It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…Bedtime!

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Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body Oil, bath, bathing, bergamot, camomile, deep tissue, Evolve Organic Beauty Silent Night Bathing Salts, Gua Sha, Hayo'u Bian Stone Body Massager, lavender, massage, mind, natural, Neroli, night, pillow, reflexology, REN Clean Skincare And Now To Sleep Pillow Spray, salts, scent, sleep, spray, This Works Deep Sleep Bath Soak, vetiver, ylang ylang

Photo by Ivan Oboleninov 

While this is a busy time of the year for most of us, it’s a time which is also starting to be referred to as “the Sleepy Season” by many. That’s because there’s an increasing movement which encourages people to take advantage of the long winter nights by staying indoors and getting as much sleep as you can. We’ll be honest; as far as fads go, this is one that we can wholeheartedly get onboard with. After all, many creatures hibernate at this time of year, and who are we to argue with nature?! With this in mind, we’ve gathered together a collection of products which can help to give you the best night’s sleep of your life:

REN Clean Skincare And Now To Sleep Pillow Spray

The scent in your sleeping space can have a huge impact on how well you sleep. This pillow spray from REN Clean Skincare contains a soothing blend of fragrances which combine to create an aromatherapy blend which will lull you off to sleep. Frankincense, lavender and hops oil help relax the mind and body and are also safe to be sprayed directly onto your pyjamas, for a stronger hit of scent. 

This Works Deep Sleep Bath Soak

For many people, having a bath is the ultimate pre-bedtime ritual for helping to make them feel sleepy and relaxed, and adding some of this bath soak from This Works will enhance that effect hugely. It contains the award-winning Deep Sleep super blend of lavender, camomile and vetivert, which will harmonise your body and mind, leaving skin moisturised and lightly fragranced, and giving you the ultimate pre-sleep wind-down. 

Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body Oil

Self massage is a wonderful way to attune your mind and body, as well as helping you to wind down before bed. Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body Oil works to combat an overractive mind, soothe the body and quieten the senses. The blend of earthy vetiver, gentle camomile and prized Madagascan ylang ylang create the perfect pre-slumber routine or soothing treat to counter moments of daily stress.

Evolve Organic Beauty Silent Night Bathing Salts

Another product to enhance your evening bath, Evolve Organic Beauty Silent Night Bathing Salts are made in small batches and infused with lavender, bergamot, neroli and ylang ylang, a blend of essential oils proven to help you get a better night’s sleep. Add a generous handful to a warm bath and you’ll find that your mind and body start to relax, putting you in the best place for a great night’s sleep. 

Hayo’u Bian Stone Body Massager

Gua sha is a natural, alternative therapy that involves scraping your skin with a massage tool to improve your circulation and this Bian Stone Body Massager from Hayo’u is designed to help you to get the best sleep. It can be used for pressing and kneading the trigger points as deeply or softly as desired, working not only on the body but also the reflexology zones on the hands and feet, and will not only offer for deep tissue and muscle tension, fatigue and pain but also improves insomnia and supports deeper sleep.

Read up on feeling great this January

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anxiety, balance, balanced, be happy, Be You, Becky Goddard-Hill, best books, body and soul, brilliant business advice, change, changes, cheer leading, Chillpreneur, criticism, cup of tea, Denise Duffield-Thomas, dip in, dip out book, Down-to-earth, downtime, Dr Chatterjee, easy to do a, easy to read, Everything is Figureoutable, Feel Better In 5, five minutes, good book, Good Lives, Good Vibes, gurus, hard work, imposter syndrome, inspire, Insta, Insta guru, journal, kids, lasting happiness, library, Marie Forleo, millionaire mindset lessons, mind, money, money mindset coach, motivated, negative emotions, New Year, New York Times bestseller., pen, Penny Alexandra, perfect, positive, progress, resolution, right foot, round-up, spark a little joy, success, teenagers, time, time poor, Vex King, young adults

We all set out to be the best we can at the start of the new year.

While no one keeps to every resolution, sometimes a good book and a little cheerleading can help you get off on the right foot, and stay balanced as well as motivated to change.

We have done a round-up of what we think are the best books out there, and hope one or two will spark a little joy (no, we haven’t added ‘that one’).

Denise Duffield-Thomas is a fantastic money mindset coach, but it’s her humour and down-to-earth wisdom that sets her apart from other gurus. While she has three books out there, in Chillpreneur she shares brilliant business advice and millionaire mindset lessons that help you become a success, the chilled way. Yes, you have to do the hard work, but this is perfect for anyone who wants to be a success but likes to have a little balance and downtime as well.

Unless you have been hiding out at home, you will know about Marie Forleo, and now you can learn that Everything is Figureoutable in her New York Times bestseller. By the end of the book you will be able to deal with criticism and imposter syndrome, bouncing back from hard times will seem possible, and you can start to see how you can overcome a lack of time and money. You might not become perfect, but you will make progress.

If you are time poor but really want to make changes in your life this year, then Dr Chatterjee‘s third book is for you. Feel Better In 5 is a daily plan that helps you get the life you want, in only five minutes of your day. Easy to read, easy to do and with real life case studies and fun exercises, this can help get your mind, body and soul in shape and in less time than it takes to make a cup of tea – peppermint of course.

Be Happy, Be You, says it is for teenagers, but this great little book can help pretty much anyone out there who needs a little bit of a boost. Penny Alexandra and Becky Goddard-Hill have created a dip in, dip out book that helps kids and young adults deal with anxiety and generally live a better life, the fun way. Get a pen and journal and this could be the start of something new and exciting.

Last but not least, 2020 is the time to learn to love you. Insta guru Vex King has overcome adversity and uses his personal experiences to inspire others. If you want to transform negative emotions into positive ones and find lasting happiness, then his book, Good Vibes, Good Lives is for you. It’s not that long but by the time you are done, you will start to look at the world, and your world, in a new way.

As always, try your local indie bookshop or library and get books there rather than online, and this will help you feel good, too.

Team Pure Beauty

How to eat for wellness in 2020

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Too many sausage rolls eaten?

Too many cocktails drunk?

Too many chocolates picked from the box?

Christmas is a time for fun and we all like to indulge, but all that rich food and sugary drinks can play havoc with our waistlines as well as our skin, teeth and mood.
Eating a healthy, well balanced, varied diet is key for good health and well-being and it can also help keep things like heart disease, strokes and certain cancers away.
We aren’t going to tell you to try a faddy diet or starve yourself because that won’t do anything for anyone, but we do have some ideas of how you can change what you eat and drink, and feel better for it.

Eat breakfast
We know this isn’t for everyone, but eating breakfast is the best way to start your day. Don’t load up on cereals packed with sugar or knock back an energy drink when you wake up, because you will crash and burn. Wholemeal toast with peanut butter, a fruit and veg smoothie, porridge with banana and blueberries or avocado smash are all perfect morning starters and they will see you through the morning.

A starter for five
Old news maybe, but eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day is the goal. It doesn’t matter if it’s fresh, frozen, tinned, juiced or dried, but get in the habit of having five servings and if you can go further, you are winning.

Drink more water
It’s clear… drink more water if you want to feel good. The advice is to drink between 6 and 8 glasses of water a day and this will impact you mind, body and skin. You might also want to cut the caffeine and fizzy drinks and switch to herbal teas which will help hydrate and calm you.

Keep snacks in your bag
Dried fruit, nuts, rice cakes, bananas and home-made date bars can be kept in your bag, car or desk drawer and not only will they fill you up, they are so much better for you than a bar of chocolate or slice of cake. Yes, have treats, but now and again and not every day.

Make switches
White bread and pasta aren’t going to really do much for you, so why not switch to wholegrain alternatives? Sweet potatoes are a brilliant source of vitamin C, so leave the mash for another day, and a bowl of berries will beat a bag of sweets any day.

Go plant based
This isn’t for everyone but cutting animal products out of your diet isn’t a bad idea. If a full vegan diet isn’t right, maybe think about being veggie or if this is still too much, go meat and dairy free a couple of days and week and let natural plant goodness fill your plate and your tummy.

Exercise more
We aren’t saying that you need to train for a marathon or become an Iron Man candidate but moving your body goes hand in hand with improving your diet. The weather might still be cold, but a run around the park will warm you up, a swim is a low impact exercise many of us can do and if you want to spice up your life, how about a salsa class with a friend? Don’t sign up for an expensive gym membership in January that you won’t use, but do look for something you will enjoy, because then you will want to do it, and you’ll be glad you did. Do remember, that going for a job doesn’t mean you can then eat a massive take-away, but you can make curries and soups from scratch that will nourish your body for longer.

Got a tip for us, let us know as we are all for a happier, healthier 2020.

Team Pure Beauty

Find fabulous new habits in your forties

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age, bed, Binge drinking, body, boosts your mood, cancers, cigarette, critical, devices, diabetes, drinking, Eyes, fashion statement, fixed, forties, gambling excessively, get you down, good habit, GP, habits, happier, head in the sand, health checks, healthier, heart disease, hide, high cholestero, immune system, irritable, laughter, life, light emitting screens, melanoma risks, Menopause, midnight snacks, mind, miserable, moisturiser, money, outside, perfect, phones, power down, protect, reduce stress levels, reduces stress, risk factors, safe, seven hours, skin cancer, sleep, smile, smoking, snoozing, stop, sun damage, sun’s UV rays, sunnies, Switch off, tech, time, too late, vices, Victoria Beckham, wrinkles

When you get to your forties you may well find that the habits you have formed have been with you for years, but the reality is they might not be doing your mind or body very much good. No one is perfect, including us, so we’ve looked at easy ways to get happier and healthier as you sail through your forties.

Drop the vices
We all know that smoking and drinking isn’t good for us at any age, but this really is the time to try and get things under control. Binge drinking, midnight snacks, gambling excessively and lighting up one cigarette after another will be taking a toll on your health, and wallet. So look at what’s going on and make a decision to stop, and find something better to do with your time, and money.

Have health checks
Diabetes, high cholesterol, certain cancers and heart disease are all conditions that can be detected early through routine GP visits, so book in and get a clear bill of health. If things aren’t 100% good, it’s best to know what’s happening and trying to get it fixed because if you hide you head in the sand, things could get worse and then it could be too late. You might also want to keep a watch on the menopause at this stage in your life.

Get to bed
Sleep is so important and if you don’t get enough, you can feel irritable, miserable and life can quickly get you down. You might however be finding that as you move through your forties, the ease at which you get to sleep, and the amount of time you actually sleep, will change. We would suggest you still aim to get at least seven hours of snoozing a night as this will enhance your immune system, reduce stress levels, and generally help you to cope with life better.

No tech at bedtime
Talking about sleep, the one thing we do suggest is that you don’t take your phones or devices to bed. Yes, they can help you keep connected with the world, but night time is when you need to switch off, so power down and leave those light emitting screens downstairs.

Keep sun damage away
We need to do this all of our lives, but it is critical in your forties to look after your skin if you want to keep your melanoma risks down, as these increase with age. The sun’s UV rays is one of the biggest risk factors you can control, so find a moisturiser that has sunscreen in it, and if you want to go one step further to both protect yourself from skin cancer and keep wrinkles at bay, use an SPF stand alone too!

Look after your eyes
Yes, celebrities wear sunnies all the time, but they are so much more than a fashion statement; they are a good habit to get into. So take Victoria Beckham’s lead (she’s in her forties and wearing it well) and put your sunglasses on not just in the summer, but every time you go outside, and keep your eyes safe.

Smile
Life can be hard in your forties as your kids move away and your parents fall ill, but getting into the habit of smiling and laughing during your day, can be a really good for you. Laughter boosts your mood, reduces stress, and smiling at a stranger could be the lift they also need in their day.

So, what new habits are you going to make, and which badies are you going to ditch to make your forties fabulous?

Team Pure Beauty

How to practise self care when you work from home

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When you work from home, self-care is vital and it is important to make a clear distinction between your work and personal life, ensuring you take time for yourself.

We have some sensible, but easy ways you can get a better balance when it comes to working from home.

Set Boundaries
When you work from home, it is really easy to slip into bad habits like working late into the evening and at the weekend. To maintain a healthy balance between work and home, set your work hours and stick to them. Maybe it is the traditional 9 to 5 that works for you, 10 until 6 is better for some people, a half day on Friday can be a perk of the job. Decide it, do it and stick to it.

Have a place to work
If you can, create a designated office space with a desk and upright chair that supports your back. If you have a whole room or can renovate the loft or the garage, this will give you a great working area and get you in the zone. Lighting is important as this will help you not to strain your eyes or cause headaches. Having a tidy workspace will help to keep your mind clear, and turning off the computer at the end of the day will help you maintain your working hours.

Start the day the right way
You might not have a team meeting to go to, but starting your day with a new list and set of goals, will keep you on track and motivated. You don’t have to do this at your desk, you can have a walk, a coffee after the school drop off or even speak to your VA and make sure you are both on the same page.

Walk away
Making time for some exercise during your day will boost motivation levels and increase productivity. Whether you go for a park run, walk the dog, do a HIT session, or practise yoga in your living room, doing something will give you a break and more energy.

Take a lunch break
We know many people don’t take have an official lunch break, but if you can make time to walk away from your desk and head outside for fresh air, this will set you up for the afternoon ahead. Packing up a salad with oily fish, filling up on soups and stews or having a pitta with feta and egg is a good way to fuel up and afternoon smoothies or homemade flapjacks are good too.

Do not do chores
Putting on the washing, going to the shops, visiting friends or doing a little DIY might be on your list of jobs at home, but it isn’t your real work that will pay the bills. Find times when you can do this, but stick to your working times as above, or you will end up having a clean house and full fridge, but unhappy clients.

Have healthy snacks
It is easy to go for the biscuit tin or unwrap a chocolate bar when you are working at home, but having fresh fruit in a bowl and nuts and raisins in a pot on your desk means when you are peckish, you don’t overdo the rubbish.

Get Dressed
It might seem like a good idea to work in your PJs or yoga pants, but you wouldn’t go out to work this way, so don’t do it at home. Get up, get showered, put the coffee on and get dressed and this will give you a work ready feel, and save blushes with the postman or unexpected Skype calls from clients.

Meditate
We believe that if you take a little time to meditate during the working day, it will give you headspace to unwind so you will return to your computer feeling refreshed.

You still need to sleep
We all need to aim to get about eight hours of sleep a night, and this is the same when you work from home. Late nights and lie-ins might be tempting, but they won’t do your motivation or productivity levels any good. Get into a routine and if it means scheduling calls at 9am or booking a dance class at 6pm to keep to time, then do it.

Got a working at home tip? Send it our way as we would love to know what it is.

Team Pure Beauty