Dermaplaning – A Beginner’s Guide

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acne, chemical, chemical peel, damage, Decleor Thyme Gentle Peeling Cream, Decleor Ultra Protective Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF50 Face, Dermalogica UltraCalming Serum Concentrate, Dermaplaning, doctor, dry skin, dull skin, exfoliate, exfoliation, face, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, inflammation, irritation, Keratosis pilaris, nurse, peel, practitioner, professional, protect, protection, rosacea, scalpel, sensitive skin, skin, skin condition, SPF, SPF50, sun, sun damage, wrinkles

Photo by Antonika Chanel on UnsplashDermaplaning – A Beginner’s Guide

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 6 months, there’s a good chance that you will have seen the videos doing the rounds where it looks like people are using a knife to scrape their skin off. What you’re actually witnessing are videos of dermaplaning, something that is considered the next big thing in the beauty world. We thought it was time that we took a look at what dermaplaning is and give all of the details you need to know before taking the plunge. Read on for more information:

What is it?

Dermaplaning is an exfoliating treatment which should only be done by a doctor or licensed practitioner and involves gently scraping the surface of your skin off with a surgical scalpel to remove dead cells and the fuzzy hair that most of us have on our faces.

What does it do?

Dermaplaning is said to have many benefits; as well as making your skin feel baby soft, it helps foundation to apply smoothly and is also said to be useful for acne, rosacea and people with hyperpigmentation.

Who is it good for?

The answer to this is basically anybody who feels that their skin needs a boost. If you have dull skin, dry skin, sun damage, fine lines, keratosis pilaris, sensitive skin, rosacea, acne or any other skin condition which causes you you bother dermaplaning is probably worth a go.

Is there anything I need to bear in mind?

Dermaplaning is considered safe for all skin types, however, if you do have highly sensitive skin it’s worth bearing in mind that dermaplaning might cause you added irritation. As we mentioned above, dermaplaning should only be carried out by a professional so we definitely do not recommend going out and buying scalpels and trying this yourself. Scalpels and faces really do not mix!

Which products should I use before and after?

If you have sensitive skin, it’s worth bearing in mind that dermaplaning can cause a little irritation. We’d recommend adding Dermalogica UltraCalming Serum Concentrate to your daily skin routine in the run up to your appointment as this will help to keep irritation and inflammation to a minimum.

Lots of people also opt for a chemical peeling treatment immediately after dermaplaning as the newly revealed skin is more receptive to strong treatments. If you want to do this yourself, we recommend Decleor Thyme Gentle Peeling Cream, a gentle cream exfoliator that removes dead skin cells for a clear and radiant complexion.

Finally, you’ll need to protect your skin from the sun for a few weeks after treatment, so make sure you start using Decleor Ultra Protective Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF50 Face on a daily basis, too.

Wedding Tips for a Perfect Day

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aunts, blisters, blogs, brothers, chemistry, congregation, deep foundations, dress, drink plenty of water, fake it, family frictions, feet, find your tribe, first dance, forecast, friend fallouts, friends, glowing, gym, healthy, hen party, I do, ideas, inspiration, Instagram brides, instincts, kind, love, magazines, Marbella, meals, Megan Markle, memorable, Mother Nature, mums, natural and simple, neighbours, obsession, orange stripes, perfect, photographers, photos, planners, planning, portfolios, Prince Harry, professional, rain, realistic goals, relaxed, Royal couple, semi-permanent eyebrows, shine, shoes, sisters, skip meals, social media sites, stylists, suncream, tan, thank you cards, top tips, towels, umbrellas, unique, websites, Windsor

With Prince Harry and Megan Markle set to sparkle as the say ‘I do’ in Windsor on 19 May, love is in the air.

While the Royal couple no doubt have an eye watering budget and a team of planners, stylists and photographers on hand to ensure this is an occasion the world will want to watch, not everyone has such an entourage to help plan their big day.

Fear not, we love a good wedding and have put together our top tips on planning the perfect day for you.

It’s all about the shoes
We know how important shoes are on your big day, but don’t make that the time to try them out for the first time. Once you have found the perfect pair, wear them in the house quite a bit so your feet are used to them and you don’t end up with blisters even before your first dance.

Find your tribe
Mums, aunts, sisters, brothers, friends, neighbours and work mates will all have special skills and if you ask them to give you a hand you will, in no time, have your very own wedding tribe. Not only will they help keep you grounded and relaxed, they will also want you to have a great day and be only too happy to do jobs to make things perfect.

Be kind to yourself
Shedding extra pounds is often front of mind with many brides, and grooms, but don’t make this an obsession because it could ruin your day. Make realistic goals but don’t hit the gym everyday or skip meals or you’ll be hungry and tired rather than glowing and healthy. Plan your meals, drink plenty of water and check your dress is altered before you wear it for real.

Watch that tan
If you didn’t have a hen party in Marbella to top up the tan, you might be tempted to fake it, but be careful with this one. Heavy spray tans, semi-permanent eyebrows and deep foundations might look good on Instagram brides, but if keep things natural and simple, your love with shine through, not the orange stripes on your shoulders.

Budget for everything
No one likes last-minute surprises so from the moment you get that sparkler on your finger, set your budget and stick to it. With social media sites, blogs and magazines offering inspiration and ideas, you can create something truly unique and memorable without remortgaging your home.

Remember the weather
You can plan most things, but there is no way to control Mother Nature. Keep an eye on the forecast in the lead up to the big day and prepare accordingly. If it is going to rain, organise extra umbrellas and towels for guests, and if you are looking at a heat wave, water and sun cream will be welcomed by the congregation.

Say cheese
When it comes to capturing the magic of your big day, the photos are so important so go for a professional. They don’t need to be the most expensive but check out their websites and portfolios, do a trial session and at the end of the day, it comes down to chemistry so follow your instincts at your first meeting.

Keep people happy
We know there can be family frictions and friend fallouts but this is your big day so manage those situations accordingly. Look at how best to put people together, who to keep apart and have someone keeping an eye on how much booze is being consumed, especially if it is a warm day.

Say thank you
Weddings are expensive for the guests as well as the bride and groom, so be sure to send out thank you cards so everyone knows how much they were appreciated.

Most of all, have fun, make memories and enjoy it because it will be over in a flash.

Team 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.

Make 2018 the year to go freelance

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accountant, activities, basics, best friend, Blogger, book keeper, boring, Breakfast meetings, buffer, business opportunities, business plan, cake, competition, creative, cylinders, daily commute, design websites, dream, equipment, evening event, excitement, finance, flexibility, fly solo, focus, freelance, full time freelancing, full-time job, growth, hard cash, holidays, HR, insurance, investment, IT, location, logo, love, lunches, magazine, Marketing and PR, marketing plan, mistake, money, name, new venture, offerings, out there, own boss, people, PR, professional, realistic goals, reality, research, school mate, skills, small print, social media, synergy, tax, think, unexpected costs, up and running, VAT, water cooler conversations, website

Fed up of the daily commute?

Had enough of mundane water cooler conversations?

Sick and tired of Sarah in IT and Jo in HR making your life a misery?

Then maybe it is time to go freelance.

While you might not have the security of a 9-5 role, a monthly salary or 21 days holiday a year, being your own boss does offer you flexibility and the chance to do what you love but on your terms.

We aren’t saying hand your notice in now, but have a think about what you want to do and if you consider the points below, we think you might start making that dream a reality.

Have a plan
Create a business plan that looks at finance, growth, location, activities and skills. This don’t need to be anything long or fancy but setting things out in black and white can give you a focus and realistic goals.

Network
Breakfast meetings, lunches and evening events are all greats ways to start making connections even if you are still in a full-time job. If you are nervous, why not go with a friend and then swap notes at the end of the session?

Contacts
The old saying, ‘it’s who you know not what you know’ is very true when you start a new venture. Maybe your best friend works on a magazine, your old school mate is a blogger or you know a couple of people who design websites or do PR? Make the most of the people you know and it could well be there is synergy between you and them that could lead to business opportunities.

Look at the Competition
You might be able to make a mean cake or write a really creative marketing plan – but so do loads of other people out there. Do your research, check out the competition and work out what makes you different and where your offerings would site in the market place.

Think About the Money
Let’s not beat about the bush, starting out requires hard cash investment and you are going to need this, so start planning. Look at how much money you need to start your business, what equipment you would need, and before you make a start make sure you have a buffer saved up for those unexpected costs and quiet patches. It might even be that you need to work part-time for a while to get things up and running and keep money coming in, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Marketing and PR
This is something you can do as you get ready to take the next step of full-time freelancing. Decide in a business name, get a logo, set up your social media feeds and ensure you have a website in place. All of this takes time, and money, but if you get the basics set up in the background, when you are ready to go, people will be able to find when you when you are open and firing on all cylinders.

Small Print
The excitement of setting up something new can mean the details get left behind, but this isn’t a mistake you want to make. Finding an accountant or book-keeper, registering for tax, considering VAT status and researching professional insurance might seem boring, but they need to be done and will make you more efficient and professional in the long run.

Location, Location, Location
When you work for someone else, you go to their premise day in and day out but when you fly solo it is a very different matter. You need to make sure you have a base to work from and one that is ideally close to local amenities, has a decent internet connection and phone support as well as good transport links.

Whatever you do, if you have a dream, go for it.

Team Pure-Beauty

Getting it right when you work from home

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An increasing number of people are turning to freelance careers which often means working from home.

Journalists, marketing professionals, surveyors, photographers – the list goes on and while it saves sitting on a busy bus and taking part in water cooler conversations, to get it right you need to set yourself boundaries.

We have looked at some of the fundamental rules of home working to keep you on track so you can get the work done and strike a balance.

Dress for the job
It’s easy to sit working in your PJs but it won’t make you feel as professional as you do if you are up, showered and dressed. Answering the door to the postman in a nightie isn’t ideal and if you are just in a vest and pants when your client calls on Skype out of the blue, it could be embarrassing.

Find you place
The same goes for sitting in front of the TV with your laptop and the dog. Get a decent desk and chair, make sure you have good lighting and ‘go pro’ in a designated work space or office, if you have the room.

Structure your day
Create a timetable for work just as you would in the office. Writing and calls in the mornings, meetings over lunch and the admin and accounts later in the day. If you have a structure to your days, it will help keep you focused and productive.

Get some exercise
Going out for a walk, having a cycle or taking a yoga class will get you away from your desk and take away and feelings of claustrophobia that can come with working from home. It is good to get fresh air, a little Vitamin D and feel the blood pumping around your body as your heart rate goes up – something that won’t happen while you sit at your desk.

Step away from social media
As tempting as it can be, leave social media behind while you work, taking it off your toolbar and mobile if need be. You might only mean to have a browse and before you know it you have been sucked in and lost an hour of your day.

Eat well
Being at home doesn’t mean you have to snack all day long. Hide the biscuits and chocolate, get healthy snacks, drink lots of water, don’t over do it on the coffee and don’t be tempted to raid the fridge when you are feeling bored.

Take a break
However much you love your job, make sure you take breaks during the day. Step away from the computer from time to time, do some stretches and remember to stop for lunch each day.

See people
We don’t mean spend all day with family and friends, they need to know you are working not around for coffee and errands, but you do need to socialise. Maybe use a co-working space once a week, go to networking events or even meet clients and suppliers face to face to ensure you get some human interaction.

Book time off
Whether it’s a long weekend by the sea, a city break with the girls or two weeks in the sunshine, make sure you go on holiday. Allocate yourself a certain number of days a year, spread those wisely and don’t feel bad about putting your out of office on – you deserve a rest.

Team Pure-Beauty