Easy ways to create a family friendly kitchen

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If you have a family, it is highly likely that you spend a lot of time in your kitchen, and that it is very much a focal part of your home. The kitchen is where we laugh, cry and talk, it’s where we eat dinner together, where we teach kids table manners and how to cook, and where we gather at the end of the day to catch up and tell stories. It is place that’s all about love and memories.

Given just how important this room is to so many people, we have put together some ideas about how you can create a kitchen, and a home hub, you love.

Safety is key
It really goes without saying, but safety has to be a kitchen priority. Boiling water, sharp knives, hot food and rubbish are all possible danger points, so care needs to be taken. A baby gate, locks on cupboards and drawers, slip proof rugs and mats as well as putting medicines and cleaning products out of reach of children and pets, are all starting points. You want to enjoy your kitchen, but you can do this more easily if things are safe.

What space do you want to have?
We all want something different from a kitchen, and this changes over time, so think about what you need right now, not in five years. Maybe you need somewhere for a playpen for your toddler while you cook, you might want a table or island bar where the kids can do their homework, or if you have pets, thinking about where to keep their food and water bowls could be a consideration. Think about what would make your kitchen work, and then make the steps towards creating the space you want.

Clear the worktops
Of course, one thing you need is a clear area where you can prepare food that isn’t too crowded and where you have space to keep your appliances too. Even if you have a small kitchen, create an area that is free of clutter, that is easy to clean and that way you know you’ll have the room to make dinner and get sandwiches ready for the next day.

Think about the temperature
You might want your kitchen to be a cosy space, and in the evening when the cooker is on and people are moving around this is fine, but by day it could be a colder matter. To make sure you still get that toasty feeling on Sunday mornings when the children are having their cereal, or when you have your mid-morning coffee, you need to look at the space and how hot or cold it gets. Insulating your home is the best way of keeping the heat in, so check for gaps under doors and window frames, you will be amazed at what a draft excluder can do. Tiled and wooden floors might look great, but come November your toes won’t be happy, so look at underfloor heating, carpets or rugs and that way you can sip your hot chocolate before the school run without getting chilblains.

Make it your own
Yes, clean, clear surfaces and spotless walls are the images we see in magazines, but this doesn’t always create the kitchen you want. Art on the walls can add an extra feeling of love and family, pictures with magnets on the fridge are cute and of course, those precious paintings your little ones bring home from nursery will look lovely in your kitchen!

All about the smell
Kitchens are full of smells and let’s face it, some are better than others! Make sure you keep on top of your rubbish and recycling, if you fry food then keep the windows open and think about having a diffuser to help neutralise nasty odours, and these easy steps can help make your kitchen a pleasant place to hang out!

If you follow these tips, your kitchen should be the best room in your home.

Team Pure Beauty

Back to school with Pure Beauty

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acne, apple, back, back to school, beauty routine, blackhead, botanicals, breakouts, bus passes, clean skin, cleanse, clear, complexion, dead cells, decongest, deep cleansing, dermalogica, Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask, Dermalogica Foaming Wash, Dermalogica Hydrating Lotion, discomfort, dry, dry patches, easy to use cream, energise, essential oils, excess sebum, Eyes, face, ginger, goodness, Grapefruit, happy skin, homework, hot bath, kaolin clay, kit bag, lavender oil, lightweight, look and feel better, Meadowsweet, moisturiser, neck, New bags, orange peel, pamper, PE, pimple, protect, refresh, refreshing, revive, Salicylic Acid, sample, shiny pencil cases, skin, skincare, smart blazers, smooth, soak, spots, spotty skin, spray, squalane, Tea Tree Oil, teenage skin, tone and moisturise, Toner, top marks, washes away, young people

New bags, shiny pencil cases, smart blazers and bus passes are often top of the list when it comes to back to school preparation, but what about skincare. Getting young people into a beauty routine is a good idea and what better time than now to introduce them to something new for their skin?

Cleanse, tone and moisturise is a good place to start, so we’ll give you the low down on that first and throw in some added extra so you’ve got all bases covered and top marks will be scored.

Clean skin is happy skin, so we would suggest using the Dermalogica Foaming Wash for deep cleansing and purifying morning and night. Perfect for teenage skin that is prone to acne and breakouts, this doesn’t strip away essential oils but instead washes away nasties that don’t help the skin. Meadowsweet has been added to protect against excess sebum, salicylic acid gently exfoliates away dead cells and reduces inflammation ,while tea tree oil kills bacteria.

Next to come into play is the Dermalogica All Over Toner. This refreshing, toner contains an impressive twelve gentle botanicals that refresh, energise and revive the skin in one go. We love that orange peel and lavender oil have been added to soothe skin and when you spray it onto the face, neck and back, after cleansing, the goodness gets straight to work.

Some people think that spotty skin doesn’t need to be moisturised, but this isn’t the case as the right products help skin look and feel better. What you might have been looking for is the Dermalogica Hydrating Lotion. This lightweight, easy to use cream helps soothe the discomfort caused by breakouts, while hydrating dry patches. Apply after toning and let the ginger, orange and grapefruit soothe and protect the skin, while plant based squalane softens and nourishes it.

OK, what next?

Well, we all love a pamper, so when the homework has been done, why not try a hot bath and pop on the Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask. As you soak your troubles away, the mask will decongest skin so it is clear and blackhead free. Things don’t stop there, as added kaolin clay absorbs excess oil and apple is on hand to hydrate.

Last but not least, if the pimple pops up after PE, a bottle of Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster in the kit bag will do the job. Salicylic acid has been added to get rid of bacteria and phytoplankton extract prevents the over drying that can happen with some harsher products. The best thing is that it works in 15 minutes, so by the end of lunch skin can be smoother and worries will be over.

Fancy trying a sample or two? Get in touch and we would love to help.

Team Pure Beauty

How to cut down on your sugar intake

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The new year is here and with it comes a report from Public Health England that states some children in the UK have eaten more than the maximum recommended sugar intake for an 18-year-old by the time they are 10.

According to the study, children are eating about eight extra sugar cubes a day which amounts to a staggering 2,800 cubes too many, every year.

While we know that this is an average, it is still a pretty shocking statistic, and a habit that can lead to a whole host of health issues. To help, we’ve looked at how you can cut down on sugar so you are a whole lot healthier in 2019, and beyond.

Drink water
Fizzy pop, sports drinks and squashes might taste good but they are all jam-packed with sugar, and you can really do without it. Yes, you can go for the no added sugar options, but these are often full of artificial sweeteners that can be damaging, so instead drink water, add ice, and if you want to spice things up, pop in some sliced lemon and cucumber, and your teeth, and waistline, will thank you.

Take it out of hot drinks
Tea with one, coffee with two? The extra sugar in your hot drinks adds up, and while it might take a while to get used to not having it, over time you will adapt. We aren’t saying go cold turkey (you can if you are brave enough) but we do suggest that you cut out sugar in your hot drinks and even try herbal teas instead?

Look at labels
We get it, you are busy and in a rush but tooth decay waits for no one, so if you can spare a few moments, then do read labels to find out exactly what is in the products you are buying. You will be amazed at the amount of hidden sugar that is found in everyday products like yogurt, bread and even tomato ketchup, and once you see just how much sugar you are eating without realising it, you may make different choices in the future.

Rethink your cereals
A bowl of cereal might feel like a healthy breakfast, but do you know just how much sugar you are eating before you even leave the house in the morning? Even some muesli and packaged porridge have extra sugar, so before your next shop, do some homework and see just what is inside your box of favourite cereal. You can find low sugar options on the supermarket shelves or why not simply combining organic porridge oats with nuts, seeds and a little cinnamon and you will have a far healthier option, that is probably cheaper too.

Check your yogurts
To get it right, opt for plain or Greek yoghurt rather than some of the fancier pots you find in the chilled isle. Adding fresh fruit, cinnamon, nuts and seeds is a great breakfast or mid-morning option that is low in sugar but gives you a vitamin and protein hit rather than a miserable sugar low by 11am.

Cut out cakes
We don’t mean never eat cake again, but the sugar and refined carbs found in most shop bough cakes won’t do you many favours. You can off course make your own using or, try slicing apples and pears and spreading with 100% nut butter and you have a healthy snack that will fill you will goodness rather than sugar. Fruit, hard-boiled egg, nuts and carrot sticks are also good cake alternatives.

Cook from scratch
We know many people are time poor, but when you can, cook from scratch so you know exactly what you are eating. Making a simple tomato sauce to go over pasta is much better for you than a pre-made version, a curry in the slow cooker will contain only the sugar you add and baked potatoes in the oven for an hour are so much better for you than frozen chips!

We aren’t saying that you have to cut out ALL sugar all the time, but we do think that making some changes could not only help with your teeth and waistline but it could also help to really nourish your brain and save your skin, so give it a go and let us know what you think.

Team Pure Beauty

Good Health for the New Term

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The uniforms have been bought and labels have been stuck on, the shoes have been shined and the new pencil cases are the cleanest they will ever be. While we know it is important to get their kit ready when it comes to the new school term, it is also worth looking at your children’s health too.

While you can’t stop them catching colds and picking up bugs, you can give them the best start to good health and we have got some top tips so you can help them feel their best.

Immune System Boost
School children are constantly picking up colds and viruses, so it is really important to keep their immune systems strong. As well as a healthy diet, packed with fruit and vegetables, it might be worth giving them a kid’s multi-vitamin supplement to plug the gaps and keep them healthy. Do speak to your GP or pharmacist about which product is best for your child and remember that as well as those key vitamins we all know about, as the nights draw in and there is less sunlight, added Vitamin D could be a smart move too.

Treat Head Lice
Head lice are quickly spread by head-to-head contact and with children playing close together, it is no wonder they can become rife, fast when the new term starts. Clean hair, dirty hair, long or short – it really doesn’t matter, these little bugs simply want to get onto your child’s scalp so the best thing you can do is check hair on a regular basis and if there is a lot of itching going on, it might be a clear sign something is up. If you find your child does have head lice, you can start to combat the problem by combing conditioner through their wet hair using a special fine-toothed comb. This method can help to remove the head lice and nits (empty shells) but if this doesn’t work you can use a natural (often tea tree based) or chemical lotion instead to blast the bugs away.

Keep Backs Healthy
It isn’t just adults who suffer from back pain, thanks to heavy bags and poor posture, children are increasingly being plagued too. Yes, they need to take in books, laptops and sports kits, but using a rucksack and carrying their load on both shoulders is a back healthy way to go. Sitting up in class and stretching at the end of the day can also help even things out and keep spines happy.

Communicate
It isn’t just physical well-being that is important for children, but emotional health too. With almost a quarter of 14-year-old girls found to have used self-harm as a way to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression, it is really important to try to keep an open line of communication with your children. We know this isn’t always easy and that when there are problems opening up can be hard, but try to have those conversations and see where help is needed. Keep an eye on much time is being spent on screens, whether there is withdrawal from family life and if you are worried, speak to a teacher or your GP about getting more support and advice.

Bedtime
Every family has different rules when it comes to bedtime and screens. The reality is that mobile devices are often found in the bedroom late at night and these can impact sleep and overall health. Find a plan that works for you and your children, decide on a bedtime, ensure homework is done so there are no last-minute panics that impact stress and sleep, and ensure mobiles are turned off and there is no under the duvet texting which means getting up the next day is tough.

Good luck!

Team Pure Beauty