Stress isn’t just for National Stress Awareness Day

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While the first Wednesday in November each year is National Stress Awareness Day, the world is a pretty stressful place a lot of the time and it is different for us all.

You might feel irritable and impatient, nervous or depressed. There can be knots in your stomach, a sense of dread and the inability to see the good in life. Panic attacks, sleepless nights, loss of libido and feeling sick, dizzy or fainting are all ways stress can be experienced.

If we are to thrive, we need to find our own ways of coping with whatever our busy lives throw at us, so we have some ideas we hope might help.

Know your triggers
A buzz word, maybe, but it’s really good to try to access your triggers, where possible. Stress can come from many things, be that work, kids, family, friends or other people on social media! If you can identify what causes your stress, this will help you to tackle it and get things under control. Start to keep a diary of when you feel stressed, look at who or what sets it off and if a pattern emerges look at the changes you can make so things settle down.

Look at your lifestyle
Exercise is often on the bottom of our to do list, but it is a great way to manage stress. Increasing your heart rate, eating a nutritious diet, drinking lots of water and getting plenty of sleep are really important if you want to keep stress levels down. Just as you track your stress, look at how good you feel after a run or a swim, and how your skin improves when you swap chocolate and coffee for fruit and veg.

Pick your battles
There can be many things in life that are stressful – from a big bill, unfair boss to an angry customer, but if you react to them all you are going to be ill. Choose which things you are going to actually direct energy at and try to resolve, but the rest can be put behind you because they aren’t worth it.

Let it go
Stamp your feet, shout out loud, cry or jump up and down or do some boxing! No, we aren’t talking about toddler tantrums, but letting out your stress and steam in a more physical way. If you are feeling cross and out of control, it might just help to yell about it and get that stress out of your system.

Switch off
Turning off your phone, not checking your emails and powering down your laptop can all help put a lid on stress. You don’t need to be ‘on it’ 24/7, and no one expects you to work late every night, and if they do, maybe you need to look at how much work is impacting your life and stress levels.

Be mindful
This is talked about a lot, but mindfulness is where you have an awareness of the present moment and you pay attention to thoughts, feelings and sensations in the here and now. Mindfulness is really good for healthy mental wellbeing, so if you feel stressed, take a moment and reflect. If your mind gets busy, mindfulness can help to slow it down.

Kick the bad stuff
Smoking, drinking and binge-eating are ways many people cope with stress, but none of those toxic habits will do you any favours. Giving up cigarettes, cutting down takeaways and going to the gym rather than the pub will help you to feel better in the long run.

If things are getting out of hand, chat to your GP – you won’t be the only one.

Team Pure Beauty

Don’t go to bed with your make-up on

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After a long day at work, office drinks and having to stand up on the train all the way home, taking your make up off before jumping into bed might be the last thing you want to do. We get it, but we also know that leaving foundation, mascara and highlighter on as you sleep, can play havoc with your skin, so those extra few minutes in the bathroom before you hit the sack, are totally worth it.

At Pure Beauty we think we have got this covered, and have something that will be right for everyone, whatever their age and however hard they like to party.

While getting that smoky eye perfect can take ages, taking it away is super easy with the Dermalogica Soothing Eye Make Up Remover. This efficient, clean-rinsing formula dissolves all traces of eye make-up including stubborn mascara, as well as heavy lip liner too. Oil and alcohol-free, as well as water-soluble, this conditioning gel not only cleans but thanks to Silk Amino Acids it helps to strengthen eye lashes and condition the delicate lid area at the same time. Simple to use, this gentle formula won’t cause irritation or stinging, which makes it perfect for all skin types and ideal for contact lens wearers – just remember to take those babies out before nodding off!

Teenagers love make-up and sleep, so they might want to try the Dermalogica Foaming Wash if they want to keep their skin blemish free. Orange Peel and Tea Tree Oil energises and refreshes skin, while Salicylic Acid deals with dead cells and trapped oil so that breakouts are tackled and kept under control. Gentle but effective, this face wash can be used morning and evening and is the perfect introduction to a great skin care routine for life.

If you like make-up with staying power, the Elemis Nourishing Omega-Rich Cleansing Oil could be good for you. Brilliant for removing waterproof make-up, and ideal for oily skin, this popular cleanser not only soothes and softens your skin but it lifts impurities away at the same time.

Want to try something new, then how about the Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover? Powered by a scientific blend of Virgin Botanical Oils and Floral Water, not only does this product cleanse and nourish your skin, but it takes away all traces of make-up too. Decleor have create a revolutionary formula which softens, plumps and soothes skin which together boosts radiance, so add it to your basket and put it to the test.

For clean, smooth, refined skin you don’t need surgery, what you need is the Jan Marini Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser. We love this gentle, soap-free cleanser because not only does it wash away the day, but it leaves your skin feeling amazingly hydrated thanks to sorbitol, a natural humectant derived from berries. The non-irritating formula easily rinses away, and works well with the brand’s Bioglycolic Bioclear Cream which helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, redness, acne scarring, large pores and uneven texture.

If you would like more information about any of these products, or are interested in trying some samples before making a decision, get in touch today and we would love to help you get things right.

Team Beauty

Get the perfect manicure at home

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Nothing says ‘elegant and groomed’ quite like perfectly polished nails, but with busy lives and mounting costs, it isn’t always possible to get to the salon for a little TLC.

We have some easy to follow steps that can help you get salon-quality, beautiful looking nails at home so your hands always look fabulous.

Tools
If you want your nails to look good you need to make sure you have the right tools:

• Nail varnish remover and cotton wool pads
• Nail clippers
• Cuticle pusher
• Emery board and nail buffer
• Hand and nail moisturisers
• Base coat
• Nail polish
• Protecting topcoat

Take your time
Like many things in life, practice makes perfect and this is the case when it comes to a DIY polish job. Try to make it a relaxing experience, don’t rush and try to have fun.

Clean up
Remove any old varnish still on your nails. There is a wide choice of products out there and whilst an acetone-based remover is harsher than non-acetone removers, they do get the job done faster. Regardless of which remover you do use, it is worth remembering that they all have a drying effect on your nails and cuticles so minimise contact and avoid soaking your nails in remover as your skin will really suffer.

Shape up
Just as if you were at a salon, you will need to clip and shape your nails before very gently filing them into the right shape. If you have dry nails you may want to soak them in warm water before you start filing to prevent any breakages. When it comes to files avoid metal and very coarse options as these can cause splintering. Go for a slightly abrasive emery board or even try a crystal nail file. The most popular looks are slightly rounded or a square-rounded edge but experiment and see what works best for you. Take your time to carefully file and smooth the tops and sides of the nails and once you are happy with the shape then use a buffer to get an even surface.

Sit back and soak
With the nails shaped you can now relax and give you hands a soak. Fill a bowl with warm water and a add little face cleanser and then soak your nails and cuticles for a few minutes.

Cuticles
With the skin soft and relaxed, it is time to work on your cuticles. This can be a very sensitive area so it is a good idea to take your time as you gently push the cuticle back away from the nail with a cuticle-pushing tool. Taking care not to cut into or damage the skin.

Moisturise
Our hands are really put through the mill on a daily basis so at this point rub a good quality oil or cream into the skin so it is really hydrated, plumped and and replenished. Nail varnish doesn’t tend to like these creams so before getting to work with the top coat just make sure these products are rubbed in and any residue is taken off the nails with a little cotton wool.

Painting
The key to successful nails is to pain in layers. For the best results start with a base-coat which will help protect your nails from staining, keep them strong and ensure your polish lasts a little longer without chipping.

Once this is dry, shake your chosen polish (lid on of course) and then apply your first coat of colour. The pro guidance for polish is to use two coats and then a topcoat as this will make your nails look really vibrant and shiny.

Top tips
Don’t worry too much about mistakes – they happen to the best of us and can be easily corrected with a little remover on a cotton wool bud. Give yourself some time for your nails to dry and then you are ready to go.

Using a lighter colour on your nails as this makes mistakes and everyday chips and knocks less noticeable.

To keep your mainucre looking fresh and professional you can touch up the nail polish as and when it is needed and you can add another topcoat for that salon finish.

Finally remember to keep a tube of nourishing hand cream in your handbag to ensure your skin and nails are kept healthy and hydrates and if you can remember gloves when you are outside, all the better.