Five Veganuary Skincare Swaps

Tags

alcohol, animal, beeswax, berry, brighten, cleanser, cranberry, cream, Cruelty, diet, elastin, extracts, free, Glycerin, goji, hydrate, ingredients, lanolin, lavender, moisturiser, Moringa, oil, peptides, pollution, production, products, protection, seed, serum, skin, the January, Toner, urea, UVA, Vegan, vitamin, Vitamin C

Photo by Ivan Samkov

January has long since been a time for new beginnings and setting intentions – the very first New Year’s resolutions were thought to have been made some four thousand years ago, by the ancient Babylonians! Since 2014, however, many people have been adopting “veganuary” as their new start, whereby they try to eat a vegan, plant-based diet for the whole of January. 

In fact, last year, over 600,000 people around the world signed up for Veganuary, and many more took part without doing the official sign up. For some, it’s just about diet, but becoming vegan usually means eradicating animal products from all areas of your life, including clothing and even skincare. With this in mind, we’ve put together a handy list of simple skincare swaps that you can make to ensure your skincare is vegan and cruelty free, for January and beyond:

Cleanser

There are a number of different animal-derived ingredients which can be found in cleansers, but with Evolve Organic Beauty you can be safe in the knowledge that ALL of their products are vegan and cruelty free. Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Detox Facial Wash contains natural sugars which cleanse away impurities, while organic aloe vera softens, leaving skin clean, smooth and supple. Natural goji berry extract and moringa peptides defend against pollution and help to rebalance the skin’s natural oil production. 

Toner

Many toners contain glycerin, and while glycerin can be vegan, it’s also often derived from animal fat extracts, which is cheaper. Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner contains only vegan ingredients, including extracts of lavender, sweet betty flower and saponins from quillaja wood to help to balance and soften the skin. It’s also a non-drying formula, unlike many toners, as it contains no harsh alcohols or detergents. 

Moisturiser

While there are MANY plant-based ingredients which are amazingly nourishing for the skin, some companies still rely on animal products like beeswax and lanolin. REN Clean Skincare Ultra Moisture Day Cream contains a natural blend of beech tree buds extract, which hydrates and improves skin texture, shea butter which softens and smooths skin and cranberry seed oil which replenishes with lipids and reinforces skin barrier, all of which are vegan and cruelty free. 

Serum

Another non-vegan ingredient which is commonly found in serums and other hydrating products is urea, which literally comes from animal urine – pretty nasty even if you’re NOT a vegan! Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum contains ingredients which hydrate, brighten and firm the skin, all of which are vegan in origin. In fact, this powerhouse serum combines ultra stable Vitamin C complex with a bio-technology to deliver the natural power of Vitamin C where it’s needed most. 

SPF

Sun protection often contains a number of different ingredients, such as elastin, lanolin and stearic acid, all of which are animal byproducts. However, Medik8 Advanced Day Total Protect SPF30 is a completely vegan formula and offers Pollution Shield, anti-infrared, anti-blue light and anti-A.G.E technology alongside SPF 30 and 5* UVA protection all in a lightweight moisturiser. This nourishing day cream boasts a range of protective technologies and replenishes skin’s hydration levels to keep it looking healthy and young.

Five of the Best Supplements for Beautiful Skin

Tags

back, bacteria, balanced diet, betacarotene, bilberry fruit, body, breakouts, chest, clarified, clear skin, CoEnzyme Q10, collagen, dehydrated, diet, dietary restriction, dry, drying, face, fatty acid, fine lines, French maritime pine bark extract, grapeseed, grapeseed extract, green tea, gut biome, hair, harsh chemicals, healthy, healthy skin, hydrate, hydration, I make a six, intensive, lutein, lycopene, melon concentrate, minerals, moisturiser, MSM, nails, omega-3, plumpness, problem skin, radiant, science lead, shinier, shoulders, skin issues, smooth, stronger, superoxide dismutase, supple, supplement, thicker, turmeric root, vitamin A, Vitamin C, vitamins, water, wrinkles, yeast, younger, zinc

Photo by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-white-and-yellow-medication-pills-3683077/

As well as following a targeted skincare regime which is made up of products for your specific skin type, one of the best ways to ensure your complexion is in the best condition possible is by following a healthy, balanced diet and making sure you drink enough water. However, making sure that you get the correct amount of vitamins and minerals in your diet isn’t always easy, especially if you have any type of dietary restriction. One of the brands that we carry, Advanced Nutrition Programme, creates supplements which contain patented combinations of the correct vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to tackle a number of different skin issues. Here are five of our favourites:

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Accumax

This supplement is an all-around skin saver, combining vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and phytonutrients to work from the inside out to support healthy skin. It’s completely free from harsh chemicals and contains a combination of ingredients that works to feed every cell in the body to help support all areas including face, chest, back and shoulders without drying out the skin.

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Clear Biome

Many of the signals which control the rest of our body come from the gut biome, and if this is off kilter, it can have a knock-on effect on your health. Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Clear Biome contains four specific strains of yeast and bacteria, as well as other ingredients like zinc, which work to rebalance your gut biome and deal with the underlying causes of problem skin. Skin will be clarified and free from breakouts. 

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Collagen Support

As we age, our body stops making some of the vital elements, such as collagen, which keep us looking youthful. This means that the skin loses its plumpness, and fine lines and wrinkles become more apparent. These plant-based capsules are packed with a clever cocktail of vitamin C, zinc, MSM, grape seed extract and melon concentrate which is rich in superoxide dismutase to help activate your skins’ collagen for younger looking skin. 

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Moisture IQ

If you suffer from very dry skin, sometimes simply applying moisturiser isn’t enough to restore your skin to a normal level of hydration. Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Moisture IQ is a science-led, 28-day smart supplement system uniquely formulated to hydrate dry and dehydrated skin. Carefully calibrated to support the appearance of hydrated, smooth, supple and radiant skin across the whole body, Skin Moisture IQ delivers an intensive moisture shot to skin, working from the inside out.

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Ultimate

This 28-day modern vitamin supplement system doesn’t just work on the skin – it also helps to maintain optimal hair and nail health, too. It contains a combination of vitamins A and D, as well as omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, a wide range of antioxidants derived from extracts of green tea, grapeseed, turmeric root, bilberry fruit, betacarotene, lutein and lycopene, AND coenzyme Q10 and French maritime pine bark extract! The supplements are conveniently packaged for daily use and with just 4 weeks of use, you’ll enjoy thicker, shinier hair, stronger nails and clearer skin.

Helpful hacks to better sleep

Tags

alarm clock, bedside table, big meals, body, books, brain, caffeinated drinks, calm, changing your diet, clean, clear space, covers, curtains, dark, diet, dozed off, e-reader, elements, fuelling up, Get into a routine, giving up booze, glare, good night’s sleep, GP, heat, holistic, hot chocolate, impact, improve, internal body clock, laptop, learning simple relaxation techniques, lie-in, lumpy, mattress, meditating, New Year’s Resolutions, old, positive step, quiet, Relax before bed, relaxing, rest, run, sleep, sleep diary, sleeping troubles, sugary snacks, tablet, teeth, TV, underlying issue, veganism, warm bath, Watch what you eat, woke, yoga

All these New Year’s Resolutions are great, and while giving up booze, changing your diet and taking more exercise are a positive step, they can all have an impact on your
sleep habits.

As we change the various elements of our lives, our sleep can improve in the long run, but adapting to a new way of doing things takes time. We have had a look at how you can get a good night’s sleep and bring a holistic change to your life in 2020.

Watch what you eat
You might be trying out a new diet or trying out veganism, but if you don’t eat enough during the day, or are fuelling up on the wrong things late in the evening, this could impact how you sleep. Don’t have caffeinated drinks before bed (remember hot chocolate might not be a sleep choice after all), steer clear of big meals later in the day and try not to have sugary snacks before bed as this can play havoc with your body, and teeth. If you are hungry, a banana or handful of nuts with a mug of warm water and lemon can help give you the balance you need.

Get into a routine
It is really important for you to stick to a bedtime routine, not because you are a child but because this will help both your brain and internal body clock find a new schedule every night. Try to go to bed at the same time each night and while a lie-in at the weekend is nice, just don’t over do it as that evening could spell sleeping troubles.

Relax before bed
While you might want to fit in a run at 9pm, it’s relaxing in the evening that will prepare you for bed and sleep. Taking a warm bath, learning simple relaxation techniques, doing some gentle yoga stretches and meditating are all calm, easy ways to help you unwind and get ready to rest.

Detox your bedroom
If you want to get to sleep, and stay asleep, your bedroom needs to be a quiet, clean, clear space that you want to spend time in. Chairs laden with clothes, shoes on the floor, dirty cups and glasses on the bedside table and endless open beauty products are not conducive to rest. This weekend, why not have a really good clear out, hoover and dust, set the radiator to the right heat, ensure the curtains are dark enough and see if this makes a difference for you. This is also the time to check out your mattress and make sure it is working, because if it is old and lumpy that is how you will feel when you wake.

Go screen free
Whether it’s a TV, laptop, tablet or e-reader, the glare of a screen in the bedroom isn’t going to do you any sleep favours. Keep screens out of the bedroom, get an alarm clock, read real books and you might be surprised how going screen free can help you sleep better.

Keep a sleep diary
If you find that you are doing everything right, but still can’t sleep, try keeping a diary so you can see what is happening. Note down what times you go to bed, what you did before you jumped under the covers, what you ate that day, when you dozed off (if you can remember) and what time you woke up in the morning. This might help you discover what is keeping you awake.

If you’re really struggling, maybe speak to your GP and see if there is an underlying issue they can help you with.

Team Pure Beauty

Why reducing salt is good for me

Tags

back to basics, bacon, bacon butties, black pepper, blood pressure, bones, brains, bread, cereals, Change habits, Check it out, cheese, chopped fruit and vegetables with dips, cooking, crackers, crisps and nuts, diet, experts, flavour, gammon steaks, garlic, Go meat free, grind, habit, healthier options, heart disease, hearts, herbs, hides, high in salt, ketchup, low-salt options, meat, muscles, normal, nutritional information, one teaspoon, OTT, pinch, pizzas, processed meat, read, ready meals, risk, salt, salt levels, salt reduction, salt shaker, Salt swaps, sausage casseroles, shopping, six grams of salt each day, snacks, soy sauce, spices, sugar, swaps, table, takeaways, taste buds, tasteless, turmeric, Vegan, veggie

A pinch here and a grind there, salt on our food is a habit many of us can’t break, but maybe we need to think about putting some restrictions in place.

While we need some salt in our diet to keep our hearts, bones, muscles and brains working well, too much isn’t a good thing. Going OTT with the salt shaker can raise your blood pressure which increases your risk of developing heart disease, so you need to keep an eye on things.

We know that people sometimes think that going without salt is tasteless, but this isn’t the case, so we have looked at what you can do to keep the salt levels down and your health levels high.

Check it out
When you are shopping, read the nutritional information on labels and where you can, go with low-salt options and ingredients. You will be amazed where salt, like sugar hides. Ketchup, bread, cereals, crackers and even pizzas are packed with the white stuff, so do your research and start to make sensible swaps.

Change habits
Like most things, making small changes and taking things one step at a time is the key to salt reduction success. Add less salt to your food when you are cooking, and don’t even put the salt on the table when you are eating. Cutting down this way means your taste buds will adapt and over time you will simply get used to a new normal when it comes to salt and food.

Look at spices
You don’t have to flavour your food with salt, there are healthier options out there. Black pepper, herbs, garlic, spices like turmeric as well as garlic and lemon juice all pack a flavour punch but without the health hazards of salt. With this said, do read those labels again when it comes to things like soy sauce and seasoning packets as some of these are very high in salt and worth avoiding.

Go meat free
A lot of processed meat comes with a lot of salt, so just look at how much you are eating and where changes can be made here. Those gammon steaks, bacon butties and sausage casseroles might taste great, but part of that comes from all the salt. Even if it is once or twice a week, go meat free and look at some of the veggie and vegan options that are out there, and you might find you actually prefer them.

Salt swaps
We all know that snacks like crisps and some nuts come with a heavy salt serving, so swapping for chopped fruit and vegetables with dips, and make salty foods such as bacon, cheese, takeaways and ready meals a treat rather than an everyday occurrence.

Just think about it, with the experts saying that we should eat no more than six grams of salt each day – that’s about one teaspoon – if we want to be healthy, maybe it’s time we went back to basics and looked at just how much we are eating and where changes can be made for a brighter future.

Team Pure Beauty

What Happens to your Body when You Give up Meat for Veganuary?

Tags

animal, animal products, antioxidants, complexion, dairy, Dermalogica Redness Relief Essence, diet, Elemis Superfood Facial Wash, essential fats, fruit, inflammation, insulin, iron, meat, meat free, multivitamin, no meat, plant-based, skin, type 2 diabetes, Vegan, veganism, Veganuary, vegetables, Vitamin B12, weight gain

Royalty-free Image

Even if you’re a lifelong meat-eater, you’ve probably heard of Veganuary. The movement started in 2014, and encourages people to give up all animal products and go vegan for the month of January. It’s estimated that half a million people take part, worldwide, and “in January 2019, 500 companies promoted Veganuary and veganism, while more than 200 plant-based products and menus were launched”. With this in mind, we thought we’d take a look at the knock-on effects that giving up meat can have on your body, to give you the inspiration you need to go vegan, even if it’s just for a month:

Inflammation will be Reduced

If you eat cheese, red meat and other processed animal products, there’s a good chance that you’ll have more inflammation in your body than someone who doesn’t. If you suffer from redness and inflamed skin issues, there’s a good chance that your diet is making it worse. As well as giving up animal products, using Dermalogica Redness Relief Essence will help.

You’ll Make Your Gut Happier

There’s a lot of current wisdom which points to the fact that our microbiome, the balance of bacteria in our gut, is what controls how the rest of our body functions. Going vegan can give your microbiome a complete makeover, while using Elemis Superfood Facial Wash will help balance the skin’s own precious microbiome.

Cut Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Many people still think that diabetes is caused by eating sugar, but that’s simply not the case. Animal fat and nitrate preservatives in meat have been found to damage pancreatic cells, worsen inflammation, cause weight gain, and impair the way our insulin functions. By giving up animal products, you dramatically reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Your Skin Could Improve

When you cut meat and other animal products out of your diet, you tend to eat more fruit and veg, nuts, and other things which contain essential fats and antioxidants, which are all great for your skin. Supporting this with a proper skincare routine means that, by February, your skin could look better than ever.

You Might Need to Supplement

The one downside of giving up animal products is that you might lose certain nutrients from your diet. It is possible to get everything you need from a plant-based diet but this often takes a bit of time and some trial and error. Adding a multivitamin into your diet, and ensuring you’re getting enough iron and vitamin B12 will help you to stay feeling great without animal products.