Four Things You Should Know Before Getting a Gel Manicure

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breathe, cuticles, Elemis Liquid Layer SPF30, Elemis Sweet Orchid Monoi Body Oil, Elemis Tea Tree S.O.S. Spray, gel, gel nails, mani, manicure, melanoma, nail, nails, oils, salon, strip, suffocate, tanning beds, UV lamp

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In the past, if we wanted a manicure which lasted any length of time, you’d have to get acrylic overlays which require infills every few weeks and ended up costing a lot in maintenance. Now, if you want a manicure which lasts and looks good, but doesn’t ruin our own nails, you can opt for gel polish, which is cured (hardened) with a UV lamp and can last a matter of weeks. The application process is far simpler and you can have it applied straight to your own nails. Here are four things that we think you should know before opting for a gel mani:

Your Nails Don’t Need to Breathe

A common myth that gets touted around is that your nails won’t be able to ‘breathe’ if you have gel nails, but it’s actually codswallop. Your nails don’t need to be in direct contact with the air around them and having a gel manicure won’t somehow suffocate them! It can strip some of the oils from you nails leaving them a little dry, but that’s nothing that a little Elemis Sweet Orchid Monoi Body Oil won’t solve.

You Should Sunscreen Your Hands!

A lot of people don’t make the connection that the UV lamps which are used for gel manicures are basically the same type of bulbs which are used for tanning beds, which means that exposure leaves you vulnerable to melanoma. Before you have your mani (or do it yourself), use a sunscreen such as Elemis Liquid Layer SPF30 on your fingers to protect them from harmful rays.

You Can Do It Yourself

Not everyone has the spare cash to go to a nail salon once every couple of weeks to get their nails redone, but what you might not know is that gel manicures are more than achievable at home. You can pick up a kit which includes a curing lamp that gives you everything you need to get a salon-fresh look, and there are a lot of YouTube videos to help guide you through the process.

Be Careful With Your Cuticles

One of the things that a decent manicurist will do is take care of your cuticles before applying gel paint, so that it doesn’t stick to them and cause lifting around the edges. However, having your cuticles cut can leave you at really high risk of infection, and having them pushed back is a much better and more hygienic way to deal with them. If you’ve got some Elemis Tea Tree S.O.S. Spray in your bag, a quick spritz on your fingers one your mani has completely set would be great way to prevent germs from spreading.

How to Be Mole-Safe with Pure Beauty

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blemishes, Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50, Dermalogica Solar Defence Booster, freckles, melanoma, moles, protection, rays, skin, skin cancer, solar defence, SPF50, sun, sun safe, UVA, UVB

Photo Credit: Gigi Hadid/Instagram

In the past, women in the public eye would do their best to cover any “imperfections” on their skin and Photoshop was a magazine editor’s best friend if any of their models had moles. However, with the likes of top supermodel Gigi Hadid embracing her moles and showing them off in all their glory, we thought we’d take a look at some of the ways that you too can embrace your blemishes in a healthy way.

Keep an Eye on Them

There are apps online which actually allow you to take photographs of your moles, document them with times and dates, and then compare them to pictures at a later date, giving you the all-important info about whether your moles have changed size, shape or colour. The rule to remember is “ABCDE” – if your moles are ASYMMETRICAL have a ragged BORDER, uneven or dark in COLOUR, change DIAMETER or EVOLVE in any other way, they should be seen by your GP.

Protect Them from the Sun

We all know how harmful the sun’s rays can be, but moles are particularly vulnerable to them and can put you at greater risk of something nasty if you don’t use protection. Opting for a high SPF sun lotion, such as Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50 and paying close attention to moles and freckles when applying should give you peace of mind. We advise using this all year round, too, as winter sun can still be harmful.

Think About Where They Are

Moles on your body are likely to be covered up by clothing for most of the year, especially if you live in the UK, but it’s possible to have moles just about anywhere on your body and moles on your face, hands or neck will be most vulnerable. If you already use a moisturiser or hand cream in these areas, you can add a great boost of protection by adding Dermalogica Solar Defence Booster SPF50 to your usual creams.

If In Doubt…

As much as we embrace beautiful moles and freckles, if you have a blemish which is worrying you, see a GP or dermatologist about having it removed. Imperfections are truly beautiful and make us unique, however nothing is worth risking your health over and if you’ve a family history of cancer, it’s best to get them removed.

Post-Menopause Skincare

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acne, collagen, depletion, dryness, elasticity, hormone, hormones, melanoma, menopausal, Menopause, oestrogen, post-menopause, protection, sensitivity, serum, SPF, thinning, wrinkle

When we think about the havoc that our hormones can wreak upon our skins, we usually associate that with puberty, periods and maybe pregnancy. However, for the older ladies among us, the menopause can also leave us with unwanted effects to our skin and the depleting hormones can cause no end of skin problems. We’re taking a look at some of the most common skin issues associated with the menopause and giving you suggestions of how to deal with them.

Reduction in Elasticity

As you age, your skins ability to produce collagen is reduced, which leads to a marked increase in the elasticity of your skin and skin which is more wrinkled and sagging. We recommend the Decleor Anti-Ageing Starter Kit, which contains everything you need to start to rejuvenate your skin, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and encourage natural collagen production.

Dryness

Ageing skin also loses the ability to retain water in the same way that younger skin does, which means that using a good moisturiser is vital, post-menopause. Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance is the perfect moisturiser for dry and prematurely ageing skin as it contains an ultra-rich blend of phytonutrients, vitamins and humectants that helps restore vital moisture.

Increased Risk of Melanoma

Although we aren’t yet sure why, research has uncovered a link between oestrogen depletion and an increased risk of melanoma, which means it’s even more vital to use protection against the sun. Decleor Ultra Protective Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF50 Face is specifically formulated to protect ageing skin from the sun’s harmful rays and will provide both sanctuary and repair whilst actively reducing fine lines.

Acne

Believe it or not, just in the way that the sudden increase of hormones can cause acne, so can the sudden depletion and many menopausal women report cases of acne, which can obviously be distressing. Getting a good cleansing and moisturising regime in place is really important for keeping acne under control so using a system of products like the Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Kit would be a sensible move.

Sensitivity

When you start to succumb to the menopause, one of the knock-on effects is that the skin starts to thin which can lead to areas of sensitivity. Decleor Rose D’Orient Soothing Oil Serum is a natural elixir which is designed to immediately cool and soothe sensitive skin, reducing redness and stopping the face from feeling dry and tight. Only a few drops are needed and you’ll feel back to normal in no time.