Five Veganuary Skincare Swaps

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alcohol, animal, beeswax, berry, brighten, cleanser, cranberry, cream, Cruelty, diet, elastin, extracts, free, Glycerin, goji, hydrate, ingredients, lanolin, lavender, moisturiser, Moringa, oil, peptides, pollution, production, products, protection, seed, serum, skin, the January, Toner, urea, UVA, Vegan, vitamin, Vitamin C

Photo by Ivan Samkov

January has long since been a time for new beginnings and setting intentions – the very first New Year’s resolutions were thought to have been made some four thousand years ago, by the ancient Babylonians! Since 2014, however, many people have been adopting “veganuary” as their new start, whereby they try to eat a vegan, plant-based diet for the whole of January. 

In fact, last year, over 600,000 people around the world signed up for Veganuary, and many more took part without doing the official sign up. For some, it’s just about diet, but becoming vegan usually means eradicating animal products from all areas of your life, including clothing and even skincare. With this in mind, we’ve put together a handy list of simple skincare swaps that you can make to ensure your skincare is vegan and cruelty free, for January and beyond:

Cleanser

There are a number of different animal-derived ingredients which can be found in cleansers, but with Evolve Organic Beauty you can be safe in the knowledge that ALL of their products are vegan and cruelty free. Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Detox Facial Wash contains natural sugars which cleanse away impurities, while organic aloe vera softens, leaving skin clean, smooth and supple. Natural goji berry extract and moringa peptides defend against pollution and help to rebalance the skin’s natural oil production. 

Toner

Many toners contain glycerin, and while glycerin can be vegan, it’s also often derived from animal fat extracts, which is cheaper. Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner contains only vegan ingredients, including extracts of lavender, sweet betty flower and saponins from quillaja wood to help to balance and soften the skin. It’s also a non-drying formula, unlike many toners, as it contains no harsh alcohols or detergents. 

Moisturiser

While there are MANY plant-based ingredients which are amazingly nourishing for the skin, some companies still rely on animal products like beeswax and lanolin. REN Clean Skincare Ultra Moisture Day Cream contains a natural blend of beech tree buds extract, which hydrates and improves skin texture, shea butter which softens and smooths skin and cranberry seed oil which replenishes with lipids and reinforces skin barrier, all of which are vegan and cruelty free. 

Serum

Another non-vegan ingredient which is commonly found in serums and other hydrating products is urea, which literally comes from animal urine – pretty nasty even if you’re NOT a vegan! Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum contains ingredients which hydrate, brighten and firm the skin, all of which are vegan in origin. In fact, this powerhouse serum combines ultra stable Vitamin C complex with a bio-technology to deliver the natural power of Vitamin C where it’s needed most. 

SPF

Sun protection often contains a number of different ingredients, such as elastin, lanolin and stearic acid, all of which are animal byproducts. However, Medik8 Advanced Day Total Protect SPF30 is a completely vegan formula and offers Pollution Shield, anti-infrared, anti-blue light and anti-A.G.E technology alongside SPF 30 and 5* UVA protection all in a lightweight moisturiser. This nourishing day cream boasts a range of protective technologies and replenishes skin’s hydration levels to keep it looking healthy and young.

Why You Should Be Paying Attention to Amino Acids

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Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Amino acids are the building blocks of the cells that make up your body – however, did you know they can also be good for your skin? Amino acids, which contain moisturising, anti-aging, and exfoliating characteristics, can aid with skin elasticity issues that arise as we age. Amino acids come in 20 different varieties, and they are useful for people of all ages and skin types. A more moisturised, youthful, and generally healthy appearance of the skin is achieved by using amino acids in skin care products that also encourage cellular repair and collagen formation. Here are five of our favourite products which harness the power of amino acids:

CACI – Amino-Lift Peptide Complex

This effective anti-ageing skin care cream contains powerful peptides, essential oils and amino acids that target expression lines and help to firm sagging skin. It can be used twice a day after cleansing to give visible results and as well as being packed with amino acids also contains basil oil, jojoba oil, grapefruit peel oil and a number of other other botanical ingredients which nourish and revive your skin. 

L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Vitamino Colour 10-In-1 Multi-Benefit Leave-In Treatment Milk

Amino acids don’t just benefit your face – your hair can also benefit from using products which are infused with amino acids. This leave-in treatment milk from L’Oreal is a multi-benefit spray designed for coloured hair with 10 key benefits. It promises to help your hair to achieve shine, softness, smoothness of hair fibre and hydration, as well as offering protection against heat up to 230°c, detangling, anti-breakage, anti-split ends, anti-frizz and even facilitates blow-drying! 

Aromatherapy Associates Eye Zone Concentrate

The skin around the eyes is one of the thinnest areas of skin on your whole body, which means that it is more prone to premature ageing. This eye cream from Aromatherapy Associates combines powerful, bio-fermented actives, advanced amino acids and an effective pure essential oil blend to lift, tighten and contour the area around the eyes. It also contains rose, camomile and frankincense essential oils to soothe and protect for a radiant, youthful complexion. 

Dermalogica Active Moist

This moisture-rich product from Dermalogica combines the best of nature and science, containing a whole host of ingredients which are taken from natural sources. Silk amino acids help smooth and improve skin texture while natural botanical astringents lemon, ivy, watercress and burdock help to refine the skin. It also contains soothing extracts of lavender, mallow and cucumber to help provide deep-hydration.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Serum

This resurfacing serum from Elemis is so powerful that it’s advised that you avoid sunbeds and always use an SPF while using the treatment! It’s created using a powerful combination of alpha-hydroxy-acids, selastin and patented Tri-Enzyme technology, as well as selected amino acids. This serum smoothes the skins’s surface, revealing a stunning complexion and also helps to reduce the appearance of pores and wrinkles.

Beautify Your Brows with Precision

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accentuate, angled brush, arch, biotin, blend, blending, brows, condition, eyebrows, gel, HD Brows Angled Brow Brush, HD Brows Brow Beater, HD Brows Eye and Brow Palette, HD Brows Spoolie Brush, lipids, natural, nourish, overplucking, Panthenol, peptides, plucking, redness, regrowth, Revitabrow Advanced Eyebrow Conditioner, shape, shaping, spoolie, thin, threading, vitamin A, Vitamin C, waxing

Photo by Garin Chadwick on Unsplash

If you’d have taken a poll of all of your female friends a decade ago and asked what they felt was the most important area of their face when it came to their make-up routine, you probably would have got a variety of answers ranging from eyes to lips to cheeks. These days if you were to ask the same people that same question, there is a very good chance that the vast majority of them would answer “eyebrows”. 

In the last few years the focus on brows has become much more intense and many women say they wouldn’t mind leaving the house without any make up, as long as their brows are done. With this in mind we’ve put together a list of five products which create a kit for the perfect brows and will keep your eyebrows in great shape.

Revitabrow Advanced Eyebrow Conditioner

If you are fairly new to working with your eyebrows, there’s a good chance that you’ve probably got quite a thick natural brow. However, those of us who have been doing things to our eyebrows since the 80s, 90s, or even the early noughties have probably plucked their eyebrows into oblivion so that they now barely grow past a thin line! Fortunately Revitabrow has created the Advanced Eyebrow Conditioner which helps to address the visible signs of eyebrow ageing and encourage regrowth, to remedy over plucking. The combination of peptides, lipids, biotin and panthenol combine to create healthier looking more luxurious eyebrows.

HD Brows Spoolie Brush

Most brow experts, whether they be amateur or professional, will agree that the most important tool in your eyebrow kit is a spoolie. A spoolie brush looks like a mascara wand and is fairly essential for shaping your brows and keeping them neat and tidy, however not all spoolies are created equal and many are cheap and abrasive. This Spoolie Brush from HD Brows is specifically designed for blending make-up throughout the brow and is an ultimate for any brow lover.

HD Brows Brow Beater

Once you’ve got your eyebrows to a shape that is acceptable, you will need a product to help keep them that way. HD Brows Brow Beater is a lightweight eyebrow gel which helps to condition your brows and has a completely translucent formula to give you a totally natural finish. It keeps brows in place and can even help, over time, to train your brow hairs to stay in the correct position.

HD Brows Angled Brow Brush

An angled brow brush is another tool which many brow experts will agree is essential to have on hand. This Angled Brow Brush from HD Brows has slimline bristles and natural fibres which are firm enough to create precise lines when shaping your brows but is gentle on the skin and won’t leave any redness even when creating the cleanest lines.

HD Brows Eye and Brow Palette

Our final recommendation for your brow kit is an Eye and Brow Palette from HD Brows. It contains several shades of brow colours, as well as a highlighter to accentuate your brow arch. The powders are silicon-rich and blend beautifully with their silky smooth textures, while also being enriched with vitamins C and A to nourish your brow area while keeping it looking slick.

Getting to grips with hyperpigmentation

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acne, age, age spots, antioxidants, appearance, bed, boosted, brighter, cleansing, clearer skin, clinically proven, concern, Daisy, Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum, Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Serum, Dermalogica PowerBright TRx, Dermalogica PowerBright TRx Treatment Kit, Dermalogica Pure Light SPF50, elasticity levels, Elemis White Brightening Even Tone Cleanser, Elemis White Brightening Even Tone Serum, fine lines, genetics, GP, happier, hormones, hyperpigmentation, inflammation, intensive approach, Jan Marini Age Intervention Retinol Plus Mask, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Bioclear Lotion, Kiwi Extract, light to dark skin, melanin, naturally illuminated, patches, peptides, pregnancy and skin injuries, reduces excess oil, removes impurities, retinol, Rice Silk, rosacea, self-conscious, smoother, softer, soothing agents, Sophora, sun damage, sun exposure, sunflower butter, travel-size, Vitamin C, winner, wrinkles

Hyperpigmentation occurs when there is the overproduction of melanin and results in patches of light to dark skin that and vary in size and shape.

Sun exposure, genetics, age, hormones, pregnancy and skin injuries or inflammation can all be contributing factors and while hyperpigmentation isn’t usually a concern, it can make people feel self-conscious.

While there is no cure, at Pure Beauty we stock a number of products that can help deal with hyperpigmentation but we do suggest that if you have any concerns about your skin, you check in with your GP.

Elemis White Brightening Even Tone Cleanser is great for uneven skin tone. It gently removes impurities and reduces excess oil so that skin is left brighter, softer, smoother and naturally illuminated. A complex of Daisy, Vitamin C, Sophora and Kiwi Extract have been blended to help deal with the appearance of hyperpigmentation and brightens the skin the natural way.

We also like the Elemis White Brightening Even Tone Serum. Daisy and Pea Extracts have been mixed with Vitamin C to helps to reduce the appearance of imperfections, and thanks to added Rice Silk, skin feels silky soft feel from the very first application. Clinically proven to reduce the appearance of pigmentation in just 28 days, if you have a big event coming up and want to look and feel great, this could be a winner for you.

For a more intensive approach, we like the Jan Marini Age Intervention Retinol Plus Mask. Used once or twice a week, retinol, peptides, antioxidants and soothing agents give skin a fresh polished look and helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage and hyperpigmentation. This can be used in conjunction with the Jan Marini Bioglycolic Bioclear Lotion, a multi-functional resurfacing solution containing three acids that help reduce the appearance of skin concerns including acne, hyperpigmentation, rosacea, fine lines and wrinkles.

We have said it before and we will say it again, but we love the Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Serum. Microencapsulated Vitamins A, C and E have been blended with Sunflower butter which all sink into your skin and help decrease fine lines and hyperpigmentation. Elasticity levels are boosted and the overall effect, when applied before moisturiser, is smoother, happier, clearer skin.

The Dermalogica PowerBright TRx range has been designed to brighten skin and even tone and is excellent for anyone dealing with hyperpigmentation. The Dermalogica PowerBright TRx Treatment Kit contains travel-sizes of all three products and can be a good starting point for anyone new to this brand. After cleansing apply the Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum and wait for a minute or two for the ingredients to absorb into the skin. In the morning, follow with the Dermalogica Pure Light SPF50 and use the Dermalogica Pure Night before going to bed.

For more information get in touch today and we would love to help.

Team Pure Beauty

Add a serum into your beauty routine

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acne or hydration, algae, anti-oxidant phenolic compounds, antioxidants, bathroom, beauty routines, brightness, bug bear, cleanse, clinically proven, collagen, concentrated blend, daily-use treatment oil, Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum, Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil, dewy, Dhatelo Oil, discoloration, dryness, elastin, Elemis Hydra-Boost Serum, Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, Elemis Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream, Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Serum, epidermis, face lifting effect, feel, fine lines, glowing complexion, hydrators, hyperpigmentation, Jan Marini Age Intervention Peptide Extreme, look, luxe product, mantra, morning and evening, next-generation, Orchid Flower and Chia Seed Oil, Padina Pavonica, peptides, perfect base, phytoactives, poten, proteins, quartz, radiant, Rhodochrosite, Rice Bran, Rice derived Phytic Acid, silky cream, skin care product, skin type ranges, sun shines, sunflower, talk, thirsty skin, tone and moisturise, uneven tone, UV rays, youthful, Zinc Glycinate

Cleanse, tone and moisturise is our mantra when it comes to beauty routines, but we think there is a place for a serum in there too.

Yes, it is another product for your bathroom, and they aren’t always cheap, but adding a serum into the mix could be worth it.

Just to get things straight, a serum is a skin care product you apply to your skin after cleansing but before moisturising to help tackle specific concerns such as fine lines, brightness, acne or hydration.

At Pure Beauty, we sell a range of serums across the skin type ranges and are sure we have something that will work for you.

Let’s start with one of our summer favourites, the Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum. This is a potent skin brightening serum that really helps with pesky hyperpigmentation and uneven tone. Used morning and evening, the blend of Oligopeptides, Rice derived Phytic Acid, Zinc Glycinate and Algae work on the pigmentation imbalance that can become more problematic when the sun shines and UV rays hit the skin. The silky cream is quickly absorbed into the skin, leaving the perfect base for your moisturiser and as well as brightening the skin, it will also help minimise discoloration and improve clarity

Next we want to talk about the Elemis Hydra-Boost Serum. This clinically proven hydrating serum provides all day moisturisation for thirsty skin. Quinic and Hyaluronic Acid plus Dhatelo Oil have been blended with Myrtle, which is super-rich in anti-oxidant phenolic compounds, and together they help maintain natural defence systems. Simply apply to cleansed skin before you moisturise and watch your skin come to life once again.

If you really need to rebuild and revitalise your skin, we would suggest trying out the outstanding Jan Marini Age Intervention Peptide Extreme. We love this concentrated blend of antioxidants, hydrators, peptides and soothing agents which not only deal with dreaded wrinkles, but also get to work on uneven texture and redness. Used morning and night, this luxe product will really make a difference to the look and feel of your skin making it appear firmer and more radiant thanks to the increased production of collagen and elastin.

If dryness is your bug bear, look no further than the Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil. This remarkable next-generation, daily-use treatment oil works on three levels:

Phytoactives from Camellia and Tamanu oils help restore the skin’s natural barrier.
Orchid Flower and Chia Seed Oil smooth dehydration lines and lock in moisture.
Sunflower, Rice Bran and Rosemary extracts create a shield against free radical damage.

The results are a dewy, glowing complexion free of the tightness and irritation dehydration can cause.

For a real face lifting effect, without going anywhere near a surgeon, the Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Serum is perfect. Created from concentrated Padina Pavonica, Rhodochrosite, Quartz and Argan Oil, this special serum forms a network of proteins which deliver an immediate tightening effect to the skin. Organic Seaweed binds moisture in the epidermis so your skin feels firm and strengthened and because fine lines and wrinkles are smoothed, your look more youthful. For best results, use morning and night together with the Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and Elemis Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream.

If you would like more information about serums or if you would like to try a sample, get in touch today and we would love to help.

Team Pure-Beauty