this into a hearty dinner, add extra mushrooms, smoked salmon and a serving of iron rich spinach.

Avocado & Strawberry Smoothie
This creamy breakfast blend is high in calcium and low in calories and a great way to start your day, especially if you are on the run. You will need:

• ½ a ripe avocado stoned, peeled and cut into chunks
• 150g of strawberries
• 150g of blueberries
• 4 tbsp. of natural yogurt
• 200ml of almond or oat milk
• Lemon or lime juice, to taste
• Honey if needed
• Ice cubes

Put all the ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add a little water then either enjoy at home, or put in a bottle and take to work.

Nut Butter, Banana & Chia Seed Toast

This is a superfood twist on classic peanut butter on toast. It is packed with vitamins and minerals and for one tasty serving you will need:

• Half a large banana (sliced)
• A teaspoon of chia seeds (soaked for 15 minutes)
• 1 slice of dark rye break, toasted
• 1 tablespoon of nut butter (we like almond)
• 4 strawberries

Toast the bread then spread the nut butter on top. Place slices of banana on the nut butter and top with chia seeds and serve with the strawberries for an extra vitamin boost and enjoy before making a second round!

Avocado on Toast
There’s a real benefit to starting your day with creamy avocado on toast, a dish that is popular with our team. The fruit is loaded with fibre and fab cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats. Plus, the whole meal is ready in just three simple steps so you have to time to make it every day of the week. Mash the avocado onto toasted rye bread, drizzle with a little olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with black pepper and enjoy. If you are extra hungry, added a serving of hot scrambled eggs.

Blueberry Muffins
Made with plump blueberries, whole-wheat flour, oats and Greek yogurt, these healthy muffins keep you full during those long Monday morning meetings. For 12 muffins you will need:

• ¼ of a cup of wholewheat flour
• 1 cup of large organic oats
• 2 cups of fresh blueberries
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 a teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
• ½ a cup of light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest, plus two tablespoons of pure orange juice
• 2 medium free range eggs
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

To start with heat your oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and line a muffin tin with muffin size paper liners.

Place the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a food processor and blitz until you have a fine powder. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, butter, orange zest and juice, egg, and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and mix together before adding in the blueberries. Make sure all ingredients are folded together well. Divide the mix into the muffin cases then bake for 20 minutes until they have raised and golden. Eat them at home or take to work and share.

Happy breakfast eating.

Team Pure Beauty