Be berry-licous this summer

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acid berries, almond milk, almonds, amino fatty acids, anti-oxidents, B12, banana, berries, berry, beta-carotene, blue, bone building Vitamin K, boosts immune systems, cereal, Christmas, coconut water, cranberries, diet staple, dynamos, energy-boosting mineral, farmers market, fit and well, flavonoids, Fresh cranberries, fridge, goji berries, homemade ice cream, iron, kiwi, low in sugar and carbs, manganese, mango, natural goodness, natural infection-fighting super berries, old fashioned green grocers, phytochemical, pie, preserve, purple, red beauties, selenium, smoothie bar, South America, sugar heavy muffins, suggests, sunflower seeds, superfood hero, supermarket, traditional Chinese medicine, trees, urinary tract infections, vitamin B2, Vitamin C, yogurt, yummy superfood

Berries are here, there and everywhere. From the supermarket to the farmer’s market, the smoothie bar to the old-fashioned green grocers, those little nuggets of natural goodness are there for enjoying at every turn we take.

Given that there is so much choice out there, we are going to look at which berries might be best for you.

Blueberries
Long gone are the days when these berries were the preserve of sugar heavy muffins. These little blue (well, more purple) dynamos are full of the energy-boosting mineral, manganese, and bone building Vitamin K. Add a handful to salads and smoothies or sprinkle them on top of cereal and yogurt, and you will be glad you did.

Acia Berries
These tiny, dark purple berries grow on trees in South America and pack a punch when it comes to the amino fatty acids that keep us fit and strong and the Vitamin C that boosts immune systems. One of the easiest ways to enjoy this yummy superfood is to blend with other fruits such as banana, mango, kiwi as well as a little coconut water or almond milk and you will be set for the day.

Cranberries
While many people only get these bad boys out for Christmas, cranberries are natural infection-fighting super berries that need to be in the fridge all year round. Packed with flavonoids, they can help to lower the risk of urinary tract infections but are also a tasty way to keep fit and well. Fresh cranberries make a great addition to smoothies, jellies and homemade ice creams but you can also add the dried ones to your breakfast cereal and mix with almonds and sunflower seeds for an on the go snack.

Strawberries
These red beauties are a diet staple and for good reason. They contain Vitamin C and B12 as well as clever little phytochemicals and anti-oxidents which help us feel, and look good. Whether you slice them over ice cream, blend into a smoothie, add to a cheesecake or just eat them on their own after dinner, always add them to your weekly shop and enjoy whenever you can.

Blackberries
Blackberries might not be as sweet as other fruits, but they are just as good for you. Often found in hedgerows and gardens come September, the blackberry might be small but it is mighty in goodness and comes with plenty of Vitamin C, A and E was well as potassium and copper and is perfect in a pie or preserve.

Goji Berries
Dried goji berries, have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, but in more recent times have become a superfood hero in the Western world too. As well as being a good source of Vitamin C, they are also loaded with beta-carotene, iron, vitamin B2, selenium and can be added to pretty much anything from energy balls and salads to smoothies and wraps for an instant health boost.

Raspberries
While these are found in everything from shakes to smoothies, we bet you didn’t know that the humble raspberry is packed with fibre and are exceptionally low in sugar and carbs? They also contain copper, magnesium and Vitamin K so make sure you pick up a punnet the next time you are shopping.

Team Pure Beauty

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Keep calm and actually enjoy Christmas

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3am, basket, beef, best friend, breathing space, cake, celebrate, champagne, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas list, content, cup of coffee, decorate the tree, delegate, dominate, feel good, festive period, flatmates, friend, gift, good, hair, happiness, hot, hug, in the moment, in-laws, keep calm, kids, last minute, laugh, life, lifted, lunch, masses, meditate, moaning, mood, mum, negatives, online, panic buying, Pat on the Back, perspective, plan ahead, pressure, putting up the decorations, recipe for disaster, Relax, Secret Santa, serious, shopping, slow down, stock of presents, Sugar Plum Fairy, take a break, The Holiday, time off, time out, turkey, wake up, wrapping paper, yoga

Don’t laugh, we are being serious here, you can keep calm this Christmas.

Yes, there’s the shopping to do, presents to wrap and don’t even start us on the table plan for the big day, but Christmas is meant to be a happy time when you can celebrate the good in life and spend time with those you love.

Instead of being annoyed you got the rubbish Secret Santa present (again) and laying awake at 3am worrying about whether to cook turkey or beef, keep calm with our easy to follow tips and you’ll feel like the Sugar Plum Fairy all the way to 2018.

Calm Time
Think about the times in the day when you feel calm and content and go back to those moments when you feel your stress levels rising. This could be when you wake up, sip your first hot cup of coffee of the day, you get a hug from your best friend for showing up to her work drinks or when you sit watching The Holiday for the 100th time – whenever it is, go back to that point and count to ten.

Feel Good
Don’t focus on the negatives and stop yourself from moaning, about everything that needs to be done. Yes, there will things you don’t like doing over the festive period, but why don’t let those awkward in-laws dominate your thoughts and instead think of the great stuff that is happening and your mood will be lifted.

Plan Ahead
Leaving everything to the last-minute is a recipe for disaster. If you can, start early, plan your Christmas list and every-time you are out shopping, add a gift in the basket. Before you know it, you’ve got a stock of presents, and there will be no need for panic buying amongst the masses on Christmas Eve.

Be a Kid
Christmas is all about the children and because they naturally seek out fun and happiness, we think you should do the same and are pretty sure you will feel so much better for it.

Take a Break
Rather than filling every moment of every day with jobs, take time out for you too. Whether it is lunch with a friend, having your hair done or going to a yoga class, putting up the decorations and delivering cards can wait, but your happiness can’t.

Pat on the Back
Remember what you have done already. Yes, you might not have the turkey yet and Aunt Betty might not have a present under the tree, but things will get done so just remember how much you have already achieved and give yourself a pat on the back.

Delegate
You don’t have to run the Christmas show alone. Getting flatmates to decorate the tree, asking your boyfriend to buy presents for his family, asking your mum to make the cake and buying presents online, will all take the pressure off you and give you some breathing space.

Meditate
Take ten minutes out to meditate. If things are getting too much, find a quite spot, concentrate on your breathing and slow down. By being in the moment you can take back control and look at your to do list with fresh eyes and a new perspective.

Stop and Think
Think about why you love Christmas, and the good things that happen over that special time. Christmas often passes in a blur of wrapping paper and champagne corks, but if you stop, savour the moment and cherish those you love, you will realise it is all worth it.

Set a Deadline
Put a date in your diary when you stop doing things for everyone else and start enjoying yourself. We all need to take time off and relax, and that includes you.

Whatever you do this Christmas, keep calm, be grateful for what you have in your life and be happy.

Team Pure-Beauty

How to Enjoy a Christmas Tipple Without Ruining Your Skin

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ageing, alcohol, anti ageing, antioxidants, beer, celebrate, Christmas, cola, decleor, dehydrate, dermalogica, drink, Elemis, exposure, fruit, gin, isotonic, protect, Red wine, repair, skin, skin cancer, spirits, sugar, sun, sun damage, sunburn, tequila, tipple, vodka, wine, wrinkles

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Unless you have a medical or personal issue, Christmas is a time when most of us enjoy an alcoholic drink. The problem is, excessive alcohol consumption can not only play havoc on your liver, it can also be damaging for your skin. There are, however, certain drinks which do less damage than others, so we thought we’d give you the lowdown on which drinks you can enjoy at Christmas without having to worry too much about your complexion.

Beer

Even if you’re not a pint-drinker, enjoying half a lager can be better than other drinks for a number of reasons; firstly, beer generally has a lower alcohol content, so it’s not as dehydrating. Many beers also contain antioxidants and are isotonic, which means they can actually be good for you, replacing certain things which are lost when we become dehydrated! Be aware though – beer can often cause bloating, so be mindful if you’ve poured yourself into a clingy outfit!

Gin

Sugar can play havoc with the skin’s ageing process, which is why something like white wine is a no-no if you’re trying to stay on top of the signs of ageing. Gin, however, is pretty low in sugar and also in salt, so do far less damage to the skin than other, more sugary spirits. In fact, the general rule of thumb is that clear spirits are far less suagry than darker ones like brandy or dark rum.

Tequila

Don’t get us wrong, we’re definitely not suggesting that a night on the tequila slammers won’t be bad for your skin because that’s not the case AT ALL. However, tequila contains more or less the lowest sugar content of all spirits, which means that you can enjoy a few without having to worry too much about the effects on your skin.

Vodka

This is where we have to get specific – vodka in general is not too bad for your skin providing you drink it in moderation (see the sugar rule above) HOWEVER, this obviously depends on what you mix it with as most mixers, such as fruit juices or cola, are full of sugar. Also, according to experts, opting for a potato vodka rather than one made from grains will also be a lot better for your skin in the long run.

Red Wine

While the sweeter white wines are usually frowned upon by skin experts, most generally agree that red wine is pretty good for you. It contains antioxidants which help protect against oxidative reactions, which come from sun exposure, and can cause sunburns, wrinkles and even skin cancer.

Advent Calendars Galore

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advent calendar, ark, candy canes, cheap and cheerful, chocolate gifts, Christmas, Christmas tree, Crafter’s Companion, dark and cold, December, Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream (75ml), Dermalogica Daily Cleansing Shampoo (50ml) and the Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner, Espresso, family favourites, Frozen, glitter, good old days, grandma, hanging advent calendar, Hazelnut Slice, instructions, John Lewis, LEGO® City Advent Calendar, little beauties, luxe, luxurious options, milk and white chocolates, Nativity scenes, Olaf and friends, old school, Pure Beauty, robins, Salted Caramel Praline, Santa, shopping, sing along, snowboarder, snowy days, super-cute figure, Swizzels Sweets, Thornton’s Continental, Traditional Advent Calendar, uletide log fire, Viennese Truffle, Yankee Candle

With December just around the corner, for many there will be soon a reason to jump out of bed however dark and cold it is outside.

Long gone are the days when children would share one advent calendar. Today you can go from cheap and cheerful chocolate options to more luxurious options and there is an ever-growing amount of choice.

At Pure-Beauty we love nothing more than a present a day in the run up to Christmas and today we will share with you some of the best advent calendars out there.

For candle lovers out there, the Yankee Candle calendar is a must have. Behind every door is a special seasonally scented tea light as well as an extra treat for Christmas Eve. Light up the candle each day and enjoy with a glass of mulled wine and a mince-pie to really get in the spirit of things.

A popular choice for kids, big and small, is the LEGO® City Advent Calendar. Complete with six mini figures, including Santa, a grandma and a snowboarder, as well as Christmas tree with yuletide log fire, there is something fun to build every day in the lead up to the festivities. Be warned, these little beauties are going fast so if you want to join in the fun, get shopping ASAP.

You get an assortment of delicious dark, milk and white chocolates with the Thornton’s Continental advent offering. Espresso, Viennese Truffle, Salted Caramel Praline and Hazelnut Slice are just some of the rich taste experiences to be found inside this luxe option that can be enjoyed for breakfast! Well, it would be rude not to.

If you fancy some a little more rustic, how about making your own hanging advent calendar with a cute kit from Crafter’s Companion? Priced at £14.99 from John Lewis, you will get 24 blank card boxes, 24 metal binder clips, cool foil stickers, 3m of twin, 24 card frames, 24 printed paper strips, 2m of double sided tape as well as a set of instructions so you can make something totally unique.

As an alternative to chocolate gifts, why not wake up to Swizzels Sweets this December? Behind the 24 doors are an assortment of family favourites to delight all. Just remember to give those teeth a good clean before you leave the house and go to bed!

Olaf and friends are here again this Christmas, so if you can’t let Frozen go this one is for you. Each day you get a super-cute figure from the film as well as a back drop so you can recreate your favourite scenes and sing along to your heart’s content.

If you want to go old school, the Traditional Advent Calendar Company is for you. They have a comprehensive range of old-fashioned calendars with seasonal illustrations and glitter galore. Nativity scenes, robins, snowy days and stockings filled with presents are all there for the taking on these pretty calendars. Throw in some glitter and candy canes and you are back to the good old days of Christmas past.

You could also consider buy an advent candle and burn a little each day, or how about giving the one you love a trial product from Pure Beauty during advent to show how much you care? Wrap up gifts such as the Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream (75ml), Dermalogica Daily Cleansing Shampoo (50ml) and the Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner and making a cracking start to Christmas.

All you need to do now, is decide which one is for you and of course, only open one door a day because Santa is watching who’s been naughty and nice.

Team Pure-Beauty

Grab Some Great Pre-Christmas Bargains!

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Christmas, decleor, Decleor 24 Hour Hydrating Light Cream, Decleor Micellar Oil, dermalogica, Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance, Dermalogica Meet Dermalogica Kit, Dermalogica MultiVitamin Power Firm, Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream, Dermalogica SkinPerfect Primer SPF30, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, humectants, hydrate, hydration, light cream, micellar, moisture, oil, phytonutrients, primer, SPF30, stickiness, visible results, vitmains

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Getting ahead with your Christmas shopping is a great way to get organised and save some money in the process. It’s an expensive time of year and being able to save a few quid along the way is welcomed by most of us so that we can avoid our post-Christmas finances looking rather sorry for themselves! Here at Pure Beauty, we have some great offers available all year round, but here are five of the best to help you save some money on your Christmas shop:

Dermalogica Meet Dermalogica Kit – reduced from £30.00 to £22.50

This kit is a great place to start if you’re new to Dermalogica as it contains four of the most popular products from Dermalogica’s ranges – Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel , Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream, Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm. It allows you to try before you invest in the full size products, whi ch is a money-saver in itself!

Decleor 24 Hour Hydrating Light Cream – reduced from £41.00 to £32.00

If your moisturising needs aren’t so intense, this light cream from Decleor is perfect for all skin types and is reduced by 22% at the moment. The cream hydrates the skin and is soft to the touch without any stickiness for immediately visible results; 85%of women noticed their skin was revitalised and softer after the first application.

Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance – reduced from £61.00 to £53.50

One of Dermalogica’s best-loved moisturisers, this contains an ultra-rich blend of phytonutrients, vitamins and humectants that helps restore vital moisture. It is suitable for drier or prematurely-ageing skin. It can be used twice daily, morning and night, and will drastically improve the appearance of your skin.

Decleor Micellar Oil – reduced from £25.00 to £20.00

Micellar oil is one of the hottest products on the market right now, and this one from Decleor is the best, not to mention the fact that it’s currently 20% off! When massaged into the skin, the fine oil particles kick-start your microcirculation to boost radiance. When rinsed off, skin feels fresh, nourished and revitalized, perfectly prepped for the next step in your skincare routine.

Dermalogica SkinPerfect Primer SPF30 – reduced from £42.00 to £31.50

This promer is a multi-use product, combining the skin smoothing properties of an anti-ageing cream, the blurring of a primer and the protection of a sun cream. It’s designed for prematurely ageing or dry skin, which will help to smooth away fine lines, brighten and prime for flawless skin and to prepare for make-up application. It can be worn alone or under make up.