How to have a very eco-Christmas

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As we hurtle our way towards the festive season, now is the time to stop and think about what you are buying, and why you are buying it. Yes, we all want to have a great time with family and friends, but to do this there is no need to buy tinsel and tat that will take the local landfill to bursting point.

We have some top tips on how you can be kinder to the planet and look out for future generations while still raising a glass (not a plastic one) with your nearest and dearest this Christmas.

A renewable Christmas tree
You read it right. Millions of Christmas trees are bought every year and that’s a lot of waste! Other options include going for a fake tree – but if you do this, pack it up and keep it for years to come. A new trend being seen in farms, garden centres and nurseries is one where there is a Christmas-tree hire service, so you collect, use and return! Or you can do it yourself and buy a rooted tree that you then plant in the garden after Christmas and bring back out from the cold for the next few weeks.

What about cards?
An unbelievable number of Christmas cards are thrown away each year, so let’s put a stop to that. You can either use ones from years gone by, make your own (leave the glitter out of the equation) or you can send e-cards which cuts down your carbon footprint as well as saving trees and money, oh yes and the fumes of the post vans that deliver them!

Recycle gifts
Years ago, no one would have thought about doing this, but if you have goodies that are brand new that you didn’t want, dust them off and wrap them up for someone else – they will be happy and so will your eco-conscience.

Wrapping paper
Speaking of wrapping up, this is a good one to thing about as all that shiny, glittery paper isn’t up too much for anything other than ripping up come Christmas Day. If you can, save paper each year and bring it out next December, giving it a gentle iron if need be. You can also go for brown paper, draw on bows rather than using ribbon and keep things super simple but stylish and environment loving.

Give away your time
Why spend money if you don’t have to? Instead, give a gift from the heart and do something nice for someone instead of giving them another pair of socks or box of chocolates. You could create some pretty cheques and make them out for something like a walk in the park, a trip to the beach, or an hour of gardening once a week and use this as a lovely gesture of showing how much you care.

Go meat free
This idea seems alien to some, but even if on one day you look at creating vegetarian and vegan recipes, it could make a difference if everyone did the same. We aren’t talking about an omelette or nut roast, but instead look at a tasty bean casserole, spicy sweet potato wedges or bubble and squeak – it might be out of your comfort zone, but it could lead to some pretty special resolutions come 31st December. When you do eat meat, go for organic and free-range options, and if you can, support your local farms and butchers – not just at Christmas, but all year round.

Don’t over buy
You know what we are talking about here. The day before Christmas and the supermarket is carnage as people stock up as if the world is going to end, whereas you’ll find somewhere open on the big day if you run out. Just like Santa, make a list, check it twice and this year, be nice rather than naughty and keep to it! If you have leftovers, see what you can freeze, donate some to an elderly neighbour, local food bank or soup kitchen and then compost any other waste.

Recycle
We know the temptation is to keep a black bag open and on the go come Christmas morning, but rather than chucking everything in the bin, have fun as you open presents and cook dinner, and sort things into recycling as you go to keep things green.

You see, it’s the small things that can really have a big impact, so go forth and enjoy the festivities but keep the planet in mind whenever you can.

Team Pure Beauty

Advent Calendars Galore

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advent calendar, ark, candy canes, cheap and cheerful, chocolate gifts, Christmas, Christmas tree, Crafter’s Companion, dark and cold, December, Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream (75ml), Dermalogica Daily Cleansing Shampoo (50ml) and the Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner, Espresso, family favourites, Frozen, glitter, good old days, grandma, hanging advent calendar, Hazelnut Slice, instructions, John Lewis, LEGO® City Advent Calendar, little beauties, luxe, luxurious options, milk and white chocolates, Nativity scenes, Olaf and friends, old school, Pure Beauty, robins, Salted Caramel Praline, Santa, shopping, sing along, snowboarder, snowy days, super-cute figure, Swizzels Sweets, Thornton’s Continental, Traditional Advent Calendar, uletide log fire, Viennese Truffle, Yankee Candle

With December just around the corner, for many there will be soon a reason to jump out of bed however dark and cold it is outside.

Long gone are the days when children would share one advent calendar. Today you can go from cheap and cheerful chocolate options to more luxurious options and there is an ever-growing amount of choice.

At Pure-Beauty we love nothing more than a present a day in the run up to Christmas and today we will share with you some of the best advent calendars out there.

For candle lovers out there, the Yankee Candle calendar is a must have. Behind every door is a special seasonally scented tea light as well as an extra treat for Christmas Eve. Light up the candle each day and enjoy with a glass of mulled wine and a mince-pie to really get in the spirit of things.

A popular choice for kids, big and small, is the LEGO® City Advent Calendar. Complete with six mini figures, including Santa, a grandma and a snowboarder, as well as Christmas tree with yuletide log fire, there is something fun to build every day in the lead up to the festivities. Be warned, these little beauties are going fast so if you want to join in the fun, get shopping ASAP.

You get an assortment of delicious dark, milk and white chocolates with the Thornton’s Continental advent offering. Espresso, Viennese Truffle, Salted Caramel Praline and Hazelnut Slice are just some of the rich taste experiences to be found inside this luxe option that can be enjoyed for breakfast! Well, it would be rude not to.

If you fancy some a little more rustic, how about making your own hanging advent calendar with a cute kit from Crafter’s Companion? Priced at £14.99 from John Lewis, you will get 24 blank card boxes, 24 metal binder clips, cool foil stickers, 3m of twin, 24 card frames, 24 printed paper strips, 2m of double sided tape as well as a set of instructions so you can make something totally unique.

As an alternative to chocolate gifts, why not wake up to Swizzels Sweets this December? Behind the 24 doors are an assortment of family favourites to delight all. Just remember to give those teeth a good clean before you leave the house and go to bed!

Olaf and friends are here again this Christmas, so if you can’t let Frozen go this one is for you. Each day you get a super-cute figure from the film as well as a back drop so you can recreate your favourite scenes and sing along to your heart’s content.

If you want to go old school, the Traditional Advent Calendar Company is for you. They have a comprehensive range of old-fashioned calendars with seasonal illustrations and glitter galore. Nativity scenes, robins, snowy days and stockings filled with presents are all there for the taking on these pretty calendars. Throw in some glitter and candy canes and you are back to the good old days of Christmas past.

You could also consider buy an advent candle and burn a little each day, or how about giving the one you love a trial product from Pure Beauty during advent to show how much you care? Wrap up gifts such as the Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream (75ml), Dermalogica Daily Cleansing Shampoo (50ml) and the Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner and making a cracking start to Christmas.

All you need to do now, is decide which one is for you and of course, only open one door a day because Santa is watching who’s been naughty and nice.

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

Autumn/Winter 2016 Trends – Glitter Lips

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autumn, AW16, catwalk, cleanse, decleor, Decleor Brightening Cleansing Oil, dermalogica, Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant, Dermalogica Lip Renewal Complex, dry lips, exfolaite, fashion, flaky, glitter, glitter lips, gloss, lip gloss, lip liner, lips, make-up, moisturise, trends, winter

Glitter lips are a trend which has been gaining momentum for some time now, but with autumn and winter on the way, they’re set to make an explosion! They might look like something which should be confined to the catwalks but according to anyone who knows anything about fashion, everyone will be adorned with glitter in the coming months.

It’s one of those trends which can be quite tricky to get right, so we thought we’d put together some tips for keeping your lips in tip-top condition so that you can be festive from now until next spring!

Exfoliate

Flaky lips will not only look unpleasant when covered in glitter, it would probably be quite tricky getting glitter to stick to them in for first place. Exfoliating beforehand with Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant will help to slough away dead skin, giving you a much better surface for bedazzling.

Moisturise

If your lips are overly dry or aging prematurely, you’ll want to start a regimen of moisturistation before you get glittery. Dermalogica Lip Renewal Complex is the perfect product to add moisture to your lips while minimising contour lines and helping to prevent the signs of aging.

Line

To get a really good, even coverage of colour you’ll want to use a lip liner in a similar colour to your glitter to create a really defined outline and then fill your lips with liner, too. This will give you the perfect base to work from.

Gloss

The final step before applying your glitter with a soft brush is covering your lips with gloss. The gloss gives something for the glitter to stick to and will add to the overall shimmery effect of your lips. Choose either a clear gloss or one which is a similar colour to your glitter and using the ‘gloopiest’ gloss you can find will help when it comes to getting as much glitter as possible to stick to your lips.

Cleanser

Obviously, wearing glitter on your face is going to leave you needing a pretty heavy-duty cleanser once you’re ready to de-glitter. We’d recommend Decleor Brightening Cleansing Oil to really help to remove all glitter, plus the layers of make-up beneath, and leave your skin looking radiant and luminous.