Why You Should Be Paying Attention to Amino Acids

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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.

Five Products to Help Beat Summer Frizz

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anti-breakage, anti-frizz, argan oil, better blow-drying, Color Wow, concentrated, detangling, flyaway, frizz, frizzy, GHD, greasy, hair, healthy, heat, hot, humid, humidity, hydration, lightweight, multi-functional, Olaplex, serum, shine, sleek, smooth, smoothness of hair fibre, softness, split ends, summer, Sunflower Seed Extract, treatment, weighed down

Photo by Garon Piceli

Although it’s technically summer here in the UK, the weather has been pretty unpredictable. One minute, it’s warm and sunny and the next, the rain is pouring and the air feels thick and muggy. When your hair is dry, damaged, or chemically-treated, the outer layer of the hair strand becomes raised, as opposed to lying flat and smooth. During the summer, the hair often seeks moisture from the air around it, which is why humidity causes the hair to swell and turn frizzy. 

All of this is a recipe for disaster if you’re prone to frizzy hair, and short of wearing a hat until the crisper autumn weather arrives, you’re going to want to sort it out. That’s why we’ve curated this list of five products which are your best friend when it comes to beating the frizz, this summer:

Nine Yards Hair Down Anti Frizz Cream

This anti-frizz cream from Nine Yards can be used on both wet and dry hair, during styling, to keep the hair smooth and frizz-free. Ingredients include argan oil and sunflower seed extract to control flyaway hair, keep hair straight and give you a sleek finish without weighing your hair down or making it look greasy. 

Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother

Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother is a leave-in reparative styling cream which strengthens, hydrates, moisturises and speeds up blow dry times while smoothing and eliminating frizz and flyaways for up to 72 hours. It is highly concentrated and doesn’t weigh hair down, and you only need to use a few drops, once every three days, so a little of this formula goes a long way!

Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray

This spray from Color Wow has been specifically formulated to control hair when the humidity is high. Unlike typical treatments, this lightweight spray guarantees not to leave hair greasy or weighed down, leaving you with  enviably smooth tresses that are free from frizz for days. It should be applied on damp hair and activated by blow drying, to give you a home  humidity-proofing treatment that protects hair for up to 72 hours.

GHD Dramatic Ending Smooth and Finish Serum

GHD hair tools are famous for giving a finish which is second to none, so it stands to reason that they would release products which are equally as effective. GHD Dramatic Ending Smooth and Finish Serum is a lightweight serum that instantly smooths and adds an extra boost of shine. It can be used in all hair types and works to maximise sleek styles by helping to eliminate frizz and quickly delivering healthier-looking hair.

L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Vitamino Colour 10-In-1 Multi-Benefit Leave-In Treatment Milk 

This multi-benefit spray from L’Oreal doesn’t just help to combat frizz – it performs no fewer than TEN functions, to get your hair looking its best. As well as being an anti-frizz treatment, the treatment milk promises to give your hair protection against heat up to 230°C/450°F degrees, shine, softness, smoothness of hair fibre, detangling, better blow-drying, hydration, anti-breakage AND anti-split ends! We honestly don’t know if we’ve ever met a harder working product than this one. 

Our Top Five Non-Greasy Skin and Haircare Formulas

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acne, ageing, all skin types, Aloe Vera, antioxidant, bath, bedtime, body, breakouts, brighter, broad spectrum, cashmere, chamomile, coconut, complexion, daily, damaged hair, dry, dry oil, dry skin, even, formula, frizz, Glycerin, greasiness, greasy, harmful, healthier, healthy, heavy, Ho Wood, holiday, hyaluronic acid, hydrated, ingredients, lavender, light, lighter, moisture, moisturiser, night oil, non-greasy, nourished, oil, oils, patchouly, polished, porous, powerful, protect, protection, rays, refine, sensitivity, sensory, sesame oil, Shea butter, shower, skin, skin type, skincare, smooth, smoother, SPF30, SPF50, spots, spray tan, spring, stress, styling creams, summer, sun creams, tea or flour, tension, texture, thick, uncomfortable, UVA, UVB, vetiver, Vitamin C

Photo by cottonbro

There are many reasons for opting for skincare formulas which are non-greasy. For some people, it’s the simple fact that their skin already produces too much oil and greasy formulas are simply not compatible with their skin type. For others, it may be an issue of sensitivity to certain ingredients such as certain oils which may exacerbate breakouts of spots or acne. And for some people, it is simply a sensory issue which means that formulas which are too heavy and greasy feel highly uncomfortable on your skin. 

All of these issues can also be worse depending on the season; wearing thicker formulas in spring and summer when it is hot can feel unpleasant at times. With this in mind, we’ve searched our stock to put together a list of five non-greasy products which are perfect for anyone who prefers lighter skin care:

Decleor Aloe Vera Sun Gel Cream SPF50

When it comes to skincare that feels heavy or greasy on the skin, suncreams are often one of the worst offenders. This Aloe Vera Sun Gel Cream from Decleor is a non-greasy gel which is enriched with aloe vera and sesame oils, to leave the skin feeling nourished and hydrated but fresh and light at the same time. The broad-spectrum SPF50 protects the skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays and it can be used on all skin types on a daily basis.

Medik8 Daily Radiance Vitamin C

If your skin is dry and lacking radiance you may find that many of the formulas designed to relieve this are thick and heavy. This Daily Radiance Vitamin C from Medik8 has a light, cashmere texture to deliver powerful antioxidant protection as well as broad-spectrum SPF 30 without any of the greasiness of other products. It’s enriched with hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which draws moisture into the skin leaving you with a brighter, more even complexion and skin which is protected from the future signs of ageing.

South Seas – Moorea Moisturiser

Dry skin doesn’t just affect your face; it can happen anywhere on your body and can be difficult to tackle. This moisturiser from South Seas is a non-greasy, lightweight formula to leave your skin feeling healthy and smooth. It is designed specifically to be used alongside a spray tan and for people who have very dry skin, and contains shea butter to deeply nourish, along with tiare flower and coconut to give you a fragrance which makes you feel like you’re always on holiday!

This Works Deep Sleep Night Oil

Finding a product which describes itself as a non-greasy oil may sound like something of an oxymoron, however this Deep Sleep Night Oil from This Works is a dry oil which is easily absorbed. It is formulated using oils of lavender, chamomile, vetiver, patchouly, and ho wood, which combine to create a delicately scented and relaxing oil which will lock moisture into your skin, soothe your muscles and calm your mind before bedtime. It’s perfect for use after a bath or shower and can be used daily to help relieve tension and stress.

Color Wow One Minute Transformation Styling Cream

Unless you have a hair type which is extremely dry or porous, some styling creams can feel slightly greasy and leave your hair looking slick and weighed down, rather than natural and weightless. This One Minute Transformation Styling Cream from Colour Wow is designed to banish frizz and refine texture without any greasiness. The formula revives shine and enhances the hair’s moisturisation, leaving dry, damaged hair smoother, more polished and looking healthier than ever.

Perfect Your Beard with Pure Beauty

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barber, beard, beard line, clean, clippers, coarse, comb, conditioner, Elemis, facial hair, frizz, grooming, hair, haircare, matt, men, moustache, oil, razor, scrub, shampoo, shaping, shave, smooth, tangle, texture, trim, trimming

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Whether your facial hair is just a few millimeters long or a full-grown bush, there’s no ignoring the fact that beards have well and truly made a comeback for men. Just a few years back, beards were the fodder of old, pipe-smoking dudes, but now just about anyone who CAN grow a beard has one. However, having a nice beard is so much more than just letting the hair grow, so we thought we’d take a look at some of the basic steps for maintaining a decent face-warmer.

Keep it Clean

Just like the hair on your hair, your beard will produce oils which need to be washed away on a regular basis, however unlike your head, your beard hair could also harbour traces of food! Keeping your beard clean is really important because otherwise it will start to smell and become unhygienic. You can use a facial scrub to try to care for the skin beneath but using a mild shampoo will also do the trick.

Keep it Trimmed

Unless you’re incredibly lucky, it’s really unlikely that your beard will all grow at exactly the same rate, which means that it could end up uneven and looking ratty. A tidy beard will need to be trimmed and shaped, using either a clipper with a guard or a pair of scissors, depending how dexterous you are. As soon as you start shaping your beard, you’ll notice how much better it looks and wonder how you ever survived without it!

Keep it Soft

Facial hair can have a tendency to he coarser and more bushy than head-hair, which means that it needs a product to soften and tame it. Elemis Smooth Result Shave and Beard Oil will not only help to smooth out wild beard hair, it will also make your beard smell more fragrant and can also be used as a shave oil if the beard gets too much and you decide you want to go bare-faced again.

Keep it Combed

This one may sound bonkers but as soon as your hair gets beyond a certain length you will need to start combing it, unless you want a dreadlock hanging from your face! Because of its texture, facial hair tangles really easily and if you don’t deal with these tangles on a daily basis, you could easily end up with a matted mess in a really short amount of time. Use a wide-toothed comb after you’ve treated with beard oil for a matt-free beard.

Keep it Neat

Keeping your beard trimmed and tidy is all well and good, but if you have stray hairs above your beard line, the whole effect will be ruined. Use a magnifying mirror and get up close and personal with your beard line. Try not to pluck any hairs which are too close to your natural beard line as you could end up ruining the shape, but anything which is growing more than a couple of millimeters above needs to be annihilated!

Stay Cool Even When The Humidity Rises

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base, BB Cream, blemish, correction, decleor, Decleor BB Cream, dermalogica, Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner, Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF30, Elemis, Elemis Daily Redness Solution, flawless, frizz, full-coverage, hair, humid, humidity, inflammation, make-up, oil production, redness, sebum, skin, soothing, spots, spritzing, sweat, Toner

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Is it just us, or does the current weather SUCK?! It’s not quite hot, not quite cold and if it’s not hacking down with rain, it’s super humid and sticky. Dealing with humidity can be so much more difficult to deal with that other extremes of weather, but there are things you can do to help keep you looking your best, even when it seems like Mother Nature is conspiring against you! Read on for our suggestions of how to cope in humid weather.

Keep Your Hair Low-Maintenance

Unless you’re REALLY lucky, you’re probably like us and closely resemble Monica Geller in Barbados when the humid air hits your hair. All the blow-drying and straightening in the world isn’t going to be enough to tame your hair in high humidity, so the best thing you can do is just not do it! Using a daily conditioning rinse will help to weigh your hair down, taming flyaway locks, but leaving it to do it’s own thing after using the rinse will give you the best chance of a smooth barnet.

Use Lighter Products

Using thick, oily or rich products will feel fairly horrible on your skin in times of high humidity, and could even end up causing spots because they don’t allow your skin to sweat and breathe enough. Opt for cooling, spritzing products like Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner to keep your skin feeling fresh and avoid breaking out into spots or areas of redness.

Make-Up is Overrated

We know it’s tempting to wear your usual full-coverage make-up all year round, but when the humidity hits, there’s a good chance that a thicker foundation won’t even stay on your face properly. Opting for a lighter version of your usual base, like Decleor BB Cream, which will give you a decent level of coverage whilst providing moisture and blemish correction, and won’t be as susceptible to the heat and humidity as thicker products.

Rid Yourself of Redness

On humid days, we basically feel hot and bothered any time we have to move around, and this can massively exacerbate any redness that you may already experience. Elemis Daily Redness Solution will ensure that your skin doesn’t flare up in the heat and humidity and will de-sensitise and comfort irritated, red and blotchy complexions. It makes a great base for make-up and when used with the Decleor BB Cream above will give you a flawless finish.

Limit Oil Production

Humidity and heat can be a nightmare if you have naturally oily skin, so preparing for humid days with an oil-reducing product is essential for keeping your skin looking great. Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF30 will do a two-fold job of protecting you, firstly by offering defenses against the sun’s harmful rays, but also by regulating oil production and soothing inflammation. The ultra-sheer formula absorbs surface oils to prevent shine without any powdery residue, delivering an all-day matte finish.