Make up free nights

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alcohol, amino acid complex, Apricot, Balm Mint, bed, Blue Flower Linseed, Christmas parties, cleansed, cotton pads, day and night creams, dead cells, Decleor Phytopeel Smooth Exfoliating Cream, deep follicular cleanser, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, effective, Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment, Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner, eye cream, eye make up, fine lines, foundation, gentle, goodness, happiest, harmonise, harsh detergents, healthiest, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Oily Skin Cleansing Gel, late nights, Lavender Extract, long day, love, loving, make-up, make-up free, Mascara, natural, natural pH level, New Year’s Eve drinks, nights, oily skin, Padina Pavonica, penetration, problem prone skin, problems, puffy, Quillaja Saponaria, refined texture, rejuvenate, routine, silky-smooth, skin, sleep, smoother, soap free, soft cream formula, stimulate, Sweet Betty flower, temptation, tired, tone, toned and moisturised, wrinkles, youthful appearance

Don’t worry, we aren’t suggesting you head out for your Christmas parties or New Year’s Eve drinks make up free, but we are advising you to take that make up off before you go to bed.

While many people think ‘just once’ won’t hurt, at Pure Beauty we are firm believers that the happiest, healthiest skin is skin that is cleansed, toned and moisturised before you go to sleep and when you wake up.

We have had a look at some products that are tough on cleaning away foundation, mascara and eye make-up, but are gentle and loving to your skin at the same time.

Soap free, packed with goodness and suitable for all skin types, is what the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel is all about. Balm Mint soothes complexions, as natural Quillaja Saponaria foams away the make up and toxins that can cause problems. With Lavender Extract added into the mix, this is one product we think you will love from the moment you first use it.

If you want to cleanse your skin, remove dead cells and stimulate the cellular renewal process, you need the Decleor Phytopeel Smooth Exfoliating Cream. Perfect for this time of year when we often wear more make-up then usual and have lots of late nights, this soft cream formula is one of the gentlest, most natural ways to renew your skin before you sleep.

If you are tired and have had a long day, the temptation is to skip your toner, but we would urge you to reconsider and think about trying the Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner. Extracts of Apricot, Sweet Betty Flower and Quillaja Wood have been blended to create a toner which helps to soothe and harmonise the skin. Free from alcohol and harsh detergents, this toner can applied to the skin with cotton pads and not only does it help maintain natural pH levels but using this can assist the penetration of day and night creams so they are as effective as possible.

Oily skin can really suffer over the festive period, so treat it with the Jan Marini Bioglycolic Oily Skin Cleansing Gel. This deep follicular cleanser leaves oily and problem prone skin feeling super clean and soft from the very first use. While it cannot be used as an eye make-up remover, ongoing use morning and night, helps skin appear less oily, and leaves it with a smoother, more refined texture.

We always suggest adding an eye cream to your routine, especially at night-time when your skin works hard to rejuvenate itself. The Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment targets the fine lines and wrinkles around the eye area, leaving you with a more youthful appearance. Padina Pavonica and Blue Flower Linseed have been blended to help tone and firm, while an Amino Acid complex locks moisture into the skin but doesn’t overload it so it looks silky smooth rather than puffy.

If you have any questions, please do get in touch and we would love to help you make the right choice for your skin.

Team Pure Beauty.

Let Stress Go

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active, alone, blog, Boss, Bottling things up, brother, cause, cheer, children, children’s hospice, clear your thoughts, cloudy, coffee shop, community project, connect, dance class, diary, eat out, emotional intensity, empowered, everyday life, family members, feel good endorphins, friend, friends, fun, glass is half empty, goals and challenges, GP, gym, heart, holiday, identify the triggers, indulgent, job, learning a language, life, local community project, Me time, meditation, meet, more harm than good, neighbours, people, positive approach, problems, professionanal help, quiet cuppa, relax with a book, scrolling, selfish, shine, social media, sofa, stepping back, stress, swim, take control, take time out, work colleagues, work long hours

Going out and partying might all weekend seem like a good way to escape from the stress of everyday life, but while it is fun at the time, it could actually do more harm than good in the long run.

Whether it’s your boss, brother or your neighbours who are causing your problems, if you can identify the triggers and take control, you will hopefully start to feel better and have a more positive approach and outlook.

Build a Network
Bottling things up and trying to do everything alone isn’t good for anyone, so try to establish a network of people in your life who are good for you. These can be family members, friends or work colleagues who you really connect with, relax with and have a good time with and who will cheer you on when times are good and give you a lift when it gets a little cloudy.

Be Active
Yes, scrolling through social media might take your mind of things, but getting off the sofa and exercising can reduce emotional intensity, clear your thoughts and let you deal with your problems in a calmer way. Find something that you really enjoy doing, maybe buddy up with a friend and go to the gym, swim before work or take a dance class – there is something for all of us you just have to find it. As the feel good endorphins work around your body, they will take down those feelings of stress and you will start to feel empowered and able to move forwards once again

Challenge Yourself
Setting yourself goals and challenges, such as learning a language, starting a blog or playing a new sport, not only helps build confidence but reduces stress, so give it a go.

Take Some ‘Me Time’
If you work long hours and have family demands, it can be hard to take time out for you and this can add to your stress levels. If might sound selfish and indulgent, but finding time to meet with friends, relax with a book or just grab a quiet cuppa in a coffee shop, is important. Put something in your diary at the start of each week then stick to it and you will be surprised at the difference stepping back from everything can make to your life.

Give Back
When you stop thinking that everything is about you, life can change for the better. Getting involved in a local community project or volunteering your time to a cause close to your heart, can give you a new focus and give you a whole new perspective. Whether it is a visiting elderly people and reading to them, digging out a pond in the park or raising money for a children’s hospice, this can really help to take the focus away from your life and lift your mood.

Be Positive
Looking for the positives in life, and seeing the things you’re grateful for can be a real eye opener. Don’t be the glass is half empty person because your to list is growing day by day, instead see the glass is half full because you have a job you enjoy and can afford to go on holiday as well as pay your bills and eat out once a week. Simply writing down three things that went well, before you go to bed can make you start to see the good in life, rather than just looking at what is hard.

Breath
If you do nothing else, sit down, close your eyes and take five minutes out to focus on your breath and regroup. Nothing is so important on your to do list that it can’t wait just a little bit longer and meditation is a free, easy and fantastic way to deal with stress, so give it a go!

If you do feel that your stress is getting out of control, speak to your GP and ask them for some professional help.

Team Pure-Beauty

Combatting Some of the Most Common Body Issues

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advice, bath, body, bumpy skin, callouses, cellulite, Decleor 1000 Grains Body Exfoliator, Decleor Prolagene Gel, dry skin, Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, Elemis Cellutox Active Body Oil, Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow, Elemis Skin Nourishing Body Cream, Elemis Sweet Orchid Monoi Body Oil, Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream, feet, hard skin, Keratosis pilaris, problems, pumice stone, shower, skin, stretch marks

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Thanks to years of airbrushing in magazines and unrealistic beauty expectations, it’s a sad fact that most women will easily pinpoint at least one issue with their body that they don’t like. While we can’t do anything to address the deeper issues of insecurity, we can offer some advice to help with some of the more superficial ones, so we’ve put together a list of some of the most common body beauty complaints and how to deal with them.

Cellulite

It’s estimated that 90% of women have cellulite in at least one area of their body, and yet it’s still talked about in hushed tones, like it’s the last taboo. While we’re all for embracing your body in all of its glory, dry brushing with Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, followed by a thorough massaging with Elemis Cellutox Active Body Oil can greatly help to break up fatty deposits under the skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks can be caused by a number of different things, such as pregnancy, weight gain or muscle-building, and although they generally fade by themselves over time, some people like to have a helping hand and reducing them. Decleor Prolagene Gel is contains an amino acid called Proline L., which is similar to plant collagen and helps re-build the skin’s supporting fibres, helping to heal stretch marks from within.

Dry Skin

Dry skin is often caused by using products containing soap, spending too much time in the sun or central heating and is usually worse on areas like elbows and knees. Exfoliate dry areas using Decleor 1000 Grains Body Exfoliator Travel to get rid of the top layer of dry skin and follow up with Elemis Skin Nourishing Body Cream which is designed to nourish and soften dry skin, for a perfectly moisturised body.

Bumpy Skin

A lot of people we speak to complain of having skin which has a “chicken skin” appearance, with tiny bumps all over it. This actually has a name; it’s called keratosis pilaris and is incredibly common. Regularly using Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow, which is rich in mineral salts and hibiscus to cleanse and exfoliate your skin will reduce the appearance of these little bumps, and following it with Elemis Sweet Orchid Monoi Body Oil will prevent parched skin from creating too much keratin.

Calluses

Hard skin on the feet can be really tricky to deal with as it becomes impacted under the weight of your body, making it even harder to remove. Using a pumice stone after a hot bath or shower can help to reduce the amount of hard skin, and using Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream can stop the hard skin from building up so much in the first place.

Give up stress for Lent

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alternative, anxiety, bike ride, brisk walk, bus, celebrity culture, change of scene, chocolate, cold, Computer screen, damp, dark cloud, donating time, drinking, elderly person, emotions, exercise, Find a friend, food bank, friend, fun run, give back, good feeling, GP, helping others, hospice, indulgent, lazy, Lent, lonely, love, lungs, Me time, modern day living, move, mums, obsession, outside, perspective, pressure, problems, process, pub, relaxing, run, school gates, sedentary activities, selfies, social media, socialising, solutions, stress, support network, surprise, tennis club, training, trust, volunteer, watching TV, wine, working

 

We know that during Lent you are meant to give up chocolate, wine or something you really love but given how bad stress is for us, why not try to live without it for a few weeks and see how you get on?

It is little surprise that more and more people are dealing with anxiety and stress related issues given the pressure of modern-day living. Celebrity culture, an obsession with selfies and social media on tap 24/7, life is one long hamster wheel and sometimes you need to jump off and see what really matters.

Rather than light up another cigarette or down one more vodka and orange, why not have a look at some alternative ways to deal with stress and see if you can combat it for once and for all.

Move
Exercise isn’t a magic wand that will make your stress disappear, but it can help reduce the intense emotions you might be feeling. A run, brisk walk or bike ride can help you clear your thoughts and find a way to deal with problems in a different, maybe more rational way.

Find a friend
Yes, there are people at work, people on Facebook and mums at the school gates, but us can still feel lonely and this is where real friends, you can trust, come into play. It won’t happen overnight, but try to create a support network of people, you enjoy being with and you will find that as much as they will help you find solutions to problems, you can do the same for them and that’s a pretty good feeling.

Me time
We are often made to feel as if taking time for ourselves is lazy and indulgent but this couldn’t be further from the truth. To be able to fire on all cylinders, it is important to take time out for socialising, relaxing and exercise, time that is just for you. A couple of hours a week doing something you really love, either alone or with friends, can really help you shrug off that dark cloud that has been following you around.

Get a pet
Never underestimate the love of a dog, cat or even hamster. A pet not only gives you a new interest but also a little bit of company, a lot of love and if you do get a dog, you have to take them outside for a walk each day which is good for both of you.

Be a volunteer
It is easy to get caught up in our own problems, so helping others can be a good way to put things into perspective. Visiting an elderly person, donating time at a local hospice or sorting out donations at a food bank are all ways you can give back and you never know, you could make friends and even find a new career in the process.

Go outside
Sitting indoors watching TV, working at a computer screen and drinking in the pub are all pretty sedentary activities where you rarely see the light of day and probably all make you feel worse. A walk, even when it is cold and damp, by the river or a dash around town will not only give you a change of scene but also put fresh air in your lungs and give you a break from the norm. Joining a tennis club, training for a fun run or just getting off the bus a stop early, can be enough to get you, and your mind, out of a stressed rut.

Of course, if you are really struggling talk to a trusted friend or your GP but don’t suffer in silence.

Team Pure Beauty

Banish Your Pre-Holiday Skin Problems

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acne, ashy, beach, bikini, cellulite, confidence, control, decleor, dermalogica, dimpled, dry skin, Elemis, holiday, issues, mattify, oil, oily skin, pool, prep, problems, sebum, skin-confidence, smooth, stretch marks, swimming, swimming pool, tiger stripes, vacation

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Summer has officially started, now that we’re past the longest day, and for many of us that means that we can really start to look forward to our holidays. However, baring all on the beach or going make-up free can feel like a totally nightmare if you’ve got skin issues, so we thought we’d take a look at five common skin complaints and what you can do to clear them up before it’s time to jet off to hotter climes.

Cellulite

Probably the single most common issue for women to be worried about before sticking on their bathing suit is cellulite. As most of use know, cellulite is an area of fat cells which gives a dimply appearance – and most of us have it somewhere on our bodies! Elemis Cellutox Active Body Oil is a treatment oil which can be massaged into areas of cellulite to help to banish the build up of toxins which cause cellulite and give a more even appearance if used regularly.

Acne

Acne isn’t usually something whch is going to be cured overnight, but for many sufferers the thought of going bare-faced beside the pool is a massive no-no. Switching to the Dermalogica Clear Start system ahead of your holiday should help to get your skin under control, and using Dermalogica Breakout Control in the event of a breakout should help to give you skin-confidence.

Dry Skin

Nothing can ruin the look of a bikini worse than dry skin everywhere and ashy-looking knees and elbows! Nourishing your skin with a rich moisturiser before you go away will not only help to banish your dry skin, but it can also help to prep your skin for sun exposure, helping you to get a more even tan and avoid burning. Use Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil for an intense burst of moisture with a scent which will make you think of a tropical island every time you use it!

Oily Skin

Hot weather can really exacerbate the over-production of sebum so if you’re prone to oily skin, going on holiday can be a really worry for your complexion. Using Decleor 2 in 1 Purifying and Oxygenating Mask will help to deeply mattify your skin before you jet off, and packing Dermalogica Oil Control Lotion will give you the peace of mind of knowing that you have your skin under control.

Stretch Marks

Many women now embrace their ‘tiger stripes’ because they’re a totally normal part of being a woman, but for some of us, we still feel a little self-conscious about stretch marks. Decleor Sculpt Stretch Mark Restructuring Gel-Cream, when applied regularly, will to help prevent and reduce the appearance of stretch marks, giving you the confidence to bear-all on the beach.