Masks aren’t just for Halloween

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acne, acne prone skin, active fizzing formula, Aloe Vera, Antioxidant vitamins, apples, banish dull, beauty bag, beauty routine, blackheads, botanical extracts, brightens skin, Burdock, calming ingredients, calming stressed, Chia Seed Oil, Comfrey, dark circles, dark spots, Decleor Energy Concentrate Youth Mask, decongests, deep hydration, delicate eye area, Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask, Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque, dry skin, dull, Elemis Absolute Eye Mas, Elemis Superfood Vital Veggie Mask, excess oil, Eyes, firms, fresh, Gentle exfoliators, grey, Halloween, hydrate the skin, ingredients, irritation, Jan Marini Luminate Face Mask, kaolin clay, light mask, lightening agents, luminous glow, lush, lychee, magic, mask, moisturise, oleic acid, omega 9, Orexcellence range, peony, plumper and firmer, pores, prematurely ageing skin, pumpkins, radiant glow, re-energise, redness, reduce, rhodiola, rich blend, skin, soften, sparkle, super-concentrated, sweets, textured mask, tired eyes, tones, topped up, trick or treat, unisex, wake up, winner, youthful

As pumpkins are carved and scary costumes are being taken out of cupboards, Halloween is very much on the way. While the sweets handed out for kids who trick or treat won’t do much for your skin, or waistline, this is a timely reminder that adding a mask to your beauty routine could be a good move.

If you would like your skin to look plumper and firmer when you wake up in the morning, look no further than the Decleor Energy Concentrate Youth Mask. Part of the Orexcellence range, this textured mask is made from a rich blend of peony, lychee and Rhodiola that together re-energise the skin and leave you with a fresh, luminous glow.

The Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque comes topped up with super-concentrated, antioxidant vitamins that are perfect for calming stressed, prematurely-ageing skin. Things don’t stop there because as the ingredients get to work adding deep hydration, botanical extracts of comfrey and burdock soothe skin so it is left happy and youthful again.

If you want a mask that packs a punch, you need the Jan Marini Luminate Face Mask in your beauty bag. While this brightens skin from the very first use, this mask comes with lightening agents that progressively reduce the appearance of the dark spots and discolouration that can get you down. Gentle exfoliators remove the dull, dry skin that can make complexions look grey and thanks to added calming ingredients, irritation and redness are reduced.

You might think that acne-prone skin doesn’t need a mask, but this isn’t the case. If you to ease blackheads, then the Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask is for you. This unique mask comes with an active fizzing formula that cleans pores and target blackheads. Kaolin clay has been added into the mix and this works to absorb problematic excess oil and purifies the skin, while the magic of apples help to hydrate the skin so it feels lovely and fresh again.

If you want something your partner can use too, the Elemis Superfood Vital Veggie Mask has been created for unisex use and will please all skin types. Regular 10-minute sessions will banish dull, dry skin leaving you will a more radiant glow than ever. Aloe Vera helps to soothe, moisturise and soften skin while avocado adds a boost of lush, natural omega-9 and oleic acid. Bringing up the rear is chia seed oil that nourishes and means you are left with incredibly soft, smooth skin and smile!

If you only want to work on your eyes, fear not, we sell the Elemis Absolute Eye Mask at Pure Beauty and it’s a winner. Perfect for tired eyes that have lost their sparkle, this light mask kicks dullness into touch and as it rehydrates the delicate eye area, it decongests, firms and tones too. This mask also deals with pesky dark circles whilst nourishing and smoothing at the same time. We said it was a winner!

If you would like help finding a mask for you, get in touch and we would love to help.

Team Beauty

Pumpkins aren’t just for Halloween

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31 October, adore, ageing, antioxidant vitamin A and C, Australian caviar lime, avocado, balance, beauty products, bright, brisk walk, broccoli pumpkin seed oil, cell turnover, Cherry, concentrate formula, cream, dark spots, dead cells, Dermalogica Pure Light SPF 50, Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel, dullness, Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Booster, Elemis Superfood Facial Wash, gel cleanser, glowing skin, Halloween, healthy, hipster salad, hyperpigmentation, kale, luminous, microbiome, natural, natural pre-biotic, Nettle, nutrient-dense, outdoor-fresh glow, peek, plant-based, plant-based concentrate formula, pumpkin fruit ferment, pumpkins, radiant skin, real results, Red Algae, resurface, Rice Bran, safe, Safflower Seeds, sea, seaweed, smooth, smoothie, sun, super greens, tired, UV light, vampires, Vegan, Wheatgrass, witching hour

Did you know that pumpkins are packed with natural enzymes and acids which increase cell turnover so that skin is bright and smooth? Well they do, and the good news doesn’t stop there. This Halloween staple also contains antioxidant vitamin A and C which help soften and soothe skin and get ageing under control.

With all the said, let’s look at some of the products we sell on the site and see which ones you could use to get great skin before 31 October.

We absolutely adore the Elemis Superfood Facial Wash and for good reason! This gel cleanser is full of the nutrient-dense super greens you’d expect to find in a smoothie, but we don’t suggest drinking it! From the very first time you use this product, you are left with radiant skin and an outdoor-fresh glow that will look as if you’ve been for a brisk walk by the sea. Avocado, broccoli and pumpkin seed oil might usually be found in a hipster salad, but in this case, they have been combined with a natural pre-biotic to balance the skin’s microbiome and with wheatgrass, nettle and kale too, your complexion will look luminous and bright.

You might not be thinking about the sun when the witching hour approaches, but the Dermalogica Pure Light SPF 50 treats hyperpigmentation and keeps you safe from the UV light that can strike at any time of the year. It’s the pumpkin fruit ferment in this cream, that helps exfoliate away dead cells and eliminate dark spots cause by the sun. Red algae, seaweed and safflower seeds have all been added to the mix to create a product at we think you will love. Apply to cleansed and toned skin before you go outside and this will work well all year round and keep those Halloween vampires away.

For a vegan option, why not give the Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Booster a go? This plant-based concentrate formula is ideal if you want to have healthy, glowing skin all year round but won’t have you looking as orange as a pumpkin – do not worry. This is ideal for anyone whose skin is a little tired and needs a helping hand to look brighter and happier again. Pumpkin and cherry extracts, which are both rich in AHAs and enzymes, have been mixed with rice water and green tea seed oil and once you have given the bottle a shake, you are ready to smooth away the dullness and let the light in.

If you are looking for real results from your beauty products, look no further than the Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel. This maximum strength exfoliant contains acids and fermented plant enzymes to increase skin renewal and reveal new, firmer skin with reduced fine lines and wrinkles. Pumpkin together with rice bran, resurface and even out skin tone, while Australian caviar lime brightens skin so you are left with a more radiant, but still natural, complexion. With each packet containing 10 applications you have the right amount for perfect results each time you use this peel.

If you would like more details, why not get in touch and see what pumpkin potions and lotions you can use to make your skin come to life this Halloween.

Team Pure

Pumpkins are for more than just Halloween

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all year round, bake, batch, bicarbonate of soda, blender, boil, carving, caster sugar, chickpeas, cloves, cook, crème fraise, cubes, doorstep decorations, easy to make, eggs, fireworks, flour, fun, garlic, ginger, golden squash, great tasting recipes, ground cinnamon, icing, ingredients, lemon, olive oil, pan, pitta bread, Pumpkin Cupcakes, Pumpkin Hummus, pumpkin soup, pumpkins, red onion, salt and pepper, seasonal beauties, self-raising flour, simmer, soft and golden, spoon, stirring, stock, super smooth soup, tablespoon, tahini paste, teaspoon, vanilla essence, vegetable oil, vegetable stock cube, warm crusty bread, washed, wet ingredients, winter warmer, yellow pepper

With Halloween fast creeping up on us, many people will be buying pumpkins and carving them out to create impressive doorstep decorations.

Rather than throwing the golden squash away, we have put together some easy to make, great tasting recipes that will help make your celebrations go even better.

Pumpkin Hummus

Hummus comes in many wonderful varieties and we love the creamy consistency of it when you make it with pumpkins.

You will need:
Around 500g of pumpkin flesh
A little olive oil
Garlic (we would say two cloves)
The juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons of tahini paste
A 400g can of chickpeas, washed and drained
1 orange and one yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced thinly
Pitta bread and carrot sticks to serve

Firstly, heat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Scoop out the pumpkin and cut the flesh into cubes, discarding the seeds, drizzle with oil and cook for around 45 minutes, with the garlic.

Once cool, add the pumpkin and garlic into a blender together with the chickpeas, lemon juice and tahini paste and chickpeas. Add a little salt then blend until smooth and serve.

Pumpkin Soup

As well as being perfect for Halloween, this is a great winter warmer for fireworks night too.

The ingredients needed for one batch are:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 medium red onion (finely chopped)
500g of pumpkin flesh
1 vegetable stock cube and water for dissolving
100ml of crème fraise
Salt and pepper to season

Put the onions in a large saucepan and gently cook for around 5 minutes, until soft. Then add the pumpkin flesh and continue to cook for ten minutes, stirring now and again. Make up the stock and add to the pan, using salt and pepper to season as required. Bring the mixture to the boil and then simmer until the pumpkin is very soft and golden. At this point add the crème fraiche then bring back to the boil. If you want super smooth soup, use a blender, then serve with warm crusty bread and enjoy.

Pumpkin Cupcakes
Everyone loves cupcakes and these seasonal beauties taste so fantastic you’ll want to eat them all year round.

For 12 cakes, you will need:

225g of self-raising flour
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and the same of ginger
2 large eggs
150ml of vegetable oil
225g of caster sugar
150g of pumpkin, grated
½ a teaspoon of vanilla essence

For icing you will need:
50g of soft butter
200g of cream cheese
50g if icing sugar
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
Pinch of ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6 and line your cake tin with paper cases – Halloween patterned ones if you can find them. Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon into a bowl. Pour in the oil, sugar and eggs into another bowl and beat until blended. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry, then add the pumpkin and stir together.

Spoon this mix into the paper cases and bake for 15 minutes, until well risen and firm but do not burn, then leave to cool.

Make the icing but mixing the butter and cream cheese until soft then stir in the icing sugar, vanilla and spices until totally smooth. Spread over the tops of the cooled cakes and if you can find some spooky sweets, add them to the top.

Whatever you do this Halloween, be safe and have fun.

Team Pure Beauty

Eat Your Way to Healthy Hair

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arrots, avocado, beta-carotene, Blackcurrants, blueberries, Broccoli, capillaries, chicken, clean hair, dairy products, damp, diet, dry, eggs, fish, flaky, hair, hair loss, healthy, honey, kiwi, legumes, mackerel, mashed avocado, meal, nuts, oils, oily fish, oranges, pumpkin seeds, pumpkins, ramp up, salmon, sardines, shine, strawberries, strong, sweet potatoes, trout, turkey, Vitamin E, walnuts, whisked egg yolk, zinc

They say you are what you eat and that is so true when it comes to hair that is full of life and shine.

Last week we looked at tips and tricks to speed up hair growth and today it’s all about how diet can help you get the most luscious locks ever.

First things first. Your hair is made from protein and eating this is vital if vital if you want strong, healthy hair. Not eating enough protein could lead to hair that is dry, weak and lacking in shine. It is thought that eating very little protein can actually cause hair loss – something you do not want. Chicken, dairy products, eggs, fish and turkey are all fantastic sources of protein with legumes and nuts being perfect for vegetarians.

Iron is another must-have mineral for hair as too little can cause anemia which can lead to hair loss. Chicken, fish and red meat all provide iron that is readily available to the body. If you are looking for vegetarian sources then opt for leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach as well as broccoli, lentils and spinach.

Let’s face it, for health you can’t go far wrong with a decent dose of Vitamin C, and this is so the case when it comes to hair. Vitamin C is key to the production of collagen which strengthens the capillaries that supply the hair shafts. It helps the absorption of iron and is also an antioxidant that your body will lap up. Blackcurrants, blueberries, broccoli, kiwi, oranges, strawberries and sweet potatoes are all high in Vitamin C and taste pretty good so eat them with every meal.

Another hair friendly vitamin is A, which we need to create sebum. Sebum is an oily substance created by the sebaceous gland and acts as a natural conditioner for your scalp. Eating orange coloured veg such as carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes will help which are high in beta-carotene (which makes Vitamin A) will keep that sebum alive and prevent a dry, itchy scalp.

Omega-3 fatty acids can only obtained through our diet and are vital as they provide the oils that keep your scalp and hair hydrated and supple. Oily fish like salmon, sardines, trout and mackerel are fantastic sources as are avocado, pumpkin seeds and walnuts.

It might be winter, but the sun can still damage your hair, so ramp up your Vitamin E intake to protect it. Nuts are a great source as they not only provide Vitamin E but also zinc, so be sure to add them into your diet mix.

A lack of zinc can lead to hair loss and also make your scalp dry and flaky. Fortified cereals and wholegrains are a good source of zinc along with beef, eggs and oysters, so add them to your next weekly shop.

As well as eating vitamins for healthy hair, you could also whip up a quick mask to give your locks an added boost. Once a week mash together one whisked egg yolk and mix this with half a mashed avocado and a large spoon of honey. Massage the mixture onto damp, clean hair and leave for half an hour before rinsing thoroughly and leaving to dry naturally.

Got a super food you swear by? Drop us a line and let us know.

Team Pure-Beauty

Have a happy half term

Tags

apples, basics, buckets and spades, cider, creativity, cycle, Dan TDM, farms, fish and chips, football, fun, garden centres, half term, Halloween, help, Mario, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, movies, Nine Lives, playroon, pub, pumpkins, Pure Beauty, puzzles, sand castles, sea, shells, snacks, sofa, Storks, sun, supermarket, trains, Trolls

How did we go from back to school excitement to half term chaos in the blink of an eye?

If it seems like you only yesterday you marched your little ones off to school and now they are asking what the holidays have in store, don’t worry we are here to help.

We have done a little research and come up with some fun activities that will keep the whole brood happy all week long.

Get outside
Make the most of the last of the sun and get outside. Enjoy a walk, explore a nature trail, climb some trees or follow a car free cycle route. This half term there are apple festivals and den building, canoe courses and footballs camps to take part in all over the place. Whether you live in the city or country, by the sea or near the river, there is nothing like bundling up and getting some fresh air, stopping on the way home for a hot chocolate and muffin.

Get cooking
Half term is the perfect opportunity to do some baking at home. Cakes and muffins, pies and crumbles, the ideas are endless. Have a look online for some new ideas and why not start a blog to share you wares. You could even get a head start on Christmas and get your cake made and ready in the tin for decorating.

Catch up in some films
Term time can be crazy with extra clubs and activities and fun things, like watching films, can get lost in the madness. Why not use this half term to kick back and catch on the latest blockbusters? Nine Lives, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Trolls and Storks are all currently playing and are apparently worth a watch. Look out for the family mornings where tickets can be as little as £2.50 and there are offers on pick and mix. If you prefer popcorn and flicks from the comfort of your own home, grab some DVDs, dim the lights and enjoy a movie marathon on your sofa.

Pick up a pumpkin.
There are events on farms, garden centres and even in local coffee shops where you can go and try out pumpkin carving for yourself. The stakes get higher every year and levels of creativity are at an all time high in 2016. From traditional ghosts to Mario and even Dan TDM, never has it been so exciting when it comes to pumpkins.

Have a clear out
With everyone at home why not go though the playroom and bedrooms and get rid of the games, toys and clothes that no needs anymore. Take puzzles, jumpers and old trains to the charity shop and feel good about giving back and taking stock.

Visit the beach
Buckets and spades, boots and scarves are all on the list for a day by the seaside in the winter sun. A day on the beach, building sand castles and looking for shells, will take you back to basics and put colour in your cheeks. Once the sun goes down, head to the pub for fish and chips and a pint of cider and start planning your next trip to the sea.

Throw a Halloween party
Whilst most people actually go back to school on 31st October, there is no reason why you can’t host a fab party the weekend before. Your local supermarket will be jam packed with ghoulish snacks and scary costumes, so send out the invites, get the apple bobbing set up and prepare to have one scary night. Oh, and don’t forget to put the pumpkin you craved outside, so the trick or treaters know you are waiting for them.

After all that fun, be sure to order yourself a pampering treat from Pure-Beaty and sit back and relax knowing you have done a great job.

Team Pure-Beauty