Don’t Skip Your Brussels Sprouts This Christmas!

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acid, alpha lipoic acid, antioxidant, antioxidants, Brussels sprouts, cells, collagen, compounds, prebiotic, probiotic, skin, sprouts, superfoods, vitamin, Vitamin C, vitamin K

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When it comes to Christmas dinner, almost everybody has their own favourite part of the plate. For many of us, it’s the roast potatoes, while others like to savour the turkey, but some people out there (believe it or not) actually like the Brussels sprout part of the meal the best! Despite the fact that many people find them slightly bitter and not the easiest veg to eat, there are actually a bunch of reasons that you shouldn’t be skipping the Brussels this year, many of which will hugely benefit your skin and complexion. Here are five reasons why you should make sure you don’t leave a single Brussels sprouts on your plate this year.

They’re Packed With Prebiotics

Most of us have heard of probiotics, but not everyone knows what prebiotics are. If you think about probiotics as being the seeds of the good bacteria that you want to grow in your tummy, then prebiotics are like the compost in which you would plant those seeds in order to get them to grow. Sprouts contain high levels of insoluble fibre and it’s within this that the pre-biotics can be found. This is all part of protecting your microbiome, which is hugely important. 

They’re High in Vitamin C

Brussels sprouts are full of nutrients and contain significant amounts of vitamin C. In fact, gram for gram, Brussels sprouts contain nearly 50 per cent more vitamin C than an orange. Just four to six Brussels sprouts contain the adult daily requirement for vitamin C. Vitamin C is an important vitamin for the skin as it can help to brighten the complexion, reduce hyperpigmentation and boost collagen production through the process of collagen synthesis.

They Contain a HUGE Amount of Vitamin K

Another hero vitamin which can be found in abundance in Brussels sprouts is vitamin K. Often used to help skin recover from surgery or cosmetic procedures like laser treatment, vitamin K is believed to help cuts, wounds and bruises heal considerably faster than usual. It’s also a star ingredient in many eye creams with studies showing it can help brighten dark circles and boost skin elasticity.

They’re Rich in Antioxidants

Antioxidants are protective compounds that reduce oxidative stress in your cells, and as a result may help lower your risk of chronic disease and can also help to slow the signs of ageing. Brussels sprouts are rich in antioxidants, compounds that contribute to healthier cells and a lower risk of cancer, making them the perfect superfood to enjoy all year round. 

They Contain Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Alpha Lipoic Acid, like so many great skincare ingredients, is an antioxidant produced naturally by your body. However, the quantities produced are at such a low level that people are increasingly looking for ways to supplement their levels of ALA through other sources – and that’s where your Brussels sprouts come in! When applied topically, Alpha Lipoic Acid penetrates the surface layers of the skin and begins to work its magic. The skin has a brighter, more youthful appearance and benefits from the cellular protection that ALA offers.

How to Protect Your Skin’s Biome

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antioxidant, bacteria, biome, black tea, blackcurrant, brighten, complexion, Elemis, good bacteria, jelly, make up, mattified, micellar, microbiome, Murad, Nordic bilberry, Nouveau, nutrients, oil-free, oxygen, prebiotic, primer, probiotic, protect, protective matrix, skin, smooth, soft

Photo by Daniel Apodaca on Unsplash

As we’ve mentioned previously, the skin’s biome is an umbrella term for all of the bacteria which lives on your skin. We’re primed, as humans, to see bacteria as a bad thing, but actually, protecting your skin’s biome is incredibly important if you want a balanced, healthy complexion. Fortunately, we have everything you need to protect your skin’s biome, regardless of your skin type. Here are five of the best products for the job:

REN Clean Skincare Perfect Canvas Clean Primer

REN Clean Skincare Perfect Canvas Clean Primer is a probiotic Primer that plumps skin, mattifies and fills in fine lines for the perfect makeup application. It contains skin-boosting extracts that help balance your good bacteria, reducing breakouts and promoting a healthy microbiome. It can be used on its own to give you smooth, mattified skin or as a primer underneath make up for the perfect canvas. 

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Clear Biome

These capsules do exactly what it says on the box – they work on your skin’s biome to give you a clear, blemish-free complexion. Skin Clear Biome is designed to work from the inside out: feeding the gut with bacteria to clarify and brighten skin. The formula is housed within a protective matrix to ensure active bacteria reach the area of the gut where they are most needed. 

Elemis Superfood Blackcurrant Jelly Exfoliator

The Elemis Superfood range is all packed with naturally occurring ingredients, derived from superfoods, and this jelly exfoliator is made from antioxidant rich Nordic bilberry and black tea for healthy looking skin. It contains a prebiotic, naturally derived from sugar, that helps to leave skin feeling soft and smooth, without stripping natural oils while black seed oil supports the skin’s lipid barrier for a healthy glow.

Nouveau Prebiotic Eye Make-Up Remover Gel

The eyes are a tricky area – the skin is ultra delicate and finely balanced, while make-up for this area is often hardy and long-lasting. That’s why a specialist product is required to adequately remove cosmetics while protecting the delicate biome of the skin around the eye. Nouveau Prebiotic Eye Make-Up Remover Gel is an advanced oil-free, micellar gel eye make-up remover that contains powerful prebiotic ingredients to promote healthy skin microbiome, and to help prevent irritation.

Murad Prebiotic 3-In-1 MultiMist

Make-up can play havoc with the skin’s natural biome, preventing the transfer of oxygen and other nutrients. Murad Prebiotic 3-In-1 MultiMist is a 3-in-1 hydrating mist that hydrates, primes and sets makeup.The formula features hydrating sugars to moisturise and refresh skin, while a yeast peptide helps lock in hydration, making it the perfect, hard-working multitasker that your face needs. 

Pumpkins Aren’t Just for Halloween!

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acerola cherry, antioxidants, Australian caviar lime, avocado, Broccoli, cleansing, complexion, cranberry, dermalogica, Dermalogica PowerBright Overnight Cream, Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel, dry skin, Elemis, Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter, Elemis Superfood Facial Wash, epidermal cell, extracts, fatty acids, fermented, kale, Lactic Acid, luminosity, mattifying, microbiome, moisturiser, Nettle, nourishing, oat kernel flour, oily skin, plant enzyme, prebiotic, pumpkin, pumpkin enzyme, pumpkin seed extract, pumpkin seed oil, radiant, Refinery, Refinery Mattifying Moisturiser, shine, texture, Wheatgrass

Photo by Kristina Paukshtite

When it comes to pumpkins, we choose them, carve them, roast them, bake them, even take our kids to be photographed in fields of them, but we don’t often think about slathering them onto our faces. That is, until recently, when a flurry of cosmetic companies began incorporating the potent plant, which is abundant in enzymes, amino acids, antioxidants, and vitamins A and E, into their line of skin care products. Now, instead of thinking of pumpkins as something we use once a year to carve a scary face into and place a candle inside for spooky shadows, we’re looking at five of our favourite products which harness the power of this humble member of the squash family:

Dermalogica PowerBright Overnight Cream

As the name suggests, this cream from Dermalogica is intended for nighttime use and is formulated to optimise skin moisture recovery and help restore luminosity. As well as containing pumpkin enzyme, which smoothes and evens skin texture, it packs in antioxidant-rich cranberry and raspberry seed oils to help protect against the damaging effects of free radicals from pollution, and deliver essential fatty acids that moisturise to help reduce the appearance of fine lines. 

Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter

If you suffer from a dull complexion, finding a cleanser which doesn’t further strip moisture and radiance is important. This cleansing butter from Elemis is a nourishing facial cleanser that removes makeup, daily pollutants and daily grime to reveal a healthy-looking radiance. It’s packed with brightening AHAs from pumpkin and acerola cherry, to help to reveal a fresh-faced glow and can be used as a daily cleanser, a deep cleansing mask or a hydrating makeup remover around the eyes and face for smooth and glowing skin. 

Refinery Mattifying Moisturiser

While many people with oily skin steer clear of moisturiser, mistakenly assuming that they don’t need it, the reality is that oily skin often has underlying dryness that needs to be rebalanced to reduce sebum production. This moisturiser from Refinery contains pumpkin seed extract, which reduces shine with special optical effects, while oat kernel flour soothes and protects skin, and powerful sodium hyaluronate gives a boost of moisture. It’s a light, easily-absorbed formula which instantly reduces shine, making it perfect for oily complexions. 

Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel

This potent exfoliator from Dermalogica contains a unique complex of potent phytoactive AHA extracts, lactic acid and fermented plant enzymes to increase epidermal cell turnover to reveal new, firmer skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s packed with pumpkin fruit enzyme and rice bran extract to resurface and help even out skin tone, while smoothing Australian caviar lime extracts brightens skin for a more radiant complexion. There are ten applications per tube and should be used once a week for best results. 

Elemis Superfood Facial Wash

The Elemis Superfood range contains a bunch of naturally derived active ingredients, and this facial wash is no exception. As well as pumpkin seed oils, the wash is packed with extracts from avocado, broccoli, wheatgrass, kale, and nettle. These are paired with a natural prebiotic to help balance the skin’s precious microbiome. The result is a nourishing facial wash that revives and refreshes whilst deeply cleansing the skin.

These Foods Can Help Beat Acne

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acne, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, avocado, breakout, Broccoli, carbohydrates, Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster, Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF30, detoxifying, dry skin, Elemis Superfood Facial Wash, fats, fermented, free radicals, Greens, immune system, inflammation, kale, kimchi, minerals, Nettle, oil, oily fish, omega-3, prebiotic, probiotic, sebum, spinach, spots, spring greens, vitamins

Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash

Here at Pure Beauty, we believe in our products, but we’re also aware that some elements of healing need to come from within. We offer several acne-beating skincare systems, but making sure your diet is right for your skin can give your complexion an extra boost. With that in mind, we’ve got five food suggestions that you should think about adding to your diet if you’re an acne sufferer:

Kimchi

Kimchi is a Korean dish which is made from salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. It’s an amazing source of probiotics, which help to control the bad bacteria in your skin which contribute to acne. Start your skincare routine with Dermalogica Foaming Wash, which will rid your skin of any external bacteria and combined with the probiotics in the kimchi, your skin will get an acne-beating boost.

Avocado

Avocado might seem like a bit of a ‘trendy’ ingredient right now, but it’s actually jam-packed with nutrients and good fats which are amazing for your skin. Acne can often be exacerbated by an underlying dry skin issue, which causes the skin to overproduce sebum. The good fats in avocado, though, help to hydrate your skin from within, eliminating dryness and calming the causes of acne.

Oily Fish

Everyone should try to get at least two portions of fish a week, including one of oily fish, for good overall health, but there’s also evidence to suggest that adding oily fish to your diet can help to eliminate acne. This is because it can lower inflammation in your body, and that may help keep acne away. Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF30 can also help to reduce acne-causing inflammation.

Leafy Greens

Leafy Greens are great acne-fighters for a number of reasons. Firstly, there’s evidence to suggest that more fibre in your diet can help to banish acne. Secondly, dark greens such as spinach, kale, spring greens and broccoli contain iron and a plethora of vitamins which bolster your immune system and help your body to fight unwanted bacteria. Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster will also help to kill off the same bacteria.

Nettles

You might think of nettles as the annoying things that sting your legs on a summer walk, but nettles have anti-inflammatory properties which make them an effective ally against acne. They’re also extremely detoxifying, thanks to high levels of antioxidants which protect the body from the over-production of free radicals – chemicals which can cause damage to proteins, fats, carbohydrates and DNA in the body. Elemis Superfood Facial Wash also contains nettle, which acts as a gentle astringent and has anti-inflammatory properties.

How you can scrub up well with Pure Beauty

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arms, beauty regime, black tea, blackcurrant, breathe, calloused skin, chamomile, cleanse your skin, coffeeberry, complexion, concentrated glycolic acid, Decleor Double Radiance Scrub, Dermalogica Thermafoliant Body Scrub, dulling, ease tightness, Elemi, Elemis Energising Skin Scrub, Elemis Sea Lavender and Samphire Salt Scrub, Elemis Superfood Blackcurrant Jelly Exfoliator, essential moisture, even tone, exfoliating particles, face, facial hair, fruit extracts, gel, gently exfoliate, glow, hydrate, Indian bamboo stem, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Resurfacing Body Scrub, Lactic Acid, Licorice, limbs, lush, Marine Phytoplankton, men, micro-circulation., milky scrub, nasty, Natural essential oil, natural oils, natural scrubbing particles, natural sea salt, Nordic bilberry, Papain, polishes, prebiotic, prevent ingrown hairs, pure, purified, radiance revealing treatment, red, refreshed, removing dead cells, resurfaces, revitalising facial scrub, rich, rough, samphire, saro, scrub, sea lavender, sensitive, Shaving, silky soft and smooth, skin, skin’s natural defences, smooth, smoother, softer, Tea Tree, Vitamin E base, warming sensation, white tea

You might think that using a scrub on your skin isn’t for you, but how about if we said it could be the best thing you could introduce to your beauty regime?

Far from making your skin red and sensitive, the scrubs we sell today can help to smooth your face as well as your limbs, back, and arms. They work to even tone and bring your complexion back to life so you look, and feel fabulous.

Let’s start things off with the lush Elemis Superfood Blackcurrant Jelly Exfoliator. This revitalising facial scrub is rich in fruit extracts which gently exfoliate the skin, leaving it smoother, softer and hydrated. Nordic bilberry and black tea have been blended with blackcurrant and a prebiotic, which ease tightness, but those precious natural oils we need to so much, are left safe. To use, cleanse your skin then gently massage the exfoliator in light circular motions and as you add water the gel will transform into a milky scrub that can be washed away with warm water and a cleansing cloth.

The Decleor Double Radiance Scrub is a two-in-one mask exfoliator that is perfect for removing dead cells from your skin so it can breathe once again. Three natural scrubbing particles have been mixed to create something that is more than an exfoliator; this is a radiance revealing treatment and it really works! Natural essential oils of saro and elemi have been added to boost the skin’s natural defenses well as to activate micro-circulation. The outcome clean skin that is re-energised, detoxified and radiant.

The Dermalogica Thermafoliant Body Scrub dissolves those nasty, dulling dead skin cells, hydrates, and delivers vital antioxidants leaving skin purified and refreshed. It’s the Indian bamboo stem that takes away dead cells while papain and lactic acid dissolves them. As you wash away the suds, natural sea salt revitalises and hydrates the skin while licorice, white tea, coffeeberry, and chamomile infuse it with vital antioxidants. Add tea tree and grapefruit oils into the next and you have clean, pure, refreshed skin once again.

Men can also benefit from these products and the Elemis Energising Skin Scrub is popular with our clients. Marine phytoplankton has been added to a rich vitamin E base to create a scrub that resurfaces, polishes and brightens the skin. It also helps lift facial hair before shaving to prevent ingrown hairs and blemishes. From the very first use, the skin is left feeling smooth, refined and deeply cleansed and essential moisture is locked in for added hydration.

You don’t often think about scrubs being warming, but that’s very much at the heart of the Elemis Sea Lavender and Samphire Salt Scrub. Created from a blend of sea lavender, samphire and sea salt, the skin is left feeling silky soft and smooth and thanks to the Zeolite base, you are left with a gentle warming sensation. When you massage the scrub, it becomes a rich foam that buffs away rough areas and dead skin cells. Sea salt particles provide natural exfoliation, whilst the lavender and samphire help soothe and hydrate for a healthy, all-over glow.

We can’t go without mentioning the Jan Marini Bioglycolic Resurfacing Body Scrub. A combination of concentrated glycolic acid, exfoliating particles, and botanical extracts come together to create silky smooth skin. If you suffer from rough, calloused skin or have trouble areas on the backs of your arms and legs, this scrub can offer immediate relief with progressive improvements being seen over time.

For more details about these products, or any of our other lines, get in touch and we would love to help you get your beauty regime right.

Team Pure Beauty