How to Give Yourself a Mini At-Home Facial

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Aromatherapy Associates Rose Triple Exfoliator, beauty, camomile, candle, clean, cleanse, cleanser, Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover, essential oils, face, facial, geranium, home, lavender, mask, massage, Medik8 Ultimate Recovery Bio-Cellulose Mask, mood, nourishing, oils, palmerosa, pamper, rose, senses, sheet mask, skin, Skin Abode Contour Pro Face Massager, Spa, This Works Deep Sleep Heavenly Candle, treatment

Photo by Sora Shimazaki

While we’d obviously advocate for taking yourself off to a salon and having a professional facial, we’re well aware that time doesn’t always allow. However, even if you don’t have time for an appointment, there’s no reason that your skin should go neglected, which is why we’ve put together a guide to how to give yourself a mini facial at home, and which products you could use to make it almost as good as that spa-day experience!

Set the Mood

One thing that you’ll notice if you attend spas or beauty salons on a regular basis is that the mood is set the moment you walk in, thanks to certain smells and lighting. Soft is best, and candles are a great way to achieve both of these things. This Works Deep Sleep Heavenly Candle is a luxurious, hand-blended candle, enriched with pure essential oils of lavender and camomile. The soft, flattering light of this long-burning candle, together with its therapeutic fragrance, combine to help soothe senses and increase inner peace.

Cleanse Your Skin

When giving yourself an at-home facial, you want to use the best products you can to replicate that spa experience, and using gentle cleansers is a must. Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover is a new cleanser powered by the best scientific blend of virgin botanical oils and floral water to help cleanse and nourish the skin whilst removing all traces of make up, giving you the perfect clean base on which to work. 

Exfoliate

Next, we’d recommend a gentle exfoliation treatment, such as Aromatherapy Associates Rose Triple Exfoliator, which not only exfoliates your skin but also smells incredible, adding to the feelings of luxury. Blended from warm rose, geranium and palmarosa, this exfoliator draws from three types of softly smoothing botanical microspheres, with natural bamboo, corn cob granules and biodegradable rose water infused jojoba, to enrich and uplift the senses.

Use a Mask

Once you’ve got rid of any dirt and dead skin cells, your face is primed and ready for a deeper treatment, courtesy of a mask. Obviously, there are all sorts of masks out there for all different skin types, but we’re huge fans of Medik8 Ultimate Recovery Bio-Cellulose Mask. It is enriched with detoxifying minerals and deeply hydrating hyaluronic acid to help cool, restore and comfort even the most sensitive of skin types, giving you a super gentle wash of hydration. 

Give Yourself a Massage

Once you’ve given your mask time to work, we’d suggest some self-massage, courtesy of the Skin Abode Contour Pro Face Massager. It provides the perfect deep-tissue massage for your face to help banish those sagging jowls, lift your drooping browline and chisel those cheekbones. After taking off your sheet mask, leave the remaining serum on your face and use this massager to really work it into your skin. 

Think All Teen Skin is Oily? Think Again!

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acne, balance, breakouts, Dermalogia, Dermalogica Hydrating Lotion, Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque, dry skin, Elemis, Elemis Gentle Foaming Facial Wash, facial, foaming, hormones, hydrate, hydrating, lotion, mask, masque, moisturise, moisturising, nourish, nourishing, Pracaxi oil, REN Clean Skincare, REN Clean Skincare Clearcalm 3 Replenishing Gel Cream, REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk, scars, spots, teen, teen skin, teenage, teenage skin, teenager, wash

Photo by Jason Deines

If you mention teen skin issues to almost anyone, they’re usually going to assume that you’re referring to oily skin and pimples. However, there are plenty of teenagers out there who struggle with dry skin, especially when the weather turns cold and they’re out in the elements between school and their social lives. Today, we’re sharing with you five products which could help to nourish and rebalance your teen’s dry skin:

Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque

Masques are a great way to treat teen skin and this one from Dermalogica contains calming botanical extracts of bitter orange, hops, cucumber and arnica reduce inflammation, while antioxidant vitamins A, C and E and pro-vitamin B5 help to nourish and replenish the skin. It’s suitable for use on all skin conditions, which means you won’t have to worry about it exacerbating eczema or acne, to which many teens are prone. 

REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk

Keeping the skin clean is vital when you’re a teen, but if you have dry skin you may find that many of the teen-specific cleansers are simply too harsh on your already-irritated skin. REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk is a gentle cleansing milk with a multi-action formula that fights environmental aggressors, increases skin resilience and minimises the signs of irritation and sensitivity. It’s perfect for teens who want to stay clean without causing more dryness. 

Dermalogica Hydrating Lotion

It goes without saying that dry skin needs moisture, but many heavy moisturisers are aimed at older people who are hoping to combat the signs of ageing – not something that’s usually at the forefront of teenage minds! Dermalogica Hydrating Lotion is a lightweight lotion that helps soothe discomfort and hydrate areas that feel dry and can also help to relieve the dryness often associated with some acne treatments.

Elemis Gentle Foaming Facial Wash

As we touched upon above, keeping teen skin clean without stripping away the natural oils can be tricky. Elemis Gentle Foaming Facial Wash is a gentle wash that combines extracts such as fig, and apple amino acid, which helps produce the foamy texture and protects the skin’s moisture barrier. It also contains the ultra-exotic Pracaxi oil, found in the depths of the Amazon rainforest, which works to soften skin, but also helps maintain its delicate balance, respecting the skin’s natural oil levels.

REN Clean Skincare Clearcalm 3 Replenishing Gel Cream

While it’s true that not all teen skin is oily, it can still be prone to breakouts, thanks to the riptide of surging hormones coursing through them on a daily basis. REN Clean Skincare Clearcalm 3 Replenishing Gel Cream is a soothing gel-cream formulated to leave blemish and breakout-prone skin comfortable and calm while helping to combat the appearance of blemishes. It nourishes the skin, reduces breakouts and will even help to fade scars from old spots. 

Fighting Back Against the Mask-Related Acne

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acne, acne treatment, anti ageing, anti wrinkle, antioxidants, azelaic acid, beauty, blemish, clarifying, clear skin, COVID, cruelty free, dermalogica, Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash, Elemis S.O.S. Emergency Cream, face, face mask, facial, flawless skin, glowing skin, glycolic acid, healing, intensive, lockdown, make up, mask, masks, Murad, Murad Outsmart Blemish Clarifying Treatment, natural skincare, pigmentation, plant extracts, Salicylic Acid, skin, skin goals, skin problems, skincare, skincare routine, skincare treatments

Photo by Pille R. Priske on Unsplash

Whether you’re someone who is still fastidiously wearing masks when out and about or you’ve given up now that restrictions have been relaxed, there are still a lot of people battling the effects that masks had on their skin. Mask-related acne became such an issue during lockdown that it was given its own portmanteau – mas-cne! Some postulated that the spots were caused by re-wearing cloth masks without washing them between uses, while others felt it was simply an effect of your skin being less able to breathe under a mask. Either way, dealing with mas-cne requires a certain set of products – here are five of the best:

Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash

One of the most effective ways to deal with acne is by using a cleanser with targeted ingredients, like this one from Dermalogica. It contains natural extracts of balm mint, eucalyptus and tea tree help eliminate breakout-causing bacteria and congestion as menthol and camphor help cool inflammation. It sloughs away excess oils and dead skin cells which block pores and contribute to acne and helps to prevent future breakouts. 

Murad Outsmart Blemish Clarifying Treatment

This gel serum from Murad contains a Penta-Acid Technology comprised of salicylic, lysophosphatidic, hydroxydecanoic, sebacic and glycolic acids which combine to clear skin of blemish-causing bacteria, oiliness and blackheads while minimising dryness and irritation. It can be applied directly to blemishes and is clinically proven to visibly reduce blemishes within 7 days. 

Elemis S.O.S. Emergency Cream

This intensive, healing moisturiser from Elemis is designed to give sensitised, weathered skin a deep infusion of moisture and contains myrrh essential oil, which has regenerating, anti-inflammatory and anti-itching properties, making it invaluable in products which help relieve acne. Added lavender oil helps to enhance healing and can also help to reduce the chance of scarring. 

Medik8 Blemish SOS

This rapid action treatment gel from Murad is designed to be applied directly to blemishes and remains invisible once applied, unlike some spot treatments which leave an unsightly film. It’s enriched with azelaic acid to fight blemish-causing bacteria and dioic acid to help control oil production within the skin and can be used under make up or on its own for fast-acting, spot-busting powers. 

Jan Marini Bioglycolic Bioclear Lotion

Bioglycolic Bioclear Lotion is a multi-purpose product from Jan Marini which contains glycolic, salicylic and azelaic acid and is designed to treat not just acne, but also pigmentation, rosacea and fine lines and wrinkles. As well as utilising the three acids which are amazing for the skin, the lotion is packed with antioxidants and natural plant extracts which repair and refine the complexion for softer, smoother, more luminous and hydrated looking skin.

How to make self care a priority in 2019

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achievements at work, alarm clock, bath, bed, bike ride, budget, bunch of flowers, burn out, busy life, cat, cheerleader, coat, coffee, cold, connect, digital free, ead a book, enjoy, Facebook, facial, family, family pressures, focus, fresh air, friends, good, happy, healthy, ignoring, information, kind, lift your mood, list, look, lunchtime, mental health, mirror, natural endorphins, negatively impact, others, outside, overwhelm, partner, Pat on the Back, pen and paper, phone, puts you down, reflection, river, run, self-esteem, sense of achievement, smart appearance, smile, sociable, social media, solitude, spring, step, Switch off, talk, technology, tick, Trello, voice, walk, watch a movie, weight loss, work, work colleagues, you are worth it

Demands at work, family pressures and the endless bombardment of information from social media means that making time for ourselves becomes increasingly difficult. The thing is, if you don’t do this, you will burn out and then you will be no good to anyone at all – harsh but true.

We have looked at some simple ways that you can build some time into your busy life to ensure you get the care you need to be happy and healthy.

Make a list
Whether you use a pen and paper, write on a blackboard or tap into Trello, make a list of what you need to do. As well as giving you a focus and ensuring you don’t forget to take the cat to the vet, a list can take away that feeling of overwhelm and give you a sense of achievement as you tick things off.

Spend time alone
Many of us spend a lot of our time with family, friends and work colleagues, and while it is good to be sociable, you need some time alone too. On that to do list, add in a slot where you can read a book, watch a movie or just have a bath and enjoy a little solitude.

Stop the chatter
You are kind to others when you talk to them, but do you extend the same care to yourself? You need to be your own cheerleader and that means ignoring the voice that puts you down and instead, focus on the good! Whether it’s your smart appearance, achievements at work or recent weight loss, give yourself a pat on the back and when you look in the mirror, smile at your reflection, because ‘you are worth it’.

Switch off
Technology and social media have a lot to answer for. While they might make it easier for us to connect, they can also totally take over our lives and negatively impact our mental health and self-esteem. We aren’t saying knock it on the head altogether, but don’t take your phone to bed with you (buy an alarm clock), you won’t miss out if you aren’t checking Facebook every three minutes and if you can, go digital free for an hour a day, working up to a whole day if you can.

Treat yourself
Whether it is going for a coffee with friends, having a relaxing facial or buying yourself a bunch of flowers on the way home from work, do something that is just for you. These things won’t blow the budget but they can really help to lift your mood and will put a spring in your step.

Get outside
Being inside isn’t good for us all the time. Get your coat on and get outside in the fresh air, however cold it is. A brisk walk at lunchtime, a run along the river or a bike ride with your partner will blow away the cobwebs and give you a blast of the natural endorphins that make you feel good! Put aside sometime each week to being outside and we are pretty sure your mental health will thank you for it.

Remember, 2019 is all about self-care!

Team Pure Beauty

How to deal with a break up

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alone, angry, bed, betrayed, bike, blocking, boost your mood, bottle things up, break, break-up, broken heart, chatting, Christmas, cinema, coffee, confused, connected, cry, dance class, delete, distraction, dumped, easier, erased, Everybody hurts, ex, Facebook, facial, family, feel, feel good endorphins, feelings, friends, girl, GP, harsh, heal, holiday, home, Instagram, let go, love, love yourself, natural responses, nioce, once, pain, photo, quick fix, reboot, recluse, relationship, relationship status, run, sad, sad films, share, smile, social media, sorry, space, stress levels, sunshine, supported, talk, time, time is a healer, timescale, trust, worse, you’re worth it, your song

If you received a broken heart for Christmas, we really feel your pain because we know only too well that dealing with a break up can be really tough.

Whether you are feeling sad, angry, betrayed or confused, don’t worry, these are all natural responses when a relationship ends, and while we know there is no quick fix, we do have some ideas to help you get back on track again.

Press delete
Social media makes it possible to hold onto your ex for longer than you may have done in the past, so we suggest you delete them for once and for all. Yes, you might want to see what they are up to, but the more you check Facebook and Instagram, the harder it is going to be to let go, so delete them right now. Blocking might feel harsh, but it has to be better than agonising who that girl is in the photo and if you are still feeling upset several months down the line and they change their relationship status, you don’t want to know. So go on, do it now and ask other people not to tell you what is happening with you ex too!

Cry
Everybody hurts sometimes, so after a break up spend some time alone and have a good cry, get those feelings out there and yes, feel sorry for yourself, it’s allowed.

Give it time
Whether you were the one to make the break, or the one who was dumped, you need time to get over the end of a relationship. You have been on holiday together, maybe shared a home, have the same friends and then there’s ‘your song’ and none of those things are going to be erased in a few days. Time is a healer, so give yourself that space and over the coming weeks and months, things will get easier and you will start to see the sunshine again.

Talk about it
Yes, you will want to be alone to heal your pain, but you don’t want to become a recluse. Spending time talking to the friends and family you love and who make you smile, is so important and will help you feel connected and supported. Whether you talk about your break up, the reasons why or what to do next, chatting with people you trust not only gives you another point of view, but it can be a distraction from your thoughts which can be a huge help. Try not to bottle things up as that can make things worse and if you get to the point when you just can’t see the wood for the trees, maybe speak to your GP.

Get moving
Yes, watch those sad films and get into bed with your hot water bottle and onesie, but it is also important to get up and move about. Having those feel good endorphins pumping around your body can be a great way to heal and help you to move forward. Going for a run, taking a dance class or jumping on your bike can all help deal with your stress levels, boost your mood and you will be distracted from your heartache.

Treat yourself
After a breakup you might not want to do anything nice for yourself but it is one way to reboot, and you have to love yourself before you can love anyone else again. Now is the time to treat yourself to something that will make you feel good, and whether it is a facial, coffee with friends or a trip to the cinema, doing this is key to healing and will help you to smile again. Remember – you’re worth it!

Do it in your own time
While we have given you some ideas of how to feel better, there is no timescale for this. You are human and will deal with your emotions in your own time and own way. Mending a broken heart is a marathon, not a sprint, so don’t compare yourself to anyone else, go at your own pace and as you are kinder to yourself, you will start to feel happy again.

Team Pure Beauty