Why You Should Be Paying Attention to Amino Acids

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amino acids, anti-aging, appearance, astringent, basil oil, blow, body, botanical, breakage, building blocks, Burdock, cells, chamomile, cleansing, cucumber, detangling, drying, elasticity, essential, exfoliating, expression, Eyes, Frankincense, frizz, Grapefruit, hair, healthy, heat, hydration, Ivy, Jojoba oil, lavender, lemon, lines, Mallow, moisturised, moisturising, nature, oil, oils, peel, peptides, protect, protection, radiant, rose, sagging, science, shine, skin, smoothness, softness, soothe, split ends, useful, Watercress, youthful

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Amino acids are the building blocks of the cells that make up your body – however, did you know they can also be good for your skin? Amino acids, which contain moisturising, anti-aging, and exfoliating characteristics, can aid with skin elasticity issues that arise as we age. Amino acids come in 20 different varieties, and they are useful for people of all ages and skin types. A more moisturised, youthful, and generally healthy appearance of the skin is achieved by using amino acids in skin care products that also encourage cellular repair and collagen formation. Here are five of our favourite products which harness the power of amino acids:

CACI – Amino-Lift Peptide Complex

This effective anti-ageing skin care cream contains powerful peptides, essential oils and amino acids that target expression lines and help to firm sagging skin. It can be used twice a day after cleansing to give visible results and as well as being packed with amino acids also contains basil oil, jojoba oil, grapefruit peel oil and a number of other other botanical ingredients which nourish and revive your skin. 

L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Vitamino Colour 10-In-1 Multi-Benefit Leave-In Treatment Milk

Amino acids don’t just benefit your face – your hair can also benefit from using products which are infused with amino acids. This leave-in treatment milk from L’Oreal is a multi-benefit spray designed for coloured hair with 10 key benefits. It promises to help your hair to achieve shine, softness, smoothness of hair fibre and hydration, as well as offering protection against heat up to 230°c, detangling, anti-breakage, anti-split ends, anti-frizz and even facilitates blow-drying! 

Aromatherapy Associates Eye Zone Concentrate

The skin around the eyes is one of the thinnest areas of skin on your whole body, which means that it is more prone to premature ageing. This eye cream from Aromatherapy Associates combines powerful, bio-fermented actives, advanced amino acids and an effective pure essential oil blend to lift, tighten and contour the area around the eyes. It also contains rose, camomile and frankincense essential oils to soothe and protect for a radiant, youthful complexion. 

Dermalogica Active Moist

This moisture-rich product from Dermalogica combines the best of nature and science, containing a whole host of ingredients which are taken from natural sources. Silk amino acids help smooth and improve skin texture while natural botanical astringents lemon, ivy, watercress and burdock help to refine the skin. It also contains soothing extracts of lavender, mallow and cucumber to help provide deep-hydration.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Serum

This resurfacing serum from Elemis is so powerful that it’s advised that you avoid sunbeds and always use an SPF while using the treatment! It’s created using a powerful combination of alpha-hydroxy-acids, selastin and patented Tri-Enzyme technology, as well as selected amino acids. This serum smoothes the skins’s surface, revealing a stunning complexion and also helps to reduce the appearance of pores and wrinkles.

Fake it at Pure Beauty

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50ml, Abyssinian and elderberry seed oils, ageing, amino acids, Anti-oxidant green tea, argan shell, away, broad-spectrum sunscreen, burning, cancer, citrus scent, clog, complexion, condition, dead skin cells, Decleor 1000 Grains Body Exfoliator, Decleor Gradual Glow Hydrating Body Milk, Dermalogica Sheer Tint, Dermalogica Sheer Tint with SPF20, DHA, dryness, Elemis Total Glow Bronzing Body Lotion, fake it, fantastic products, glow, gradual tan body lotion, grains, grapefruit essential oil, healthy, home, hydrating hyaluronic acid, impurities, light moisturiser, Light-diffusing Iron Oxides, lightly-tinted hydrating make up, long lasting hydration, looking healthy, luscious, luxurious, Magnolia Essential Oil, massaged, mino acids, narcissus bulb, natural tan, nourish, orange peel, patches, pearl sugar, prolong, protect, protects, Pure Beauty, rays, relaxed, risk, samples, showering, skin tone, smoother, softer, SPF20, streaks, sun, sun exposure, sun-kissed look, super smooth limbs, tan, tanning products, UV rays, vanilla extract, Vegetan™, Walnut Seed extract, wheat

For many of us, having a tan makes us feel good as well as looking healthy and relaxed. However, getting that bronzed body often means exposing our skin to the sun, and this isn’t great as the rays can lead to burning, ageing, dryness and even put us at risk of cancer.

We recommend using a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, but if you would rather not run the risks of getting a full-on natural tan, at Pure Beauty we sell some fantastic products that will give you a glow but without putting in the sun hours.

Before you use any tanning products, make sure your body is free from dead skin cells as this can make products clog and cause streaks and patches, which you do not want. You can get super smooth limbs with the Decleor 1000 Grains Body Exfoliator and the 50ml option means you can do this at home, or away. Three sizes of grains have been mixed to create a product that helps take away not only dead cells but other impurities, so skin is left feeling like velvet. Grapefruit essential oil gives it a citrus scent, while pearl sugar, Argan shell and orange peel come together in a gel that gives you noticeably softer, smoother and more refined skin that is ready for tanning products to be absorbed.

The Elemis Total Glow Bronzing Body Lotion is a luxurious, gradual tan body lotion that moisturises your skin. It contains Vegetan™ which is naturally derived from wheat and this builds colour on the upper layers of your skin, so you have a healthy, sun-kissed look without sun exposure. Anti-oxidant green tea evens skin tone, and red algae extract aids long-lasting hydration, making this a popular product with our clients. Abyssinian and elderberry seed oils have also been added into the mix to condition the skin, which is left soft, smooth and glowing.

When you go out in the sun your skin gets dry but using the Decleor Gradual Glow Hydrating Body Milk can prevent this from happening. This a light moisturiser that not only gives your body a gradual tan but helps nourish it at the same time. Magnolia essential oil has been added to protect and soothe skin, narcissus bulb helps prolong your tan, and vanilla extract protects against external irritants. It’s the DHA, a sugar obtained by biotechnology, in this product that reacts naturally with amino acids in the skin that leaves you with a gentle top-to-toe golden glow. This is best applied after showering and exfoliating, and when you have massaged into your skin, let the formula soak in before dressing.

If you want to add a little daytime colour to your complexion, we would suggest going for the Dermalogica Sheer Tint with SPF20. This lightly-tinted hydrating make up product comes in light, medium and dark options and each one offers a healthy wash of colour, but the sun doesn’t need to get involved. The colour comes from light-diffusing iron oxides, and broad-spectrum sunscreens have been added to protect against UV rays. Nurturing amino acids, hydrating hyaluronic acid and luscious walnut seed extract are present and help improve the appearance of fine lines and add hydration.

If you have any questions, would like to try some samples or simply need more details to make the right choice for you, get in touch today and we would love to help.

Team Pure Beauty

How to avoid weight gain this winter

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a bootcamp, active, alcohol, amino acids, avocado, beans, bed, benefit, bloomer, body, body weight, boiled eggs and soldiers, bread, breakfast, busy, caffeine, carb heavy white toast, chickpeas, cortisol, counting calories, cycling, dancing, dark rye bread, exercise, experts, fat, fish, food cupboard, fruit, ggs, good fitness levels, gut flora, health risks, healthy weight, high protein meal, hobby, hot yoga, ibre rich wholegrain rice, lentils, life, lifestyle, mall changes, martial arts, mental health, mind, mood, no, nourish, nutritious, nuts, organic meat, pasta, phone, Poached Eggs, quinoa, salad, scrambled eggs, screens, seafood, seeds, sleep, smoked salmon, snacks, sofa, stress, sugar, sugary cereals, summer, swimming, temperature drops, the stress hormone, tummy, unprocessed foods, vegetables, warm, water, weight, weight management, wellbeing, whole, winter months, worries, worry

When the temperature drops and the nights are dark, it is easy to spend your time curled up on the sofa eating sugary snacks and keeping warm, rather than eating salads, heading outside and getting active like we do in the summer.

Bearing this in mind, it’s therefore not uncommon to put on a little weight during the winter months, but this doesn’t have to be the case. By making small changes to your lifestyle now, you will not only help your waistline, but your mental health and overall wellbeing could benefit too.

Always have breakfast
As tempting as it is to have an extra ten minutes in bed, having breakfast in the morning is not only a great way to start the day but can also stop you from eating more later in the day. Pass on the sugary cereals and carb heavy white toast, and instead look at having a high protein meal that will keep hunger locked up for longer. Scrambled eggs and avocado are a great idea, poached eggs with smoked salmon will throw in some amino acids. Of course there is nothing quite like boiled eggs and soldiers, but swap the bloomer for dark rye bread and you will be laughing.

Take care of your gut
You might not know this but many experts believe that our gut bacteria plays a role in our body weight. Think about taking a live bacteria supplement and this could not only improve your delicate gut flora but also help you to keep a handle on your weight too.

Don’t take on too much
Yes, we know that life is busy and you are pulled in every which way but stress isn’t going to do you any good. As well as making you worry, cortisol, the stress hormone, can affect energy expenditure and increase our consumption of foods that are high in fat and sugar. This can cause weight gain around the tummy and, with this, comes an increase in health risks, so we would suggest trying to reduce your stress levels for the sake of both weight management and long-term health. To ease stress, find a new hobby, say no now and again if you have too much on, and if you can, turn your phone off and step away from screens, even for just an hour and this might make a big difference to your mood.

Eat real food
Rather than being focussed on counting calories and restricting what you eat, instead eat whole, nutritious, unprocessed foods that will nourish your body and mind. Try to eat two pieces of fruit and have five servings of vegetable a day. Stop putting those white carbs in your trolley and instead, switch to fibre rich whole grain rice, bread and pasta, and you will find these not only fill you up but keep you regular too! Eggs, nuts, seeds, fish, seafood, lentils, beans, chickpeas, organic meat, quinoa and tofu are all good quality protein that are delicious and good for you, so get creative in the kitchen and see the difference these foods can make. As well as this, drink lots of water, keep caffeine and alcohol under control and get plenty of sleep.

Exercise
Step away from the screens if you want to maintaining a healthy weight and good fitness levels. We aren’t talking about going to the gym everyday, but doing something you enjoy which takes you mind away from your worries, and the food cupboard, is a really good idea. Whether it is hot yoga, swimming, dancing, martial arts, a bootcamp class, cycling or running, do it three times a week and if you do it with a friend, you will have to go.

Team Pure Beauty

How to Beat Blue Monday

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21st January, amino acids, anxiety, anxious, bag, beans, below par, bleak mid-winter months, Blue Monday, breakfast, caffeine, cheese, coffee, cola, cold, coloured fruits and vegetables, concerntration, constipated, cucumber, daily fix, decaf, depressed, desk, doom and gloom, drink, eggs, emotions, fatty acids, fibre, fish, five a day, fizzy drinks, food, fresh, Frozen, gut, headaches, healthy digestion, herbal tea, hydrated, ice, January, juiced, lean meat, lemon, lentils, mental health, mentally, miserable, mood, nuts and seeds, omega 3 and 6, outside, partially hydrogenated oils’, payday, physically, portion sizes, protein, pulses, regular meals, resolutions, sip, sleep, small, soothing hot drink, soya products, squash, stimulant, tea, trans fats, tummy, water, wholegrains, winning lottery ticket, worried

With the 21st January, aka Blue Monday fast approaching, some of you might be feeling a little below per right now. It is cold outside, it’s still ages until payday and those resolutions that seemed like such a good idea on 31 December have been long forgotten, all of which can make you feel a bit miserable.

Fear not, it’s all doom and gloom. While can’t turn up the temperature or give you a winning lottery ticket, we do know that what you eat and drink can help ease the blues and beat the anxiety that makes life a little harder in the bleak mid-winter months.

Drink water
Yes, this one again. If you don’t keep hydrated you won’t feel at your best, your concentration will lapse, you may get headaches and you might also feel constipated and none of these things will help your mood. Cut down on fizzy drinks and high sugar squashes, and instead drink water with ice and add slices of lemon and cucumber to liven things up a little and keep a bottle on your desk and in your bag so you can sip during the day.

Keep an eye on caffeine
We know many people love a coffee first thing and a tea break mid-afternoon, but both of these drinks contain caffeine which might not help you if you are feeling blue. Caffeine is a stimulant and one which will give you a burst of energy at first, but then when you come down the other side it could make you feel anxious, depressed and disturb your sleep, especially when drunk before you go to bed. We don’t suggest you stop having your daily fix suddenly, as this could lead to nasty withdrawal symptoms, but it might be a good idea to start cutting back on tea, coffee, chocolate, cola and energy drinks and think about switching to decaf versions or opting for herbal teas which are caffeine free but mean you don’t miss out on a soothing hot drink.

Look after your tummy
You might not know this, but your tummy reflects your emotions so if you are feeling anxious and worried, your gut may suffer too. To help with healthy digestion, it is important to eat plenty of fibre which means loading up on wholegrains, beans, pulses, live yoghurt and you might want to consider taking a probiotic too.

Get your fruit and veg in
Eating a variety of coloured fruits and vegetables every day means you’ll get a good range of nutrients including the minerals, vitamins and fibre needed to keep you physically and mentally healthy. You might be interested to know that fresh, frozen, canned and juiced fruits and vegetables all count towards your five a day and if you are worried about portion sizes, one portion is about a handful.

Remember to eat protein
Protein is packed full of the amino acids that make up the chemicals your brain uses to regulate your thoughts and feelings, and it also keeps you feeling fuller for longer so you are less likely to reach for the mood interrupting sugary snacks later on. Lean meat, fish, eggs, cheese, beans, lentils, soya products, nuts and seeds are all good protein sources and it is pretty easy to fit them into every meal – so make sure you do.

Eat the right fats
We know we are told fats are bad and to be avoided at all costs, but this isn’t true. Try to avoid ‘trans fats’ or ‘partially hydrogenated oils’ and instead eat fatty acids, such as omega 3 and 6 as these are good for your brain function and mental health. Healthy fats can be found in oily fish, nuts (almonds and walnuts are a good choice), olive and sunflower oils, seeds (such as sunflower and pumpkin), avocados, and eggs all of which are tasty and easy to eat!

Eat on a regular basis
Now is not the time to skip meals as this will lead to a drop in your blood sugar levels and that can make you feel tired and irritable. Try to go for small, regular meals throughout the day, adding in healthy snacks, and always eat breakfast as this will set you up for the day. Wholegrain bread and pasta, brown rice, cereals as well as nuts and seeds are all a good idea but keep away from sweets, biscuits, sugary drinks, and alcohol as these won’t do your mood any favours.

Whatever you eat and drink make the sensible choice and we wish you a very happy, healthy 2019.

Team Pure Beauty

A bath a day….

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aches and pains, Advanced technology, Alpine Lavender, amino acids, aroma, bath, bed, Birch, Blue Chamomile, botanical extracts, care, changes, Clary Sage, cleans, clove, concentrated glycolic acid, conditioned, Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash, dirt, dry skin, Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak, Elemis Skin Nourishing Milk Bath, exfoliating particles, Frangipani Body Oil, gardening, Golf, gorgeous products, haven, high end product, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Hand and Body Lotion, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Resurfacing Body Scrub, Japanese camellia oil, juniper, lavender, love, Milk Protein, mind, minerals, muscles, oft, orange, outside, plant collagen, progressive improvement, R&R, Relax, rich, Sandalwood, screens, sea salt, Shea butter, Shea Buuter, shower, silky water, skin friendly formula, skin-conditioning botanical cleanser, slumber party, smoothed, soak, soap-free Quillaja Saponaria, softness, Spa, stresses and worries, sun, swimming, Tahitian Monoi oil, texture, visibly younger, vitamins, washing, Wild Thyme

While a shower might refresh you after a long hot day in the sun, there is still something special about having a bath before you go to bed.

As well as washing away the dirt of the day, a soak can help you to relax, ease aches and pains and also help you to deal with stresses and worries as screens will be out of the way and there will be no one to bother you.

At Pure Beauty we sell some gorgeous products that will turn your humble tub into a spa haven so you can get some much-needed R&R.

Let’s get this slumber party started with the Elemis Skin Nourishing Milk Bath. This amazing Milk Protein based product is super rich in Vitamins, Amino Acids and Minerals which makes it perfect for dry skin that needs a little extra love. Plant Collagen from Japanese Camellia Oil and Oat Extract means that your skin is nourished the moment you sink into the silky water and when used use every other day for nine days, you will really start to see a difference in softness and texture.

Whether it’s because of swimming, golf or being outside gardening, if your body is tired then add the Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak to your bath each evening. Energising extracts of Birch, Juniper, Clove, Alpine Lavender, Wild Thyme and Blue Chamomile have been mixed with Sea Salt for a blend that warms muscles and recharges the body and mind. Adding just three capfuls of this powerful aromatherapy deep heat treatment to your bath water will help ease the aches and pains caused by exercise and hard work and thanks to the head clearing aroma you will feel ready to sleep when you get out of the bath.

While great when you want to jump in and out of the shower, the Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash is perfect for the bath too. This rich, skin-conditioning botanical cleanser contains soap-free Quillaja Saponaria so while it cleans the skin, it doesn’t stipe away essential natural moisturisers. Sandalwood, Lavender, Orange and Clary Sage essential oils have been added to soften the skin so that when you get out of the water, your limbs are soft, smoothed and conditioned.

Using the Jan Marini Bioglycolic Resurfacing Body Scrub in the bath can help you get incredible looking skin. This high-end product combines concentrated glycolic acid with exfoliating particles and botanical extracts so that skin is not only silky smooth but also glowing. While results can be seen from the very first use and you will see progressive improvement over time that we think you will love. You can further harness the power of this product by using the Jan Marini Bioglycolic Hand and Body Lotion. Glycolic acid has been mixed with Shea Butter to hydrated the skin so it looks visibly younger. Gently apply the lotion to your skin once or twice a day and you will soon feel and see the changes.

At Pure Beauty, we love Elemis Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream which can be used in the bath and the shower. Advanced technology has been used to create this exceptional skin friendly formula that gently cleanses the skin without stripping protective oils. Tahitian Monoi Oil and Frangipani Flowers come together to ensure your skin not only feels soft and supple but is also delicately scented. If you want to add a little extra love after bathing, simply dry off and apply the Frangipani Body Oil which is quickly absorbed and offers dry and mature skin extra care.

If you have any questions about these, or any other products we sell on the site, or would like to try some samples, get in touch and we would love to help.

Team Pure Beauty