Are Your Intolerances Affecting Your Face?

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acid reflux, appearance, bacteria, biome, bloating, body, carbs, chicken skin, chin, complexion, dairy, dairy alternative, dark circles, Decleor Anti-Dark Circle Multi-Brightening Eye Care, Dermalogica Breakout Control, Dermalogica MultiVitamin Power Firm, Dermalogica Stress Positive Eye Lift, digestive discomfort, dry, Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, Eyes, face, food, gluten, gut, inflammatory, intolerance, Keratosis pilaris, loose skin, pimples, puffiness, rough, skin, spots, sugar, tighten, wheat

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There are many food intolerances which affect people and it’s a common misconception that the effects of these intolerances are mainly gastric. It is, however, normal for certain intolerances to affect your complexion and there are specific ways that each one can affect you. Today, we’re looking at some of the most common intolerances and the effects that they can have on your face.

Sugar

Sugar is in just about everything these days because it’s cheap and makes things taste better (and makes foods more addictive), but it can really mess up your gut biome and this in turn can have an effect on your skin. If your system is sensitive to sugar, the bacteria which live in your gut can go a little bit haywire, causing dry patches and pimples on your forehead, bags under the eyes, a lack of tautness in the skin and even thinning skin. Obviously, cutting out sugar (or at least cutting down) is a must, but Dermalogica Stress Positive Eye Lift can also drastically improve the appearance of eye bags, while Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm will help to tighten loose skin.

Dairy

Dairy intolerances are really comon and many people report uncomfortable bloating, digestive issues and acid reflux, but it can also cause an inflammatory response in other parts of the body. This means that you could end up with puffiness in the face, as well as dark circles under the eyes and even pimples on the chin. After switching to a dairy alternative, use Dermalogica Breakout Control to deal with the spots and Decleor Anti-Dark Circle Multi-Brightening Eye Care to brighten the eye area.

Gluten

Gluten can be a hard one to avoid, especially if you’re keen on carbs, but a gluten intolerance can have an impact on the whole body. In terms of your skin, one of the most common signs of a gluten intolerance is keratosis pilaris, a rough, chicken-skin effect which affects the skin on your arms, thighs and occasionally your abdomen. We highly recommend using Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush to brush the whole body before bathing or showering which will help to reduce the rough appearance of the skin and help to stop extra skin cells from forming around the existing problem areas.

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What to do with the leftovers

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almond milk, beansprouts, beef, bin, blender, bowl, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cashew nuts, chicken, chopped, clementine, comfort food, cook, cranberry sauce, cups of spinach, dark brown sugar, favourite movie, Festive Bubble and Squeak, Festive Smoothie, festivities, food, fresh, Frozen, fruit bowl, garlic, golden brown, grate, gravy, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, hot, ice cubes, ingredients, leftovers, limes, liquid, mayonnaise, money, olive oil, parsnip, paste, plates, potato, red chilli, salt and pepper, serve, sieve, soft fruit, soy sauce, Spicy Noodles, spring onions, squeeze, supper, tofu, toss, tummy, turkey, vitamin, washed, waste, wok

With a tummy full of food and drink, you might be tempted to just chuck away the leftovers from the festivities, but don’t. It’s a massive bin and there is no reason to throw it in the bin.

We have had a look at how to get the most out of your festive feasts and hard-earned cash.

Spicy Noodles
Whether you have a plate of leftover chicken, beef, turkey or tofu, noodles are the perfect way to use them up.

For a fast and easy lunch or supper, you will need:

250g medium egg noodles
500g cooked meat or other protein
2 spring onions, peeled chopped
1 red pepper, chopped and seeded
One bag of prepared bean sprouts, washed and drained
The juice of two fresh limes
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of dark brown sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 red chilli, thinly sliced

First things first, cook the noodles, then drain and rinse with boiling water and leave to cool. Mix the soy sauce, lime juice and sugar into a thin paste.

Next heat the oil in a wok and when hot add the garlic, chilli, meat and spring onions, gently fry for a couple of minute then add the noodles and the bean sprouts into the pan and cook for another minute or two.

Next add your sauce to the mix, toss everything together well and once all ingredients are piping hot, serve and add extra soy sauce if needed.

Festive Bubble and Squeak
This is the ultimate in post-Christmas comfort food and is great eaten in bowls watching your favourite movie.

To make four servings you will need:

1 medium parsnip
1 potato
Leftover Brussel sprouts and/or cabbage
1 garlic clove, crushed
Leftover turkey or chicken
A little gravy – around 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large egg (free range)
Leftover cranberry sauce or mayonnaise

Peel the potato and parsnip, and then grate both into a bowl and spread the cabbage and sprouts.

Put the veg in a sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as you can, then put back into the bowl and beat in the egg as well as seasoning with the garlic, plus salt and pepper.

Once you have a sticky mess, shape into four small balls. Put the leftover meat into a pan and cook with the gravy over a low heat and gently cook until the turkey is warm. Next cook the balls for 3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown then add the cranberry or mayo and enjoy.

Festive Smoothie

As well as being left with plates of meat and veg, you will probably also find your fruit bowl is still full as people tend to opt for the chocolates over the apples and pears.

Don’t throw any of it away, instead use it to make a vitamin packed festive smoothie. For two delicious smoothies you will need:

2 apples, cored but with the peel left on
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 clementine
Small handful of cashew nuts
2 cups of spinach (fresh or frozen)
1 cup of almond milk
Ice cubes

Start by adding the liquid to your blender, followed by the soft fruit. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until the smoothie is creamy, then add the remaining ingredients and ice. Blast until smooth and drink.

Team Pure-Beauty

Create less waste this Christmas

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artificial tree, BOGOF, cakes, carbon footprint, cards, Christmas Eve, Christmas trees, cookery classes, cookies, Dec the halls, destroyed, disposable, e-cards, envelopes, experiences, festive season, festve, Flora and fauna, food, friends and family, gig, great time, hand deliver, High Street, holly, home, LED, lights, napkins, natural, panic buy, pine cones, Plastic, plastic fantastic decorations, presents, quick and easy, recycle cards, recycling, riding lessons, roots, Secret Santa, shopping, spa days, tablecloths, temptation, theme, tickets, TLC, tradition, tree, turkey, veggies, vintage shop, wine, wrapping paper

Each year millions of Christmas trees, acres of wrapping paper and a serious number of cards and envelopes are incinerated or dumped into landfill sites once the festive season is over.

While you might think you already do your bit for recycling, we have had a look at how you can produce less waste over Christmas but still have a great time.

The tree
Of course, the most sensible option here is to buy an artificial tree. Yes, it is plastic and it doesn’t smell but it will dramatically cut down (excuse the pun) the number of real trees being destroyed. If you really can’t break with tradition, then buy a real tree with roots that you can plant in the garden and reuse every year.

Real napkins and tablecloths
When you are out shopping keep away from disposable napkins and tablecloths. Yes they are quick and easy but you can pick up reasonable real ones that can be used all year round again and again – you can even dye them another colour if you get bored.

Dec the halls
Have you ever stopped to wonder just how much plastic goes on your tree each year and the damage you might be doing when you chuck them out because you fancy a new theme? We not step away from the plastic fantastic decorations on the High Street and go for natural ones instead? Flora and fauna are the perfect way to make your home feel festive, and with a little TLC you can create pine cones, ivy and holly into something special and unique.

Lights
Go for solar-powered outdoor lights where possible and remember to turn your Christmas lights off when you go out or are asleep.

Cards
Christmas cards are an intrinsic part of the festive season but boy do they create a lot of waste. Consider sending e-cards or if you want to keep things real, recycle cards from last year to make new ones and hand deliver them where you can to keep your carbon footprint down. You can also use old cards to make new tags!

Presents
Rather than buying more ‘stuff’ why not consider giving friends and family experiences this year? From riding lessons and spa days to cookery classes and tickets to a gig so they have something they will remember forever. If you do want to give a real gift, maybe make cookies, cakes or sloe gin or visit an antique or vintage shop and show the ones you love that you have really thought about their gifts rather than opting for the BOGOF offers.

Secret Santa
Another way to keep things sensible is to opt for Secret Santa with family and friends with a set budget and ideas of what people would really like.

Food
There is the temptation to panic buy on Christmas Eve but this means a tonne of food is often wasted. When you go shopping, make a list and stick with it and don’t throw leftovers away as there are so many things you can do with that turkey, those veggies and the last of the wine.

Recycle
We know it can be the list thing you want to do, but make sure you bag up with paper and cardboard, the bottles and cans and recycle as usual – it does make a difference.

Whatever you do this Christmas, think about the bigger picture as you celebrate.

Team Pure-Beauty

Be a smarter food shopper

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appetites, bags, bargain items, basics, Batch cook soups, beauties, bill, bin, BOGF deals, bolognaise, Buy in bulk, buying food, car parking, casseroles, cereal, checkout, deals, deals and offers, discounts, environment, everyday staples, flyers, food, food shopper, free products, freezer, hard earned cash, hefty price tag, home, hot meal, ketchup, magazines, money saving idea, newspapers, once a month, pasta, petrol, pint of milk, pounds, prices, purse, reward schemes, rewards, rice, run out, savings, sense, Shop online, smarter, stews, supermarket, supermarkets, time and money, tins, use by date, waistline, washing powder, water, websites

With prices going up all the time and appetites getting bigger, a trip to the supermarket can be an expensive experience.

We have had a look at how you can be a smarter shopper when it comes to buying food and how to ensure it doesn’t go to waste, along with your hard-earned cash.

Make a list
Sounds so simple but how many times have you gone to the shops for a pint of milk and come home with five bags full of food you didn’t know you needed? Special offers and BOGF deals can be tempting but if you don’t actually need what is on the shelves, you aren’t saving anything at all. Make a list either on a piece of paper or your phone, and stick to it.

Take a bag
Yes, we know it is only a few pennies but taking your own bags when you go shopping doesn’t only help your purse but it also protects the environment.

Shop online
With many supermarkets offering free delivery (over a certain spend), shopping online can work out cheaper as you also save on petrol and car parking as well as your time. Do a comparison of who offers what, when the best delivery slots are for you and where there are offers and savings to be had and you might find ordering from your comfort of you own home makes sense on many levels.

Buy in bulk
Whether you are in store or online, buying in bulk is the way to go if you are looking at making savings. Tins, pasta, rice, ketchup, water, cereal and washing powder are all everyday staples and ones that can come with a hefty price tag at the corner shop. Do some research, look for deals and where you can, buy in bulk once a month and not only will soon see savings but you’ll never run out of the basics.

Get your rewards
Most major outlets from supermarkets to chemists and coffee shops offer reward schemes, so sign up for them. As well as getting great deals and offers, you can also get extra discounts, free products and vouchers, so don’t miss out.

Use your freezer
Tonnes of food goes to waste each year, so if you are aren’t going to eat something before the use by date, put in the freezer rather than leaving it until it needs to go in the bin. You can also pick up bargain items at the end of the day and freeze them for later. Batch cook soups, casseroles, stews and bolognaise then freeze them and save yourself time and money and will also have a hot meal ready to go.

Eat before you shop
Sounds daft but if you go shopping when you are hungry, you are more likely to spend more money and eat as you shop. Having lunch before you go out will save you pounds on your bill, and your waistline.

Look for vouchers
We have all been stuck in front of someone at the checkout who has a purse full of vouchers and while it might hold you up, these beauties do save you money. Newspapers, magazines, flyers and websites all carry money off vouchers, so keep them and use them the next time you are shopping to save some pennies.

Got a money-saving idea? Why not share the discount love with us?

Team Pure-Beauty

Our Best Organic Products

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acerola cherry, acid, ageing, balanced, breakdown, camomile, cells, control, damage, deas skin, dermalogica, Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier, Dermalogica Miltivitamin Power Firm, dirt, dry, efficacy, elasticity, Elemis, Elemis British Botanical Shower Cream, Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask, Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water, english rose water, exfoliates, external damage, fine lines, food, fruit acids, geranium, lavender, make-up, mask, micellar, moisture, oils, organic, palmarosa, prematurely, produce, regeneration, repair, retexture, shine, shine-free, skin, strengthen, surface, water

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Many of us have made the transition to using organic produce in our cooking, in order to avoid eating things which contain potentially harmful chemicals and pesticides which large-scale food producers so often turn to, so it makes sense to also switch to using beauty products which contain the same conscientiously sourced ingredients, too. Both Elemis and Dermalogica offer products which contain organic ingredients, and here are five of our favourites:

Elemis British Botanical Shower Cream

Shower and bath products are probably the thing which we use the most and usually over our whole body, so it makes sense that we’d want this product to contain the best ingredients possible. This nourishing shower cream from Elemis contains a mix of organic oats and essential oils such as lavender, camomile, geranium and palmarosa to cleanse and enrich the skin whilst adding a layer of moisture to dry skin.

Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier

Spot-prone, oily skin can be really hard to control and finding powerful products which contain organic ingredients can sometimes be tricky. However, this Clearing Mattifier from Dermalogica contains organic silicones which melt gently into the skin to help minimise fine lines, retexture the skins surface leaving it smooth, all while controlling shine and leaving your face shine-free.

Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water

One of the things we love about this Micellar Water from Elemis is how effectively is manages to remove make-up while being incredibly gentle on the skin, and this is thanks in no small part to the organic English rose water is contains. It removes dirt, make-up and impurities but still maintains the natural protective barrier of the skin, giving you a clean but perfectly balanced complexion.

Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm

This formulation from Dermalogica is designed for extremely dry or prematurely ageing skin and offers a level of moisture which is much needed when the skin starts to lose elasticity. The organic silicones provide a layer of protection from external damage, helping to protect, repair, strengthen and improve smoothness of your skin.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask

When your skin is starting to show signs of ageing, you need powerful ingredients to reverse those signs, which is why Elemis created this mask which combines targeted enzymes which encourage the breakdown of dead skin cells and promotes cell regeneration. It uses various fruit acids, including organic Acerola cherry acid which effectively exfoliates the skins surface adding to the resurfacing efficacy of the mask.