How to Get the Smoothest Shave

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Whether it’s your legs, your armpits or any other part of your body, shaving is still the most popular hair removal method the world over. It’s cheap, convenient and you can do it wherever you want, whenever you want, without the need to visit a specialist. Having said that, shaving still has it’s pitfalls, so we thought we’d give you some tips to help you to get your smoothest shave yet.

Steam Your Skin

Skin which is warm is much easier to shave, yet people tend to do their hair removal before they get into the bath or shower, while their skin is still cool. Have your shower first and make sure you get it nice and steamy to open the pores and give you a closer shave.

Get Rid of Dead Skin

The next step should be exfoliation, for a number of reasons. Firstly, exfoliating will get rid of dead skin which will allow your razor to get closer to the roots of the hairs, giving you a smoother finish. Exfoliating will also help to lift any hairs and release any which may be starting to grow inward, reducing your chances of developing ingrown hairs when they start to grow back. This will also make your legs look less ashy in the long run!

Stay Fresh

You should be using a fresh razor (or razor head) every single time you shave. Every time you use a razor, the blades will dull as you move them over the skin, and by the time they’ve defuzzed all the areas you use them on, they’re really too blunt to be useful again. Not to mention the fact that razor blades will harbour bacteria which could cause nasty infections if you reuse them. If you aren’t keen on the idea of using single-use pastic razors, invest in a traditional safety razor which has a metal handle and casing but blades which you replace without the need for plastics.

Go WITH the Grain

Every razor advert on telly shows you images of women starting at their ankle and shaving up, but every barber worth their salt will tell you that shaving WITH the direction of hair growth is not only the best way to get a smooth finish, but it will also help you to avoid both nicks in your skin and ingrown hairs. It often feels like learning to shave is a right of passage for boys, but girls aren’t given the same guidance and we’ve all ended up doing it wrong!

Replenish Moisture

When you exfoliate your legs, then shave them, there’s a good chance that they’re left pretty dry afterwards, even if they don’t look like they are. Slathering your legs with a rich moisturiser like Decleor Nourishing Body Balm will ensure your skin feels nourished and hydrated.

Protect Your Lashes from Bad Habits

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anti ageing, bacteria, Dermalogica Soothing Eye Make Up Remover, Dermalogica Total Eye Care SPF15, eye cream, eyelashes, Eyes, false lashes, habits, harsh, infection, lash loss, lash technician, lashes, loosen, make-up, Mascara, protect, removal, roots, rubbing, semi-permanent lashes, silk amino acids, UV rays

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Whether you’re a falsies girl, you have semi-permanent lashes, or you prefer to go all natural, lashes are really important to framing your face and finishing a look. However, many women still have bad habits which cause them to lose lashes and stunt growth, so we thought we’d take a look at some of the bad habits that many women have, so that you can protect your lashes in the future:

Using Harsh Cleansers

We all know that taking your make-up off before bed is important, but using harsh cleansers which aren’t designed for use around your eyes can cause your lashes to fall out in much greater numbers than usual. Dermalogica Soothing Eye Make Up Remover is designed to gently remove all traces of make-up and contains silk amino acids to help strengthen lashes and condition the delicate eye lid area.

Using Old Mascara

We know that it can be annoying to replace make-up every few months, especially if you’ve bought a high-end brand or still have loads left in the tube, but using old mascara can leave you prone to lash-loss and eye infections. Infections can damage hair follicles and could permanently affect your eyelash growth.

Too Much DIY

If you have eyelash extensions, proper care should mean than your natural lashes aren’t affected. However, pulling them out yourself instead of getting them professionally removed can pull your lashes out and damage the lids, leaving you prone to scarring and infection. Always allow a qualified technician to do your removal.

Neglecting Your Eye Area

Your eye area is delicate and needs regular care to stay in the best condition possible. Even if you don’t feel that you need an eye cream for anti-ageing purposes, using one to keep the whole eye area in good condition is essential for healthy lash growth. Dermalogica Total Eye Care SPF15 is ideal and will protect you from UV rays, too.

Rubbing Your Eyes Too Much

It’s the end of a long day, you’ve removed your make-up and you feel like rubbing your tired eyes. STOP! Rubbing your eyes can prematurely loosen lashes at their roots and can make lashes fall out way before their time. Try to keep your hands away from your eyes to protect your lashes.

How to Give Yourself a Home Pedicure

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aromatic, brush, brushing, decleor, dermalogica, dry, Elemis, Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, Elemis Devils Mint Body Scrub, Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream, exfoliation, feet, foot, hard skin, hydrating, infection, maintenance, nails, nudes, oils, pedicure, rough, skin, smooth, toes, trim

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When the sun is shining and your tootsies are constantly on show in a series of sandals, it makes sense to splurge and have your pedicures done in a salon. However, when the weather cools and our feet are stuffed into boots for months on end, spending money on keeping our feet looking nice seems like a false economy. However, if you leave your feet to their own devices all winter, they’re going to emerge in spring looking more like they belong to the Gruffalo, so we’ve put together some home pedicure tips which should keep you going over the colder months.

Soak Them

Before you do anything to your feet, you’ll want to get them super soft and clean, so soaking in a bath with some Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak will soften any hard skin, making it easy to scrub it away. Make sure the bath isn’t too hot and spend plenty of time soaking to get the best results.

Scrub Them

Getting rid of hard skin is really important, otherwise it can build up and look (and feel) really unpleasant. Many people go straight for harsh files and blades to get rid of skin, but often it’s enough to persevere with a gentler product like Elemis Devils Mint Body Scrub. Use this after soaking your feet on a regular basis and the skin won’t have a chance to build up to unpleasant levels.

Brush Them

The tops of your feet are just as important as the bottoms and people often focus the care and exfoliation on the latter because that’s where the hard skin builds up, forgetting the rest of the foot. This area doesn’t need a harsh exfoliation, but brushing it with the Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush every time you bathe or shower will keep the tops of your toes looking great.

Trim Them

Everyone has a personal preference for toenail length, but keeping them short is the most hygienic and low-maintenance way to get through the winter. Use proper clippers which are intended for feet and make sure you cut them straight, not cutting off the corners as this can lead in ingrown toenails and open you up to possible infections.

Paint Them

Painting your toenails is SO much easier than painting your own fingernails because there’s no need to swap hands! Opt for either a nude which suits your skin tone or a dark colour and they’re the neatest option for short nails. Nudes will need less maintenance, too!

Moisturise Them

It’s absolutely VITAL to moisturise your feet if you want them to remain soft and free from hard skin. Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream is an intensely moisturising formulation melts beautifully into the skin, smoothing and hydrating rough dry areas. It’s designed specifically for feet and is infused with a blend of aromatic oils to help soothe and comfort tired, overworked feet.

How to look after your contact lenses

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A recent story to hit the headlines was about a woman who was found to have 27, yes 27, contact lenses stuck in her eye. Ouch!

The 67 year was scheduled for cataract surgery but instead, a blue mass of lenses was pulled from her eye, unlike anything the hospital had seen before.

While this was an extreme case, it highlights the need for care to be taken when putting in and taking out lenses and for wearers to ensure they have a healthy, safe routine to ensure their eyes are well cared for.

To make sure you don’t end up in the same predicament, we have put together some top tips to help you get contact lens wearing right.

Seems so obvious, but always make sure you wash and dry your hands thoroughly before putting anything into your eyes or removing from them.

Try not to be nervous. Putting contact lenses in and taking them out might seem daunting but once you get the hang of it, it is pretty easy so take your time. The key to success is to keep a steady hand and if it doesn’t work first time, walk away and try later.

Before you put a lens in, make sure it isn’t inside out. To check this, place the clean lens on your finger tip and hold it up to the light. If it is the right way round it should look like a bowl but if the edges flare out, it’s inside out and needs to be adjusted.

To put the lens into your eye, hold your upper eyelid with one finger and then gently pull down your lower eyelid with your other fingers. This will stop you blinking and will stop your eyelashes getting in the way.

To take your lenses out, simply look up and carefully pull your lower eyelid down using your middle finger. Gently put your index finger to your eye and when you touch the lower edge of the lens, slide it down to the lower white area of your eye – note that this should not hurt. Finally squeeze the lens, very gently, between your thumb and index finger and finally take it out. Repeat on the other eye.

At this point, daily lenses can be thrown away, otherwise clean bi-weekly and monthly lenses as advised.

Remember, never use tap water to clean your lenses or their case. Use the recommend cleaning solution and following the instructions to the word.

Whatever is happening in your life, only wear your lenses for the time specified and don’t ever sleep in them or you will wake up feeling very uncomfortable.

As well as replacing your lenses to prevent infection, it is also important to use new cases and cleaning fluids on a regular basis.

We suggest that you don’t apply your eye make-up before putting contact lenses in, as this can sometimes cause aggravation and infection.

Contact lenses and swimming are not a good mix, so swap for glasses at the pool but make sure you take the same care taking them in and out as public places are full of bacteria and germs.

If there are any signs of pain, irritation, redness or vision loss, get in touch with your optician ASAP.

On this note, it is important to have regular checks with your optician so they can check on your eye health and ensure you are using the right lenses for you.

Team Pure Beauty