Pumpkins Aren’t Just for Halloween!

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acerola cherry, antioxidants, Australian caviar lime, avocado, Broccoli, cleansing, complexion, cranberry, dermalogica, Dermalogica PowerBright Overnight Cream, Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel, dry skin, Elemis, Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter, Elemis Superfood Facial Wash, epidermal cell, extracts, fatty acids, fermented, kale, Lactic Acid, luminosity, mattifying, microbiome, moisturiser, Nettle, nourishing, oat kernel flour, oily skin, plant enzyme, prebiotic, pumpkin, pumpkin enzyme, pumpkin seed extract, pumpkin seed oil, radiant, Refinery, Refinery Mattifying Moisturiser, shine, texture, Wheatgrass

Photo by Kristina Paukshtite

When it comes to pumpkins, we choose them, carve them, roast them, bake them, even take our kids to be photographed in fields of them, but we don’t often think about slathering them onto our faces. That is, until recently, when a flurry of cosmetic companies began incorporating the potent plant, which is abundant in enzymes, amino acids, antioxidants, and vitamins A and E, into their line of skin care products. Now, instead of thinking of pumpkins as something we use once a year to carve a scary face into and place a candle inside for spooky shadows, we’re looking at five of our favourite products which harness the power of this humble member of the squash family:

Dermalogica PowerBright Overnight Cream

As the name suggests, this cream from Dermalogica is intended for nighttime use and is formulated to optimise skin moisture recovery and help restore luminosity. As well as containing pumpkin enzyme, which smoothes and evens skin texture, it packs in antioxidant-rich cranberry and raspberry seed oils to help protect against the damaging effects of free radicals from pollution, and deliver essential fatty acids that moisturise to help reduce the appearance of fine lines. 

Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter

If you suffer from a dull complexion, finding a cleanser which doesn’t further strip moisture and radiance is important. This cleansing butter from Elemis is a nourishing facial cleanser that removes makeup, daily pollutants and daily grime to reveal a healthy-looking radiance. It’s packed with brightening AHAs from pumpkin and acerola cherry, to help to reveal a fresh-faced glow and can be used as a daily cleanser, a deep cleansing mask or a hydrating makeup remover around the eyes and face for smooth and glowing skin. 

Refinery Mattifying Moisturiser

While many people with oily skin steer clear of moisturiser, mistakenly assuming that they don’t need it, the reality is that oily skin often has underlying dryness that needs to be rebalanced to reduce sebum production. This moisturiser from Refinery contains pumpkin seed extract, which reduces shine with special optical effects, while oat kernel flour soothes and protects skin, and powerful sodium hyaluronate gives a boost of moisture. It’s a light, easily-absorbed formula which instantly reduces shine, making it perfect for oily complexions. 

Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel

This potent exfoliator from Dermalogica contains a unique complex of potent phytoactive AHA extracts, lactic acid and fermented plant enzymes to increase epidermal cell turnover to reveal new, firmer skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s packed with pumpkin fruit enzyme and rice bran extract to resurface and help even out skin tone, while smoothing Australian caviar lime extracts brightens skin for a more radiant complexion. There are ten applications per tube and should be used once a week for best results. 

Elemis Superfood Facial Wash

The Elemis Superfood range contains a bunch of naturally derived active ingredients, and this facial wash is no exception. As well as pumpkin seed oils, the wash is packed with extracts from avocado, broccoli, wheatgrass, kale, and nettle. These are paired with a natural prebiotic to help balance the skin’s precious microbiome. The result is a nourishing facial wash that revives and refreshes whilst deeply cleansing the skin.

How to eat for a less stressed life

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a handful of nuts, a poor immune system, adrenal glands deal, almond butter, anxiety, bad stuff, balanced, banana, better balance, blood sugar levels, boost, brain, Broccoli, caffeine hit, Celery sticks with hummus, coffee, complex carbohydrates, cuts, desk, digestive problems, dinner, eggs, energy drinks, feel, fruit teas, goodness, green tea, healthy fats, heart, heart disease, hormones, kick start, lemon, lime, lunch, magnesium, magnesium deficiency, meal, meat, mind and body, nasties, nourishing foods, nutritious diet, nuts, off the scale, overwhelmed, porridge, protein, pumpkin seeds, racing, running low, salmon, satisfying, seeds, serious physical health issues, snacks, soothe, stimulants, stress levels, struggle, sugar free, sugary and starchy foods, sweet potato, tea, warmth, water, you are what you eat

They say you are what you eat, and this is so true when it comes to our stress levels.

Not only is stress linked to serious physical health issues like heart disease, a poor immune system and digestive problems, but it plays a significant factor when it comes to our mental wellbeing.

You might not know this, but eating a balanced, nutritious diet isn’t only good for your body but it’s key for your brain, too.

Food can also affect our hormones, so eating well will help you to keep your cool and you’ll find that the more of the right stuff you eat, the less of the bad stuff you will feel.

We have had a look at some ideas that could help you get a better balance in your life and help the world to look like a better place.

Keep your blood sugar levels steady
This step is so important and can be done if you start to swap sugary and starchy foods for complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats as these are more satisfying and keep things balanced. Sweet potato and broccoli (complex carbs) with salmon (healthy fats and protein) make a great meal for lunch or dinner and will not only fill you up but also keep things steady so your stress levels don’t though the roof. Celery sticks with hummus, a handful of nuts, and a banana with some almond butter are all great snacks that will keep stress away, and if you start your day with porridge, you are onto a winner.

Get your B vitamins
You might not know this, but B vitamins are brilliant because they help your adrenal glands deal with stress. Luckily for us, they are everywhere and in everything from wholegrains, eggs and meat to nuts and seeds. If you can try to eat more of these wholesome, nourishing foods, your stress levels will thank you.

Make time for magnesium
Magnesium is great for helping your body to deal with stress, it is thought that a magnesium deficiency can be linked to anxiety. If you want to boost your magnesium intake, it’s pretty easy – just pile your plate with broccoli, eggs, spinach and pumpkin seeds and if you are worried you aren’t getting enough, take a supplement and let the goodness calm you down.

Cut back on stimulants
We do take them on board so easily, that we forget just how much stimulants can make our stress levels worse. If you love tea and coffee because it powers you up, that’s ok, but try to have just one or two cups a day, rather than ten.

Those energy drinks, even the sugar free ones, are full of nasties that can make you feel as if your heart is racing and your stress levels are off the scale, so cut them out.
If you find yourself needing a caffeine hit, get it the natural way and go for green tea instead – it contains a compound called l-theanine which helps you feel calmer, and the warmth will soothe you but your stress levels won’t go through the roof.

Keep hydrated
One of the best things you can do for your mind and body, is to drink plenty of water. We know we say this a lot, but that’s because it’s true. Starting the day with a cup of warm water and lemon can really help to kick start your system and clear away the toxins from the night before. Carry a bottle of water with you on the go (a reusable one of course) and fill it up when you are running low, adding lemon, lime and ice for taste. As well as a glass on your desk or at your workstation, also try out herbal and fruit teas as an alternative to the skinny, double shot, extra hot flat white that will set your nerves on edge and add to your stress levels.

Managing your diet is key to helping with stress, but if you’re feeling overwhelmed and things are getting out of hand, it’s really important to speak to someone or seek professional support, you don’t have to struggle alone.

Team Pure Beauty

These Foods Can Help Beat Acne

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acne, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, avocado, breakout, Broccoli, carbohydrates, Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster, Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF30, detoxifying, dry skin, Elemis Superfood Facial Wash, fats, fermented, free radicals, Greens, immune system, inflammation, kale, kimchi, minerals, Nettle, oil, oily fish, omega-3, prebiotic, probiotic, sebum, spinach, spots, spring greens, vitamins

Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash

Here at Pure Beauty, we believe in our products, but we’re also aware that some elements of healing need to come from within. We offer several acne-beating skincare systems, but making sure your diet is right for your skin can give your complexion an extra boost. With that in mind, we’ve got five food suggestions that you should think about adding to your diet if you’re an acne sufferer:

Kimchi

Kimchi is a Korean dish which is made from salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. It’s an amazing source of probiotics, which help to control the bad bacteria in your skin which contribute to acne. Start your skincare routine with Dermalogica Foaming Wash, which will rid your skin of any external bacteria and combined with the probiotics in the kimchi, your skin will get an acne-beating boost.

Avocado

Avocado might seem like a bit of a ‘trendy’ ingredient right now, but it’s actually jam-packed with nutrients and good fats which are amazing for your skin. Acne can often be exacerbated by an underlying dry skin issue, which causes the skin to overproduce sebum. The good fats in avocado, though, help to hydrate your skin from within, eliminating dryness and calming the causes of acne.

Oily Fish

Everyone should try to get at least two portions of fish a week, including one of oily fish, for good overall health, but there’s also evidence to suggest that adding oily fish to your diet can help to eliminate acne. This is because it can lower inflammation in your body, and that may help keep acne away. Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF30 can also help to reduce acne-causing inflammation.

Leafy Greens

Leafy Greens are great acne-fighters for a number of reasons. Firstly, there’s evidence to suggest that more fibre in your diet can help to banish acne. Secondly, dark greens such as spinach, kale, spring greens and broccoli contain iron and a plethora of vitamins which bolster your immune system and help your body to fight unwanted bacteria. Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster will also help to kill off the same bacteria.

Nettles

You might think of nettles as the annoying things that sting your legs on a summer walk, but nettles have anti-inflammatory properties which make them an effective ally against acne. They’re also extremely detoxifying, thanks to high levels of antioxidants which protect the body from the over-production of free radicals – chemicals which can cause damage to proteins, fats, carbohydrates and DNA in the body. Elemis Superfood Facial Wash also contains nettle, which acts as a gentle astringent and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Why hydrated skin equals happy skin

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acne, ageing and environmental elements, an antioxidant shield, antioxidant rich day cream, balanced and supple, bodies, brains, Broccoli, Camellia, chia seeds, cool blend, daily intake, Decleor Essential Tonifying Lotion, deeper, dehydrated, delicate, Dermalogica Hydrating Lotion r, Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil, drink water, dryness, Elemis Hydra-Balance Day Cream, Elemis Superfood Facial Oil, Eyes, flax seed, game changer, good shape, green tea, grey and tired, happy, healthy, highly concentrated plant-based superfoods, hydrate, hydrated, impurities, issue, Jan Marini Transformation Eye Cream, lines, lower eyelids, macadamia, moisture, natural barrier, natural ingredients, natural moisturising factor, natural pH levels, neroli oil, NMF, normal skin, oleic, orchid flower, pores, radish, refreshed, restore, revitalised, Rice Bran, rosemary extracts, saggy, secret, simple, smooth, soften, solve, soothes discomfort, spots, sunflower, superfoods, tamanu, tender, thin, tight, twice a day, ultra-light, visible dehydration lines, Why hydrated skin equals happy skin, working, young skin

The secret to happy skin is a simple one; hydration.

Just like we need to drink water to keep our bodies and brains working properly, our skin needs a daily intake of moisture to keep it healthy and in good shape. As well as skin looking grey and tired, a lack of hydration can make it feel tight, lines look deeper and cell turnover can slow down.

At Pure Beauty we sell a range of fantastic products that keep your skin hydrated and happy, so let’s see what might work for you.

We know that ageing and environmental elements can lead to dryness and dehydration, but the Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil uses nature to help solve this issue. First of all, camellia and tamanu oils help restore the skin’s natural barrier, then orchid flower and chia seeds sweep in and smooth visible dehydration lines and lock in moisture. If this wasn’t enough, sunflower, rice bran and rosemary extracts create an antioxidant shield against the free radicals that can do so much damage. This all means you are left with happy, hydrated skin!

You might think that a toner will dehydrate your skin, but this isn’t true. Using the Decleor Essential Tonifying Lotion twice a day balances the skin’s natural pH and leaves it refreshed, revitalised and hydrated. Green tea gently removes impurities and tightens pores, while Neroli oil protects, repairs and fights dehydration.

Even normal skin can become dehydrated and that’s when the Elemis Hydra-Balance Day Cream comes into play. This ultra-light, antioxidant rich day cream gives normal and combination skin ongoing hydration, so it is balanced and supple. It works with the skin’s natural moisturising factor (NMF) to help maintain a balanced moisture level and used morning and night can help you get the skin you love and deserve.

Even young skin can become dehydrated, and even more so if acne and spots are on the scene. We love how the lightweight Dermalogica Hydrating Lotion really helps dehydrated, breakout-irritated skin that is tender and sad. The sheer, easy-to-apply formula soothes discomfort and hydrates thanks to a cool blend of natural ingredients that work with nature, not against it.

The skin around the eyes is super delicate and thin, so it can soon look sad and saggy when dehydration hits. If this sounds familiar to you, we joke not when we say that the Jan Marini Transformation Eye Cream is a game changer. The clever complex visibly improves skin texture and restores hydration around eyes, while helping prevent future damage. When used sparingly morning and evening on the lower eyelids and across the brow bones, this cream can make big changes.

We can’t go without mentioning the fabulous Elemis Superfood Facial Oil. A blend of highly concentrated plant-based superfoods are packed into this beautiful bottle, and means your skin is deeply nourished and hydrated after the very first application. Broccoli, flax seed and radish soften and smooth the skin while macadamia, oleic and poppy seed oils nourish and moisturise. The results are a healthy, radiant glow like no other.

If you would like more help on happy, hydrated skin, get in touch and we would love to see what could work for you.

Team Pure Beauty

Feed your skin with superfoods from Elemis

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amazing, anti-oxidant and omega-rich Broccoli, antioxidants, avender, avocado, balance, Barley, beauty regime, blended, blog, bright, Broccoli, coconut water, complexion will look luminous, concentrated plant-based superfoods, cream, cucumber oil, daikon radish, easily absorbed cream, Elemis, Elemis Superfood Day Cream, Elemis Superfood Facial Oil, Elemis Superfood Facial Wash, Elemis Superfood Night Cream, essential fatty acids, face, facial wash, fall asleep, feel, flax seed, fresh, fuller, ginger, glow, goji berries, goodness, greasy, healthy, healthy diets, healthy salad, hydrates, IG feed, influence, kale, lant-based, look, magazine, massaging, match tea, natural barrier, natural sugar derived prebiotic, neck, Nettle, nourishes, nutrient-dense ingredients, nutrients, outdoor glow, pre-biotic, Pumpkin Seed Oils, quinoa, radiant, Relax, replenish, retain moisture, revives and refreshes, salads, scroll, shakes, shiny, sleep, smoothies, snooze, soft, soothe, spinach, sterols, summer, Superfood Skincare System, supple, Sweet Almond Milk, Vetivert Essential Oils, vitamins, vocado, Wheatgrass, winter, Ylang-Ylang, youthful glow

Turn the page of any magazine, read any lifestyle blog or scroll through pretty much any IG feed, and you are bound to come across someone, somewhere talking about the latest superfood that will make you look, and feel, amazing.

We are advised to add Avocado, Goji Berries, Nuts, Coconut Water and Spinach to smoothies, shakes and salads to give us the nutrients we need to glow and feel fuller, for longer.

We are all for healthy diets, but it is good to remember that what you put on your skin can also influence how good it looks and this is why we love the Superfood Skincare System from Elemis.

Made from a blend of plant-based, nutrient-dense ingredients, as well as a natural sugar derived prebiotic, these products can help to replenish your skin and feed it with the vital hydrating nourishment that creates a healthy, outdoor glow.

There are facial washes and then there is the Elemis Superfood Facial Wash. This gorgeous nourishing facial wash revives and refreshes the skin while deeply cleansing it, so it is left feeling fresh and soft. Just like a healthy salad, this product is made from Avocado, Broccoli and Pumpkin Seed Oils which all help to balance the skin’s precious microbiome. Wheatgrass, Kale, and Nettle have also been added to the mix and mean that your complexion will look luminous, bright and radiant.

The Elemis Superfood Day Cream combines Ginger and Matcha Tea which work together to leave your complexion looking healthy from the very first application. Goji Berries, which are super rich in vitamins, essential fatty acids and antioxidants, help protect the skin’s natural barrier from the elements, which is what you need in both summer and winter. The easily absorbed cream should be used after cleansing and your skin will feel soft and supple all day long.

You might not think an oil would work as part of your beauty regime, but believe us when we say you need the Elemis Superfood Facial Oil in your life. This blend of concentrated plant-based superfoods nourishes and hydrates the skin, but doesn’t leave it greasy or shiny. The goodness comes from anti-oxidant and omega-rich Broccoli, Flax Seed and Daikon Radish as well as Cucumber Oil, which all help to retain moisture and soothe the skin. Massaging just a couple drops of drops into your face and neck each morning, will soften and smooth the skin and leave it looking healthy and bright.

Superfoods don’t stop working when you sleep, so we would suggest using the Elemis Superfood Night Cream if you want to wake up with skin that has a fresh, youthful glow. A pre-biotic has been blended with Barley, Quinoa and Sweet Almond Milk so that your skin is nourished as you snooze. The cream is rich in the omegas and anti-oxidants that feed the skin and thanks to a blend of Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Vetivert Essential Oils being added to the mix, this cream also helps you to relax and fall asleep.

For more information, get in touch and we would love to find a superfood solution that is perfect for you.

Team Pure Beauty