The university checklist

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a student flat, antiseptic cream, baking tray, Bank account details, bathroom, bedroom, Blue Tac, boots, bowls, bread, bubble bath, card, cereal, charger, checklist, cheque book, clean, clothes, cloths, coat hangers, Congratulations, creature comforts, cutlery set, documents, Driving license, duvet covers, eat out, en-suite, ethernet cable, exam, fresh, frying pan, glasses, halls, headphones, home, ink, insurance, jam, ketchup, kitchen, kitchen roll, laptop, letter, milk, mineral water, mirror, mixing bowl, mobile phone, mugs, National Insurance card, NHS number, pack, Paracetamol, parents, partying, pasta, pillow cases, plasters, plates, printer, sanctuary, scissors, shampoo, shared house, sharp knife, sheets, shower gel, student loan, stuff, surge protection, Tea towels

Well, you have only gone and done it and got a place at university.

Congratulations.

Now the partying is over, it’s time to get down to business, book your accommodation, buy those books and pack your stuff.

Whether you a moving into halls, a student flat or shared house, you will want to take your creature comforts as well as essentials with you, so we have put together a checklist to get you started.

Documents
Before you leave home, have these documents with you, as well as getting copies and emailing it to yourself and your parents:
University and course acceptance letter plus exam certificates
Accommodation contract and insurance documents
Student loan documents
Bank account details, card and cheque book
Driving license and passport as well as up NHS number and National Insurance card

Gadgets
You will be so used to having everything under one roof, you might forget that you won’t be just a gadget away when you aren’t at home. This might seem like a big list, but it is worth having:
Laptop plus charger, USB stick and an ethernet cable
Mobile phone and charger
Headphones
Power extension cable with surge protection
Printer with ink

Kitchen
Yes, you could eat out all the time, but it makes more sense to do cook for yourself and to do this you will need:
A frying pan or a wok and a sauce pan
A cutlery set, sharp knife, scissors and spare teaspoons
Two glasses, mugs, plates and bowls
A baking tray and mixing bowl
A water bottle – buying endless bottles of mineral water on campus soon adds up
Tea towels, cloths, kitchen roll, soap and washing up liquid
A box of basic groceries with cereal, bread, milk, jam, tea, coffee, pasta, ketchup and an emergency bottle of vodka to break the ice with your neighbours

Your bedroom
Your bedroom will be your sanctuary so make it as comfortable as you can and take:
Two sheets, two duvet covers and pillow cases as well as a decent duvet and pillows
Mattress protector – take our word for it on this one
Clothes and coat hangers
Photos of friends & family as well as posters and Blue Tac
A lamp and lampshade
A mirror
Contraception

Bathroom
We can’t promise you will get an en-suite at uni so be prepared to share a bathroom and take this little lot with you so you, and your surroundings, are clean and fresh.
Several towels
Medication and a basic first aid kit with plasters, paracetamol, antiseptic cream and wipes
Febreeze and washing powder
A toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, shop, shower gel, bubble bath and any other home comforts
Toilet roll

Of course, you won’t be far from a Tesco or Boots, so you can shop when you arrive but this little should help to get you started and can probably be paid for by the bank of mum and dad before you leave.

Good luck!

Team Pure-Beauty

Skincare for Tattoos

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art, clean, dermalogica, Dermalogica Close Shave Oil, Dermalogica Post Shave Balm, Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, Dermalogica Ultra Rich Body Cream, ink, moisturised, skin, sun protection, tattoo

Go back just 20 years and tattoos were not quite so mainstream, but here in 2016 it seems like everyone and their Nan is getting inked (seriously, we aren’t kidding about the Nan thing…last year almost 10% of over sixties were the proud bearers of tattoos and the number is expected to rise!). No longer are tattoos confined to the likes of sailors, footballers and ‘alternative’ types, which means that the stigma of body art is finally wearing away and we thought we’d put together some tips for how to care for tattooed skin.

Shave

Before you get tattooed, unless it’s on an area like the palm of your hand where hair never grows, there’s a good chance that your artist will shave the area. This is usually done dry, with a disposable razor, and doesn’t always make for the most comfortable experience! If you know where you’re being inked, shave before you go using Dermalogica Close Shave Oil to properly protect the skin, as well as Dermalogica Post Shave Balm to condition the skin. DON’T be tempted to wax as this can leave the skin broken and any tattooist worth their salt won’t put a needle on broken skin.

Keep it Clean

Directly after you’ve been inked and you’ve removed the dressing that your artist applies, it’s really important to clean the tattoo, which is effectively a big, open wound and is highly susceptible to infection. Use a really mild wash like Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, which is gentle and soap-free, is important for keeping it clean but make sure you pat it thoroughly dry with a clean, soft towel after washing.

Moisturise

There’s nothing that makes a tattoo look duller than dry skin, so using a rich, thick body cream on your skin will help to keep them vibrant and defined. Dermalogica Ultra Rich Body Cream is the perfect product for inked skin as it deeply moisturises and nourishes the skin without feeling oily and is even suitable for sensitised skin.

Protect

Over-exposure to the sun will literally murder a tattoo as the harmful UV rays can basically dissolve the inks in your skin, so covering yourself in a high factor SPF such as Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50 is essential. It’s important for another reason too – highly tattooed skin can effectively mask the early signs of skin cancer such as ragged edges or colour changing of moles, which means that you need to stay even more alert.