Natural ways to deal with a cold

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antioxidants, antiviral properties, Apple cider vinegar, bathtub, body, chest, children, cold, cold causing bacteria, cold symptoms, coughing, drink, ease the pain, Epsom bath salts, essential oils, fluids, forehead, gel, gentle, germs, ginger, headache, help, honey, hot water, immune system, incubate, infants, low immune system, milk, natural decongestant, natural healing, natural mineral, natural products, neck, nose, nursery rhyme, over-the-counter medicines, PH levels, raw and organic honey, re-balance, recovery, remedies, rest, sick, sleep, sneezing, sniff, soaking, spoonful, sugar, super green smoothies, symptoms, throat, under the weather, vapour, warm water, warming vegetable soups, wash your hands, weak

When your nose is running, your throat is on fire and you can’t sleep for coughing, being told you just have a cold is little help.

People with a weak, low immune system as well as infants and children, are most prone to catching a cold and the most common kind is known as the ‘rhinovirus’.

When you contract a cold, for the first day or two you will feel fine, but the germs that escape your immune system, start to incubate and replicate in your body. Around day three, you will start to sniff and feel congested and this will be followed by a runny nose, headache, sneezing, as well as muscle aches which will all get worse, before they get better. After about a week, things will ease up and symptoms will disappear so you feel human again.

Most people find over the counter medicines, as well as lots of fluids and rest, help them to feel better, but natural products and remedies can help ease the pain, and we have had a look at a few ideas you might want to try if you do get sick.

A spoonful of honey
The nursery rhyme suggests that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but we think that should be honey. Whether you take it straight from the spoon, add it to hot water or milk, honey is well-known for having natural healing and antiviral properties and can be a gentle way to treat a cold and sooth a nasty sore throat. It is thought that the antioxidants help the immune system deal with a virus or cold causing bacteria, and it is believed to be even more true of raw and organic honey.

Epsom bath salts
This might seem old fashioned, but adding one mug of Epsom salts to a bathtub of warm water and soaking in it for around 20 minutes, can help you feel soothed when you have a cold. Keep the water as hot as you can, and it is thought that this natural mineral will go some way to easing those uncomfortable muscle aches and also help you to sleep which can in turn lead to a faster recovery.

Apple cider vinegar
Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a glass of warm water and then drink it down, adding some honey to taste. Drinking this mixture two or three times a day, can help to re-balance your body’s pH levels making it harder for the virus to survive.

Essential oils
Mixing a few drops of peppermint and eucalyptus essential oil together and applying a little to your chest, neck, and forehead, can help when you have a cold and are feeling under the weather. You can also put this blend into your bath, or add to a bowl of hot water and breathe the vapour in through your nose and benefit from this natural decongestant!

Go for ginger
Sipping ginger infused water, with a teaspoon of honey, might sound like a basic approach, but it’s a popular one that works. The reason ginger offers relief from cold symptoms, is that it warms up the body, the potent natural anti-inflammatory properties sooth and it’s spiciness helps to clear congestion. Simply crush up a thumbnail of ginger and let it seep in hot water for five minutes before straining and then adding to honey in a new cup. You can also add ginger to warming vegetable soups and super green smoothies and let all that natural goodness help your body bounce back from the germs that are attacking it.

So, wrap up, eat well, drink plenty of water, wash your hands often, carry an antibacterial gel in your bag, and if you do get sick, try some of these ideas to help you on your road to recovery.

Team Pure Beauty

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Clear your head with Pure Beauty

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body, bonfire night, boost, busy mind, calm, Camellia, cards to write, cared for, Christmas, cleared, crazy, daily shampoo, Decleor Satin Softening Dry Oil, Dermalogica Daily Cleansing Shampoo, Dermalogica Sleep Sound Cocoon Night Gel-Cream, Elemis De-Stress Massage Oil, Elemis Exotic Cream Moisturising Mask b, enrich, expensive, expertly blended, festive Frankincense, geranium, Halloween, head, lavender, marjoram, mask, melissa, melts, Mimosa and Honey Absolute, mind, moisture lacking, moisturise, nourishing, orange, painful tension, parties to attend, party season, Persian Silk Tree and Tamarind Seed Extracts, please, Presents to buy, Relax, revitalising gel-cream, rose, rosewood, school plays, shopping bags, shower, sinks, sleep, sleep better, softer, spirit, stressful, sulphate-free, therapeutic plant extracts, tired complexions, transforms skin, wash away, wows, Wu-Zhu-Yu

With Halloween and bonfire night over, we are now driving in the fast road to Christmas. Presents to buy, cards to write, parties to attend, school plays to watch and endless people to please, this might be a fun time of the year, but it can also be a pretty stressful, expensive one too.

We have had a look at some of the products on the Pure Beauty website that let you take time out and relax, so you can clear your head and focus on what is really important in life – you!

At Pure Beauty we love the Elemis De-Stress Massage Oil and for good reason. Pure essential oils of Rosewood, Marjoram, Geranium, Melissa, and Chamomile have been expertly blended to create an aromatherapy product that soothes a busy mind, melts the painful tension from carrying all those shopping bags and allows the body to relax. Simply warm a little oil in your hands and then massage into the skin using gentle, upward movements. Not only will this leave your skin feeling soft and cared for, but your head will be cleared and thanks to the Lavender, you may well sleep better too.

Taking the Dermalogica Daily Cleansing Shampoo into the shower in the morning is one way to wash away the blues and plan for the day ahead. This nourishing, sulphate-free, daily shampoo not only leaves you with super healthy, really shiny hair that wows during the party season, but thanks to the blend of essential oils that have been used, your senses will be invigorated too.

The Decleor Satin Softening Dry Oil has a subtle, delicate fragrance, that can help you switch off from the crazy Christmas world for a little while. Enriched with festive Frankincense, Camellia, Rose and Sweet Almond Oils, this easy to apply product simply sinks into your skin leaving your body and face feeling softer, and your mind feeling calm and clearer.

The Elemis Exotic Cream Moisturising Mask blends Mimosa and Honey Absolute, with extracts of Orange and Bergamot so not only does it moisturise and enrich your skin, it also gives you time to sit back and relax as the goodness gets to work. Excellent for moisture lacking, tired complexions, this mask will not only help you look good, but the therapeutic plant extracts used, will boost your spirit too.

Finally, we wanted to mention the Dermalogica Sleep Sound Cocoon. Relatively new to the site, this revitalising gel-cream, transforms skin and because of the blend of ingredients used, it can help you sleep better too. Smoothed over the face and neck before bed, the Wu-Zhu-Yu , Persian Silk Tree and Tamarind Seed Extracts add hydration, reduce signs of fatigue, and vitality will be restored too, so you will look great on that party dance floor.

For more details or to try samples, why not get in touch today and we would love to help.

Team Pure Beauty

Don’t Let the Cold Weather Stop You From Exercising

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autumn weather, biting, body, bottle of water, bright, chilly hands, Christmas party, clocks, comfort, cool down, cycling, dehydrated, duvet, ear phones, eat well, energise, exercising, extra warmth, gloves, goal, good quality leggings, H2O, half marathon, hand-warmer, hard work, hat, hoodie, icy breath, injury, London to Brighton bike ride, motivated, music, November, overheating, painful, reflective clothing, refuel, running, running-specific designs, scarf, sensible, shower, size ten dress, slippers, sofa, spirits, sports socks, spring, stretches and exercises, sun, sweating, t-shirt, temperatures, thin glove liners, tip-top condition, trainers, vest, walking, warm up, water, wear layers, winter workouts, working out

While we have been lucky with the autumn weather so far, now the clocks have gone back, we are pretty sure the temperatures are going to start to drop soon. Some people might be put off from exercising once November hits, but if you put your trainers away now, all your hard work over the summer months will be undone in no time at all.

Yes, you can take your exercise inside, but running, walking, cycling or rowing outdoors, can energise your soul, lift your spirits and keep you in tip-top condition. We hope our hints and tips will keep you motivated to brace the elements, even when your sofa and slippers are calling you to go back to them.

Have a Goal
If you haven’t got anything to aim for, then going out on a biting Friday morning may well not appeal, so set a goal. Maybe it’s getting into that size ten dress for your Christmas party, running a half marathon in the spring or doing the London to Brighton bike ride, decide what will keep you on track and you will immediately have something to get out from under the duvet for.

Drink Water
We naturally tend to drink less water in the winter, but you still need to keep H2O levels up, especially when you are exercising. You may not feel as if you are overheating or sweating like you do when you run in the sun, but your body still needs to refuel, and you can still become dehydrated even if you can see your icy breath as you run through the woods. Take a bottle of water with you when you are working out, and be sure you to drink more, and eat well, when you are out of the shower and warming up.

Layer Up
If you are working hard, you will get hot, so make sure you wear layers that can be easily taken off and put back on. A vest, t-shirt, and hoodie together with a pair of good quality leggings, sports socks and appropriate trainers are a given, and you can always add a hat and scarf at the start of your session for extra warmth and comfort, and take them off as you heat up.

Look After Your Hands
Painful, chilly hands can be a part of winter workouts, so don’t try to brave it out, instead do the sensible thing and wear gloves. There are some excellent cycling, rowing and running-specific designs on the market which are worth investing in. If it’s a really cold day, you might want to wear a pair of thin glove liners made of a wicking material, or you could pop a hand-warmer in your pocket for extra heat too.

Warm Up and Cool Down
When it is cold, you might want to get running as soon as you step out of the door, but this could do more damage than good. It might be windy and raining, but it is still important to do your pre and post workout stretches and exercises to ensure you don’t pull or muscle, or worse.

Stay Safe
If you’re exercising when the sun has gone down, use well-lit areas, wear bright, reflective clothing and either tell someone where you are going or, even better, go with a friend. We know that music can help keep you motivated, but when it’s dark, cold and icy, not being able to hear what’s going on around you can make you vulnerable, so leave the earphones at home.

We hope that these tips will help you exercise safely when temperatures drop, but if it gets too much out there, either workout inside, or have a day off because, while the weather might be better tomorrow, an injury could take you out for weeks.

Team Beauty

It’s time to look after your tummy

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apple cider vinega, beans, bike, bitter leaf salad, bloated, body, brown rice, brush, burgers, cabbage, carbon footprint, celery, cleanse, coffee, cramps constipation, cucumber, diet, digestive juices, ease cramps, emon juice, endorphins, enzymes, faces, farmers markets, fennel seeds, fibre, fish, fresh, fruit, fruit juice, gas, ginger, ginger biscuits, ginger tea, glass of mineral water, greasy chips, hot water, hydrating, important, kale, lean meat, lemon, mint, morning sickness, peeling, plate, refreshing, rocket, seasonal food, semi-skimmed milk, skimmed, sluggish, sour, spinach, stainless steel bottle, stimulate, sugary squashes, supermarkets, tea, teeth, thumb-sized piece of ginger, tummy, two litres of water, upset stomach, water, wax, winter, yoga

We cleanse our faces, brush our teeth and wax our legs, but when was the last time you looked after your tummy?

We might not be able to see them, but tummies are a massively important part of your body, take care of it and it’ll be your best friend, let things slip then you might find you feel sluggish, bloated and suffering with cramps and constipation.

None of us want to feel like this, so we have had a look at how to take care of your tummy, so you get on better than ever.

Take on water
If you do nothing else to help your tummy, it is important to drink plenty of water. As well as preventing constipation, water is needed because it helps to produce the clever digestive juices which break down your food and keep you gas-free. We know it isn’t always easy in the winter, but aim to drink at least two litres of water every day and remember that tea, coffee, fruit juice and water-based foods like cabbage, celery and tomato can top your water levels up, so add some of those to your daily diet too. If you find it hard to drink enough water, buy yourself a pretty stainless steel bottle, fill it with water before you leave home, and if you want a bit flavour, add lemon, mint or cucumber, rather than sugary squashes.

It’s on your plate
While a diet that is rich in fibre can help keep digestion on track and constipation, away, many of us don’t eat the recommended 30g of fibre a day. To keep things flowing, a diet that is packed with beans, brown rice, fruit and veg as well as oats and wholemeal bread, is a good idea. With supermarkets and farmers markets offering a huge range of fresh, seasonal food, it isn’t hard to hit the mark and this will help to keep your carbon footprint down too. Go easy on greasy chips, burgers and fried doughnuts, as these tend to be harder to digest, consider grilling lean meat and fish as well as drinking skimmed or semi-skimmed milk instead of full fat options.

Eat something sour
Enzymes help to breakdown and absorb food, and sour and bitter foods will naturally stimulate your digestive juices and get them really working. Rocket, kale or spinach served with a simple squeeze of lemon juice is one way to add this into your diet and is pretty tasty too. You can also drink a glass of mineral water with the juice of half a lemon, or half a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar half an hour before you eat a meal, and not only is this refreshing and hydrating, it will also give your digestion a boost.

Go ginger
We all know that ginger tea and ginger biscuits are good for pregnant women suffering with morning sickness, but this handy root could help you too. Make your own cup of goodness by peeling a thumb-sized piece of ginger, thinly slicing it, and then let it steep in hot water with a slice of lemon for around five minutes. This can help soothe an upset stomach, ease cramps and nausea and also work on bloating. If you really can’t bear ginger, fennel seeds are worth a try. Using the seeds to make tea, or chew them as they come, and both can help deal with cramping and bloating, and they also come in handy when your eyes are bigger than your belly at the dinner table.

Jump up
If you sit down all day, then the chances are, you and your digestive system will be slow and sluggish. By taking regular exercise, not only are you helping stay fit and healthy, but it can also stimulate your intestinal muscles, and this will helping move your food through your digestive system more smoothly and prevent any congestion! Whether you walk the dog, jump on your bike, go to a yoga class or do a little kick boxing, not only will your tunny thank you, but you will also benefit from a burst of feel good endorphins and a leaner body.

Team Pure Beauty

Let your eyes shine bright

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ageing, anti-ageing formula, Anti-Aging Peptides, apricot kernel oil, Arnica, Baikal Skullcap Root Extract, Bird of Paradise Flower, body, bright, brighter, C and E, chamomile, Cornflower Floral Water, dark circles, Decleor Hydra Floral Everfresh Hydrating Wide-Open Eye Gel, dehydrated, Dermalogica MAP-15 Regenerator, Dermalogica MultiVitamin Power Firm, Dermalogica UltraSmoothing Eye Serum, drift away, dull, Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Eye Balm, Epidermal Growth Factor, eyebrows, Eyes, fall asleep, fancy, fine lines, five star, fragile skin, gentle formula, golden chamomile, heal and repair, healthier complexion, healthy look, highly-active eye treatments, hyaluronic acid, irritation issues, Jan Marini, lightweight, love, moisturising eye balm, Natural Algae, nourishes, Oat kernel extract, optical blurring powders, perfect, protective barrier, puffiness, samples, seaweed extract, sharing, strengthen elasticity, stress, super-delicate eye contour area, TGF β-1, Thymosin β-4, tired, triggering, Vitamins A, wake up, years, youthful

We use our eyes from the moment we wake up, to the second we fall asleep, so it is no wonder that the skin around them can become tired, dull and dehydrated. The skin around the eyes is also some of the thinnest on your body, which means it is little wonder it is the first place stress and ageing are seen.

At Pure Beauty we sell some fantastic products that have been specifically designed to ensure eyes look, and feel, great.

Today we are sharing some of our favourites with you, and hope there will be something that takes your fancy.

We love the Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm which is perfect when it comes to easing those visible lines around the eyes. Seaweed Extract, Vitamins A, C and E, as well as healing Organic Silicones, accelerate repair, strengthen elasticity and improve smoothness around the eyes, for a more youthful, healthy look. For the very best results, pat a little Dermalogica MAP-15 Regenerator around the eye area first, then use the Power Firm product and watch the years drift away.

The Decleor Hydra Floral Everfresh Hydrating Wide-Open Eye Gel, is a lightweight, anti-ageing formula which can be used twice daily around the eyes and eyebrows. Packed with Cornflower Floral Water and antioxidant Baikal Skullcap Root Extract, dark circles are minimised, puffiness is eased, and fine lines are smoothed. This gentle formula creates a protective barrier and helps to create a brighter, healthier complexion.

For something special, we think the Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Eye Balm hits the spot. This illuminating, moisturising eye balm, brightens and refreshes tired eyes and really brings them to life. Chamomile and Arnica have been blended with Bird of Paradise Flower and together, with optical blurring powders, dark circles are minimised and health is radiated. Apricot Kernel Oil nourishes the super-delicate eye contour area, and when used on a regular basis you will really start to see a marked difference in your skin.

Jan Marini is a relatively new brand to the site, and we are already in love with their Transformation Eye Cream. If you really need some help to visibly improve the texture and restore the hydration around your eyes, this product is for you. TGF β-1, Epidermal Growth Factor, Thymosin β-4, Anti-Aging Peptides and Hyaluronic Acid have been mixed together to create a product which helps heal and repair sad skin which needs a little love.

Back to Dermalogica, and we have to mention the five-star Dermalogica UltraSmoothing Eye Serum. We adore this product because it gently treats signs of ageing around the eyes without triggering the sensitivity or irritation issues which can happen when using highly active eye treatments. Natural Algae and Golden Chamomile deal with puffiness, Oat Kernel Extract helps soothe fragile skin, and Hyaluronic Acid makes sure the eye area is hydrated so those fine lines are kept at bay.

For information, or samples, get in touch and we would love to help you find products that are right for your eyes.

Team Pure-Beauty