How to pack a healthy lunchbox

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apple, bacon, balanced diet, balanced midday meal, Beef and broccoli, bows, brie, brown, carbs, carrot and coriander, carrots, cheese sandwich, cherry tomatoes, chicken noodle, chicken pasta, chocolate, chocolate bar, cold, cucumber, delicious, easy, egg, flapjack, flask, flatbreads, fridge, ham, healthy, High-fibre brown, hot, hungry, lentil, lunch, lunch staple, lunchbox, meal, Mexican bean, microwave, midday, Mixed beans, napkins, nutrient-dense sandwiches, nuts, olive rolls, packet of crisps and an apple, pasta, peppers, pickles, pitta, Protein pots, quick nutritious options, rice, rice salads, rumbling tummy, salad, salmon, Salmon pasta, sardines, satisfied, sauces, shapes, smoothie, soda bread, soup, spinach, sweet, sweetcorn, tortillas, tummy, tuna and tomatoes and teriyaki chicken, vegetable, veggie sausage pasta, veggies, white, wholemeal bagels

A cheese sandwich, packet of crisps and an apple might be a throwback from the ‘80s but for many of us it’s whatever we can make quickly, or buy, that gets put into our lunchbox.

While we know we need to eat a balanced midday meal, the reality can look very different, often grabbing something on the go that will only leave us hungry and reaching for a chocolate bar come 4pm.

We have had a look at some easy, quick nutritious options that will keep hunger at bay and they taste pretty good too!

Pasta pack ups
We know people worry about carbs, but pasta can be a brilliant lunch staple that can be eaten hot or cold. Whether you go for white or brown, lentil or rice in bows or shapes is up to you, but there is so much choice out there you can have something different each day of the week. Salmon pasta, chicken pasta and veggie sausage pasta can be made the night before and eaten straight from the fridge at midday or popped in the microwave and you’ll have a hot meal in minutes. You can add veggies or salad as well as sauces and pickles to create a lunch that is healthy and nourishing and won’t leave you with a rumbling tummy come 2pm.

Rice salads
High-fibre brown rice is a really good way to ensure you are left feeling satisfied all afternoon. Just as with pasta, there are a lot of ingredients that can be added from sardines, egg, ham and cheese and if you throw in some cherry tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and nuts, you will be the envy of the office.

Protein pots
We all know that we need protein for a balanced diet, but we don’t always get enough to help us get through the day without flagging. Beef and broccoli, tuna and tomatoes and teriyaki chicken are all tasty, easy lunchtime eats. Mixed beans, spinach, sweetcorn and sweet potatoes can all be added to pack out the protein and prevent you from running on empty during the afternoon.

Have a wrap
If bread isn’t for you but you want some energy giving carbs, flatbreads and tortillas are a good alternative. Peanut butter and carrots, salmon and veggies as well as humous and peppers are good ideas and you can load them up with salad to help get to your five a day. Warning; take napkins as these can get messy but they are so worth it.

Soup on the go
If you are busy but want something warm and filling, soup in a flask is a good option. Yes, you can open a can and bung it in the microwave but Mexican bean, vegetable, carrot and coriander and chicken noodle are super easy to make and if you cook in batches and freeze you will have something ready and waiting for you to take to work. Add in an apple and a smoothie, and you will be keeping bugs and hunger away as you boost your immune system with vitamins!

Super sarnies
OK, we can’t go without mentioning sandwiches, but there is more to this lunchtime basic than white sliced as soda bread, pitta, olive rolls and wholemeal bagels are all there for the taking. Bacon, brie, turkey, cottage cheese and avocado are the ingredients of lunchtime dreams and make delicious, nutrient-dense sandwiches that will make you want midday to come around fast.

Something sweet
You don’t have to stick to savoury at lunchtime. A fruit salad, yogurt with sliced banana, homemade flapjack with dried apricots and even a square or two of dark chocolate will give you something sweet to enjoy without overloading on nasties.

Why not make a batch of blueberry muffins on a Sunday, put them in an airtight box, or freeze half, and you will have something sweet a tasty to add to your lunchbox all week long.

Team Pure Beauty

Get your apple a day at Pure Beauty

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alleviate irritating dryness, alpha hydroxy acids, Amazonian, an apple a day, antioxidant-rich, apple, Apple Amino Acids, Ayurvedic herbs, benefits, blackheads, chamomile, creamy lather, crunchy, delicate, Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask, Dermalogica Daily Resurfacer, Dermalogica Nightly Lip Treatment, dirt, doctor, dry, dry skins, Elemis Gentle Foaming Facial Wash, fig, fruits, gentle ingredients, Granny Smith, healthy complexion, Indian Soapnut, infused, irritation, love, lukewarm, luxurious, make-up, massage, native, oils, organic English Rose water, pat dry, pigmentation, pollution, Pure Beauty, Red Delicious, redness, refreshing, rinse off, samples, sehip seed oil, sensitive skin, Shea butter, skin, skin-quenching fluid, soften, spots, sugar cane, uneven skin tone, wash, weightless barrier

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but it can also make your skin look, and feel amazing.

Apples are packed with goodness that can have a positive impact on our complexions, something we don’t always think about as we take our first bite of a juicy Granny Smith or crunchy Red Delicious.

At Pure Beauty we sell a number of products that harness the benefits of apples and we’re going to share them with you today.

We love the Elemis Gentle Foaming Facial Wash because it combines fig and apple amino acids which help protects the skin’s moisture barrier. Oils from a native Amazonian tree soften skin as well as helping to maintain its delicate balance and natural oil levels. For great skin, massage a little of the wash into dry skin, adding lukewarm water to create a luxurious, creamy lather that envelopes the face with love, then rinse off, pat dry and follow with your toner and moisturiser.

If you are looking for a moisturiser that hydrates dry, sensitive skin, look no further than the Dermalogica UltraCalming Calm Water-Gel. This refreshing gel is total a skin-quenching fluid that creates a weightless barrier, so skin is hydrated and protected. Apple has been added into the mix of gentle ingredients to help soften skin and alleviate irritating dryness.

Keeping skin clean is vital for a healthy complexion, and the Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water scores top marks for doing exactly that. Apple amino acid, rosehip seed oil and Indian soapnut come together to lift impurities from the skin and leave it free of dirt, make-up and pollution. Infused with organic English rose water and antioxidant rich chamomile, skin is gently cleansed, and the delicate natural moisture barrier is maintained.

The Dermalogica Daily Resurfacer is an exclusive three-in-one treatment that smoothes skin without causing irritation or redness. Signs of premature ageing are addressed thanks to a unique botanical complex that also comes to the rescue of uneven skin tone and pigmentation. The alpha hydroxy acids from apple and sugar cane extract help to stimulate cell renewal and turnover while taking away dulling dead cells.

A balanced diet full of fruit and veg can help keep our skin spot free, but if you need some extra help, there’s the Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask. This clever mask has an active fizzing formula that opens and cleans pores as well as targeting annoying blackheads. The anti-microbial benefits of sulphur help keep skin clear; kaolin clay absorbs excess oil whilst apple extract comes and saves the day by offering added hydration.

Our skin repairs at night, and that includes our lips. To give them some extra night time loving, the Dermalogica Nightly Lip Treatment is our go to recommendation. A unique blend of apple, shea butter, Ayurvedic herbs and sesame seeds help to restore skin volume, hydrate the lips and improve elasticity while reducing the appearance of feathering and ageing. After cleansing and toning, simply massage into the skin and you will wake up to soft, smooth lips.

Want to know how you can get some apple love into your beauty regime? Get in touch and we would love to help and can even send samples so you can try before you buy.

Team Pure Beauty

Back to school with Pure Beauty

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acne, apple, back, back to school, beauty routine, blackhead, botanicals, breakouts, bus passes, clean skin, cleanse, clear, complexion, dead cells, decongest, deep cleansing, dermalogica, Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask, Dermalogica Foaming Wash, Dermalogica Hydrating Lotion, discomfort, dry, dry patches, easy to use cream, energise, essential oils, excess sebum, Eyes, face, ginger, goodness, Grapefruit, happy skin, homework, hot bath, kaolin clay, kit bag, lavender oil, lightweight, look and feel better, Meadowsweet, moisturiser, neck, New bags, orange peel, pamper, PE, pimple, protect, refresh, refreshing, revive, Salicylic Acid, sample, shiny pencil cases, skin, skincare, smart blazers, smooth, soak, spots, spotty skin, spray, squalane, Tea Tree Oil, teenage skin, tone and moisturise, Toner, top marks, washes away, young people

New bags, shiny pencil cases, smart blazers and bus passes are often top of the list when it comes to back to school preparation, but what about skincare. Getting young people into a beauty routine is a good idea and what better time than now to introduce them to something new for their skin?

Cleanse, tone and moisturise is a good place to start, so we’ll give you the low down on that first and throw in some added extra so you’ve got all bases covered and top marks will be scored.

Clean skin is happy skin, so we would suggest using the Dermalogica Foaming Wash for deep cleansing and purifying morning and night. Perfect for teenage skin that is prone to acne and breakouts, this doesn’t strip away essential oils but instead washes away nasties that don’t help the skin. Meadowsweet has been added to protect against excess sebum, salicylic acid gently exfoliates away dead cells and reduces inflammation ,while tea tree oil kills bacteria.

Next to come into play is the Dermalogica All Over Toner. This refreshing, toner contains an impressive twelve gentle botanicals that refresh, energise and revive the skin in one go. We love that orange peel and lavender oil have been added to soothe skin and when you spray it onto the face, neck and back, after cleansing, the goodness gets straight to work.

Some people think that spotty skin doesn’t need to be moisturised, but this isn’t the case as the right products help skin look and feel better. What you might have been looking for is the Dermalogica Hydrating Lotion. This lightweight, easy to use cream helps soothe the discomfort caused by breakouts, while hydrating dry patches. Apply after toning and let the ginger, orange and grapefruit soothe and protect the skin, while plant based squalane softens and nourishes it.

OK, what next?

Well, we all love a pamper, so when the homework has been done, why not try a hot bath and pop on the Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask. As you soak your troubles away, the mask will decongest skin so it is clear and blackhead free. Things don’t stop there, as added kaolin clay absorbs excess oil and apple is on hand to hydrate.

Last but not least, if the pimple pops up after PE, a bottle of Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster in the kit bag will do the job. Salicylic acid has been added to get rid of bacteria and phytoplankton extract prevents the over drying that can happen with some harsher products. The best thing is that it works in 15 minutes, so by the end of lunch skin can be smoother and worries will be over.

Fancy trying a sample or two? Get in touch and we would love to help.

Team Pure Beauty

Products to soothe summer skin at Pure Beauty

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Amazonian trees, anti-oxidant, apple, Aspergillus, balance, Bearberry, buff, burning, care, chlorine, comfort, creamy lathe, de-stresses, dead cells, Decleor Gradual Glow Hydrating Body Milk, dehydration, Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, Dermalogica UltraCalming Serum Concentrate, dry skin, easily absorbed, Elemis Gentle Foaming Facial Wash, Elemis Hydra-Nourish Night Cream, Elemis Superfood Facial Oil, exfoliator, extra softening ingredients, Extracts of Vanilla, feed, fig, flare ups, flax seed, geranium, Ginkgo, glow, Grapefruit, green tea, hyaluronic acid, increased temperatures, life, lightweight, Liquorice, luxurious, Magnolia Essential Oil, massaged, natural oil levels, nature, non-greasy product, nourishes, Oatmeal, omega-rich broccoli, overdone, Persian Silk Tree extract, prevent moisture loss, radish, recovers, redness, relief, replenished, rested, rich cream, samples, sea salt, sensitive skin, showering, skin, sleep, soften, soothe summer skin, stronger rays, suds, summer, sun, sun-kissed glow, super moisturising, superfoods, tan, the ageing signs of fatigue, tired skin, trouble, uneven skin pigmentation, unique blend, warm water, Ylang-Ylang

If you’ve overdone things out in the sun this summer, don’t panic, it happens to all of us at some point. Burning, redness and dehydration are all a result of stronger rays, increased temperatures as well as sea salt and chlorine which stick to our skin when we jump into the water to cool down our bodies.

We have put together some of the products we sell at Pure Beauty that can help soothe summer skin and offer you comfort and relief.

Dry skin recovers overnight, so give nature a helping hand by applying the Elemis Hydra-Nourish Night Cream before you go to sleep. This rich cream helps prevent moisture loss while it nourishes and de-stresses tired skin. The magic happens thanks to Persian silk tree extract which reduces the ageing signs of fatigue, while hyaluronic acid steps in and provides added hydration, which we need after a day by the pool. A sensual blend of geranium and ylang-ylang calms and rebalances the skin so that in the morning it feels as rested and replenished as you.

You might think that using an exfoliator in the summer will take away your tan, but what it will actually do is help your skin be better than ever. We adore the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant because it can be used everyday to gently buff away dead cells so that skin is left smoother and brighter. A magic blend of green tea, ginkgo and oatmeal calm inflammation, while bearberry, aspergillus, grapefruit and liquorice balance uneven skin pigmentation which can strike when the sun beats down on us. Use daily and we think you will be delighted with the results.

Washing the day, and night away can be one way to ensure your skin doesn’t get tight and dehydrated in the summer. The Elemis Gentle Foaming Facial Wash comes with extracts of fig and apple as well as oils from Amazonian trees, and together they soften the skin and maintain key natural oil levels. Mix with warm water and massage the luxurious, creamy lather into your skin and when you rinse the suds away, your skin will thank you for the care and attention you have given it.

We all react differently to the sun. If you find your complexion gets red and inflamed, however careful you are, you might want to give the Dermalogica UltraCalming Serum Concentrate a go. This super silky serum is perfect for treating, correcting and defending against inflammation and redness and can even prevent flare-ups. Best suited for sensitive skin, which often doesn’t like the sun anyway, this can be used morning and night and will help keep trouble at bay.

Our faces really can take the brunt of the summer, so if you need a little extra loving, the Elemis Superfood Facial Oil delivers! This unique blend of superfoods deeply nourishes and hydrates the skin and brings it back to life. Anti-oxidant, omega-rich broccoli, flax seed and radish come together to feed sad skin, and because this is a lightweight, non-greasy product, it is easily absorbed so your complexion becomes soft, balanced and healthy.

If you want to stay out of the sun but still glow, our money is on the Decleor Gradual Glow Hydrating Body Milk. Packed with super moisturising, extra softening ingredients, Decleor has bought together extracts of vanilla and magnolia essential oil to create a light melting cream that ensures your skin has the sun-kissed glow we love, without the burn we don’t. For best results, apply to your skin daily after showering and exfoliating and once you have massaged it evenly into your body, wash your hands so there are no signs that you’ve had behind the scenes help to look so fantastic.

For more information, samples or if you just want to ask us what we think might work for you, get in touch and we are here to help you get your best skin ever.

Team Pure Beauty

An apple a day

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an apple a day keeps the doctor away, apple, apple juice, apple pie, Apple purée, bake, baking sheet, brown sugar, bruises, comfort food, comforting, cooking apples, cool, core, countryside, crisp winter afternoons, crop, delicious, divine, easy, fresh, fridge, gin, ground cinnamon, ham, harvest, home, honey, hot, juicer, last-minute dessert, lemon zest, menu, mid afternoon snack, munch, mushy, natural goodness, oce, pick, pip, Plastic, recyclable bottles, ripe, roast pork, shortcrust pastry, slice, soft, spices, sterilised bottles, sticky, store, treat, true, vanilla ice cream, vitamin packed drink, wholesome

The old saying goes, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ and while we aren’t sure this is 100% true, they are packed with natural goodness and they taste pretty too delicious.

Go out in the countryside right now, and you are bound to come across trees bearing fruit that is ripe to pick, but once you have got them home, what can you do with them if you can’t munch your way through them as they are? Well, we have a few ideas.

Apple juice
There is nothing quite as delicious as fresh apple juice. Take your washed apples, cut out any bruises and then use a juicer to blast your crop. Put your smooth blend into sterilised bottles and either store in the fridge for several days, or if you have a lot then you can put in the freezer – but we suggest going for plastic, recyclable bottles for this. Add ice and drink alone, mix with a little gin or add to smoothies for a really fresh, vitamin-packed drink.

Apple pie
Who doesn’t like apple pie? This is a really easy, comforting way to use up apples and why not make extra and freeze some for those crisp winter afternoons when comfort food is on the menu but the shops are shut. We would say go for shortcrust pastry, cut and cook your apples in a little water and sugar, load in the fruit in a pie dish with some spices and extra raisins and your pudding is good to go in the oven to bake.

Apple crisps
Whether you have eating or cooking apples, you can make fruit crisps with your harvest. Slice the apples thinly, take out the core and pips, then place on a lined baking sheet with a little ground cinnamon and bake for about half an hour, turning over halfway through. Let them cool and store in an airtight container, and enjoy as a mid-afternoon snack, add to cereal or use them to top ice cream dishes.

Apple purée
If you have a lot of apples, making them into purée could be a good move and save any waste. Peel and core the fruit, then add them into a pan with about 1cm of water. Add some lemon zest and a little sugar, cover the pot and gently cook on a medium heat until the apples are soft and a little mushy. Freeze in pots, taking out what you need, when you need it and enjoy with roast pork, ham or add to some creamy custard for a sneaky treat.

Baked apples
The baked apple is the perfect last-minute dessert that looks wholesome and tastes divine. This simple winter pudding is budget-friendly and even more delicious when it is served with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey. Wash your apples and heat your oven to 200C. Mix cinnamon, brown sugar, orange zest, and lemon juice together then spoon the juice onto each apple, then bake for around half an hour. They should be soft and sticky when served but mind little mouths because the apples will be hot!

So, what are you waiting for? Get cooking!

Team Pure-Beauty