Why You Should Be Paying Attention to Amino Acids

Tags

amino acids, anti-aging, appearance, astringent, basil oil, blow, body, botanical, breakage, building blocks, Burdock, cells, chamomile, cleansing, cucumber, detangling, drying, elasticity, essential, exfoliating, expression, Eyes, Frankincense, frizz, Grapefruit, hair, healthy, heat, hydration, Ivy, Jojoba oil, lavender, lemon, lines, Mallow, moisturised, moisturising, nature, oil, oils, peel, peptides, protect, protection, radiant, rose, sagging, science, shine, skin, smoothness, softness, soothe, split ends, useful, Watercress, youthful

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

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.

Vaping and The Effects on Your Skin

Tags

acne, ageing, antioxidant, balanced, chemicals, cleanser, cream, daily routine, dangers, dark spots, day, discolouration, dry, dry skin, drying, dryness, e-cigarette, enlarged, exfoliator, flaky, hydrated, hydration, hyperpigmentation, inhaling, irritation, itchy, nicotine, oily skin, oxygen, patchy, pores, rashes, resurfacing, sagging, sebum, sensitive, sensitivity, skin, smoking, soothing, supple, texture, toxins, uneven, Vape, vaping, vapour, wrinkling

Photo by FORMM agency on Unsplash

Vaping is something which has gained HUGE popularity the world over in the last decade. When e-cigs first came along, we were all assured that they were far safer than cigarettes and the health benefits of making the switch would be numerous. Now that we’re a few years down the line and more research has been done, we’re now aware that vaping presents its own dangers, not least of all to your skin. Here’s an overview of some of the negative effects of vaping on the skin and what you can do to reverse them:

E-Liquids Contain Toxins Which Can Damage The Skin

Exposure to the chemicals from e-cigarettes are twofold – as well as inhaling chemicals which can be harmful to your skin, you also create a cloud of vapour when you exhale, which also enrobes your skin in chemicals. The best way to stop the effects on your skin is to stop vaping altogether, but adding a potent exfoliator such as Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser can also help to remove toxins and reverse some of the damage. 

It Makes Your Skin Dry

One of the ways that smoking ages the skin is by depriving it of oxygen and drying it out, and that can also be said for vaping. Every time you take a puff of a vape, you’re drying your skin out and exacerbating dry skin. Ironically, for some people, this can then lead to OILY skin, as your natural sebum production will ramp up to overcompensate. We recommend Elemis Hydra-Balance Day Cream, which is an ultra-light, antioxidant rich day cream that provides continuous hydration, to leave skin feeling perfectly hydrated, balanced and supple.

It Can Make Acne and Redness Worse

Vaping contains lots of chemicals and nicotine which come in contact with our skin. This may cause the skin to become dry or flaky. It can also aggravate those with naturally dry skin by making it patchy and sometimes itchy. The chemicals in e-cigarettes can also cause skin sensitivity and irritation which can lead to rashes and even acne. To combat these effects, we’d recommend adding Elemis Sensitive Soothing Milk to your daily routine, as it is infused with red sage and aloe vera, whilst bisabolol complex helps to protect against visible daily aggressors that might cause irritation. 

It Accelerates the Signs of Ageing

Despite being touted as “better than smoking” for our health, vaping is still incredibly damaging when it comes to the signs of ageing, as it deprives our skin of nutrients. This will lead to premature ageing in the form of dryness, enlarged pores, sagging, wrinkling, hyperpigmentation, and uneven texture. Using Aromatherapy Associates Anti-Ageing Overnight Repair Mask will help to smooth out lines and firm the skin, treating you to an overnight facial. 

It Can Cause Dark Spots

We all know that smoking can cause discolouration to the skin, but it’s also possible to suffer from hyperpigmentation, thanks to vaping. The nicotine in cigarettes is often what contributes to dark spots, and nicotine is still usually present in e-cigarettes too. Murad Correct and Protect Serum SPF45 is a satiny-smooth serum with 100% mineral SPF that’s tested and scientifically proven to visibly correct discolouration and prevent future hyperpigmentation, making it the perfect product for vapers and smokers. 

Five Autumn Changes to Your Skincare Routine

Tags

autumn, changes, coconut oil, cold, cream, dark spots, dry, drying, essential fatty acids, face, Glycerin, hands, hexylresorcinol, hydrated, hydrating, lanolin, lips, luminosity, moisturiser, Niacinamide, non-greasy, overnight, passionflower oil, pumpkin enzyme, red, redness, sensitive, sensitivity, serum, skin, SkinCeuticals, summer, supple, texture, This Works, warm, weather, wet, youthful

Photo by Andre Furtado on Unsplash

While most of us are still enjoying the late summer weather, here in the UK, autumn is just around the corner and it won’t be long before we’re swapping shorts and sandals for scarves and gloves. While the change in clothes is inevitable, changing your skincare routine could also offer numerous benefits, so we’ve put together five key tips for making your daily skincare routine more autumn-friendly:

Exfoliate Regularly In Autumn

To save your skin from becoming dull, lackluster and dehydrated during the autumn months, up your exfoliation to twice a week. Exfoliating regularly, helps to increase cellular regeneration and removes dead skin cells that can hinder the absorption of any moisturisers or serums. For your face, we recommend Murad Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial while your body would benefit hugely from investing in Medik8 Smooth Body Exfoliating Kit. 

Inject More Moisture

You’ve probably been using a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser during the summer months, but the autumn usually requires something a little thicker. It’s time to bulk up with a heftier hydrator, preferably containing essential fatty acids, which are needed more when the weather gets colder. Dermalogica PowerBright Overnight Cream is an nourishing nighttime cream that optimises skin moisture recovery and helps restore luminosity. Niacinamide and hexylresorcinol help fade the appearance of dark spots, and it even contains the ultimate autumnal ingredient – pumpkin enzyme, which smoothes and evens skin texture!

Don’t Forget Lip Care

One of the first things that we usually notice when summer becomes autumn is that our lips start to dry out, thanks to the combination of the colder weather and putting the heating on indoors. Bloom and Blossom Lip Service Nourishing Lip Balm contains four powerful ingredients that together heal, hydrate and soften lips, giving them a deep boost of moisture and helping to protect them against the elements. It contains lanolin, which easily absorbs deeply into your skin, as well as coconut oil, passionflower oil and glycerin. 

Help Out Your Hands

Another body part which is often problematic as the temperature plummets is the hands, which suffer from a lack of moisture thanks to the dry, cool air. This Works Perfect Hands Intense Moisture is a powerfully hydrating, non-greasy cream that helps keep hands looking their finest. Daily use will help to maintain supple, youthful, hydrated and beautifully fragranced hands and allow you to emerge in the springtime with healthy hands. 

Calm Away Redness

It’s not uncommon for people with sensitive skin to experience flare ups once autumn comes around. In the colder part of autumn, when we move from the chillier outdoors to the warm indoors, it’s not uncommon to notice the tell-tale redness occurring more frequently, which is why it’s important to add something like SkinCeuticals Redness Neutralizer into your routine, to help strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and soothe the feeling of irritation.

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.

Pure Beauty’s Top Five Travel Tips

Tags

aeroplane, air travel, airplane, bacteria, bare, beach, beauty tips, city break, damage, Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover, Decleor Flash Radiance Mask, dehydrated, Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner, drying, Elemis Tea Tree S.O.S. Spray, face, fly, flying, flying tips, holiday, hydrate, hydrated, make-up, mask, minimise, moisture, moisturiser, radiance, recycled air, skin, skin tips, spots, spritz, squench, tips, travel, travelling, tropical, vacation

Photo by chen zo on Unsplash

Holiday season is just around the corner and the trip you’ve probably been planning for months is finally within reach. Whether it’s a city break, a tropical getaway or something more family-friendly, if you’re jetting off you’ll want to get your beauty routine planned in advance to offset the havoc that air travel can play with your skin, so we’ve got five tips to help you get prepped:

No Make-Up

If you want to strut around the departure lounge and shops looking glam, that’s great, but the first thing you do when you get on the plane is take off your make-up. Going bare-faced is one of the best ways to minimise the damage that all of the recycled air will do to your complexion. We recommend a hydrating cleanser like Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover.

Masking Up

Using a nourishing mask in-flight will not only stave off at adverse effects that flying can cause for your skin, but will mean you step off the plane at your destination with healthier, more radiant skin. Decleor Flash Radiance Mask would be a great choice.

Hydrate

One of the biggest issues with air travel is that it dehydrates your skin, leaving you feeling totally dried out by the time you land. Once you’ve used a mask product, we highly recommend giving your face a deep wash of Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance, which is perfect for taking on a flight as it’s in its own 100ml container!

Spritz

Even if your moisturiser packs a punch, aeroplanes can still dehydrate your face, so you’ll probably need to supplement your moisturiser with an additional skin-quencher. Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner is a great product to keep on hand for when you want to give your moisture levels an extra boost.

Kill Germs

This is one which may or may not have occurred to you, but aeroplanes can be a hive of bacteria, and although the cleaning crews vacuum and clear away rubbish, they probably don’t deep clean as often as they should. Keep a bottle Elemis Tea Tree S.O.S. Spray at hand when flying and you can keep your skin free from spot-causing bacteria.