Easy ways to add a little exercise into your life

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We know that exercising can impact all areas in your life, for the better, but we also know that getting time to actually do it can be hard. We’ve had a look at how you can fit just a little bit of workout time into your schedule so you feel bright and happy all day long.

Jog on
If you’re not keen on intense cardio training but would like to break out in a slight sweat, then how about some gentle jogging? This exercise helps to strengthen your entire body and keep you in good shape, without putting huge pressure on your joints. We do suggest that you invest in some decent trainers, take water with you, and always warm-up and cool down to prevent injuries.

Speed walking
Taking it down another notch from jogging, we have speed walking. You might not know this but a brisk walk can help build your cardiovascular health and can also boost your mental wellbeing. This really is a low commitment exercise that anyone can fit into their day, and if you have a dog, even better as they need their walk and you can get fit together!

Yoga
As well as keeping your heart healthy, it is also important to ensure you have muscle flexibility and a still mind, and yoga can do this for you. Yoga, as well as tai chi and Pilates, engage your muscles so they stay healthy and you also have the meditative elements that still your mind, allow you to focus on your breathing and bring down your anxiety.

Crunch it out
If you want to work on your abs without going OTT in the gym, simple crunches are the way to go. Crossing your arms across your chest while doing these exercises can help you to avoid pulling on your neck and causing injury. If you aren’t quite sure how to get this right, ask a PT and they will be only too happy to assist so you know you are on the right track.

Shake it out
Dancing is an amazing way to keep fit, stay healthy and make friends. Zumba, ballet, salsa, and tap are just some of the options out there and not only will taking part make you feel good but because of the social element, you will feel like you’ve had a group hug at the end of the session.

Go for a swim
We often think about swimming in the summer but this is a great cardio exercise that will benefit your health and mental well-being all year round. As swimming isn’t dangerous for joints and muscles, it’s something many of us can enjoy, and if you are serious about your strokes, book in a lesson or two and really make this sport work for you.

Raise your heals
Heel raises, which involve deliberately lifting and lowering your heels off the floor, can help to address weakness, balance, range of motion, and coordination of the foot and ankle. This might seem like a really simple move, but it goes a long way to stretch out those muscles and keep you supple.

Skip away
A rope and a little space can really get your heart rate up and those feel-good endorphins pumping! You don’t have to do it for ages, and while you’ll be surprised at how hard it is when you start, build it up over time and your fitness levels will boom.

Team Pure Beauty

How you can scrub up well with Pure Beauty

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arms, beauty regime, black tea, blackcurrant, breathe, calloused skin, chamomile, cleanse your skin, coffeeberry, complexion, concentrated glycolic acid, Decleor Double Radiance Scrub, Dermalogica Thermafoliant Body Scrub, dulling, ease tightness, Elemi, Elemis Energising Skin Scrub, Elemis Sea Lavender and Samphire Salt Scrub, Elemis Superfood Blackcurrant Jelly Exfoliator, essential moisture, even tone, exfoliating particles, face, facial hair, fruit extracts, gel, gently exfoliate, glow, hydrate, Indian bamboo stem, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Resurfacing Body Scrub, Lactic Acid, Licorice, limbs, lush, Marine Phytoplankton, men, micro-circulation., milky scrub, nasty, Natural essential oil, natural oils, natural scrubbing particles, natural sea salt, Nordic bilberry, Papain, polishes, prebiotic, prevent ingrown hairs, pure, purified, radiance revealing treatment, red, refreshed, removing dead cells, resurfaces, revitalising facial scrub, rich, rough, samphire, saro, scrub, sea lavender, sensitive, Shaving, silky soft and smooth, skin, skin’s natural defences, smooth, smoother, softer, Tea Tree, Vitamin E base, warming sensation, white tea

You might think that using a scrub on your skin isn’t for you, but how about if we said it could be the best thing you could introduce to your beauty regime?

Far from making your skin red and sensitive, the scrubs we sell today can help to smooth your face as well as your limbs, back, and arms. They work to even tone and bring your complexion back to life so you look, and feel fabulous.

Let’s start things off with the lush Elemis Superfood Blackcurrant Jelly Exfoliator. This revitalising facial scrub is rich in fruit extracts which gently exfoliate the skin, leaving it smoother, softer and hydrated. Nordic bilberry and black tea have been blended with blackcurrant and a prebiotic, which ease tightness, but those precious natural oils we need to so much, are left safe. To use, cleanse your skin then gently massage the exfoliator in light circular motions and as you add water the gel will transform into a milky scrub that can be washed away with warm water and a cleansing cloth.

The Decleor Double Radiance Scrub is a two-in-one mask exfoliator that is perfect for removing dead cells from your skin so it can breathe once again. Three natural scrubbing particles have been mixed to create something that is more than an exfoliator; this is a radiance revealing treatment and it really works! Natural essential oils of saro and elemi have been added to boost the skin’s natural defenses well as to activate micro-circulation. The outcome clean skin that is re-energised, detoxified and radiant.

The Dermalogica Thermafoliant Body Scrub dissolves those nasty, dulling dead skin cells, hydrates, and delivers vital antioxidants leaving skin purified and refreshed. It’s the Indian bamboo stem that takes away dead cells while papain and lactic acid dissolves them. As you wash away the suds, natural sea salt revitalises and hydrates the skin while licorice, white tea, coffeeberry, and chamomile infuse it with vital antioxidants. Add tea tree and grapefruit oils into the next and you have clean, pure, refreshed skin once again.

Men can also benefit from these products and the Elemis Energising Skin Scrub is popular with our clients. Marine phytoplankton has been added to a rich vitamin E base to create a scrub that resurfaces, polishes and brightens the skin. It also helps lift facial hair before shaving to prevent ingrown hairs and blemishes. From the very first use, the skin is left feeling smooth, refined and deeply cleansed and essential moisture is locked in for added hydration.

You don’t often think about scrubs being warming, but that’s very much at the heart of the Elemis Sea Lavender and Samphire Salt Scrub. Created from a blend of sea lavender, samphire and sea salt, the skin is left feeling silky soft and smooth and thanks to the Zeolite base, you are left with a gentle warming sensation. When you massage the scrub, it becomes a rich foam that buffs away rough areas and dead skin cells. Sea salt particles provide natural exfoliation, whilst the lavender and samphire help soothe and hydrate for a healthy, all-over glow.

We can’t go without mentioning the Jan Marini Bioglycolic Resurfacing Body Scrub. A combination of concentrated glycolic acid, exfoliating particles, and botanical extracts come together to create silky smooth skin. If you suffer from rough, calloused skin or have trouble areas on the backs of your arms and legs, this scrub can offer immediate relief with progressive improvements being seen over time.

For more details about these products, or any of our other lines, get in touch and we would love to help you get your beauty regime right.

Team Pure Beauty

It’s The End of the School Year – Treat Your Tired Body!

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ageing, Alpine Lavender, arms, bath, Birch, Blue Chamomile, clove, cool, dark circles, decleor, dermalogica, Elemis, energise, Eyes, facial contours, fatigue, fine lines, inflammation, juniper, legs, migraine, muscles, redefine, rejuvenate, rejuvenating, rest, school, school holidays, sea salt, shoulders, smooth, smoothing, soak, temples, tired, tiredness, tone, Wild Thyme, wrinkles

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Whether you’re a teacher, support staff, a student or a school-run parent, you’re probably feeling incredibly glad to see six weeks of summer stretching out ahead of you, where you can turn off your daily alarm, stay up as late as you want and even drink wine on a random Tuesday without having to worry about the next morning! It’s highly likely that your body is feeling more than a little tired, so we thought we’d take a look at some of our products which are designed to remedy all that tiredness and help you to put a little more ZING into your skin!

Dermalogica Charcoal Rescue Masque

Masks are a really great way to replenish and revitalise the skin as they can be left on for a period of time and really allowed to go to work. This masque from Dermalogica is designed to brighten dull, tired skin and will detoxify and invigorate your skin. It’s easy to remove and can be used on all skin types, making it an essential product for your bathroom cabinet.

Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak

Nothing tells you that you’re tired more than aching muscles, and by the same token, nothing is better for aching muscles than a soak in a tub full of warm water and some Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak! The blend of botanicals such as birch, juniper, clove, alpine lavender, wild thyme and blue chamomile combine with sea salt to gently warm and soothe the muscles, helping your body to unwind and allowing your mind to follow suit – just don’t fall asleep in the bath!

Elemis Instant Refreshing Gel

If you don’t have time for a bath (or have a bathtub at home!) you’ll need a product which can be applied directly to the skin if you want to revitalise aching limbs and muscles. This gel from Elemis is designed to be rubbed into tired muscles, especially the neck and shoulders, to help to untie knotted areas, cool and soothe inflammation, and instantly leave you feeling lighter and less achy. It’s great for travel and can also be applied to the temples during a migraine.

Decleor Iris Rejuvenating Night Balm

Night-time is the right time…to rejuvenate your skin. Night creams and balms are brilliant products for giving your skin a big burst of help, and this Iris Rejuvenating Night Balm is no exception. It’s made from 100% natural ingredients and is especially great for ageing skin. It will energise, tone and redefine facial contours, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and stimulate and invigorate even the most tired skin, particularly those showing signs of ageing.

Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Eye Balm

No anti-tiredness beauty regime would be complete without a product which can work miracles on your eyes. Tired eyes will look puffy and have dark circles around them, but this balm from Elemis works to combat that. It contains omega-rich apricot kernel oil nourishes the delicate eye contour area, as well as benefiting from an applicator which cools and smooths the skin as you use it.

Hair Removal – What Are Your Options?

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age spots, ageing, ALA, alpha lipoic acid, anchovies, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, apricots, arms, berries, bikini line, blackberries, blemishes, blueberries, body hair, Brazillian, broad spectrum, Broccoli, chia seeds, damage, dark spots, decleor, Decleor Post-Wax Double Action Gel, Decleor Rose D’Orient Soothing Oil Serum, dermalogica, Dermalogica Antioxidant HydraMist, Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum, Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier, Dermalogica Post Shave Balm, Elemis, Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, Elemis Energising Skin Scrub, Elemis Liquid Layer SPF30, Elemis Pro-Collagen Super Serum Elixir, epilate, epilator, epliation, exfoliate, eyebrows, fatty acids, fish, free radicals, fullness, hair, high factor, Hollywood, hyperpigmentation, ingrown hair, laser hair removal, liver spots, mackerel, nuts, oils, oily fish, omega-3, orange, plump, plumper, polyphenols, pomegranate, protection, raspberries, salmon, Shaving, SPF, spinach, spots, strawberries, sun, sunscreen, sweet potato, threading, UVA, UVB, vitamin A, walnuts, waxing, wrinkles

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Hair removal – it’s one of those things that most of us do but few of us ever talk about it, but it’s a fact of life and needn’t be taboo. There are various different methods that you can use for hair removal, some more permanent than others and varying in price and effectiveness. Here’s a rundown of a few of them:

Shaving

Probably the most common type of hair removal on the planet, shaving is also one of the cheapest ways to remove hair, with some disposable razors costing a matter of pennies. It’s not a very long-lasting method because it only trims the part of the hair which sits above the skin, but it’s definitely convenient and can be done on any part of the body that you care to use it. If you plan to shave, use Elemis Energising Skin Scrub beforehand to prevent ingrown hairs and soothe the skin, post-shave, with Dermalogica Post Shave Balm.

Waxing

Waxing lasts longer than shaving and gives a smooth finish, but does have it’s downsides. You need to leave time between waxes to allow the hair to be long enough for the wax to adhere to, and there’s obviously the pain-factor. Also, unless you wax at home, you’ll need regular appointments which can be pricey. If you do wax, treat your skin with Decleor Post-Wax Double Action Gel to soothe and repair.

Laser

Laser is probably the most expensive way to remove hair but it’s also the only way to remove hair permanently. Most people require between 6 and 10 sessions for complete removal and occasional touch-ups if you get a rogue hair or two growing back, but most people have great levels of success with it. Your skin will feel sensitive after a laser session, so treat your skin to some Decleor Rose D’Orient Soothing Oil Serum.

Threading

Threading is an ancient form of hair removal from Asia which involves using pieces of twisted thread to pull the hairs out. Many Asian women use threading to remove facial hair and arm hairs and the method is actually incredibly accurate, allowing you to get a really nice shape when threading eyebrows. There are many tutorials online to allow you to learn how to thread yourself, but we’d recommend going to a professional at least for a while!

Epilating

Epilating is the Marmite of hair removal – most people either love it or really hate it! It’s usually done with a handheld machine which pulls the roots out and it actually lasts quite a long time – if you can deal with the pain! Ingrown hairs are a real issue with epilation, so regularly scrubbing the areas you epilate with Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush will help minimise this.

Put a spring in your step

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all clear, arms, body, breath, cool down, GP, ground, health, injury, London Marathon, mind, muscles, posture, recover, Rio 2016, running, running style, shoes, smooth stride, soul, Strava, trainers, warm up

 

With the London marathon just around the corner and Rio 2016 starting to create a buzz, it is hoped many people will become inspired themselves and go out and do something less boring instead.

For many, running is a way of life.

It’s free, gets you out in the fresh air, allows you to get some much-needed vitamin D and overall leads to a healthier life. Did you know that running can help reduce the risk of illnesses such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, keep your weight under control and lower your stress levels?

Well, it can.

You might think that getting started is as easy as lacing up your trainers and opening the front door. Well, to a degree it is but we have some hints and tips that will take you from couch potato to super-star runner the safe way.

First things first.

If you haven’t been active for a while or are recovering from an injury, you might want to see your GP and check all is well before you hit the streets.

Once you have the all clear, you’re ready to go.

One of the great things about running is that you don’t need a lot of gear to get started. The one vital thing is a good pair of running shoes. These need to be right for your feet and posture and it is best to spend as much as you can afford rather than skimping and risking injury.

Today, more than ever, there’s a real choice of trainers but if you can go to a specialist store who will be able to assess your feet, and running style, and advise you on the right shoes for you.

Go for layering when it comes to clothing because whilst it might be cold when you leave the house, if you are doing things right, you will soon feel warm. If you are running in the dark, be sure to wear high vis items and it’s a good idea to take your phone to be safe.

It is a good idea to have a water bottle and if you want to measure progress, use an app like Strava so you can watch the miles add up.

If you want to avoid injury, and actually enjoy running, take it easy to start with and don’t rush things. You want to ease into your new sport and build up slowly, increasing your speed and distance each time you go out.

It is vital to start every run with a warm up session of at least five minutes and this is true for everyone however experiences they are. You can chose from marching on the spot, fast walking, knees lifts of climbing steps but whatever you do build gradually and allow your breathing to quicken and muscles to warm up.

Once you are warm, start to walk and if this feels OK then run in intervals. You can start with just 30 seconds, then walk 30 seconds, run 30 seconds – you get the idea. See if you can then get to the point where you are running intervals for a couple of minutes at a comfortable speed and walking when you need to.

You will naturally find that over time you will be able to run for longer and will get to the point when you can run for 20 to 30 minutes continuously.

This isn’t a competition so don’t worry how fast you are going but do think about how you are running. The ideal position is to run with your arms and shoulders relaxed and your elbows bent. You need an upright posture and you are aiming for a smooth stride with the middle of your foot hitting the ground first.

Just as you warm up, it is really important to cool down afterwards. This means your heartbeat will gently come back to normal and by stretching your muscles they will be able to recover without aching or cramping.

Beginners should initially aim to get out twice or three times a week and if you do this you’ll see improvements as your body adapts to the training.

Before you know it, you will have the running bug and by buddying up with a friend or signing up for an event, you will have the motivation to keep going and will reap the rewards in mind, body and soul.