How to Perfect Your Problematic Pores

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AHAs, antioxidants, blackheads, blemishes, botanical, clarity, cleansing, collagen, corn granules, cruelty free, cucumber extract, dead skin, debris, decongest, elastin, enlarged, essential oils, excess oil, folk medicine, geranium, green tea, kaolin clay, lavender oil, lightweight, Matricaria flower extract, minimising, natural, natural clay, oil production, petitgrain, Pore, pores, reduce shine, skin cells, soothing, spearmint, spirulina extract, tighten, Vegan, visible, Witchhazel

Photo by MART PRODUCTION

In this modern age of blurring primers and photo filters, it’s easy to believe that the people you see online have skin which is completely devoid of pores. Therefore it’s no surprise that research has shown that almost HALF of women wish they could change the size of their pores. As your pore size is mostly a result of your genetics, you can’t permanently shrink them. However, you can minimise their appearance by keeping them clear of oil and debris and boosting your skin’s collagen and elastin. With this in mind, here are five products which will help you to achieve the pores of your dreams:

REN Clean Skincare Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask

As the name so expertly suggests, this thick, clay-based mask helps to detox the skin and make your pores less visible. Using purifying clay, it helps to draw out impurities, leaving skin deeply clean and hydrated, with a smoother and more refined texture. The vegan, cruelty free formula contains kaolin clay to absorb excess oil, spirulina extract which nourishes the skin and lavender oil for a fragrant and refreshing finish. 

Aromatherapy Associates Mattifying Purifying Facial Scrub

Skin which is oily often seems to go hand in hand with more visible pores, which is why Aromatherapy Associates created this mattifying, purifying facial scrub. It is designed to draw out and eliminate dead skin-clogging cells, using corn granules to gently buff away unwanted cells while natural clay draws impurities from deeper within pores. It also contains rebalancing essential oils of geranium and petitgrain to tighten and reduce shine, making it ideal for over-oily or combination skin. 

Dermalogica Micro Pore Mist

When it comes to minimising the appearance of pores, niacinamide is a hero. By controlling and lowering sebum, niacinamide prevents pores from getting caught with excess oil and dirt, thereby preventing them from stretching, and invariably leading to smaller pores, and that’s what you’ll find in this mist from Dermalogica. In addition, you’ll find cucumber extract, which refreshes the senses for a cool pick-me-up, as well as witch hazel, green tea and matricaria flower extracts, which all provide antioxidant benefits. 

Elemis Clarifying Serum

If your skin is prone to blemishes and blackheads, visible pores are often right there alongside them. Elemis Clarifying Serum is a lightweight, soothing serum clinically proven to reduce the appearance of blemishes, visible pores and blackheads in just 2 weeks. The magic ingredient here is boldo leaf extract, which has been used worldwide in folk medicine to help purify the skin. This botanical ingredient has been shown to visibly improve the appearance of pores and helps improve skin clarity for more even looking skin.

Medik8 Pore Minimising Tonic

The final product on our list, but by NO means the least effective, does exactly what it says on the bottle! Medik8 Pore Minimising Tonic is a purifying post-cleanse solution that works to keep pores clear and minimised over time. It utilises AHAs to control oil production and decongest the skin, allowing pores to shrink back to their original size. With a natural spearmint fragrance, the twice-daily tonic is a long-lasting solution to enlarged pores, leaving your skin looking smoother and more refined.

Five of the Best Products for Curly Hair

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all hair types, anti-humidity, coconut oil, coiled, conditioners, curly hair, defrays, diffuser, dry hair, dryness, flexible, flyaways, freeze, gels, GHD, glossy, hair, hair gel, hair products, healthier, heat, heavy, heavy creams, hydrated, L’Oreal, lightweight, mask, natural, naturally curly, non brittle, non-crunchy, nourish, nourishment, oil, repair, scrunching, serums, Shea butter, shine, silky, smoothness, spring, styling routine, technology, tongs, wet hair

Photo by Vlada Karpovich

It wasn’t so long ago that the options for caring for naturally curly hair were pretty much limited to scrunching a bit of gel through after washing and leaving it to dry down to a slightly crunchy finish. Thankfully, the curly haired among us have made it known that they deserve far better when it comes to hair care in recent years and the curly girl revolution is well and truly underway. The rise in demand for dedicated hair products for curly hair means that many brands have risen to meet this, and we have a number of products on our shelves which will care for your curls better than ever before. Here are five of the best products to help you to look after your curly hair:

Color Wow Dream Coat for Curly Hair

If you’re sick and tired of the gels we mentioned above then this product from Color Wow will be a breath of fresh air for your hair. It’s a super-light, alcohol-free formula that delivers all the combined benefits of out-dated gels, serums and heavy creams, rolled into one. The product is enriched with powerful polymers that work to moisturise, condition and de-frizz curly locks whilst restoring bounce and ensuring flexible, non-brittle endurance and glossy shine. The results are waves and spirals that are perfectly bundled, hydrated and non-crunchy with supernatural shine.

GHD Curly Ever After Curl Hold Spray

Depending on your curl type, you may sometimes use tongs or a diffuser to ensure that your curls are uniform and properly coiled. This hold spray from ghd will deliver up to a 12 hour curl hold for a style that lasts all night. It contains the ghd heat protect system to form a protective thermal layer over the surface of the hair for smoothness and a healthier feel. ghd curly ever after spray is suitable for all hair types to maximise your heat styling routine.   

L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Liss Unlimited Masque

Curly hair can often suffer from dryness, but the issue is that many conditioners are too heavy and will weigh your curls down completely. L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Liss Unlimited Masque will nourish, repair and smooth your frizzy hair, working in minutes, leaving you with super silky smooth locks. This mask takes advantage of its key technology, Polymer AR to wrap the hair fibre with a special anti-humidity shield, keeping it smooth and glossy while stopping frizz in its tracks.

Nine Yards Twist N Shout Curl Revival Cream

Nine Yards Twist N Shout Curl Revival Cream is a lightweight cream that functions as a styling and caring product for a full curl comeback. This formula conditions and revives the natural shape of the curls by adding moisture to the hair. It contains natural shea butter and coconut oil to condition dryness and add a natural spring and shine to your curls.

Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil

Olaplex is one of the biggest names in hair care right now, and this bonding oil is a saviour for those of us with a curly mane. This oil provides highly concentrated nourishment to help repair dry and damaged hair whilst improving manageability by minimising frizz and flyaways and providing heat protection up to 232°C. It’s suitable for all hair types and can be used on wet or dry hair, but it will revive and protect your curls without weighing them down. 

Busting More Beauty Myths

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chemicals, cleansing, damage, deficiency, follicle, hair, harmful rays, hypoallergenic, ingredients, irritant, irritating, make up, make-up, makeup, misinformation, Myth, nail polish, nails, natural, natural ingredients, oxygen, safe, sensitive skin, shave, Shaving, sleep, sunscreen, synthetic, thicker, Vitamin D

Photo by Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash

Back in 2019, we wrote this post where we looked at some of the oldest and most persistent beauty myths around and gave you the truths behind them. The beauty industry seems to be awash with untruths about what is and isn’t good for you and your skin, and there are many more myths out there which need to be debunked, so we’ve come up with five more myths and the reality behind them: 

“Using sunscreen all year round causes vitamin D deficiency”

Sunscreen’s effect on vitamin D levels is actually minimal for most people. The truth is that everyone is at risk for vitamin D deficiency whether they have lighter skin tones or darker skin tones, even among people who live in sunny climates and are outdoors year-around. Skipping sunscreen is a case where the risk significantly outweighs the reward, so it just doesn’t make any sense to do in hopes of increasing your vitamin D levels.

“Wearing makeup every day is bad for your skin”

While wearing lots of makeup can be cumbersome for the skin on your face, wearing makeup consistently won’t actually make your skin worse. Granted, a day with no makeup feels great, but the real culprit of skin damage is not consistently washing your makeup off and leaving makeup on overnight. And no, using a face wipe won’t do the trick, either! Make sure you use a proper make-up removing cleanser and the effect of your make-up on the skin should be minimal. 

“Shaving makes your hair grow back thicker”

This is one of THE most persistent (and if we’re honest, IRRITATING!) beauty myths out there. Shaving will not make your hair grow back thicker, faster, or darker. The growth of hair is controlled by the follicle, and shaving doesn’t affect the follicle or growth pattern whatsoever. Your hair just might appear more stubbly because the blade cuts the hair at the thickest part. There are products which can help to slow the regrowth, but there’s no need to worry about turning into a yeti just from shaving! 

“Nail polish harms nails because it prevents them from breathing”

Nails are dead cells. The reality is that nails do not actually “breathe”; they receive their nutrients and oxygen from the bloodstream and not the air. If your nails are feeling weak and damaged, especially after having gel polish or extensions, using Protein Formula For Nails No:4 can help to restructure and strengthen damaged nails, whilst hydrating and promoting healthy nails.

“Natural ingredients are better for sensitive skin”

If you have sensitive skin, it can be easy to think that ingredients which are derived from natural sources will be less irritating than those which aren’t. However, this is simply not true. Some of our most potent products are made almost entirely from natural ingredients and in fact, it’s important to be selective about ALL ingredients, not just the synthetic ones. There are lots of synthetic ingredients proven to be hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. And even if a synthetic ingredient has the potential for irritation, cosmetic chemists have the ability to remove the allergenic portion of the ingredient in a lab, making it more tolerable for your skin.

Luxury Bathing Without a Bath

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align your senses, aromatherapy, bed, bedtime, blend, Calming, Elevate, exotic, exotic oils, experience, focus your mind, formulation, Frankincense, home, improve circulation, indulgent, invigorating, lavender, lemongrass, lotus flower, luxurious, massage, mind and body, mind clearing, natural, pampering, petite grains, protective surface oils, reduce stress, relaxation, relaxing aroma, rest, rich infusion, self-indulgent, shower, shower oil, skin friendly, sleep, sleep inducing, sluggish, soothing, Spa, steam, therapeutic, treat, Vetivert, wild chamomile, ylang ylang

Photo by Sora Shimazaki

A trip to a spa can be a fantastic way to treat your mind and body to some rest and relaxation, as well as giving your skin a thorough pampering. However a spa may not be an option right now, for whatever reason, so recreating the experience at home may be the next best thing. You may find, if you only have a shower at home and not a bath, that you don’t feel as though you benefit from the fully relaxing experience of a proper spa, but we’ve put together a list of products which will take your shower to the next level and give you a sensory experience to mimic being professionally pampered.

Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Mind Bath and Shower Oil

This shower oil from Aromatherapy Associates is made from a calming blend of frankincense, petitgrain and wild chamomile which combine to calm the mind and relax the body. To get the full therapeutic experience you should massage the oil all over your body prior to stepping into a warm shower, and this will also enhance the aromatherapy benefits as the heat will spread the fragrance allowing you to deeply inhale the relaxing aroma.

Bloom and Blossom And Breathe Relaxing Shower Oil

This shower oil from Bloom and Blossom is another naturally derived oil which has been created to soothe the mind and body, as well as treating your skin. It contains a blend of frankincense, ylang ylang and lemongrass which combine to create a luxurious and soothing fragrance. Once activated by the heat of the shower, the fragrance will combine with the steam for a relaxing and therapeutic experience.

Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream

Using a truly luxurious body wash is a great way to elevate your everyday shower experience and this Exotic Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream from Elemis is exactly that. This skin-friendly formulation completely cleanses the body without stripping away any of the protective surface oils and contains a rich infusion of exotic oils which have a naturally exotic and indulgent fragrance.

Hayo’u Mineral Shower Wash

This shower wash from Hayo’u is packed with iconic Chinese ingredients such as lotus flower, frankincense and ylang ylang, all of which have been used for thousands of years to improve circulation and reduce stress. The ingredients combine to create an invigorating, mind-clearing fragrance which will make you feel sharper and more energised after every use. It’s perfect if you’re feeling sluggish and want a self-indulgent shower to help focus your mind and align your senses. 

This Works Deep Sleep Shower Gel

If you’re planning to have a spa-experience shower, doing it just before bed is a great idea, especially if you’ve been struggling to sleep. This Deep Sleep Shower Gel from This Works contains a blend of lavender, camomile and vetivert to calm and soothe, whilst softening and protecting the skin. The ingredients are all renowned for their soothing, sleep-inducing properties and will help you to feel as though you’ve been thoroughly pampered before you drift off into a deep, natural sleep. 

The Best Sustainable Products from Pure Beauty

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Bamboo, bath, beauty products, biodegradable, brighten, cleansing, cotton buds, damage, damaging, dead skin cells, delicate, eco-friendly, ethos, exfoliate, ingredient, invigorate, machine washable, massages, micro plastics, microfibre pads, natural, oceans, packaging, pesticides, plastic free, plastic waste, plastics, recyclable, scientific, shower, soap bag, Sustainable, Terry cotton, velour cotton, waste

Photo by Guillaume de Germain on Unsplash 

Aside from our love of beauty products which contain both highly scientific and natural ingredients, here at Pure Beauty, we also have a love for companies which have a sustainable ethos. Over the past couple of years we have added more and more products to our shelves which are from sustainable sources and can be reused as well as being free from damaging plastics. Today we are sharing with you five such products which we think should feature in every bathroom and make up bag. They also make fabulous gifts for encouraging your friends and family towards a more eco-friendly beauty routine.

The Sea Shed Exfoliating Soap Bag

This soap bag may offer a handy hanging solution for storing your soap in your shower or bath, but it actually does so much more than this. When used in conjunction with your favourite soap, it gently exfoliates and massages your skin to get rid of dead skin cells, invigorate and brighten your skin, as well as improving circulation. It’s made from certified sustainable ingredients, is vegan friendly, made in the UK and comes in recyclable plastic free packaging, meaning that it ticks all the boxes!

UpCircle Bamboo Cotton Buds

In the UK alone it is estimated that we use 1.8 billion cotton buds every year, most of which are made from single use plastic. Of this 1.8 billion cotton buds, around 10% of them end up being flushed down the toilet and therefore out into the sea, and during a 2018 study, 22 cotton buds were found for every 100m of UK beach. With this in mind, we added UpCircle’s bamboo cotton buds, which are biodegradable and plastic free, to our shelves. They are made from sustainable bamboo and make a perfect alternative to damaging plastic.

JoJo Glow Baby Microfibre Pads

Many people don’t realise that single use wipes actually contain plastic and are another significant factor in polluting the world’s oceans. Aside from this, many of them actually damage the skin on a microscopic level, so there are many reasons for switching to these Baby Microfibre Pads from JoJo Glow. They are reusable, recyclable and will protect your child’s delicate skin. They’re also super easy to use and simply need warm water to get the most out of them.

UpCircle Hemp and Cotton Makeup Pads

Another alternative to single use wipes, these hemp and cotton make-up pads are the perfect sustainable way to remove make up and keep your skin clean. The triple layer pads are made from 100% natural materials and can be used again and again for an eco-friendly cleansing method. There are seven pads in this pack, as well as a netting bag which can be chucked into the washing machine and washed on the low temperature to get them looking spic and span once again.

Zero Waste Organic Cotton Make Up Remover Pads and Wash Bag

Never ones to be left out when it comes to eco-friendly beauty, these cotton make-up remover pads from Zero Waste Organic offer different textures for different types of cleansing. As well as the cotton wash bag you will get four pads made from organic terry cotton to give a rough for more exfoliating finish and 12 soft pads made from organic velour cotton for use around the eyes and more delicate areas. They are machine washable and are made from cotton which has not been sprayed with pesticides.