Getting your first home in shape

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Congratulations, you are a home owner.

There is something special about taking possession of the keys to your first home and it is certainly a huge achievement.

Turning a house into a home however, can be a costly exercise, but fret not, we are here with some simple steps that will allow you to make your abode your own without doubling the mortgage.

Clean out the dirt
Even if you have bought a brand-new property, we would suggest you go in and give your new place a thorough clean before you do anything else. Dusting, hoovering, polishing and disinfecting will rid your home of any dirt and bugs and give you a totally blank canvas for the next step of your life.

Don’t blow the budget on day one
Heading straight to the High Street the moment the last box is unpacked, isn’t the best plan. It might be boring but making a list of exactly what you already have, costs nothing and could save you a small fortune. Ask yourself whether you need everything you have already got, what can be moved into other rooms and anything you don’t need can be sold, given away or donated to the charity shop.

Paint the walls
A quick lick of paint is a super easy, pretty inexpensive way to give your home an instant lift and to give it your own stamp. We would suggest going for a soft white or pale grey that can run through the entire property. If you want to make a splash in one or two rooms, go for a striking statement wall in a strong blue, mustard or pink which will offer not only a pop of colour but a glamorous edge too.

Add light with mirrors
If you want to add bursts of light to your rooms and shimmer to your walls, mirrors are the perfect solution. Strategically placing mirrors on walls will add depth and light and also give an air of sophistication if you choose ones with a gold or wooden frame.

Call in favours
If this is the first home of your own, call in the favours when it comes to essential furniture, decorations and even pots and pans. Make a list of what you need and while it might not be perfect, you will be amazed at what family and friends have in their garages and shed gathering dust and cobwebs. Start asking around, put posts on social media and go to garage sales and boot fairs and you’ll have all you need in no time and can replace with new when the time is right.

Take it one room at a time
When you are ready to do some work, take it one room at a time. As you will have seen from the TV property shows, renovation projects can be costly, stressful and often take far longer than expected. Whether you need a new kitchen, the bathroom need replacing as the current one is a ‘70s shade of avocado or the conservatory needs taking down, start at the beginning and don’t take on more than you can achieve – this is a marathon not a sprint.

Relax
Last but by no means least, please relax. You only buy your first home once, so make sure you enjoy it and realise what a massive milestone this is. One of the best parts of buying a new house is the freedom to do what you like with it, when you want, so embrace it and have fun.

Team Pure Beauty

Super charge your summer wardrobe

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80s, Adidas, ankle cowboy boots, arm candy, autumn, big, bright bolds, cats-eye sunglasses, catwalk, chunky, coloured, cool vibe, cropped fitted trousers, cut, dad trainers, denim jacket, dog tooth trousers, dots, Down-to-earth, dress, dresses, Edward Enninfu, Fun florals, gorgeous, grab, granny style cardies, head to toe, High Street, inexpensive, jumpsuits, kudos, length, lightweight trench, luxe track pants, morning after, moulded sports shoes, night before, Nike, patterns, pencil skirts, pink, polka dot, Princess Di, prints, rain or shine, raincoat, shades, shops, sliders, small, Stella MacCartney, stripes, sun, thermals, tops, UK, Vicky B, waist-cinching A-line style, wardrobe, weather, wrap skirt, yellow

The weather is still a little unpredictable on UK shores at the best of time, but it only takes the sun coming out for a couple of hours for us to start putting the thermals away and consider our summer staples.

We have had a look at what’s hot this summer so you can look totally gorgeous come rain or shine.

Go dotty
From the catwalk to the High Street, dots are big (and small) for the summer. Princess Di’s polka dot obsession can be seen on everything from jumpsuits and tops to dresses and pumps and if you have a thing for the ‘80s, they will serve you well.

Bag it up
Forget structured totes, sunny times call for a whole new kind of arm candy. Down-to-earth, inexpensive fabric cross body bags, raffia baskets and string shoppers are slightly retro but come with a cool vibe that will last right thought to the autumn.

Shades
This summer is all about cats-eye sunglasses, and we love them. They are smaller than the Vicky B super-sized sunnies of summers past, but are face-flattering and still big enough to hide the fun of the night before, the morning after.

Cover up
Put the puffa away and when the showers show up, reach in your bag for a lightweight trench or shake things up by going for a bright pink or yellow raincoat for extra kudos. If you want something a little different, the shops are fully of granny style cardies in a range of shades and textures that you can grab as you go.

Go faster
If you haven’t noticed stripes in the shops, where have you been? Go faster blasts, can be seen on everything from dog-tooth trousers to luxe track pants and designer hoodies. Don’t covert the look from head to toe, that would be total totally OTT, but go for one piece and match with bright bolds and you will be leader of the pack.

Dress it up
Summer isn’t summer without at least one new dress in your wardrobe. Fun florals, patterns and prints are all out there, just work out which cut and length is right for you, team with sliders and a denim jacket, and you have a look that even Edward Enninful would approve of.

It’s all about the dad trainers
You might not believe us, but Adidas, Nike and Stella MacCartney are all over the dad trainer this summer. Think chunky, coloured, moulded sports shoes and you have the perfect summer style to match with cropped fitted trousers and floaty pastel dresses.

It’s a wrap
Last but by no means least, we need to talk about the wrap skirt. This versatile staple has made a come-back from 1992 and we like it. Put the pencil skirts away, and swap them for a maxi-wrap in soft jersey, or a waist-cinching A-line style, match with a sharp white tee and you have a celebrity look in seconds.

With a pair of ankle cowboy boots, a dab of peach blush and plenty of sunblock on standby, you are ready to go forth and stand out in the fashion stakes this summer.

Team Pure Beauty

Wear pink with confidence this spring

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apples, apples of your cheeks, bags, beauty bag, black trousers, bomber jacket, boots, bronzer, cape, catwalk, cerise, chic, coat, cream pink blush, dark grey, energy, evening, Eyes, fitted Chanel-esque jacket, gloves, grey, gym kit, healthy glow, heels, High Street, honey hues, jeans, killer office look, lightweight puffa, lipsticks, look, magazine, make-up, Metallic pink loafers, nail varnish, navy long sleeve tee, office, on trend, outfit, pastel, pencil skirt, pink, pink shoes, professional, pumps, reflect, ruffle hem, scarves, season, shade, shiny, silver trainers, skin, soft pink, spring, statement, steel leggings, sunglasses, sweatshirt, wardrobe, warmth, weekend

Look through any magazine and you will see that pink is everywhere.

If you’ve wondered whether this is the colour for you, the answer, this season at least, is… absolutely!

From the palest blush to honey hues and bright splashes, this sugary shade is here for spring, and beyond, and we have looked at how you can make it chic not shiny.

Go for a coat
If you want to make a statement with pink, go for a coat. Whether it’s a ruffle hem cape, silk bomber jacket, fitted Chanel-esque blazer or even a lightweight puffa, it will be a wardrobe staple. These are perfect all great trans seasonal items and can be worn with jeans and boots while it is still chilly, but pop over a dress and flats later in the season and you will still be on-trend.

Wear the jeans
From the catwalk to the High Street, there are some pretty pastel jeans on offer and they can be the perfect way to add a flash of pink into your day. Team with a navy long sleeve tee or an oversized sweatshirt in grey and silver trainers for a weekend look that will work all spring long.

Blouse it
An easy way to add pink into your office or evening outfits is to wear a soft pink blouse which will take the edge off black trousers but still look professional. It you get the right shade for you, it will reflect onto your face and give you a healthy glow.

Look at your feet
You might not have thought about wearing pink shoes but this is a brilliant way to start your fashion adventures in pink. Metallic pink loafers worn with a dark grey pencil skirt is a killer office look and you can inject energy into your gym kit by matching steel leggings with cerise trainers.

Accessorise the pink way
Pink accessories are an easier way to buy into this look before you really invest. Sunglasses, gloves, pumps, heels, scarves and bags are all the perfect way to add a pop of pink into your wardrobe and once you feel comfortable with this, you can go bigger.

It’s all in the make-up
Adding pink to your beauty bag is a great way to update your look. Swap your bronzer for a cream pink blush and apply to the apples of your cheeks, for a fresh, spring look. Experiment with lipsticks and go for a pink that adds warmth to your skin and brings your eyes alive. A bright, vibrant nail varnish can totally change your look and worn on your toes with white gliders is a winning look that never dates.

We hope we have convinced you that pink can work in any number of ways and you now feel brave enough to take the plunge.

The Amazing Elemis Product Which Sells Every Two Minutes!

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all skin types, antioxidants, blissful, cell matrix, dryness, Elemis, Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules, endorphins, formula, green, hydrate, lavender, Moringa, morning, night, oil, pink, potent, rejuvenate, Relax, rose, rose absolute, skin, soften, stimulating

Sometimes, a product becomes so popular because of the results that It gives that people go absolutely crazy for it and it flies off of the shelves at an incredible rate. One such product is Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules, which is estimated to be sold every two minutes across the UK, thanks to its potent formula and excellent reputation. So, what is the wondrous product, what makes it so special and should you be using it? Read on to find out more:

So, what is it?

Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules is a pot which contains two different types of capsules (which you break open and rub on your face, NOT for taking like a tablet!). The pink capsules are rose and should be applied in the morning after cleaning and the green

capsules are lavender, for applying at night.

What does it do?

Each capsule contains an oil with a distinct formula to perform several different functions. The pink formula contains rose absolute, which hydrates and softens and stimulates endorphins, giving you a blissful start to the day with moisture which lasts until the evening. The green capsules contain lavender which heals and repairs the skin, as well as stimulating endorphins. The pink capsules energise you while the green ones help you to relax and wind down at the end of the day. Both formulations have one thing in common – high levels of antioxidants which sweeps clean the skin cell matrix, ridding it of toxins.

Who is it for?

Well, basically everyone! The capsules are suitable for all skin types and can help with dryness, oiliness, ageing, firmness and a whole other slew of skin issues.

Don’t just take our word for it!

Everyone who uses Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules seems to fall in love with them. One user said “I purchased this a few weeks ago, my skin is totally transformed. Hydrated and with a glow. Amazing for such a small amount of oil. I use them every day”, while another commented “I used a course of these in the month leading up to my wedding… my skin never looked so good, and was in superb condition for the big day – I cannot recommend them highly enough!”

Bake a cake and be happy

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There is something relaxing about switching off, putting on your apron and baking a cake.

Yes, we know you can buy them for pennies in the shops, but making a batch of muffins or baking the perfect sponge is one of the most satisfying ways of spending Sunday afternoon and eating your creations is pretty special too.

We are big bakers here at Pure Beauty and today we are sharing a couple of our favourite tea time treats with you.

We have taken the traditional pink and yellow Battenberg and put a twist on it. This chocolate and orange version looks complicated but it is simply two flavoured sponge cakes cut into strips and wrapped in glorious marzipan.

Ingredients:
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
225g caster sugar
225g butter, softened
4 large free range eggs, beaten
2 tsp finely grated orange peel
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp cocoa powder mixed into a paste with 1 tbsp hot water
4 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
450g good quality marzipan

To start, pre-heat your oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl then add the sugar, butter and eggs and beat until the mixture is pale, smooth and creamy. Divide the mixture into two bowls then fold the orange rind and juice into one and the blended cocoa powder into the other.

Spoon the mixture into two separate square cake tins and level the surface, make sure they are greased and we go for an 18cm tin.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cakes are risen and firm to the touch.

Cool for 5 minutes then place on a wire rack and leave to totally cool.

Trim the edges from each cake then cut each cake into four even-sized strips. Use a little of the jam to sandwich two of the chocolate strips of cake with two of the orange strips and this will create one chequered effect cake – it looks pretty fab!

Roll out half the marzipan on an icing sugar dusted surface and create an 18 x 30cm rectangle. Brush the top of the cake with jam and press this gently onto the marzipan. Brush the other sides of the cake with jam and wrap marzipan around all of the cake and crimp along the top edges of the cake with your fingertips – have a clean cloth ready for sticky fingers.

Repeat to make a second cake and serve with tea.

If you are more of a cup cake kind of kid, then how about these lemon drizzle beauties? For a dozen you will need:

175g unsalted butter, softened and at room temperature
175g golden caster sugar
175g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
3 large free range eggs
2 tablespoons of lemon curd
If you want to add the topping, you will need:
100g granulated sugar
The juice and grated zest of one, organic lemon – they taste the most zingy – and slices of lemon to decorate

To make you will need to preheat your oven to 180C / Fan 160C / Gas Mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tray with paper cases.

Put the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and eggs in a bowl and whisk until pale and creamy then gently fold in the lemon curd.

Put the mixture into the muffin cases and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cakes have risen and are golden brown.

Whilst the cakes are baking, mix the granulated sugar and lemon juice and zest together and drizzle a little on each cake a couple of minutes after they have come out of the oven, put a slice of lemon on each one, then leave to cool so the topping goes crisp and enjoy at any time of the day.

Got a recipe you love? Send it our way and we might share with everyone else.

Team Pure Beauty