Five Self-Tanning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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Photo by Garett Mizunaka on Unsplash

Applying self tan can be a veritable minefield of potential mistakes, and anyone who has had a self tan disaster will know that they can be tricky to rectify. To help you to avoid self-tanning mistakes before they even happen, we’ve put together a crib sheet of no-nos in self tanning, so you’ll get the perfect, even glow you deserve.

Time Your Hair Removal

All too often, people wax or shave and then apply fake tan almost immediately, but this is one of the easiest ways to end up with patches. Your skin needs time to settle down after hair removal so make sure you leave at least 24 hours after shaving and a minimum of 48 hours if you’re waxing. Applying Decleor Soothing Aftershave Fluid will also help your skin to recover.

Uneven Application

Seasoned self tanners will know that you have to get into every nook and cranny to make your tan look even, and the most common places to miss are your inner elbow and the backs of your knees. A lot of people apply fake tan while sitting down and you end up with white circles in these areas, so make sure you stand up and get all of the areas evenly!

There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Hydration

Almost everyone on the planet has drier skin on their knees, elbows, hands and feet and there’s no shame in admitting that, but it can play havoc with self tan. Exfoliation is really important, but layering PLENTY of moisturiser in these areas will help you to avoid the orange patches that often appear on these areas when the tanner clings to dead skin cells. Moisturise and then when you think you’ve done enough, moisturise some more!

Out With the Old

If you still have traces of old self tan on your body which are less then even, you need to get rid of this before layering over the top. Gradual tanner is designed to be layered to build a level of coverage that you’re aiming for, but make sure it’s even otherwise you’ll end up way too patchy.

Don’t Soak Yourself

If you want your self tan to look its best for as long as possible, bathing is another big no-no. Obviously we aren’t telling you not to wash, but baths will make your tan disappear much quicker than showers. Try to use a moisturising body wash to give your skin plenty of moisture as dry skin will slough off much easier, taking your tan with it.

Reinvent your wardrobe this spring

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Accessories, adore, Alice bands, animal print tote, assess, bags, basic repairs, bed, belts, best, broken, bunching, bursting at the seams, buying, charity shops, chuck, click to buy, closer look, cobbler, colour, conscious, creasing, damaged strap, dresses, dressing, drooping hem, dry cleaners, elongate, fashion, feedback, flashing the cash, friends, goodies ], haul, heels, hit, hot, ideas, inspired, items, jeans, jewellery, kudos, landfill, legs, magazines, missing button, neon slider, new, new looks, online sites, polished, pre-loved bargains, prevent, problem, re-hang, reinvent, rework, save space, scarves, scrunchies, season, sell, shine, shoes, social media, social media feeds, solved, sort it, spark, sportswear, style, swap, tee, throw away, vintage stores, wear, well-loved items, well-stocked wardrobe, wire hangers, work harder

If you already have a well-stocked wardrobe and want to be more conscious of what you are buying, we have had a look at how you can rework what you have rather than always flashing the cash or hitting click to buy to get that hit.

Be inspired
Before you do anything, look at what’s hot on the fashion front at the moment as this can really inspire you to take a closer look at your clothes and see how they could work harder for you. Social media feeds and magazines are a great way to asses which looks are in, and the ones that are out as this can spark ideas, and before you know it, you are dressing in a whole new way.

Sort it out
If your wardrobes are bursting at the seams, it could mean that you can’t actually see what you do have to wear so end up in the same jeans and tee day after day. Take everything out of the wardrobes, put it all on your bed and re-hang everything you want to keep on wire hangers as these save space and prevent items from bunching and creasing. You can make it easy to navigate your clothes if you sort by style, colour and season and when you have done this you will have a better idea of what goes with what, and new looks can be created.

Mend it
If you have well-loved items that you still adore but are broken – mend them, don’t chuck them! A damaged strap, missing button or drooping hem can stop you from wearing something, so get it fixed and the problem is solved. If you can’t do it yourself, many dry cleaners offer basic repairs and if it’s heels that need a helping hand, head to the cobbler.

Sell or swap
Before you throw away the clothes that didn’t make the cut, think about selling or swapping them so someone else can love them. This a great time to call on friends to give you some feedback on your clothes and style and they may want to take what isn’t working for you, off your hands, and you could be in for a haul of goodies from them in return. Also remember that online sites, social media, vintage stores and charity shops are perfect homes for pre-loved bargains and it is so much better to keep a garment alive, than sending it to the landfill.

Breath in new life
We all know that accessories can give a favourite look a new lease of life, so this is the time to get out those bags, belts, jewellery and shoes and have a play around. Alice bands, scrunchies and scarves can give a special lift, caps come into play with sportswear and an animal print tote or neon slider will automatically give you style kudos.

Just wear it
Once you have done all the hard work, make sure you wear the items you have kept. Don’t keep things for best, wear dresses that make you feel special, jeans that elongate your legs, and if you have polished those shoes, put them on your feet and shine, baby!

What we would say, is don’t try to reinvent your entire wardrobe in one go. If you can breathe life into three pieces, that’s a great start, and the rest will follow.

Team Pure Beauty

How to update your clothes, rather than throw them away

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biker jacket, boots, brush, buff, buttons, carbon footprint, charity shop, clashing prints, contrasting colours, dresses, Facebook, fitted top, flared jeans, flat pumps, flattering silhouette, gap, handbags, heels, hems, hoodie, jackets, jeans, jewellery, joggers and sweatshirts, jumpers, lace vest, layering, leather, leopard print cardigan, likes, long-sleeved t-shirt, midi dress, money-making side hustle, needle and thread, new clothes, on-trend edge, outfit, palazzo pants, professional bra fitting, rag, season, sewing machine, shape-wear, shirts, shoes, slouchy sweater, sustainability, thick knit, throw away fashion, transform, underwear, update, wardrobe, warm, white trainers

It is super easy to buy new clothes all the time because the prices are so low, but throw away fashion won’t do the environment any good, even if it does increase your Facebook likes. We have been looking at how you can update and transform the contents of your wardrobe, without adding to your carbon footprint.

Find a tailor
We understand that you want to look your best, so why not get changes made to the clothes you love so they look really fantastic? Adding darts to shirts and jackets, taking up hems and swapping buttons are all small things that can have a big impact. If you are a dab hand with a needle and thread, or have a sewing machine, you can make these changes yourself and you never know, it could turn into a money-making side hustle for you too.

Fitted, not baggy
OK, we know there are some days when you want to kick back in your joggers and sweatshirts, but most of us look better when our clothes fit us well. If you love palazzo pants, then add a fitted top and heels to give you a smart look, and pair those flared jeans with a long-sleeved t-shirt, leopard print cardigan and white trainers, for a casual look, with an on-trend edge?

New polish, not new shoes
It is amazing how a tin of polish can make a massive difference to your shoes, boots and even handbags. Use a clean brush to apply the polish, then buff up the leather with a rag (cut up and an old t-shirt, if we are thinking of sustainability) and watch your beloved possessions come back to life, and sparkle in a whole new light.

Think about underwear
Maybe you don’t need a lot of new clothes, you just need some decent underwear that works with, rather than against, your body. Shape-wear will instantly make your clothes feel better and create a flattering silhouette, and with a wide range of options out there, you are bound to find something that’s right for you. In the same vein, why not have a professional bra fitting and see the difference the right bra will make to your t-shirts, dresses and jumpers.

Layer it up
Layering isn’t just a way to keep you warm, it is also a really easy way to breathe life into your existing wardrobe. Putting a thick knit over a midi dress, wearing a lace vest under a slouchy sweater, and bringing dungarees to life with a Breton t-shirt are all ways to change an outfit in an instant. Think about creating new looks with contrasting colours and clashing prints and rather than one big coat, layering a biker jacket with a hoodie is an easy look that will take you from one season to another.

Mix and match
Mixing and matching your clothes will make them work harder for you, so don’t keep anything for best. That beautiful dress you wore to a wedding, can be made casual with a fitted jacket and flat pumps, jeans can instantly be made stylish with heels and a silk shirt, and remember that jewellery can brighten up anything, so don’t leave it in the box gathering dust.

If there are items you don’t need anymore, take them to the charity shop which can also be your first port of call if you have a gap in your wardrobe, but don’t want to buy brand new.

Team Pure Beauty

How to winter proof your wardrobe

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a soft knit, ASOS, automobiles, ballet pumps, black, budget, camel, chill, chunky kint, coldest day, colours, cosy scarf, current fashions, cute, dresses, faux fur, flares, frost bite, heels, Hunter, indigo, insulation, investing, leggings, Long and short sleeved t-shirts, Long sleeves, meal, midi styles, moon boots, Mother Nature, navy, on trend, osiest clothes, Parker, planes, pompoms, pretty cardigan, puffa, quirky options, rips, roll neck, shirts, silk blouse, skinnies, snow boots, soft, statement coat, stretchy fabrics, sweatshirt, thick blanket style scarf, thicker materials, tights, toasty, toes, top end, trainers, trains, Uggs, UK, wardrobe, warm, weekend, wellies, white stuff, wind, winter, winter saviours, woollen, wow factor, wrap up

The UK saw its coldest temperatures of the winter last week, and don’t we know it. As well as the white stuff causing chaos for planes, trains and automobiles almost everywhere, it also made us dig out our cosiest clothes in an attempt to keep warm and stave off the frost bite.

Yes, as a nation we do love to make a meal out of the weather, but with a good couple of months until spring rears its pretty head, we would say its time to get with the programme and make sure your wardrobe can deal with all that Mother Nature might throw at you.

Bring on the boots
Sorry to break it to you, but ballet pumps and heels will not help you get through the snow, this is where moon boots and wellies come in. There are some really funky options out there from the likes of Hunter, and ASOS is jam-packed with cute, quirky options that will ensure you look totally on trend and your toes stay toasty.

Dress it up
Just because it’s winter, it doesn’t mean you can’t wear dresses. A dress is a must-have for colder days and the trick is to go for thicker materials, midi styles, long sleeves and a high neck. Match dresses with boots and a roll neck for the office, and to make this look work for the weekend, a soft knit and trainers tick all the boxes.

Get the right jeans
Winter isn’t the time for flares or rips if you want to keep warm, so we suggest going for skinnies. Wear them casually with a sweatshirt and trainers, go for a silk blouse and heels for a night out, and you tuck them into snow boots and still look great. We would suggest going for black or indigo and if it is really cold, put a pair of leggings or tights on underneath for extra insulation.

Cool coats
Now when we say this we mean a coat that is going to keep you warm but look on trend. There is the puffa and parker, but while these totally work with skinnies and Uggs at the weekend, they don’t have the wow factor for work. We would suggest investing in a statement coat in navy, camel or black, one that is tailored, and go for the top end of your budget if you want it to last.

Basic t-shirts
Long and short-sleeved t-shirts might not be the most exciting items, but they will be your winter saviours when it comes to keeping warm. You can put a chunky kint over the top, layer with a pretty cardigan and they work well with shirts and dresses too. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but go for soft, stretchy fabrics that feel good against your skin, and once you have found the perfect fit, buy it in a range of colours.

Wrap up in a scarf
A cosy scarf won’t only keep your warm when the wind is biting, but it will look good too. Whether you opt for a thick blanket style scarf, a woollen one with pompoms, or glam up with faux fur, you won’t catch a chill when you are out and about, but you will show you are up to date with current fashions. Oh, you might want to buy a hat and gloves too.

Team Pure Beauty

Take the financial squeeze away from Christmas

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ads, ‘buy one get one free’ offers, bank account, bank accounts, bank balances, boost, cash flow, celebration, Christmas, cupboards, deals, digital age, discounts, dog sitting, dress, dust, eBay, extra money, Facebook, family, flatmates, global marketplace, heels, insurance, Internet, joy, keyboard, local groups, loft, mobile phone, overdraft, party, photography, red, samples, Secret Santa, sell, shopping lists, side hustles, social media management, stress levels, Sunday Times bestseller, tax, The Money Saving Expert, The Multi-Hyphen Method, town, TV, utilities, work colleagues, writing, X-Box

The ads are on TV, the lights are up in town, and those shopping lists are getting longer by the day. While Christmas is meant to be a time of celebration and joy, the reality is that all those presents, splashing out on a new dress for the Christmas party and having to buy another Secret Santa, means that our bank balances, and stress levels, can go into the red.

We have had a look at some easy ways to boost your cash flow at a time when you most need it, and take off some of the pressure that can take the fun out of Christmas.

Sell what you don’t need
Have a look in your loft and cupboards and we bet there are loads of things gathering dust that you don’t need, but that someone else would snap up! You don’t have to head out to a cold, rainy car boot sale to flog your stuff these days as there are lots of selling sites out there, as well as great local groups on Facebook that work really well. Whether it’s a mobile phone that you no longer use, a keyboard you never play, or a pair of heels that are just too high, the internet means you have a global marketplace to sell what you don’t need, but other people do!

Make the most of your skills
The Sunday Times bestseller, The Multi-Hyphen Method, looks at how you don’t need to have one main job anymore. From writing and photography, to social media management and dog sitting, there are lots of side hustles out there you can get involved with to make some extra money. Make sure you get things sorted out first, like your tax and insurance, and then rather than watching TV or playing on the X-Box, you could use that time to clear your overdraft and get together some much-needed extra cash.

Make a switch
Simply switching bank accounts you could make yourself a tidy pile of cash – check The Money Saving Expert to find out how. You can also look at switching your utilities if you want to save more money and make a tidy pile of cash. It might be a little bit of a hassle, but there are some good deals out there if you do your research.

Secret Santa
If you are really smart, don’t buy everyone a present this Christmas, instead think about doing a Secret Santa. Whether it is for extended family, work colleagues or flatmates, set a budget, pick something you know your chosen recipient will love and you won’t only save money, you’ll have less things to sell to on eBay next Christmas too!

Go for deals
When it does coming to shopping, look out for the deals, there are many to be had. From discounts, ‘buy one get one free’ offers, samples and three for two deals, you will find a lot of ways to make your cash go further.

The great thing about all of these ideas, is that while they can help you around Christmas, if you put them into play all the time, your bank account should be healthy 12 months of the year.

Team Pure Beauty