How to make the world a better place, your way

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Walk along the road, go to the park or visit the local woods, and we are pretty sure you will see litter on the street, mess in the gutter and writing on the walls.

A sign of the times – maybe?

Something you can change – definitely.

We have some ideas on how small actions taken by each of us, can make a big impact for all of us in the world we call home.

Plogging
Don’t know what plogging is, where have you been? Well, the Scandinavian’s have come into their own again, as they conied this phrase by combined picking up litter as you run. Doing this means that as well as getting fit and active, this helps you clean up where you live and as you only need your trainers, a bag for life and some gloves to get started, what’s stopping you?

Catch the rain
Water butts are great because the rain water you collect keeps your garden healthy during the dry summer months without draining other resources. If you don’t have the space for a water butt, reuse bath water or collect the water when you’re in the shower and not only will you have green grass but lower bills.

How about a town makeover
Whether it’s a collapsed fence, stagnant pond or graffiti-covered wall, if you offer some time and TLC you can make your corner of the world look better. If you want to give something a new lease of life, get permission from your local council first, then get family, friends and neighbours involved and bring people together, for the better.

Cut down your emissions
Reducing the amount you use your car can really help to cut your carbon footprint, and it isn’t that hard to do. Instead of drving the car to go to the local shops, walk instead, share your commute to work with people who live close by and why not holiday in the UK, rather than taking a plane somewhere else in the world?

Give back
Life is busy, but giving your time to someone in need can be rewarding for you and very much appreciated by them. Helping an elderly friend with their library books, tackling the weeds in your neighbour’s garden, or helping out at the food bank might only be an hour to you, but it could offer a life line to someone else. By doing a quick online search you will find something that will work for you, and no matter where you volunteer, you will make a difference to others.

Buy less
If you want to produce less rubbish, why not simply buy less stuff? When you do shop, go for packaging that can be recycled, freeze what you aren’t going to have time to eat and before you splash the cash, make sure you really need what you are about to purchase, there are only so many jumpers and pairs of jeans you can wear.

Donate
Old and unwanted clothes, furniture and food might not seem much to you, but you will find that homeless shelters and charity shops will be more than happy to take them from you and there will be someone out there will give them a much loved home.

Grow your own
Flowers, plants and trees look pretty but they also remove CO2 from the air and replace it with oxygen, which is what we need. Why not think about taking up gardening, be that at home or in a local space, community garden, old people’s home or school and before you know it, you’ll be creating a welcoming environment and giving back to the world at the same time.

Grow your own
If you’re fed up of having to buy your fruit and veg in plastic bags, why not grow your own? By doing this, you will cut your plastic use, your food will be fresh and organic and if you freeze what you grow, you will have fertiliser free produce on tap.

Team Pure Beauty

How to make your home, your sanctuary

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allergies, Barbie, bask, bathroom, bright colours, bubbles, calm, clean, colours, cool, curtains, cuter, diffusers, DIY, dust, elements, essential oils, fems, fix, flowers, front door, green, greenery outside, grey, happy, haven, herbs, home, hyacinth, items, kitchen, lavender, life, mats, mind, minimalist look, mirrors, natural fragrances, nature, need, paint, pale, person, photos, plant, potted plants, power, recycle, Relax, reminder, room, samples, Scandi, scented candles, serene, shades, space, splash, Sponge Bob, spring, stresses, stripes, stuff, summer, sweet scents, system, toys, vases, vibrancy, wall, wallpaper, want, warm earth-based pigments, wash, window box

When you close your front door, you want to make sure your home is a sanctuary that helps you to relax and get away from the stresses of the day.

We have had a look at some changes you can make, to bring a little calm to your life.

Clear away the clutter
Clutter not only attracts dust, which can irritate allergies, but it plays on your mind as it is a constant reminder of what you need to do, fix or finish. Piles of ‘stuff’ won’t help create calm, so have a declutter. Whether you go room by room, or person by person, find a system that works for you and either find a home for items, give them away or recycle them, but don’t hold onto what you don’t need, or want, anymore.

What colours work for you?
Don’t underestimate the power of colour in your home as this can help create a haven. Maybe you love cool, calm Scandi grey tones, warm earth-based pigments are the preference for some people while others love to bask in bright colours that make them feel happy. Get some samples from your local DIY shop and add stripes of colour to one wall, and you will see how different shades could work in your home and give it a whole new feel.

Bring the outside, inside
There is nothing quite like a little greenery in your home to make it feel serene. Bringing the elements into your home puts you in touch with nature and adds a little more colour and vibrancy. Whether you have potted plants and ferns, herbs growing in the kitchen, or flowers in vases, having them in your home can help change the feeling of that space. If you are short on outside areas, why not plant up a window box with lavender and hyacinth which will offer sweet scents during spring and summer as well as a splash of colour.

Think about the walls
Do you go for paint or wallpaper? Are you big on mirrors? Paintings and photographs – do you have lots of them hidden away? Work out whether you want a minimalist look, or is it a busier background you are going for? Think about what makes you happy and create a canvas you love.

What’s that smell?
Scents can really help shift our mood – just think about how you feel when you walk into a spa. Adding natural fragrances with flowers, herbs, and essential oils are a great way to bring a sense of serenity to your home and make it feel like a sanctuary. Try using naturally scented candles, but keep an eye on them, and diffusers are a fantastic way to ensure your home smells lovely and welcoming.

Think about your bathroom
Far from being a place to simply wash and go, your bathroom really can be a place where you can relax and leave the world behind. Go for pale walls and tiles and accessorise with pretty pots and curtains, as well as matching towels. Have a box for children’s toys and mats, so that when you want to relax in the bath, Barbie and SpongeBob don’t spoil the moment. Candles add a soft, glow and playing music can really set the tone and don’t forget to add bubbles.

Play around with some ideas and we think you will find something that is perfect just for you.

Team Pure Beauty

Which subscription box is for you?

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3, 6 or 12 month options, ‘Awesome as you are’, Baebox, balance and joy, bang on the money, Beautifully illustrated cards and paper, Birchbox, Bloom & Wild, blooms, carefully selected products, Clarins, consumer revolution, cool games, cranberries and pecan nuts and pop-it-yourself popcorn, Favourites, flowers, gift tags, girls, Glossybox, Graze, healthy, home, HoneyTreePost, iconic brands, inspirational quotes, luxury range, Maybelline, monthly subscription, MUA, Nails Inc, natural colour, notecards, one-off box, personalised boxes, pineapple and coconut flakes to pots of almonds, positive messages, post, postage, postcards, recipes, retreat information, rustic flapjacks with honeycomb and chocolate drizzle and mango, smile, stationery, stationery lover, stems, tasty snacks, Toiletries, tote bags, trend, UK subscription box, vending machine, yogi, Yogi and Bare, Yogi and Bare box

The UK subscription box market is booming and as people demand more convenience when it comes to shopping, things can only get bigger.

The subscription box trend was started, like so many things, in the US, when
Birchbox, offered monthly deliveries of make-up and beauty products and started a consumer revolution.

The concept quickly took off and is now a thriving industry around the world.

With so much to choose from, we have done a round-up of our favourites.

Baebox is a fab monthly subscription box aimed at girls aged eight to 15. Each box costs £16.00 and is packed with cute stationery, tote bags, toiletries and cool games. We love these boxes because they also feature postcards that come with inspirational quotes and positive messages that make you feel fab. The Baebox ethos is ‘Awesome as you are’ and with a box just for boys too, this subscription is bang on the money.

If you are fed up of the vending machine to get your afternoon fix, why not try Graze? These guys have been around for a while and send out personalised boxes of healthy, tasty snacks that are brilliant. From rustic flapjacks with honeycomb and chocolate drizzle and mango, pineapple and coconut flakes to pots of almonds, cranberries and pecan nuts and pop-it-yourself popcorn with a touch of salt, there is something for everyone.

If the free spirit in you needs a regular fix, you will love Yogi and Bare. This is either a monthly subscription or a one-off box that is full of carefully selected products that bring balance and joy to your life. From £26.00 (plus postage) your day will be brightened when you open the post and find a selection of skincare products, clothing, jewellery or snacks, as well as retreat information, recipes and so much more.

Flowers through the letterbox sounds wrong, but Bloom & Wild have made it oh so right. The luxury range of blooms and stems plus premium packaging will put a smile on even the most stressed face. With 3, 6 or 12 month options, this is an affordable way to have a pop of natural colour in your home all year round and because the flowers come ‘flat-packed’, you don’t need to be home to sign for them.

If you’re a stationery lover, then HoneyTreePost is going to be the subscription box for you. Each month a collection of inspired stationery is put together and sent straight to your desk. Beautifully illustrated cards and paper, postcards, notecards and gift tags could be amongst the seven items you receive and each one will make you smile.

We couldn’t complete this round-up without mention the amazing Glossybox. From just £10 a month, you will receive a super-stylish box containing five products from iconic brands like MUA, Clarins, Maybelline and Nails Inc together with expert tips and tricks. We think you will love it so much, you will want to buy subscriptions for family and friends too.

Got a box you love? Write in and let us know more!

Team Pure Beauty

Get your summer wardrobe sorted

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bare some flesh, BBQ, beach, bikini, block colour, boots, bright and bold, cami style, capris, cashmere wrap, charity shop, denim jacket, department stores, designer brands, dresses, essentials, fabric, flamingo, flip flops, flowers, glitter, High Street, holiday vibe, iPad, jacket, jeans, landfill, maxi dress, mix and match, October, pineapple, pleated skirt, poolside, quality, shines, shorts, shy, silver sandals, smile, social media, sophisticated, spaghetti straps, splurge, stretch, summer staple, sun, Sun cream, sunglasses, super model, support, take away coffee, tee, tote bag, towel, urban feel, urge, wardrobe, white shirt, yoga pants

Whether you are at home, or away this summer, getting it right when it comes to summer wardrobe essentials can be a minefield.

With so much choice on the High Street and great savings to be made on designer brands, the urge to splurge can be tempting.

While you can buy everything in sight, it is more than likely come October, half the items you bought will still have tags on them and that pineapple T-shirt, with matching flamingo shorts will be ‘out of trend’ and in the charity bag.

We have put together the key pieces we think will take you from morning to night in style, but without breaking the bank or adding to the landfill.

Sunglasses
Starting at the top, sunglasses are a must when the sun shines, and even when it doesn’t. Department stores have some pretty good brands on sales at the moment, Boots is one stop sunglasses shop and of course if you want to spend top dollar, then the designer brands are very cool and should stand the test of time.

Vests
Whether you go for bright and bold, spaghetti straps or cami style, a stack of fresh vests will see you through the entire summer. They can be worn under dresses, with shorts, team them with yoga pants or a pleated skirt and you have the recipe for success. Yes, you can get them for less than the cost of a take away coffee in some shops, but just check the quality of the fabric and ensure they fit well and give the right amount of stretch and support.

Flip Flops
OK, you can’t wear these 24/7 but because they come in a range of colours, at various price points, flip flips are a total summer staple. Great for the beach and poolside, add a little glitter or flowers and you can match with jeans and a tee for the perfect BBQ outfit.

Denim Jacket
You really can’t go wrong with a denim jacket for the summer. Perfect over dresses, it gives an urban feel that a cardigan doesn’t quite capture but also great with a white shirt and capris when the sun goes down and you are out for drinks.

Tote Bag
This is a must have for the summer. Go big and you can still take it on a plane and you will fit everything in it from your iPad and jacket to a towel, ballet pumps and sun cream. There are some brilliant buys out there are the moment in a range of fab colours that will see you through to the winter.

Bikini
Ok, don’t be shy now. You really don’t have to be a super model to wear a bikini and if you search social media, women are coming out to support one another as they bare some flesh and overcome body hang ups for once and all. Many shops offer mix and match options so you can choose your size and style and create a look that is as individual for you.

Maxi Dress
A block colour maxi dress is perfect for the summer as it will go with pretty much anything and work for every situation. Wear solo on the beach, team with silver sandals for a sophisticated evening look and add a cashmere wrap in September to keep the holiday vibe going just a little bit longer.

Whatever you wear this summer, add sun cream and a smile and have a fabulous time.

Team Pure Beauty

Don’t let hay fever get you down

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allergic reactions, Antihistamines, apples, beer, blocked nose, Broccoli, brown rice, cabbage, carpets, cinema, clear sinuses, control, corticosteroids, curries, dehydrates, difficult, ease congestion, enjoy, Eyes, flowers, garlic, ginger, GP, grass, histamine, Home comforts, honey, Housekeeping, impractical, inflammation, itchy, itchy eyes, leeks, Low-allergen foods, mushrooms, nutshell, organic, over-the-counter medicines, pears, peas, pillow, plants, pollen, quinoa, red, red onions, Reishi mushrooms, runny, salads, shopping centre, sleep, sneezing, spirits, stir fries, summer, sunglasses, sweep, sweet potatoes, swelling, symptoms, tips and tricks, vacuum, Vaseline, Wash your hair, wet, windows, wine

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, off the shoulder dresses are on trend and everyone is happy.

Well, nearly everyone.

With an estimated one in five people suffering with this common allergic condition during their life, summer can be unbearable for many.

In a nutshell, pollen from grass, flowers, plants and trees can cause sneezing, runny or blocked nose and itchy eyes and it can be both painful and frustrating as there is no known cure.

Of course, the most effective way to keep hay fever under control is to avoid pollen exposure. This, however, it’s difficult and impractical, so we have some tips and tricks to help keep it at bay so you can enjoy your summer as much as everyone else.

Medicines
Hay fever can be controlled with conventional, over-the-counter medicines on sale at your chemist. Antihistamines help prevent allergic reactions and corticosteroids ease inflammation and swelling. If you try these and they aren’t helping it is worth speaking to your GP to see if prescription medication is needed.

Diet
Eat organic food where possible as this helps avoid pesticides and additives. Low-allergen foods such as brown rice, quinoa, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, leeks, peas, pears, apples and papaya are all good options and of course will aid general peak health.

Mushrooms
Mushrooms aren’t just for breakfast and can really help regulate the immune response. A good quality organic extract from Reishi mushrooms is a good option and worth investing in if you are serious about dealing with hay fever for once and all.

Drinking
Keep your water drinking up and reduce your alcohol intake. Beer, wine and spirits all contain histamine, which is the chemical that sets off allergy symptoms in your body so as well as making you more sensitive to pollen, alcohol also dehydrates you, making your symptoms seem worse.

Wash your hair
Did you know pollen can stick to your hair? Well it can and when you go to bed it transfers to your pillow and will affect you as you try to sleep. If you have been out for the day, it is a good idea to have a shower and change your clothes before going into your bedroom and sprinkling pollen around and making life harder.

Go for sunglasses
As well as shades protecting your precious peepers, they are also a great way of stopping pollen from getting into your eyes. Go for a decent wrap around pair to create a barrier and to ensure your eyes are less red and itchy.

Housekeeping
We aren’t saying you don’t clean but given that pollen can easily get into your carpets it is a good idea to vacuum regularly and sweep it away. Try not to have the windows open too much and dust with a wet cloth so pollen doesn’t unknowingly spread around your house

Barrier
It is said that applying a little Vaseline (petroleum gel) around your nose can stop pollen getting into your system.

Home comforts
This isn’t going to happen every day but if the pollen count is high (over 50 grains per cubic metre of air) you might want to stay at home or visit a shopping centre, cinema or museum rather than being outdoors and at risk of symptoms getting worse.

Spice up your life
Garlic, ginger, red onions and other spices are all brilliant ways to help clear sinuses and ease congestion. Add them to curries, salads, stir fries and BBQs to keep your pain away.

Honey
Pop some honey on your toast or in your green tea and let the bee pollen in it desensitise your body to the plant pollens that cause the hay fever grief.

We hope you find a way to keep your hay fever under control this summer, and if you have a top tip, would love to know what it is.

Team Pure Beauty