How to keep festive stress away

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annoyed, bathroom, beach, booze, breathe, breathe in, chill out, Christmas, Christmas tree, computer games, cuppa, deep breathing, Drink enough water, exhale, family, fray, fresh air, friends, fun, garden, Go outside, grateful, Have a bath, Headspace, heart, hydrated, intense, joy and gratitude, Keep a journal, lower abdomen, merry and bright, music, nearest and dearest, post office, pressure, quiet, Relax, reusable bottle, tempers, tranquil, tropical island, tummy, TV, walk around the block, winter sunshine, write down three things

Family, friends and fun are all part of Christmas, but the festive season can bring anxiety, worry and stress too.

While it’s great to catch up with your nearest and dearest, we know that things can get intense, so we have had a look at how you can make time for you, so that things really are merry and bright.

Breathe
This sounds obvious, but when the pressure is on, make sure you practise deep breathing as it will really help you to stay calm. Sit somewhere quiet, relax and then put your left hand on your lower abdomen and your right hand on your heart. As you breathe in, let your tummy expand and your chest will start to naturally lift. As you slowly exhale, bring your tummy button to your spine. Repeat each set five times and you will start to relax.

Have a place for you
With music blaring out, the TV on and computer games raising the roof, it’s a good idea to have somewhere you can go and just chill out. Whether it’s in the garden, bathroom or your bedroom, take yourself off somewhere quiet, close your eyes and imagine somewhere you really love – like a tropical island or on the beach. Think about what you see, what you can hear and what you can smell, and then float away to somewhere more tranquil than under the Christmas tree.

Go outside
Just five minutes in the fresh air can clear your mind and give you some headspace and a little perspective. A walk around the block, a quick cuppa in the winter sunshine, or clearing up the leaves in the garden can be all it takes to give you some calm. If you can, get out for longer because staying inside all day won’t do you any favours and that’s when tempers can fray.

Drink enough water
Being hydrated is important if you want to feel well and this is especially true at Christmas when there are so many demands on you. Aim to drink at least two litres a day, and if you keep a reusable bottle on your desk and in your bag, it’s really not that hard to get all you need. Oh, and don’t over do things when it comes to drinking booze as that won’t help things!

Have a bath
A long soak in a hot bath can do wonders for all of us, so go on, treat yourself.

Keep a journal
At the end of each day, write down three things you’re grateful for, and why you’re grateful for them. It’s easy to get annoyed with the long queue in the post office and frustrated by the lack of car parking spaces at the shops, but appreciating what has been good and where you have found joy and gratitude, can be really powerful.

Team Pure Beauty

How to make your home, your sanctuary

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allergies, Barbie, bask, bathroom, bright colours, bubbles, calm, clean, colours, cool, curtains, cuter, diffusers, DIY, dust, elements, essential oils, fems, fix, flowers, front door, green, greenery outside, grey, happy, haven, herbs, home, hyacinth, items, kitchen, lavender, life, mats, mind, minimalist look, mirrors, natural fragrances, nature, need, paint, pale, person, photos, plant, potted plants, power, recycle, Relax, reminder, room, samples, Scandi, scented candles, serene, shades, space, splash, Sponge Bob, spring, stresses, stripes, stuff, summer, sweet scents, system, toys, vases, vibrancy, wall, wallpaper, want, warm earth-based pigments, wash, window box

When you close your front door, you want to make sure your home is a sanctuary that helps you to relax and get away from the stresses of the day.

We have had a look at some changes you can make, to bring a little calm to your life.

Clear away the clutter
Clutter not only attracts dust, which can irritate allergies, but it plays on your mind as it is a constant reminder of what you need to do, fix or finish. Piles of ‘stuff’ won’t help create calm, so have a declutter. Whether you go room by room, or person by person, find a system that works for you and either find a home for items, give them away or recycle them, but don’t hold onto what you don’t need, or want, anymore.

What colours work for you?
Don’t underestimate the power of colour in your home as this can help create a haven. Maybe you love cool, calm Scandi grey tones, warm earth-based pigments are the preference for some people while others love to bask in bright colours that make them feel happy. Get some samples from your local DIY shop and add stripes of colour to one wall, and you will see how different shades could work in your home and give it a whole new feel.

Bring the outside, inside
There is nothing quite like a little greenery in your home to make it feel serene. Bringing the elements into your home puts you in touch with nature and adds a little more colour and vibrancy. Whether you have potted plants and ferns, herbs growing in the kitchen, or flowers in vases, having them in your home can help change the feeling of that space. If you are short on outside areas, why not plant up a window box with lavender and hyacinth which will offer sweet scents during spring and summer as well as a splash of colour.

Think about the walls
Do you go for paint or wallpaper? Are you big on mirrors? Paintings and photographs – do you have lots of them hidden away? Work out whether you want a minimalist look, or is it a busier background you are going for? Think about what makes you happy and create a canvas you love.

What’s that smell?
Scents can really help shift our mood – just think about how you feel when you walk into a spa. Adding natural fragrances with flowers, herbs, and essential oils are a great way to bring a sense of serenity to your home and make it feel like a sanctuary. Try using naturally scented candles, but keep an eye on them, and diffusers are a fantastic way to ensure your home smells lovely and welcoming.

Think about your bathroom
Far from being a place to simply wash and go, your bathroom really can be a place where you can relax and leave the world behind. Go for pale walls and tiles and accessorise with pretty pots and curtains, as well as matching towels. Have a box for children’s toys and mats, so that when you want to relax in the bath, Barbie and SpongeBob don’t spoil the moment. Candles add a soft, glow and playing music can really set the tone and don’t forget to add bubbles.

Play around with some ideas and we think you will find something that is perfect just for you.

Team Pure Beauty

Getting your first home in shape

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abode, achievement, bathroom, blank canvas, boring, box, brand-new property, budget, bugs, charity shop, colour, Congratulations, conservatory, costly, decorations, dirt, disinfecting, donated, dust and cobwebs, Dusting, embrace, essential furniture, family and friends, garage, glamorous edge, gold, gold frame, High Street, home, home owner., hoovering, house, instant life, keys, light, list, marathon, mirror, mortgage, moved, mustard, new, new kitchen, paint, pale grey, pink, polishing, pop of colour, pots and pans, property, property shows, replace, rooms, save, simple steps, small fortune, social media, soft white, sold, sprint, striking statement wall, strong blue, TV, unpacked, walls

Congratulations, you are a home owner.

There is something special about taking possession of the keys to your first home and it is certainly a huge achievement.

Turning a house into a home however, can be a costly exercise, but fret not, we are here with some simple steps that will allow you to make your abode your own without doubling the mortgage.

Clean out the dirt
Even if you have bought a brand-new property, we would suggest you go in and give your new place a thorough clean before you do anything else. Dusting, hoovering, polishing and disinfecting will rid your home of any dirt and bugs and give you a totally blank canvas for the next step of your life.

Don’t blow the budget on day one
Heading straight to the High Street the moment the last box is unpacked, isn’t the best plan. It might be boring but making a list of exactly what you already have, costs nothing and could save you a small fortune. Ask yourself whether you need everything you have already got, what can be moved into other rooms and anything you don’t need can be sold, given away or donated to the charity shop.

Paint the walls
A quick lick of paint is a super easy, pretty inexpensive way to give your home an instant lift and to give it your own stamp. We would suggest going for a soft white or pale grey that can run through the entire property. If you want to make a splash in one or two rooms, go for a striking statement wall in a strong blue, mustard or pink which will offer not only a pop of colour but a glamorous edge too.

Add light with mirrors
If you want to add bursts of light to your rooms and shimmer to your walls, mirrors are the perfect solution. Strategically placing mirrors on walls will add depth and light and also give an air of sophistication if you choose ones with a gold or wooden frame.

Call in favours
If this is the first home of your own, call in the favours when it comes to essential furniture, decorations and even pots and pans. Make a list of what you need and while it might not be perfect, you will be amazed at what family and friends have in their garages and shed gathering dust and cobwebs. Start asking around, put posts on social media and go to garage sales and boot fairs and you’ll have all you need in no time and can replace with new when the time is right.

Take it one room at a time
When you are ready to do some work, take it one room at a time. As you will have seen from the TV property shows, renovation projects can be costly, stressful and often take far longer than expected. Whether you need a new kitchen, the bathroom need replacing as the current one is a ‘70s shade of avocado or the conservatory needs taking down, start at the beginning and don’t take on more than you can achieve – this is a marathon not a sprint.

Relax
Last but by no means least, please relax. You only buy your first home once, so make sure you enjoy it and realise what a massive milestone this is. One of the best parts of buying a new house is the freedom to do what you like with it, when you want, so embrace it and have fun.

Team Pure Beauty

Minty Fresh Products from Pure Beauty

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Arnica and Cucumber extracts, bathroom, beach, Calming Balm Mint and Lavender, chamomile, chewing gum, clove, condition, dead skin cells, deep cleansing balm, Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, Devils Apron Seaweed, dirt, easy task, elderberry, Elemis Devils Mint Body Scrub, Elemis Lip Revive, Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, Elemis Sharp Shower Body Wash, eucalyptus, fresh, gel, gently cleanses, geranium, gym bag, happy, heat, Ho Wood, intensely cleansed, invigorating body wash, lavender, like, love, mint, Mint Balm, multi-talented herb, must-haves, natural moisture balance, nourished, orange, peppermint, Peppermint Essential Oil, pocket rocket, polishes, pool, powerful, Quillaja Saponaria, revived, rinse, Rose and Mimosa waxes, Seaplant Particles, senses, smile, soap free, soya, spearmint, Spearmint and Peppermint essential oils, spring to mind, starflower, suitcase, tastes, tea, tepid water, toothpaste, toxins, wet skin, wheat, Wild Mint

Chewing gum, tea and toothpaste are probably what spring to mind when it comes to mint, but thanks to the cooling properties of this multi-talented herb, it is also the key ingredient in many beauty products.

We have had a look at just a few of the ones we love here at Pure Beauty and think you might like them too.

The Elemis Devils Mint Body Scrub gently cleanses the body, whilst removing dead cells, leaving skin feeling smooth and this is why it is on our list of bathroom must-haves. Packed with Seaplant Particles, Devils Apron Seaweed and Peppermint Essential Oil when applied to damp skin using circular motions, the results are impressive. Especially effective on problem areas like your feet, knees and elbows, continued use will leave your skin looking better than ever so you will want to show it off by the pool or on the beach.

Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel is a soap-free, foaming gel designed to remove the impurities on our skin without disturbing the natural moisture balance, and that is no easy task. Calming Balm Mint and Lavender Extracts soothe the skin, while Quillaja Saponaria foams away dirt and toxins. Simply apply a small amount of lathered gel to wet skin and concentrate on areas of congestion and oiliness. Then rinse with tepid water and repeat to ensure toxins and debris have been washed away and skin is revived and happy once again.

Together with Geranium, Lavender, Chamomile, Eucalyptus, Ho Wood, Orange and Clove, Mint is one of the ingredients in the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. This powerful, deep cleansing balm also contains Rose and Mimosa waxes which are infused with nourishing Elderberry, Starflower and Optimega oils and supercharged with anti-ageing algae – wow! After using to remove the dirt of the day, skin is intensely cleansed, nourished and renewed leaving you with a glowing complexion and a smile.

Formulated without artificial fragrances and colours, the Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner helps to condition your skin and prepare it for when you apply your moisturiser. Arnica and Cucumber extracts help keep skin smooth and refreshed, while Lavender purifies it and Balm Mint cools and softens it. Add a bottle to your gym bag or suitcase when you go on holiday and it really will help to keep your skin calm when the heat is on.

If waking up is a hard job for you, why not jump into the shower with the Elemis Sharp Shower Body Wash? This fresh, invigorating body wash is packed with both Spearmint and Peppermint essential oils as well as Nettle, Wild Marjoram, Marshmallow, Chamomile and Thyme which are all wrapped up in a Soya, Wheat and Milk Protein base. As well as you skin being cleaned your senses are woken and your brain is alert for the day ahead.

If you want to care for your lips, you need to add the Elemis Lip Revive to your basket. Sunflower Oil helps to moisturise, nourish and regenerate the skin, while Beeswax repairs it. Wild Mint has been added for cooling and soothing, while Peppermint refreshes. This really is a mint fuelled pocket rocket of skin goodness that tastes great too!

If you are interested in more information about these fresh products, or would like to try some samples, get in touch and we would love to help.

Team Pure Beauty

Get a clean home, faster

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animals, bathroom, baths, beds, bins, bleach, book shelves, bugs, build-up, busy, carpets, cleaning, cream, cup of tea, cushions, dirt, disinfecting, door handles, draining board, dust, dustcart, efficient, environmentally sound protects, finger prints, Friday, glass, hands, handy, home, house, illnesses, ironing, kitchen, love, mess, microfibre cloth, mirrors, mobile devices, mop, nasty germs, once a day, Pat on the Back, polish, quick, roast, room, scrub, sinks, smudges, sparkles, Sunday, sunshine, system, throws, tip, toilet, washing, zone cleaning

Let’s face it, there are better things to do with our time than clean our homes, but it is a necessary evil unless you want to live in a mess, or have the cash to pay someone to do it for you.

One of the biggest mistake people make when they are cleaning is to do it room by room (aka ‘zone cleaning’) which is slow and you can do it much faster, and better, if you take a different approach.

Focussing on just one area, may mean doing a great job on your counters which will sparkle and shine, but the cooker will still be dirty and as for the bathroom, well you won’t get time to go there if you are too busy folding the ironing for the next morning.

The reality is, if you put a system in place that is quick and efficient, you will have more time to do the things you really love.

Pick a Day
It can be any day, but pick a day when you can really get on top of your cleaning and this will automatically take some of the pressure off. We know this sounds daft, but doing this will make the rest of your week so much easier and you can get your partner, flatmate or kids doing jobs too! Maybe go for Sunday morning and then you can reward yourself with a roast dinner (wiping up gravy of course), or a Friday afternoon before you go out and then you can really let your hair down knowing it is done.

Start by Dusting
Dust each room, including the tops of all your furniture, the undersides of shelves and the books, as well as picture frames, TV screens and the bits and pieces we all collect that don’t really have a home. The best way to do this is to dust dry, when things are wet is so much harder. If you want to get rid of smudges and finger prints then use a clean microfibre cloth and good quality polish.

Clean Fabrics
Putting on the washing as you clean will make the most of your time and it will feel like everything is clean in your home, for a little while at least. Strip and remake the bed beds, tidy cushions and put throws back onto sofas neatly, vacuum your curtains and clean animal beds out too.

Clean Mirrors and Glass
Wipe down all the mirrors and windows in your home as they pick up a lot of dust and when the sun shines, it will show up and look like you haven’t cleaned for ages. One handy tip is to use one wet and one dry microfiber cloth as this will clean away dust and dirt but won’t leave behind lines and streaks.

Clean your Surfaces
Wipe down all the surfaces and counters in your home in one go. Move from room to room, disinfecting if necessary, and make sure you clean door handles, light switches, TV remotes, mobile devices and phones as these are full of nasty germs. If you have any illness or bugs in the home, make sure you do this at least once a day to stop anything spreading! Also leave cleaning items in bathrooms so you can wash during the week and prevent a massive build up of dirt to tackle on cleaning day. If you can, use environmentally sound protects, wear gloves to protect your hands, and always apply cream when you are done.

Get to Grips with the Bathroom and Kitchen
Walk through your bathroom and kitchen, spraying cleaner on your baths, sinks and toilets as you go – not on the carpets or floors of course. Then return and clean the bathroom and wash shower curtains and towels once the bedding is done. When it comes to the kitchen, wipe down the inside of the microwave, as well as cabinet and appliance doors before getting to work on the sink and table tops. Empty and bleach the bins so they are really clean and make sure everything sparkles, including the draining board.

Next to the Floors
Sweep, then mop or scrub the bathroom and kitchen floors, making sure you really get to those hard to clean areas as this is where nasties can hide and bacteria can hide.

Get the Vacuum Out
Last of all, vacuum the carpers in your bedrooms, down the stairs, through the living room and into the hallway, moving furniture so you get rid of the dust that can make you cough.

Now, put the kettle on and admire your hard work as you enjoy a cup of tea.

Team Pure-Beauty