Why You Should Be Paying Attention to Amino Acids

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Amino acids are the building blocks of the cells that make up your body – however, did you know they can also be good for your skin? Amino acids, which contain moisturising, anti-aging, and exfoliating characteristics, can aid with skin elasticity issues that arise as we age. Amino acids come in 20 different varieties, and they are useful for people of all ages and skin types. A more moisturised, youthful, and generally healthy appearance of the skin is achieved by using amino acids in skin care products that also encourage cellular repair and collagen formation. Here are five of our favourite products which harness the power of amino acids:

CACI – Amino-Lift Peptide Complex

This effective anti-ageing skin care cream contains powerful peptides, essential oils and amino acids that target expression lines and help to firm sagging skin. It can be used twice a day after cleansing to give visible results and as well as being packed with amino acids also contains basil oil, jojoba oil, grapefruit peel oil and a number of other other botanical ingredients which nourish and revive your skin. 

L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Vitamino Colour 10-In-1 Multi-Benefit Leave-In Treatment Milk

Amino acids don’t just benefit your face – your hair can also benefit from using products which are infused with amino acids. This leave-in treatment milk from L’Oreal is a multi-benefit spray designed for coloured hair with 10 key benefits. It promises to help your hair to achieve shine, softness, smoothness of hair fibre and hydration, as well as offering protection against heat up to 230°c, detangling, anti-breakage, anti-split ends, anti-frizz and even facilitates blow-drying! 

Aromatherapy Associates Eye Zone Concentrate

The skin around the eyes is one of the thinnest areas of skin on your whole body, which means that it is more prone to premature ageing. This eye cream from Aromatherapy Associates combines powerful, bio-fermented actives, advanced amino acids and an effective pure essential oil blend to lift, tighten and contour the area around the eyes. It also contains rose, camomile and frankincense essential oils to soothe and protect for a radiant, youthful complexion. 

Dermalogica Active Moist

This moisture-rich product from Dermalogica combines the best of nature and science, containing a whole host of ingredients which are taken from natural sources. Silk amino acids help smooth and improve skin texture while natural botanical astringents lemon, ivy, watercress and burdock help to refine the skin. It also contains soothing extracts of lavender, mallow and cucumber to help provide deep-hydration.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Serum

This resurfacing serum from Elemis is so powerful that it’s advised that you avoid sunbeds and always use an SPF while using the treatment! It’s created using a powerful combination of alpha-hydroxy-acids, selastin and patented Tri-Enzyme technology, as well as selected amino acids. This serum smoothes the skins’s surface, revealing a stunning complexion and also helps to reduce the appearance of pores and wrinkles.

Your Guide to the Best Moisturising Ingredients

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aggressors, area, cells, ceramides, complexion, crows feet, dermatitis, dry, environmental, exfoliant, exfoliates, eye, face, Glycerin, humectant, hyaluronic acid, hydrate, hydrating, hydration, hyperpigmentation, irritants, Lactic Acid, lipids, moisture, moisturise, moisturised, moisturising, pigmentation, pollution, protect, Psoriasis, retain moisture, skin, skin’s barrier, skincare, soft, supple, urea, wrinkle

Photo by Jessica Felicio on Unsplash

Skincare is one of those things which can be entirely subjective – a product which one person swears by could be far less effective for someone else. This is usually down to the key ingredients in each product and how our skin reacts to those ingredients. With that in mind, we thought we’d take a look at some of the best ingredients for hydrating your skin, to help you to choose which might be best for your skins’ individual needs.

Hyaluronic Acid

Most people have heard of hyaluronic acid, but people continue to be surprised that it’s a moisturising ingredient (maybe because of the common perception of what an acid usually does?). When you apply a hyaluronic acid serum to your skin, it acts like a sponge by attracting moisture to boost hydration on the surface of skin. Dermalogica Daily Resurfacer is a 3-in-1 treatment which harnesses the power of hyaluronic acid to offer maximum hydrators to resurface, smooth and brighten the skin without causing irritation or redness.

Ceramides

Ceramides are lipids that help form the skin’s barrier and help skin retain moisture, while also helping the skin protect against environmental aggressors like irritants, and pollution. Dermalogica Overnight Repair Serum is packed with ceramides which mimic the natural fats found in our skin to help lock in moisture and stop skin from drying out.

Glycerin

Glycerin is actually a bit of a special ingredient as it actually traps moisture from the environment around you, allowing your skin to absorb it, giving you a softer, more supple complexion. It’s often used in hand creams or areas which need an extra boost, but is also found in Elemis Daily Defence Shield SPF30, which protects the skin from environmental micro particles and harmful UV rays, as well as leaving the skin feeling nourished, soft and supple.

Lactic Acid

Lactic acid is a ‘best of both worlds’ ingredient in that it act a both a mild exfoliant, as well as an humectant. This means that it gets rid of dead, dry skin cells at the same time as locking moisture in. It can be found in Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum, which also exfoliates and reduces unbalanced pigmentation while nourishing the skin with moisture.

Urea

Urea might not sound like something you want to rub on your face, but it’s actually synthetic urea which features in skincare and it can be used to treat even the worst cases of dry skin, dermatitis and psoriasis. Urea works in part by loosening dry skin, and Dermalogica Age Reversal Eye Complex is made to target the eye area by reducing wrinkles, crows feet and puffiness which occur due to dehydration.

Embracing the Power of Rice

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anti ageing, anti-oxidant, balance, balanced, broccoli seed, bronze, cells, chia seed, clear, complexion, cucumber, daikon radish, dehydration, Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum Dermalogica, Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil, dryness, Elemis, Elemis Superfood Facial Oil, Elemis Total Glow Bronzing Moisturiser, exfoliate, exfoliation, fine lines, flax seed, free radical, glow, gradual tanner, healthy, hyperpigmentation, macadamia, meadowfoam seed, moisture, moisturise, omegas, orchid flower, phytic acid, pigmentation, poppy seed, radiant, refrehsed, refreshing, rice, Rice Bran, rice bran extract, rosehip seed, skin, smooth, smoothing, soften, superfoliant, wrinkles

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Rice. Great for serving alongside a curry, using to make sushi or even mixing with cream and sugar to make a filling, wintery pudding, but that’s about it, right? WRONG! Rice, and specifically rice bran oil, is a useful ingredient in many of the beauty products that we stock, and today we’re highlighting five of our favourites to show you that rice can be so much more than just part of your Friday night takeway!

Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum

One of the things that rice contains is phytic acid, which is really useful for addressing pigmentation imbalance and evening out skin tone, which is why Dermalogica have used it in this brightening serum. When combined with various oligopeptides and algae extracts, this serum actually manages to control melanin production, not only reversing the signs of hyperpigmentation but stopping them from happening again in the future.

Elemis Total Glow Bronzing Moisturiser

Anyone who’s even used a fake tan knows that moisture is the key to a non-orange, streak-free glow, which is why Elemis have packed this gradual tanner with highly nourishing rice bran oil. The oils allow your skin to develop an even, bronzed look because they banish dry skin cells which the tan can cling to and look patchy. Within 2-3 days, you’ll have a natural colour which looks like you’ve spent the weekend in Southern France, rather than Slough!

Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil

This replenishing oil from Dermalogica is intended for use between cleansing and moisturising and protects the skin from ageing and the environmental stresses which deplete the skin’s own moisture. Rice bran extracts create a luminous antioxidant shield against free radical damage, while orchid flower and chia seed oil smooth visible dehydration lines and locks in critical moisture.

Elemis Superfood Facial Oil

As well as harnessing the power of rice bran oil, this facial oil also includes oils from other superofoods such as broccoli seed, flax seed, daikon radish, rosehip seed, cucumber, macadamia, poppy seed and meadowfoam seed. The combination of oils are rich in omegas and anti-oxidants to feed the skin, ensuring maximum skin health and helps to lock in skin’s natural moisture to help prevent dryness and soften the skin.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

This unique product uses rice bran enzymes to smooth the skin, sloughing away dead cells and dullness to reveal a balance, radiant complexion beneath. As well as micro-exfoliating skin cells, it helps to control melanin production, ensuring that the skin maintains a balanced look and calms inflammation, leaving the skin extraordinarily clear and refreshed. Perhaps most remarkably, it’s gentle enough to use on a daily basis!

It’s Now Possible to buy Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash from Pure Beauty!

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anti-bacterial, avoid, bacteria, Balm Mint, blackheads, Camphor, care, caution, cells, clearning, clogged, cloth, comedones, complexion, congestion, dampened, dead skin, dermalogica, eucalyptus, eye area, fingertips, follicles, germs, inflammation, potent, Pure Beauty, redness, Salicylic Acid, skin, slough, soothing, sponge, spots, upward strokes

Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash

Back in 2009, we had the unfortunate task of telling our customers that we were no longer able to sell Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash on our site, due to Dermalogica deciding that it should only be sold through skincare practitioners who were able to give a personalised recommendation based on a consultation with a client. We respected Dermalogica’s decision and completely understood their need for caution, however we’re delighted to say that after a recent policy review, Dermalogica has decided that it CAN be sold online again, providing a proper warning is given. So, here’s everything you need to know about Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash!

What Does it Do?

Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash is a potent cleanser which can be used on skin which is prone to blackheads, breakouts and oiliness. It clears pores of impurities and dead skin cells, clears clogged follicles, and helps to prevent future breakouts. It also contains anti-bacterial ingredients which help to kill the germs which cause spots and skin problems.

What’s in it?

Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash contains some really potent ingredients, hence the warnings! Salicylic acid takes care of sloughing away the top layer of dead skin cells and dirt, while balm mint, eucalyptus and tea tree take care of the anti-bacterial side of things. Soothing camphor will soothe the skin, helping to eliminate areas of redness and reducing inflammation.

How Do I Use it?

Perform the Dermalogica Double Cleanse that begins with Dermalogica PreCleanse.

1. Pour a small amount of Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash onto dampened hands.

2. Apply to wet face and throat, activating with fingertips in light, upward strokes and concentrating on any areas of congestion. Avoid eye area.

3. Rinse thoroughly with tepid water. The Dermalogica Sponge Cloth can be used (dampened).

4. Repeat for professional results.

What Do I Need to Remember?

If skin experiences sensitivity or dehydration from daily use, reduce use to 2-3 times per week. Discontinue use if irritation occurs. Use as directed. For external use only. Keep out of eyes.

Our Best Organic Products

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Many of us have made the transition to using organic produce in our cooking, in order to avoid eating things which contain potentially harmful chemicals and pesticides which large-scale food producers so often turn to, so it makes sense to also switch to using beauty products which contain the same conscientiously sourced ingredients, too. Both Elemis and Dermalogica offer products which contain organic ingredients, and here are five of our favourites:

Elemis British Botanical Shower Cream

Shower and bath products are probably the thing which we use the most and usually over our whole body, so it makes sense that we’d want this product to contain the best ingredients possible. This nourishing shower cream from Elemis contains a mix of organic oats and essential oils such as lavender, camomile, geranium and palmarosa to cleanse and enrich the skin whilst adding a layer of moisture to dry skin.

Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier

Spot-prone, oily skin can be really hard to control and finding powerful products which contain organic ingredients can sometimes be tricky. However, this Clearing Mattifier from Dermalogica contains organic silicones which melt gently into the skin to help minimise fine lines, retexture the skins surface leaving it smooth, all while controlling shine and leaving your face shine-free.

Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water

One of the things we love about this Micellar Water from Elemis is how effectively is manages to remove make-up while being incredibly gentle on the skin, and this is thanks in no small part to the organic English rose water is contains. It removes dirt, make-up and impurities but still maintains the natural protective barrier of the skin, giving you a clean but perfectly balanced complexion.

Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm

This formulation from Dermalogica is designed for extremely dry or prematurely ageing skin and offers a level of moisture which is much needed when the skin starts to lose elasticity. The organic silicones provide a layer of protection from external damage, helping to protect, repair, strengthen and improve smoothness of your skin.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask

When your skin is starting to show signs of ageing, you need powerful ingredients to reverse those signs, which is why Elemis created this mask which combines targeted enzymes which encourage the breakdown of dead skin cells and promotes cell regeneration. It uses various fruit acids, including organic Acerola cherry acid which effectively exfoliates the skins surface adding to the resurfacing efficacy of the mask.