Luxury Bathing Without a Bath

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Photo by Sora Shimazaki

A trip to a spa can be a fantastic way to treat your mind and body to some rest and relaxation, as well as giving your skin a thorough pampering. However a spa may not be an option right now, for whatever reason, so recreating the experience at home may be the next best thing. You may find, if you only have a shower at home and not a bath, that you don’t feel as though you benefit from the fully relaxing experience of a proper spa, but we’ve put together a list of products which will take your shower to the next level and give you a sensory experience to mimic being professionally pampered.

Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Mind Bath and Shower Oil

This shower oil from Aromatherapy Associates is made from a calming blend of frankincense, petitgrain and wild chamomile which combine to calm the mind and relax the body. To get the full therapeutic experience you should massage the oil all over your body prior to stepping into a warm shower, and this will also enhance the aromatherapy benefits as the heat will spread the fragrance allowing you to deeply inhale the relaxing aroma.

Bloom and Blossom And Breathe Relaxing Shower Oil

This shower oil from Bloom and Blossom is another naturally derived oil which has been created to soothe the mind and body, as well as treating your skin. It contains a blend of frankincense, ylang ylang and lemongrass which combine to create a luxurious and soothing fragrance. Once activated by the heat of the shower, the fragrance will combine with the steam for a relaxing and therapeutic experience.

Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream

Using a truly luxurious body wash is a great way to elevate your everyday shower experience and this Exotic Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream from Elemis is exactly that. This skin-friendly formulation completely cleanses the body without stripping away any of the protective surface oils and contains a rich infusion of exotic oils which have a naturally exotic and indulgent fragrance.

Hayo’u Mineral Shower Wash

This shower wash from Hayo’u is packed with iconic Chinese ingredients such as lotus flower, frankincense and ylang ylang, all of which have been used for thousands of years to improve circulation and reduce stress. The ingredients combine to create an invigorating, mind-clearing fragrance which will make you feel sharper and more energised after every use. It’s perfect if you’re feeling sluggish and want a self-indulgent shower to help focus your mind and align your senses. 

This Works Deep Sleep Shower Gel

If you’re planning to have a spa-experience shower, doing it just before bed is a great idea, especially if you’ve been struggling to sleep. This Deep Sleep Shower Gel from This Works contains a blend of lavender, camomile and vetivert to calm and soothe, whilst softening and protecting the skin. The ingredients are all renowned for their soothing, sleep-inducing properties and will help you to feel as though you’ve been thoroughly pampered before you drift off into a deep, natural sleep. 

A quick guide to mindfulness for a happier life

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Mindfulness is being talked about in the media today more than ever, but what’s it all about?

Quite simply, mindfulness is an awareness of ourselves as well as the world around us and it can improve our mental wellbeing, calming the mind and allowing us to focus on the here and now.

If we are more aware of the present moment, it can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better. If this happens, we can experience and enjoy the people and things we have been taking for granted, and leave behind the stresses we don’t need.

What does it involve?
Just taking notice of your thoughts, feelings, sensations and the world around you is the first step towards mindfulness.
There are books, apps, and courses that give you a structured way to bring mindfulness into your life, but at the heart of it, what you are doing is stopping for a while and focusing on your breathing. You will then notice that your heart rate slows down, adrenaline production is reduced and you feel more relaxed. With practice you can develop greater focus, better sleeping patterns and start to feel happier as well.

It is true that some of us find the idea of sitting with our thoughts when we are stressed or unhappy, quite difficult, so we have some simple tips that could help you get to grips with mindfulness.

Mindfulness isn’t easy to learn at first, so you can start by reading up about it some more, taking a course, joining a group or using an app like Calm.

It is thought that just ten minutes of mindfulness meditation a day can bring massive benefits when it is done on a regular basis. If you can, do it at the same time each day – maybe when you are on the tube, at lunchtime or before you have a bath in the evening, and it’s at this time when you can really be at one with yourself and leave behind your worries and fears. Clear this space each day, stop everything else and practise your mindful meditation.

Start with short bursts of three, five or ten minutes – you can even do it on the train.

When you sit down to meditate, take a few moments to get comfortable. Notice the sounds around you and how you’re feeling. This will help your mind and body reconnect, so when you do start focusing on your breath, it’s a little easier.

When you are practicing mindfulness and meditating, all you need to do is notice your breath and when your attention wanders, which it will as you wonder what to eat for dinner or where to go at the weekend, let go of it and bring your focus back to your breath. Each time you do that, it’s a win and it gets easier.

When you progress and start to bring mindfulness to your daily life, our advice is to start slowly. We suggest that in week one, you are mindful when you are brushing your teeth – be aware of the sound, the smell, the taste, and the movement as you clean. Then build up slowly, adding a new thing each week, such as being mindful on your walk to work, or while stacking the dishwasher.

Mindfulness isn’t for everyone, but why not give it a try and in time we hope it can become a part of your life and one that will make things easier and happier for you.

Team Pure Beauty

How to Keep Your Make Up in Place in a Heatwave

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Okay, lets be real – summer hasn’t exactly hit us with much in the way of a heatwave, despite what the tabloids keep telling us. However, it’s only the beginning of July and we’re hopeful that things will get a lot warmer in the coming weeks. With this in mind, we thought we’d share a few handy tips on how to keep your make up in place once the British Summertime decides to switch on the heaters!

Prep Your Skin

The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure your face is totally clean, but without inflaming your skin or making it hotter than it already is – the cooler your face is when th make up goes on, the better staying power it will have. Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser is a soothing, pH-balanced gel/cream that glides easily over face to cleanse and cool sensitised or highly reactive skin.

Tone it Down

Next, you should opt for a toner which will cool and calm your skin; we’d recommend Dermalogica All Over Toner. This little spritz will refresh and purify your skin and contains cooling ingredients which will purify your skin before your next step. Allow it to really sink into your face before you move on.

All About the Base

Once you’ve got your skin cool and clean, adding a base for your make up to cling to will increase your chances of getting it to stay put. A high-quality primer such as Dermalogica SkinPerfect Primer SPF30 is remarkably lightweight but very effective in terms of keeping your makeup in place. In addition, it cools your face when applied and even offers sun protection, which is an added bonus on sweltering days.

Think About Your Products

You can apply all the magical stuff in the world UNDER your make-up, but if you choose the wrong make-up products to begin with, you’re going to be on to a loser. Opt for oil-free foundation as this has a tendency to slide off of even the driest faces in the heat, and try to use waterproof eye products if you don’t want them to be affected by sweat.

Go For an Up-Do

You may want to wear your hair down in nice, beachy waves during a heatwave, but wearing your hair up and off of your face is far better for keeping your face in place! Hair around your face will not only increase your body temperature, and therefore your tendency to sweat, but will will also increase the amount of friction around your face, carrying your make-up away with the sweat.

How to get better sleep in your life

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Sleep may seem like a bit of a waste of time because as you snooze you could be answering e-mails, doing work or swiping right, but if you don’t get enough rest, you won’t do any of these things very well.

Sleep not only refreshes you and let’s your body, brain and skin recover from the day, it can also help ease depression and anxiety, decrease the illness, help with your memory, improve your immune system, prevent weight gain and make you happier and more productive.

If you want to get more sleep, and better sleep, we have some ideas that might help.

Make exercise a priority
Regular exercise that’s part of your daily life really can help you to sleep. As well as reducing stress and relieving anxiety, exercise, whether it be cardio, strength training or yoga can improve your general wellbeing, boost your mood and help your body to wind down at the end of the day so you can sleep. We wouldn’t suggest a HIT workout at 9pm, but you might find that some gentle stretches in the evening, combined with meditation, will ease tension and get you feeling more rested.

Go for de-caff
Many of us drink caffeinated drinks as a way of staying awake and alert during the day, but the downside is that this can actually keep you awake at night. Try to stop drinking caffeine heavy coffee, tea and fizzy drinks six to eight hours before bed, sipping on water and herbal teas instead, and you will be glad you did.

Make a list
You might find that making a list of things to do the next day will stop things going around in your head when you do get into bed. Another way to end your day is to list three things you have been grateful for and this means you will see just what you have accomplished and how well you are doing in life which means there is no need to lie awake worrying.

De-stress in the evening
Having a warm bath, meditating or listening to a calming app while lying in bed are all gentle ways to get you in the mood for sleep. If you can turn off your daytime worries and switch into a more relaxed mode, it will help you to get ready for sleep.

Get into a routine
You might not think it but your body craves consistency, plus you’re more likely to get enough sleep if you schedule it in the same way you do with other important tasks in your life. Set a time when you turn off screens, have slot for taking a bath or shower and set your alarm for the next day, and if you can, get up at the same time everyday so you keep things in a pattern, even better.

Create a sleeping haven
Bed is not a place for paying bills, writing reports or watching scary movies, it is a place for peace, quiet and sleep. Have clean bedding, comfortable pillows, a decent mattress, make sure the temperature works for you, get soft lighting and black out blinds and make your bedroom a place you want to be in.

Get up and stop fretting
If you don’t fall asleep after 15 minutes, why not get up until you feel ready to drift off? Don’t turn on your phone or start answering emails, instead have a warm drink, read a book, do some yoga or meditation and try to set your mind free.

If you’re still having trouble sleeping, why not speak with your doctor and see if they can help you get back on track.

Team Pure Beauty

Face washes with a difference

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3-in-1 cleanser, acne, Apple amino acid, berries, Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser, breakouts, Calming, Calming Balm Mint, clear, concentrated cream, conditions and moisturises, dead cells, dead skin cells, Decleor Hydra-Radiance Cleansing Mousse, Dermalogica Foaming Wash, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, dry or sensitive skin, dull, Elemis Sensitive Cleansing Wash, Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water, face, face washes, foaming gel, foams, German Chamomile, glowing complexion, grape juice, healthy, hyaluronic acid, hydrate, iconic, Indian Soapnut, inflamed skin, infused, Jan Marini, Japanese white mulberry., Lady’s Mantle, Lavender extracts, make-up, micelles, moisture levels, morning, mouse, natural humectant, Neroli Essential Oil, new range, night, oft and fresh, orange peel, organic English Rose water, Papaya Extract, post-cleansing toner, Quillaja Saponaria, radiant complexion, rich, rich cleansing foam, rosehip seed oil, Salicylic Acid, soap free, soothing cleansing experience, soothing extracts, sorbitol, Special, spot, success, Tea Tree, thyme, toxins, unbalance

We know that there are many face washes out there which can make it tricky when it comes to knowing which one is right for you.

Today we are looking at our favourites and you will find something that hits the spot.

If you have dry or sensitive skin, find the right products can be hard, but we think you might find what you are looking for with the Elemis Sensitive Cleansing Wash. Perfect for even the trickiest of skins, the soothing extracts of Thyme, German Chamomile and Lady’s Mantle are key to this calming, soothing cleanser. The rich cleansing foam conditions and moisturises and the added antibacterial ingredients means this wash is effective but free of harshness. Used morning and night on a regular basis, irritation and itching will ease and your face will feel soft and fresh.

Jan Marini is a new range on the site and we love their Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser. As a soap-free cleanser, this product helps make the skin softer and smoother and rinses without the need for a post-cleansing toner. Sorbitol, a natural humectant that comes from berries, has been added to hydrate the skin and Glycolic Acid helps with texture. We have been impressed with the results and think you might be too.

For something special, why not try the Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water? This brilliant product uses micelles, Apple Amino Acid, Rosehip Seed Oil and Indian Soapnut to take make-up, dirt and other impurities away from the skin gently. Infused with organic English Rose water and Chamomile, skin is gently cleansed, to reveal a clear, radiant complexion.

You really cannot go wrong with the iconic Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel. Many of our regular customers choose this soap-free, foaming gel because it cleans their skin and makes it look great but doesn’t unbalance the moisture levels. Suitable for everyone to use, Calming Balm Mint and Lavender extracts soothe skin and natural Quillaja Saponaria foams away make up, dead cells and toxins. The results are simple – clean, happy faces.

If you are up for trying a mouse, we suggest the Decleor Hydra-Radiance Cleansing Mousse. Packed with effective caring ingredients, this 3-in-1 cleanser is at the heart of a healthy, glowing complexion. The rich, concentrated cream turns in a mousse when added to water and deep cleans your skin leaving it soft and velvety. Grape Juice, Papaya Extract and Japanese White Mulberry exfoliates dull, dead skin cells away and nourishing Neroli Essential Oil and Hyaluronic Acid are the added extras that make this product such a success.

For skin that is young and prone to acne and breakouts, the Dermalogica Foaming Wash is a saving grace as it cleans skin but doesn’t dry or take away natural oils. Orange Peel and Tea Tree energise and refresh inflamed skin while Salicylic Acid deals with dead cells and clears trapped oil. Packed with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and sebum-regulating ingredients, spots are kept at bay and skin is left happy, as are customers.

If you would like more details about these or any products, get in touch and we would love to help.

Team Pure-Beauty