How to get back on the dating scene

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absent, app, blank canvas, cheat, click, clingy, cloud, compare, confidence, date, dating, dating app, dating scene, deal breaker, deep, dreams, duvet, emotional maturity, ex, Facebook, football, full-on relationship, fun, gamer, grow, gut instincts, heart broken, hobbies, hurt, intense relationship, interests, kids, lie, London, love, love affair, love at first sight, marriage, married, meet, new, opposites attract, past experiences, perfect, perfect partner, red flag, relationship, rose tinted glasses, rush, scare off, serious relationship, shattered, stability, Sydney, take it slow, the one, top tip, trust, Vegan

Anyone who has had their heart-broken, and let’s face it, most of us have, knows that getting back on the dating scene can be tough. Your confidence may have been shattered, you may not feel like trusting anyone again and seeing your ex on Facebook with someone new might send you crashing back under your duvet not wanting to face the world ever again.

The thing is, time really is a healer and at some point you will start to feel better and will want to get out again and even meet someone new.

The temptation for many people is to get carried away and jump into a full-on relationship with the first person you meet. We aren’t saying this never works and love at first sight doesn’t happen, but if you don’t know someone very well, then getting into an intense relationship too early could spell disaster in the long-term.

We have put together some top tips you may want to consider before going out there and dating someone new.

Don’t compare them to people from your past
When you first meet someone new, it is hard not to compare them with your ex, but you need to. For any new relationship to stand a chance of going somewhere, it is best to start with a blank canvas that doesn’t have the cloud of your past experiences overshadowing the possibilities of something new. Just because your last partner was a cheat, it doesn’t mean that everyone else will have a roving eye or everyone will lie to you. You may still hold a candle for someone you thought was ‘the one’, but they weren’t and if you compare everyone to them, you could be heading for a table for one.

Put the deal-breakers on the table
You don’t want to scare someone off but sounding out deal-breakers such as marriage, kids and location is something you may want to do early on, but not in the first five minutes. If you really want to have children in the future and your date is totally against it, they aren’t going to be the one for you. If you are happy living in London and their long-term plan is to sit in the sun in Sydney, you might want to consider what life with them would be really like and if you are willing to give up your dreams so they can make theirs come true. We aren’t saying only go on one date, but if you aren’t willing to compromise, and they aren’t either, this won’t work out, so have fun, but don’t get in too deep!

Are you on the same page?
If red flags are flying, there is usually a reason for this and we would suggest that you follow your gut instincts. Maybe they’ve never had a serious relationships, it could be that they have been married four times already or maybe they are addicted to dating apps. We all have a past, but you will soon get an idea of what someone is like and whether they are on the same level as you when it comes to emotional maturity and stability.

Find common ground
They say that opposites attract, but if your date lives and breathes football, and you hate it, how will you feel when it takes up every weekend and three evenings a week? If you are a vegan and they love a burger for dinner, how does that sit with you? You love being outside and they are a keen gamer – will that be a winner for you? No one is perfect, but you do need to be with someone who shares some of your interests and values or it could be a lonely love affair.

Take it slow
Many relationship grow organically over time, alongside trust, so don’t be in a rush. If you are feeling that they are too clingy, absent or let you down time and again, address that sooner rather than later, and if you think this could be it, just take your time and see where things are going.

You deserve to be happy, so enjoy dating, find someone you really click with and trust, and once you take off the rose-tinted glasses from the past you may well find the perfect partner for your future.

Team Pure Beauty

Grab a great holiday read

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50-year-olds, advice, Anna Akana, band members, beautiful cousin, best reads, best-selling, Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, big screen, blushes, book, brilliant read, brutally honest, camp counsellors, Camp Marigold, cocktail, commentary, Cornwall, danger, debut novel, Englishman, escapism, fashion, flight, friendship, G&T, hat, hate, highly engaging, Hollywood beach babe, imagined, instruction manual, iPad, journey, Kindle, laughter, London, love, lover, Mandy Berman, Modern Lovers by Emma Straub, My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier, mysterious, nostalgia, Paige Toon, paper, partner, passport, people, Perennials, perfect, pool bar, poolside, power, prose, put down, quirky journalist, relationship blog, shades, share, shelves, So Much I Want to Tell You: Letters to My Little Sister, story, students, suicide prevention, summer 2017, tale, talent, tears, The Duchess by Danielle Steel, The Last Piece of My Heart, tickets, tissues, transatlantic flight, travel, younger sister, YouTube channel

Whether you use a Kindle, iPad or are still a lover of paper, having something good to read when you are on holiday takes you to a whole new level of escapism.

A book is the perfect way to get through a flight (add a G&T), is the perfect poolside partner and if you get stuck on the way home, you can read away the hours.

We have had a look at some of the best reads out there for Summer 2017 and wanted to share them with you.

If you are looking for a little nostalgia, look no further than Mandy Berman’s debut novel, Perennials. This easy to relate to friendship story reunites Rachel Rivkin and Fiona Larkin at Camp Marigold, but as camp counsellors rather than students. This is a summer of heat, flagged by the past, flamed by the present and page by page the thrill and pain of growing up becomes apparent from a writing with endless talent and perfect prose.

OK, it’s not new but if you haven’t read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, where have you been? If you are looking for a book you won’t be able to put down (perfect for a transatlantic flight), download this totally addictive read. Love, hate, danger, power, fashion, it’s all there for the taking people.

Another coming of age book is on the shelves this summer and this time it is Modern Lovers by Emma Straub. This is the tale of three friends, who also happen to be ex-band members, who are now old enough to have kids doing the things they remember, only too well, themselves doing. This time it might be 50-year-olds coming together but they do it in a style that beats any Hollywood beach babe who might be on the next lounger.

Maybe not the lightest read on the shelves right now, but So Much I Want to Tell You: Letters to My Little Sister by Anna Akana, is a brilliant read. After her younger sister killed herself, Anna started what is now, a 1.8-million strong brutally honest, highly engaging YouTube channel that cleverly combines advice with commentary and has a deep emphasis on suicide prevention. This outstanding first book is part memoir, part instruction manual, and it is equally as compelling as Anna herself, but have the tissues ready!

If you want a mix of laughter, tears and travel, it has to be Paige Toon’s latest novel, The Last Piece of My Heart. Bridget a quirky journalist has decided to turn her popular relationship blog into a book, however, after a number of painful rejections she gets a very different proposition. From London to Cornwall and further onto Thailand, readers join her on an unexpected journey into the unknown and what unfolds is better than she could have ever of imagined.

Out at the end of June, The Duchess by Danielle Steel hit the shelves. If anyone can write a really good beach book, it’s the fourth best-selling fiction author of all time. This time she brings us the story of how a high-class British lady becomes a French madam and it’s all there for the taking. We can’t wait to get our hands on this, but may need shades and a hat to hide our blushes.

To end this round-up we are going for a classic, My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier. Currently out on the big screen, this is the tale of a young Englishman who plots revenge against his mysterious, beautiful cousin, believing that she murdered his guardian. But his feelings take a turn and this fabulous page, turning mystery-drama will keep you guessing to the end of your cocktail at the pool bar.

So, pack your passport, tickets and sun cream, buy your books and relax.

Team Pure Beauty

Buy a charity Christmas card, change a life

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Alzheimer’s, cancer, celebrity, charity, Charlie Waller Memorial Trust., children, CLIC Sargent, deaf, dementia, depression, dream come true, gorgeous, help, holiday, life, London, London themed cards, Make a Wish, message, movie, National Deaf Children’s Society, organisation, polar bears, postbox, research, robin, robins, Santa, sheep in the snow, snowmen, society, suicide, support, understanding, young people

Whilst a text or email is enough for many, sending a Christmas card is still the traditional way to send love to those you care for.

Whilst you can go into any supermarket or chain store and pick up a great offer on a box of twenty cards, why not show your nearest and dearest you care as well as giving back to a charity close to your heart?

There are plenty of worthy organisations out there, so we have done some research and come up with what we think are the the pick of the bunch.

CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading cancer charity for children, young people and their families. They provide support to help people cope with cancer and get the most out of life. From diagnosis onwards, this great charity helps deal with the impact of cancer and its treatment, life after treatment and, in some cases, bereavement. From sheep in the snow to contemporary candles, they have a gorgeous selection of cards to choose from.

‘Hounds for Heroes’ is a brilliant organisation that not many people know about. The team provide specially trained assistance dogs to disabled and injured personnel from the UK Armed Forces and the Emergency Services. They are based in Hampshire, where the puppies are put through their training before they go onto offer the companionship and love that can be missing when someone becomes disabled.

The National Deaf Children’s Society is dedicated to creating a world without barriers for deaf children and young people. This charity believes every deaf child should be valued and included in society and have the same opportunities as everyone else. Their cute cards feature Santa and polar bears, robins and snowmen and as you pop your cards in the postbox you know the profits are going to a great, life changing cause.

You cannot help but notice more and more media coverage about Alzheimer’s and you might even know someone who is suffering from it. The Alzheimer’s Society is a key organisation that campaigns for better quality of life for those with dementia and greater understanding of the condition. They are involved with research as well as support and are really getting the message out there so people know where they can get help.

A less well known, but still very worthy cause, is the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust. The Trust raises awareness of the symptoms of depression and believes early identification and improved treatment can help reduce suicide numbers and ensure sufferers receive the care they needed and deserve. We love their London themed cards and found their website, pretty impactful.

Last but no means least, is Make a Wish. We have a soft spot of this charity, which makes magical wishes come true for children and young people with life-threatening illnesses. From walking with dinosaurs, going on a brilliant holiday, meeting a celebrity or making a movie, this is where lives are changed and memories are made. Their robin on a pot card is as traditional as it gets, but it is Santa dressing the Christmas tree has stolen our hearts.

Remember, if can change in a moment so support a charity and change a life this Christmas.

Team Pure-Beauty

 

Olympic Nail Art

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2012, 2016, Egypt, gold, Laura Trott, London, manicure, medals, Mexico, nail polish, nails, Olympics, Rio, Serena Williams, Victoria Pendleton, weight lifting, win

Olympic fever has gripped the nation all over again and Team GB are giving us all PLENTY to be proud of with a whopping NINETEEN gold medals, twenty silvers and 12 bronze, at last count. It’s inspiring people all over the world to get involved in sport, but from the beauty side of things there’s plenty to be inspired by, too! So, in honour of our athletes and how well they’re all doing, we thought we’d show you some of the best Olympic manicures seen on the athletes for us regular people to aspire to!

Egypt-inspired

Egyptian volley ball player Doaa Elghobashy got seriously patriotic with an Egyptian flag, combined with Olympic rings and a couple of accent colours in between. It’s low-key but effective and ensured that her hands looked great when the camera’s zoomed in.

Born in the USA

Let’s face it, Serena Williams is about as glamourous as it gets, in terms of the female athletes and is a fashion model in her spare time, so we’re totally unsurprised to see her hands looking immaculate. Her professional manicure is all about The Land of the Free and looked gorgeous against her dark blue kit.

Golden Girl

Laura Trott is literally the Golden Girl of Team GB right now after winning 4 gold medals, making her the most successful British female Olympian of all time. Her cute manicure, with a different design on each nail, looked wonderfully patriotic, even if it did spend a lot of time hidden under her gloves!

Paying Homage

This manicure, seen on Mexican weightlifter Luz Mercedes Acosta Valdez not only featured a miniature Mexican flag in respect of her homeland, but also featured a little Union flag to pay homage to the London Olympics in 2012. How lovely?!

Team GB

Victoria Pendleton may not be competing this time around, but her 2012 manicure for the London Olympics was so on-point that it would be a crime not to mention it! Sporting a tiny Team GB logo on each finger made an amazing photo opportunity when she was holding her gold medla up for the whole world to see!

Rio 2016 has arrived

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and Clara Hughes (Canada), ‘Viva sua Paixão’, “Inspire a generation”, Barra, black, blue, Chamonix, Charlotte Cooper, Christa Luding-Rothenburger (East Germany), Copacabana, ddie Eagan (United States), Deodoro, flag, France, green, Jacob Tullin Thams (Norway), London, Maracanã, Maracanã Stadium, Mount Olympus, Olympic Cauldron, Olympic flag, Olympics, Paris, red, rings colors, Rio, Rio 2016, sports, Vinicius, Winter Games, yellow, Zues

It doesn’t seem four years since London hosted the 2012 Olympics, but with Rio starting in style on Friday night, we know it really was.

With nearly a month of badminton, cycling, gymnastics, judo, modern pentathlon rowing, sailing, and so much more happening, we thought we would have a look at some of the facts you might not know about this iconic, global sporting event.

The very first Olympic Games took place over three thousands years ago in 776 B.C.E. The games started as part of a religious festival to honour Zeus, the leader of the Greek gods who lived on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece.

The modern Olympics however, began in 1896. They were created by the French educator and historian, Pierre de Coubertin. Pierre believed the world would have more of an opportunity for peace if they gathered together to play sports. Nice idea.

Coubertin designed the famous five colour rings that represent the games and stand for North and South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia.

The Olympic flag, featuring this symbol on a white background, flew for the first time at the Antwerp Games in 1920.

Not many people know this, but every national flag of the world has at least one of the rings colours, blue, black, green, yellow, and red, in it.

The Olympic flame is lit at Olympia in Greece every two years (summer and winter games) before it travels to the next host nation and is paraded until the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron at the opening ceremony.

The 1900 Paris Olympics were the first to allow women to take part, and winners were awarded paintings rather than medals. Charlotte Cooper a tennis player from London, was the first female athlete to win an individual Olympic event at the these games in Paris.

The Olympic Winter Games started in in Chamonix, France in 1923. There were 16 events in six different sports. Team Canada dominated in the ice hockey tournament by scoring a total of 122 goals and only allowing three against them.

Only four athletes have won medals at both the summer and winter games. These were; Eddie Eagan (United States), Jacob Tullin Thams (Norway), Christa Luding-Rothenburger (East Germany), and Clara Hughes (Canada).

The Rio games are happening from 5th to 21st August with both the opening and closing ceremonies taking place in the Maracanã Stadium.

This is the first time the Olympic Games have ever been held in South America and will events will take place in 33 venues across the four areas of Barra, Copacabana, Deodoro and Maracanã.

A staggering 10,500 athletes from 205 countries will take part in 306 competitions in 42 different sports.

There will also be over 300 horses at the games, which is more than enough horses to fill a Grand National field seven times over.

The motto of the London games was ‘Inspire a generation’ and in 2016 it is ‘Viva sua Paixão’ which means ‘Live Your Passion’.

The new mascot is called Vinicius. He is based on a number of different Brazilian animals, and names after Vinicius de Moraes one of Brazil’s most-loved artists.

At Pure-Beauty we are most looking forward to the gymnastics, road cycling and swimming – how about you?