Five Ways to Speed Up Your Shower

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brushing teeth, conditioner, Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash, dry skin, essential, every day, exfoliating, hair, hair washing, routine, save time, save water, shampoo, Shaving, shower, time, tooth brushing, very dry skin, wash, wash hair, water

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For many of us, our daily shower is the time we take for five minutes of peace and tranquillity, a private moment where we get to relax and unwind. However, showers don’t have to take an age, and if you’re looking to cut down your showering time, be that to get more sleep, save water or simply because you don’t like taking forever in the bathroom, we have five tips to help you to speed things up:

Don’t Put the Shower on Ages in Advance

The average shower takes just 30 seconds to get to the right temperature, but many of us put the shower on up to five minutes in advance and then potter around while the water is running. Try to put the shower on just before you get in and actually get in once the shower reaches the right heat. This will save water and reduce aimless ‘pottering’ time.

Use Your Time Wisely

Most of us have a routine we follow once we get into the shower, but there are a few steps which can be done at the same time. If you’re washing your hair, time spent with conditioner on your head can be used for shaving, tooth-brushing or exfoliating.

Use Multifunctional Products

If cutting down on time is your priority, opting for products which do several jobs at once could really help. Use a moisturising body wash, for example, which could cut down the need for additional moisturisers (unless you have very dry skin). Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash contains purifying essential oils and natural extracts to cleanse the body without over-drying while conditioning the skin

Remove Some Steps

Often, people take ages in the shower because they do things that don’t really need to be done every time you shower. Shaving, hair washing, exfoliating – are these absolutely essential, every day? If not, do them every second or third day, or spread them out across the week, which will save time and water.

Only Wash Once

If you’re a ‘wash once’ sort of person, this may seem odd to you, but it’s a fact that there are LOTS of people out there who wash their body once…and then do it all over again in the same shower! In fact, lots of people wash two or three times, which is completely unnecessary and could even dry your skin out. Try to complete just one full wash per shower o protect your skin and your water bill!

How to Combat Dry Hair

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blow drying, conditioner, curling, Decleor Satin Softening Dry Oil, dehydrated, dry, dry hair, drying, dryness, essential oils, flyaway, follicles, frizzy, hair, hair-dryer, healthy, heat, heat styling, hot water, lack of moisture, moisture, moisturising, oil, oils, shine, shower, straightening, vitality

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Dry hair can be a real pain, especially at this time of year. The constant change of temperatures, from the cold outside to centrally heated houses combined with the need to use heat to dry our hair every time we wash it can leave our follicles feeling frazzled. Today, we’re looking at five ways to help you to combat dry hair and get your locks back to their luscious full potential.

Get a Trim

This is the eternal obvious answer to dealing with dry hair. Although it’s a myth that getting your haircut will magically make it look thicker and healthier, the driest part of your hair is ALWAYS the ends, so getting these trimmed will naturally improve the overall appearance of your hair.

Replenish Lost Moisture

Dry oils, such as Decleor Satin Softening Dry Oil are a great way to add moisture back into your hair without making it look greasy. Because this is a dry oil, you can apply it to your hair and you won’t look like you’ve dipped your head in a deep fat fryer!

Turn the Shower Down

Just like with your skin, hot water will strip your hair of essential natural oils, so blasting your shower at super hot temperatures isn’t doing you any favours. It might make you feel cleaner, but your hair and skin will both thank you if you turn the temperature down, even if it’s just a little bit.

Cut Down on Heat Styling

Another no-brainer, but we all know how heat styling can cause damage over time, so if your hair is super dry and you’re using blow dryers, straightening irons or curling wands on a daily basis, cutting back is a good idea. If you don’t like leaving your hair to air dry, try wrapping it in a towel or cloth for as long as possible after washing as this is absorb moisture and reduce hair drying time

Conditioning is Key

Dry hair can not only feel very dry, but also fine and flyaway thanks to the lack of moisture, so a conditioning treatment containing essential oils is really important. Use Dermalogica Daily Conditioning Rinse every time you wash your hair (even if it’s not daily!) as this is formulated to restore softness and shine for vibrantly-healthy hair every day.

It’s all about the essential oils

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acne, amazing, antibacterial and antiseptic properties, Argon, avocado, beauty routine, blemishes, chamomile, clean, clean soft cloth, coconut, conditioner, cotton bud, dandruff, dehydrated, essential fatty acids, feet, fine lines, irritated scalp, joys, lavender oil, medium-chain fatty acids, mix, Mother Nature, natural essential oils, nourish, rich, Rosehip Oil, sage, scars, shampoo, sinks, skin, smooth oil, soft, sooth, spots, stretchmarks, summer, super shiny hair., sweat, tea, Tea Tree Oil, tired, toes, Toner, vibrant scent

At Pure-Beauty, we are massive fans of natural essential oils, and even more so during the warm summer months when need to take care of ourselves that little bit more.

We have had a look at the benefits of adding oils into your beauty routine and we think you might be pleasantly surprised at how mother nature can make things so much better.

Keep breakouts at bay
When it is hot we tend to sweat more than usual and this can lead to a build-up of oil under the skin and cause annoying spots. Lavender Oil is perfect for dealing with this because it is packed with the antibacterial and antiseptic properties that can help prevent the bacteria that causes acne from growing as well as treating the blemishes you do get. Dilute a little oil with water and dab gently to the affected area using a clean cotton bud and it will soothe and nourish the skin the natural way. You can also mix the oil with cold water for a simple toner that is especially good for treating oily skin.

We are massive fans of Tea Tree Oil and it is our acne go to product thanks to the really powerful antiseptic qualities and vibrant scent. Simply add a few drops to cool water and apply to your face using a clean soft cloth and let the oils get to work.

Oils for your skin
Bear with us on this one because we know it might sound wrong, but putting oils on your skin can be amazing.
The summer brings many joys, but it can also make our skin dehydrated and tired, however adding an essential oil into the mix can bring it back to life. Rosehip Oil is a good choice because this rich, smooth oil sinks into your skin leaving it soft and supple without a trace of greasiness, just vibrancy. Packed with essential fatty acids plus Vitamins A and C this is a true beauty must have. As well as helping with fine lines, it is also brilliant for the scars and stretch marks many of us are conscious of in the summer but do remember to still apply sun cream if you are going outside.

Look after your head
If you think Chamomile is only for drinking in tea, you’ll be surprised to know that it also soothes and hydrates an irritated scalp – something that can happen when the heat is high. Simply adding a few drops of oil to your shampoo or conditioner can make a big difference and ease itching without the need for any chemicals.

Sage is often thought of as a little bit of magic and we agree when it comes to getting super shiny hair. As an astringent, it is beneficial for hair growth but also fights dandruff and encourages glossy locks. You can simply apply a little oil to your scalp and let nature take care of the rest.

Oils for hair don’t stop here with Argon, Avocado and Coconut all being offering a boost, so them as a regular, weekly treatment and we are pretty sure you will see the shine in no time at all.

Happy feet
Back to those medium-chain fatty acids from Coconut Oil and we would suggest you apply this loving to your feet and give them the care and attention they deserve. Coconut Oil is totally nourishing and will get to work on tough, dry skin, leaving your toes as soft as a baby’s in no time at all.

Team Pure Beauty

The simple guide to happy hair

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bacteria, brittleness, brushes, Busy lives, central heating, chop, coconut oil, cold winter months, combs, conditioner, conditioning mask, damage, damp cloth, dandruff, dark brown sugar, deep-cleansing shampoo, drink lots of water, dry naturally, drying, extreme cold, feeling lighter, germs, hair glossy, hairdresser, hairdryers, healthy, heated styling tools, heavy, homes, hydrated, ingredients, locks, longer styles, looking better, lotions and potions, massage, product build up, product residue, regular products, scalp, silicon heavy product, six to eight weeks, skin, snow, split ends, springtime ready, straighteners, super-stylish bottle, tongs, trim, warm water, week, work

Springtime is typically when we spruce up our homes and gardens, but it’s a great time to tackle our locks, too.

The wind and snow of the cold winter months, can cause drying, split ends and dandruff as well as product build up and a lack of bounce and shine.

We have put together a simple, but effective, plan to get your hair glossy, healthy and springtime ready.

Go for a chop
Before you do anything else, book in with your hairdresser and have a decent cut. Busy lives, and longer styles, can mean we leave having a cut for months, but this won’t do you any favours. A trim every six to eight weeks will not only leave your hair looking better and feeling lighter, but it strengthens it so you are less likely to have to deal with split ends and breaking due to brittleness.

Ditch the build up
Product build-up can leave hair looking lank and dull – the opposite of what we want if we are spending hard-earned cash on lotions and potions. Many people don’t know this, but silicon heavy products can, over time, cause build up on the hair shaft which can make it look and feel heavy. To bring your hair back to life, go for a deep-cleansing shampoo and conditioner, something different to your regular products, and wash two or three times a week and let it dry naturally whenever you can.

Put a mask on it
Once a week we suggest that you put a conditioning mask on your hair and let the ingredients get to work. There are some great options on the market, or you can keep things simple and massage coconut oil straight from the pot into your hair and you will feel a difference in no time at all.

Go for the scalp
Winter isn’t just hard on our hair, your scalp is constantly exposed to extreme cold outside then the warmth of central heating inside which can make skin dry and cause flaking. To combat the impact of the winter, mix two tablespoons of dark brown sugar, two tablespoons of fine oats and a tablespoon of olive oil together and massage into your scalp before washing away with warm water and shampoo.

Turn the heat off
We know you love them, but heated styling tools cause all manner of damage to your hair, so why not just turn them off for a week or two and let your hair dry naturally. Put hairdryers, straighteners and tongs away but before you do, give them a clean with a damp cloth to take away product residue as well as bacteria and germs, and this goes for your brushes and combs too.

Go H2O
We say this a lot but drink lots of water. As well as being great for your skin, it helps your hair, too. Buy yourself a super-stylish bottle and take it with you wherever you go to ensure you and your hair are totally hydrated all the time.

We hope these tips get your hair look great all summer long.

Team Pure-Beauty

Hair Loss – What’s Causing it and How to Prevent It

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bald, baldness, conditioner, decleor, dermalogica, Elemis, Elemis Quiet Mind Temple Balm, female, female pattern baldness, follicles, hair, hair loss, heat, iron, Male Pattern Baldness, multivitamin, patches, polycystic ovarian syndrome, roots, shaft, stress, styling, supplement, thinning, vitamin A, Vitamin B12, weight, weight loss

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Hair loss is something that women rarely discuss and the taboo surrounding female hair loss can stop us from seeking proper help when it does happen. We’ve all heard of Male Pattern Baldness, but did you know there’s also Female Pattern Baldness? There are many things which can contribute to female baldness and hair thinning and we’ve put together a list of the main culprits:

Hormones

A woman’s hormones are a delicate balance which keep everything running smoothly, but when things get messed up it can have a lot of knock on effects, and hair loss is one of them. Pregnancy, menopause and even conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome can cause hair loss. If you think a hormone imbalance might be contributing to your hair loss, ask your GP to perform a simple blood test to take a look at your levels.

Vitamin Deficiencies

There are a number of vitamins which can affect hair growth and if you’re lacking iron, vitamin B12 or vitamin A, you might have problems with hair loss. Try to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and veg and proteins, and take a multivitamin supplement to bolster your system.

Weight Loss

Losing too much weight too quickly can have a dramatic effect on your hair and it’s not unknown for a sudden drop in your weight to cause temporary baldness. If you’re planning to lose weight, try to do so healthily over a decent period of time rather than crash dieting as this can send your body into shock.

Too Much Heat Styling

We all know that heat styling can break your hair, but too much of it over time can weaken and damage hair follicles, destroying their ability to grown new hairs and this can equate to bald patches. If you must style your hair with heat, use a good conditioner, try not to pull too hard on the shaft of the hair and try not to let the heat styling implement get too close to the roots of your hair.

Stress

One of the single most common causes of hair loss is stress and the only way to halt the effects is to reduce the amount of stress in your life. Take a look at what the main sources of stress are in your life and ask a friend or partner to help you change them. Taking some time for yourself to de-stress is a good idea, so treat yourself to some Elemis Quiet Mind Temple Balm for rubbing on your temples when you feel overwhelmed.