Get Marathon Ready with our Skincare Guide for Runners

Tags

aloe vera leaf juice, antioxidants, Aromatherapy Associates Hydrating Triple Rose Renewing Moisturiser, Bloom and Blossom Legs Eleven Cooling Leg Serum, body, clean, cleanse, cleansing, Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser, Dermalogica Precleanse, Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50, double cleanse, Elemis Ultra-Conditioning Lip Balm, environmental factors, heavy, hyaluronic acid, hydrate, hydration, legs, lip, lips, London Marathon, marathon, Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask, moisture, moisturise, molecules, peppermint leaf oil, protection, Runner, runners, running, serum, skin, sunburn, sunscreen, sweat, tired, UV, UVA, UVB, water

Image Source

The London Marathon is just over a week away and runners all over the UK are preparing to take part in one of the most gruelling events of their running career. More than 40,000 people run together in London in a celebration of positivity, diversity and inclusion, raising over £1 billion for various good causes, since it began in 1981. With this in mind, we thought we’d do our bit and share with you some skincare tips which will make running the marathon a bit easier – or even just improve your couch-to-5k, if the marathon is a bit beyond your abilities!

Wear Sunscreen

Ahead of running a marathon, or any race where you’ll spend a lot of time outside, applying sunscreen is SO important. The last thing you want is to be coming up on mile 25 and realising you’re red from sunburn, not exertion. Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50 is a sheer solar protection treatment that defends against prolonged skin damage from UV light and environmental assault, and offers 40 minutes of water resistance, meaning you won’t sweat it all off during your first mile. 

Cleanse Properly 

After running the marathon, your skin is going to need some serious cleansing. As well as being subjected to potentially hours of sweat, you’re also going to want to remove all of that grime and pollution which is inevitable in a city. Dermalogica Precleanse is the professional’s deep cleansing weapon, allowing you to achieve ultra clean and healthy skin with a double cleansing regimen which should also include Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser, to help remove build-up caused by environmental factors. 

Replenish Lost Moisture

When we run long distances, our body loses a lot of moisture, some of which you’ll replace by drinking. However, your skin often still needs an extra boost of hydration to get it back to its best. We suggest first treating your skin to a Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask, followed by Aromatherapy Associates Hydrating Triple Rose Renewing Moisturiser. The combination of these treatments will replenish lost moisture and protect your skin from further loss of hydration, going forward. 

Don’t Forget Your Lips

There’s a reason that Aussie cricketers look like they’ve got white lipstick on – it’s because they know that spending hours running around in the sunshine can damage the delicate skin on our lips! Elemis Ultra-Conditioning Lip Balm is an instantly hydrating lip treatment, which offers effective delivery and release of the hyaluronic acid molecules to ensure even the driest lips feel replenished, restored and hydrated. 

Soothe Sore Limbs

One of the main issues that people deal with, from their post-marathon body, is tired, heavy legs which can leave you feeling like you’re dragging logs around for days afterwards. Bloom and Blossom Legs Eleven Cooling Leg Serum is a lightweight formula with stimulating peppermint leaf oil to revitalise tired, aching legs. It contains aloe vera leaf juice, which is full of vitamins and antioxidants to give your legs a boost, while algin from seaweed, which is rich in polysaccharides, helps the skin to absorb moisture easily, allowing the serum to effortlessly soak into your skin. 

Reset for Spring – Use These Ingredients NOW to See a Difference in Your Skin!

Tags

acid, bakuchiol, collagen, Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser, Dermalogica PowerBright Dark Spot Serum, dull skin, enlarged pores, gel, gentle, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, hydrate, ingredient, ingredients, Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask, moisturiser, natural, Niacinamide, pores, REN Clean Skincare Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream, Republic Vitamin C 6% Serum, retinoids, retinol, sensitive skin, serum, skin, This Works My Wrinkles CBD Booster + Bakuchiol, uneven skintone, vitamin, Vitamin C, wrinkles

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich

While we might still be firmly in the grips of winter, many of us are already starting to think forward to the warmer, brighter days of spring. This may involve trying to improve our fitness, giving your house a thorough decluttering, or possibly getting control of your complexion before the warmer weather arrives. If you are concentrating on the latter, using products containing the following five ingredients between now and the start of spring (although maybe not all of them at the same time!) is sure to reset your skin and give you the complexion of your dreams:

Vitamin C

Adding vitamin C to your skin care routine can not only brighten your complexion but also protect against skin damage caused by sun exposure and harmful free radicals. This potent antioxidant is commonly used in face cleansers, serums, oils, and moisturisers. Skin Republic Vitamin C 6% Serum is a great place to start, and we’d also recommend adding REN Clean Skincare Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream, which is a light gel cream moisturiser to hydrate and illuminate your skin.

Glycolic Acid

Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), a natural acid derived from plants. It’s made up of tiny molecules that can easily penetrate your skin barrier, helping to make it a particularly effective anti-ageing ingredient that promotes good skin health. Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser is packed with this acid and will help renew dull, uneven skin tone and remove build-up caused by environmental factors. 

Hyaluronic Acid

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last ten years, you’ve likely heard of hyaluronic acid as it’s in so many different skincare products – with good reason! It is a powerful component that both binds moisture to the skin and is suitable for all skin types and ages. It’s found naturally in the skin, although production reduces as we age. When added to skincare, it helps to hydrate the skin, gives a plumper, wrinkle-free appearance and makes your complexion look more radiant. For an easy introduction to hyaluronic acid, we recommend Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask.

Bakuchiol

We’ve written about bakuchiol before, and it’s an ingredient which is worth mentioning over and over again! Retinoids are potent ingredients which encourage faster turnover of surface skin cells and boosts collagen, as well as improving skin tone and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. However, for some, retinoids are a little TOO powerful for their sensitive skin and can cause irritation and discomfort. Bakuchiol is a gentle, naturally occurring alternative, found in This Works My Wrinkles CBD Booster + Bakuchiol, which is perfect for those with sensitive skin. 

Niacinamide

Also known as vitamin B3, niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works with the natural substances in your skin to help visibly minimise enlarged pores, improve uneven skin tone, soften fine lines and wrinkles, diminish dullness, and strengthen the skin’s surface. It can be found in Dermalogica PowerBright Dark Spot Serum, along with hexylresorcinol to help fade dark spots and shiitake mushrooms, which are rich in beta glucans, to help to brighten skin.

Get a Black Friday Glow Up!

Tags

Black Friday, CND Vinylux - Splash of Teal, Cyber Weekend, detoxify, discount, Elemis Pro-Collagen Renewal Serum, Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Detox Facial Wash, glow, glow-up, hyaluronic acid, hydrating, nails, pamper, rebalance, serum, St.Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Lotion, tan, teal, UpCircle Eye Cream with Maple and Coffee

Photo by freestocks.org

It’s Black Friday and here at Pure Beauty we’ve got some brilliant discounts on offer all weekend, so that you don’t miss out on the chance to treat yourself for less. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of some of the best bargains from our Black Friday and Cyber Weekend deals to give yourself a top-to-toe glow up ahead of the festive season:

Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Detox Facial Wash – reduced from £16.00 to £11.99

The basis of any good glow-up should be a clean canvas, which is why we’d recommend this facial wash from Evolve Organic Beauty. The delicate foam helps to detoxify and rebalance normal and combination skin, ridding your complexion of excess sebum and clearing your pores. It contains natural sugars which cleanse away impurities and organic aloe vera which softens, leaving skin clean, smooth and supple.

UpCircle Eye Cream with Maple and Coffee – reduced from £17.99 to £10.99

No-one wants to look tired and worn out, and the eyes are often a place which are a real giveaway if you’re dealing with fatigue. This eye cream from UpCircle contains caffeine to help minimise the appearance of dark circles and hyaluronic acid to plump fine lines. It’s made with coffee oil extracted from repurposed grounds and anti-inflammatory maple bark extract, a by-product of the wood industry. 

Elemis Pro-Collagen Renewal Serum – reduced from £70.00 to £45.99

This serum from Elemis is a highly potent anti-ageing formula which helps achieve retinol-like results and improves the look of lines, clarity, firmness, sun damage and visible pores. Unlike many retinol products, this serum is made from a cutting-edge blend of Padina Pavonica and Red Microalgae, along with Alfalfa and Stevia extracts that deliver retinol-like benefits without the irritation, and with this discount, there’s never been a better time to buy! 

St.Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Lotion – reduced from £31.00 to £25.00

If you’re going for a glow-up, then you need to think about literally adding glow to your skin, and the well-loved St.Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Lotion is a great place to start! This hydrating and long-lasting format will give you a golden tan that lasts for up to 10 days with even fade, meaning no streaks or patches, just an even glow. 

CND Vinylux – Splash of Teal – reduced from £11.95 to £7.95

There’s no point giving yourself a glow-up if you’re going to ignore your hardworking hands, and this shade of teal is going to be huge this Christmas. The best part is, CND Vinylux is a two step system that delivers a week long wear. It is easy to apply without the need for a base coat and dries super fast for a professional finish on your nails. This means that you won’t have to worry about chips to your colour at this busy time of year.

Five Products to Give You Brighter Eyes

Tags

arjun tree extract, Blue light, brightening, Coco seed peptides, Concealer, crows feet, cruelty free, dark circles, dark under eyes, dehydration, delicate, dunaliella salina (micro-algae) extract, elasticity, eye, eye area, Eyes, fatigue, Finelines, Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, hydrating, hydration, light reflecting, mineral pigments, multifunctional coma mango butter, natural extract, papain enzyme (from papaya), Persian Silk Tree extract, poria mushroom, puffiness, salvia hispanica (chia seed) oil, serum, sleep, tighten, tired, tired eyes, tremella mushroom, Vegan, visibly brighter, Vitamin C, wrinkles

Photo by Matheus Bertelli

Whether you are plagued by chronic raccoon eyes or you’ve just had a rough week, there is more you can do to refresh your face than just layering on brightening concealer. The causes of dark under eyes are numerous and varied and that means that different products may or may not work for you. With this in mind, we’ve curated five of the best products for helping you to brighten your eye area:

This Works Morning Expert Open Eyes

This potent eye cream from This Works draws on a number of different botanicals to create an instant antidote to tired eyes upon waking. It contains natural extracts of giant kelp to tighten the look of skin, Persian silk tree extract to help reduce the appearance of dark circles and cocoa seed peptides to limit the effects of blue light on the skin’s appearance. You only need a tiny amount for each application and storing it in the fridge helps to give it an extra whack of power. 

Medik8 Illuminating Eye Balm

This illuminating eye balm from Medik8 concentrates on giving intense hydration to the delicate eye area. It contains multi-weight hyaluronic acid and glycerin so that true moisture is drawn into the eye area, smoothing the appearance of fine, dehydration lines. The formula targets dark circles and signs of fatigue, while the light reflecting mineral pigments help to boost the appearance of tired looking eyes, resulting in a visibly brighter tone.

Dermalogica Biolumin-C Eye Serum

Vitamin C is a fantastic ingredient for boosting brightness and this eye serum from Dermalogica is supercharged with it! As well as a potent vitamin C complex, it contains arjun tree extract, tremella mushroom, dunaliella salina (micro-algae) extract, poria mushroom, papain enzyme (from papaya) and salvia hispanica (chia seed) oil which combine to visibly brighten, hydrate and tighten the eye area. 

Murad Renewing Eye Cream

This multi-functional eye cream from Murad performs a number of different actions to improve the appearance of the eye area. Advanced peptides and retinol visibly minimise fine lines and wrinkles as mango butter increases elasticity, while the Eye Brightening Complex reduces the appearance of dark circles and puffiness for brighter, younger-looking eyes. As well as targeting the signs of ageing which are already visible it bolsters the skin to prevent future ageing. 

REN Clean Skincare Keep Young And Beautiful Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift

The name of this product really does say it all! REN Clean Skincare Keep Young And Beautiful Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift is a lightweight serum which packs a heavyweight punch with it’s brightening and anti-ageing properties. The vegan, cruelty-free formula promises to reduce dark circles, minimise crows feet, hydrates the eye contour, lifts the skin and smoothes the whole eye area instantly. It can be reapplied throughout the day, even over your make-up, to tighten the eye area and regular use will drastically reduce the appearance of fine lines and crow’s feet. 

Five of the Best Ingredients for Youthful Skin

Tags

acidic, acne, ageing, all skin types, allergic reactions, alternative, anti-aging, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, ayurvedic medicine, bakuchiol, blemish prone, breastfeeding, ceramides, Chinese medicine, collagen, combination skin, complexion, dark spots, dehydrated, delicate, dermatology, dry skin, dryness, eczema, epidermis, Eyes, fats, firm, firmer feeling, germs, glowing, healthy, humectant, hyaluronic acid, Indian Babchi plant, inflammation, leaves, lines, lipids, melanin, moisture, oceans, oil based, oily skin, pigmentation, plump, plumper, potent, pregnant, products, Psoriasis, rainforests, reinforce, retinoids, retinol, rosacea, seeds, sensitive skin, sensitivity, skin, skin barrier, skin care, skin cells, skin issues, smoother, sun damage, topically, useful, vitamin A, Vitamin C, water, wrinkles

Photo by Karolina Grabowska

Here at Pure Beauty, we’re well aware of how confusing skincare can feel. There’s a different product for every different skin issue and a wealth of ingredients which vary from things found in your pantry to things found in the deepest oceans or rainforests! Looking at ingredient lists often feels like trying to decipher an unknown language, but there are some key things that you can look for if you’re in the market for anti-ageing products. Here are five of the best ingredients for maintaining a youthful complexion:

Retinol 

Retinol is a form of vitamin A that’s suitable for the skin. It belongs to a group of vitamin A derivatives, known as retinoids. Retinol has multiple uses and can be used to combat conditions like acne and can target areas of pigmentation. It can also reduce signs of ageing and sun damage. Retinoids don’t work equally well on everyone. If you suffer from rosacea, eczema, or psoriasis, it’s probably best to avoid retinol since it can be too powerful on skin that needs a gentle touch – it can increase inflammation, dryness and sensitivity in already delicate complexions.

Try Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant — a substance that retains moisture — and it is capable of binding over one thousand times its weight in water. This substance is naturally found in many areas of the human body, including the skin and eyes. Hyaluronic acid helps skin stretch and flex and reduces skin wrinkles and lines. Hyaluronic acid is also proven to help wounds heal faster and can reduce scarring. Allergic reactions to hyaluronic acid are rare, so that means whether you have oily skin, sensitive, dry skin, or combination skin, you have the green light to use hyaluronic acid products.

Try SkinCeuticals H.A. (Hyaluronic Acid) Intensifier Serum 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C can help keep skin looking plump and firm. This is because it’s highly acidic when applied topically and can help to promote collagen production and reduce the appearance of ageing skin. It also contains a property that inhibits the skin’s melanin production levels, two of the culprits that can lead to dark spots and hyperpigmentation, making it an absolute hero at giving you a glowing, healthy complexion. It’s usually found in oil-based products, so may not be ideal for acne and blemish prone skin, but it’s great for pretty much all other skin types. 

Try REN Clean Skincare Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream

Bakuchiol

If you’re looking for an alternative to retinol that can be used on more sensitive skin, bakuchiol is a good place to start. Bakuchiol is found in the seeds and leaves of the Indian Babchi plant and has been used in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for centuries. It also has calming anti-inflammatory and healing antibacterial properties and is even safe for use when pregnant and breastfeeding. It’s a potent-yet-kind ingredient which the British Journal of Dermatology found was just as effective as retinol and significantly less irritating, which is great news for anyone looking for an alternative.

Try Medik8 The CSA Bakuchiol Edition Kit

Ceramides

Ceramides are fats or lipids that are found in skin cells and make up 30% to 40% of your outer skin layer, or epidermis. Ceramides are important for retaining your skin’s moisture and preventing the entry of germs into your body. If your skin’s ceramide content decreases, which often happens with age, it can become dehydrated. Skincare products with ceramides will help reinforce your skin’s barrier and increase hydration, giving you plumper, smoother, firmer-feeling skin with fewer visible lines and wrinkles, as well as fewer signs of sensitivity.

Try Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Moisture IQ