Reset for Spring – Use These Ingredients NOW to See a Difference in Your Skin!

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acid, bakuchiol, collagen, Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser, Dermalogica PowerBright Dark Spot Serum, dull skin, enlarged pores, gel, gentle, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, hydrate, ingredient, ingredients, Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask, moisturiser, natural, Niacinamide, pores, REN Clean Skincare Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream, Republic Vitamin C 6% Serum, retinoids, retinol, sensitive skin, serum, skin, This Works My Wrinkles CBD Booster + Bakuchiol, uneven skintone, vitamin, Vitamin C, wrinkles

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich

While we might still be firmly in the grips of winter, many of us are already starting to think forward to the warmer, brighter days of spring. This may involve trying to improve our fitness, giving your house a thorough decluttering, or possibly getting control of your complexion before the warmer weather arrives. If you are concentrating on the latter, using products containing the following five ingredients between now and the start of spring (although maybe not all of them at the same time!) is sure to reset your skin and give you the complexion of your dreams:

Vitamin C

Adding vitamin C to your skin care routine can not only brighten your complexion but also protect against skin damage caused by sun exposure and harmful free radicals. This potent antioxidant is commonly used in face cleansers, serums, oils, and moisturisers. Skin Republic Vitamin C 6% Serum is a great place to start, and we’d also recommend adding REN Clean Skincare Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream, which is a light gel cream moisturiser to hydrate and illuminate your skin.

Glycolic Acid

Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), a natural acid derived from plants. It’s made up of tiny molecules that can easily penetrate your skin barrier, helping to make it a particularly effective anti-ageing ingredient that promotes good skin health. Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser is packed with this acid and will help renew dull, uneven skin tone and remove build-up caused by environmental factors. 

Hyaluronic Acid

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last ten years, you’ve likely heard of hyaluronic acid as it’s in so many different skincare products – with good reason! It is a powerful component that both binds moisture to the skin and is suitable for all skin types and ages. It’s found naturally in the skin, although production reduces as we age. When added to skincare, it helps to hydrate the skin, gives a plumper, wrinkle-free appearance and makes your complexion look more radiant. For an easy introduction to hyaluronic acid, we recommend Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask.

Bakuchiol

We’ve written about bakuchiol before, and it’s an ingredient which is worth mentioning over and over again! Retinoids are potent ingredients which encourage faster turnover of surface skin cells and boosts collagen, as well as improving skin tone and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. However, for some, retinoids are a little TOO powerful for their sensitive skin and can cause irritation and discomfort. Bakuchiol is a gentle, naturally occurring alternative, found in This Works My Wrinkles CBD Booster + Bakuchiol, which is perfect for those with sensitive skin. 

Niacinamide

Also known as vitamin B3, niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works with the natural substances in your skin to help visibly minimise enlarged pores, improve uneven skin tone, soften fine lines and wrinkles, diminish dullness, and strengthen the skin’s surface. It can be found in Dermalogica PowerBright Dark Spot Serum, along with hexylresorcinol to help fade dark spots and shiitake mushrooms, which are rich in beta glucans, to help to brighten skin.

Allantoin – The Best Soothing Ingredient that Nature Has to Offer?

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acne, acne scars, alcohol, algae extracts, Allantoin, anti-irritant, Arnica, blue Lotus extracts, botanical, botanical extracts, breakouts, chamomile, cleansers, combination skin, Comfrey, cuts, debris, decongest, dirt, dryness, dullness, Europe, exfoliate, face masks, Glycerin, glycolic acid, hands, herb, hydrate, hydrolipid, ingredient, ingrown hairs, irritation, itching, Lactic Acid, lightweight, lotions, Magnolia Essential Oil, moisture, moisture balance, nails, natural sources, normal skin, nourish, oil, oily skin, organic, pore minimising, pores, purify, Salicylic Acid, salicylic acid serum, scrapes, sensitive skin, serums, Shea butter, skin problems, skincare, smooth skin, soothe, sugar beat, tobacco seed, urea, uric acid, Vitamin E, water, wheat sprouts, white meadowfoam oil

Photo by Ron Lach

As you’ll know if you’re a regular visitor to our site, we like to keep our fingers on the pulse when it comes to skincare ingredients and trends. One such ingredient which has been popping up a lot lately is allantoin. It’s something which has been around for some time, but it’s going through something of a renaissance, with many major skincare companies including in their products. Here’s the lowdown on allantoin:

What is allantoin?

As we mentioned above, allantoin is used in many skin care products, including cleansers, lotions, serums, and face masks. Due to its anti-irritant properties, companies tend to add it to products that hydrate and soothe the skin. This ingredient is perfect for sensitive skin and is usually derived from natural sources.

Where is it found? 

In its natural form, allantoin is found in several plants, such as sugar beet, chamomile, tobacco seed, and wheat sprouts. A popular source of allantoin is the extract of comfrey, a species of herb native to Europe. It can also be prepared synthetically for cosmetic use, either by oxidation of uric acid, reaction of dichloroacetic acid and urea, or condensation reaction between glyoxylic acid and urea. (Don’t worry, that’s the last time today that we’ll get so scientific!)

What is it good for?

Allantoin might be your ticket to super smooth skin. It’s one of those amazing ingredients that offers a major bang for your buck and is great if you’re dealing with dryness, dullness, irritation, acne scars and even cuts and scrapes. Allantoin is also known for its ability to add more water to your skin. It can help your skin hang on to moisture longer, and helps fight annoying skin issues like dryness, itching, and irritation, which can ultimately lead to more skin problems, like acne or oily skin. 

Which products contain allantoin?

Decleor White Magnolia Hand and Nail Cream

This light cream is ideal for use throughout the day to leave skin beautifully scented and provide essential care for hands and nails. Key active ingredients include white meadowfoam oil to regenerate the hydrolipid film, shea butter and allantoin to nourish and soothe, plus magnolia essential oil to help protect and reinforce the skin.

Lycon Ingrown X-It Solution

With allantoin, salicylic acid, lactic acid and arnica, Lycon Ingrown X-It Solution is a break through spray formula for the face and body. It mildly exfoliates, decongests and helps minimise the appearance and discomfort of ingrown hairs. 

Medik8 Blemish Control Pads

Pre-soaked in a clarifying maximum strength salicylic acid serum, Medik8 Blemish Control Pads dissolve oil and dirt from deep within the pore to purify problem complexions. Crafted without alcohol and infused with allantoin and glycerin, they protect the skin’s natural moisture balance to ward off dryness, while caring for the most sensitive of skin types.

Murad Clarifying Body Spray

Murad Clarifying Body Spray is a quick-drying formula that helps prevent body breakouts. Salicylic acid helps clear up blemishes as glycolic acid helps clear away pore-clogging debris. Allantoin and blue lotus extract help soothe irritation for healthier-looking skin.

SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture

SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture is a lightweight, pore minimising moisturiser, designed to hydrate and nourish normal, combination and oily skin. It contains an exclusive combination of vitamin E, three nutrient-rich algae extracts, and a blend of seven botanical extracts including allantoin. 

Five Masks to Add to Your Summer Skin and Hair Care Routine

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absorbed, air conditioning, and skincare, beta glucan, blemishes, brassy, breakouts, brittle, Centella Asiatica Extract, chest, chlorine, comforting, complexion, concentrated, cooling, cosmetic procedures, Dalton, dehydration, dry hair, dull, exercise, face, face masks, frangipani, frizzy, hair, hair care, hair damage, heat wave, holiday, hot weather, intensive, irritable scalp, lip area, macadamia, mask, masks, moisture barrier, Moringa, neck, non-sticky, oily skin, oversensitivity, pink clay, potent, protected, radiant, redness, reparative, Rose Essential Oil, routine, salt water, scalp, sensitive skin, sesame, softness, strength, stress, summer, sun, sun exposure, sweet almond plant, temporary redness, treatment, white mushroom extract, wind, wind burn, yeast

Photo by Anna Shvets

It’s easy to associate the summer with oily skin, blemishes, breakouts, dull and dry hair and an irritable scalp. However, waiting for the summer to end for that radiant face and shining hair isn’t a viable solution, so a quick fix to beat the heat is needed. The best solution is to switch up your skin and hair care routine by adding effective cooling hair and face masks to your stock of beauty products and we’ve got some awesome ones to help you to get through the heatwave:

Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask

With summer fun unfortunately comes summer hair damage and after spending time in the wind, sun, chlorine, salt water and air conditioning your hair may be dull, brassy, frizzy, dry or brittle. Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask is an at-home reparative treatment mask that provides intense moisture to treat damaged hair. It’s an intensive, concentrated treatment that only needs ten minutes to transform your locks. 

REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask

Hot weather can play havoc with sensitive skin, increasing redness, causing dehydration and exacerbating the key signs of sensitive skin. REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask is specially developed to combat over-sensitivity and will strengthen the protective moisture barrier to aid recovery and increase skin’s ability to cope with stress, improving skin well-being. It contains white mushroom extract, which helps to protect the skin against discomfort and beta-glucan from yeast, which moisturises and reduces signs of sensitivity.    

SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque 

This mask from SkinCeuticals is designed to soothe skin after sun exposure, exercise, windburn and even cosmetic procedures. It delivers intense cooling and calming comfort to skin sensitivity and is suitable for irritated, sensitive skin prone to temporary redness. It can be used on the face, chest and neck (avoiding the eye and lip areas) and is ideal for taking on holiday…or using during an unseasonably hot summer! 

Decleor Organic Harmonie Calm Soothing Comfort 2 in1 Cream and Mask

This multi-functional product can be used as both a soothing cream and a potent mask, depending on how you wish to use it. Rose essential oil, sweet almond plant oils and centella asiatica extract soothe the complexion, even the skin tone and stabilise your skin all day long. With its fresh and non-sticky texture, this cream and mask is rapidly absorbed so your skin is protected and soothed without any discomfort. 

Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Hair and Scalp Mask

Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Hair and Scalp Mask is a luxurious weekly, intensive hair and scalp mask treatment formulated with frangipani monoi and pink clay to help restore softness and strength to dry, damaged hair. The pink clay provides hair with a deep clean, while a moisturising blend of sesame, moringa, macadamia and frangipani oils nourish the hair, making it the perfect partner during the long, hot summer. 

Five of the Best Ingredients for Youthful Skin

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acidic, acne, ageing, all skin types, allergic reactions, alternative, anti-aging, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, ayurvedic medicine, bakuchiol, blemish prone, breastfeeding, ceramides, Chinese medicine, collagen, combination skin, complexion, dark spots, dehydrated, delicate, dermatology, dry skin, dryness, eczema, epidermis, Eyes, fats, firm, firmer feeling, germs, glowing, healthy, humectant, hyaluronic acid, Indian Babchi plant, inflammation, leaves, lines, lipids, melanin, moisture, oceans, oil based, oily skin, pigmentation, plump, plumper, potent, pregnant, products, Psoriasis, rainforests, reinforce, retinoids, retinol, rosacea, seeds, sensitive skin, sensitivity, skin, skin barrier, skin care, skin cells, skin issues, smoother, sun damage, topically, useful, vitamin A, Vitamin C, water, wrinkles

Photo by Karolina Grabowska

Here at Pure Beauty, we’re well aware of how confusing skincare can feel. There’s a different product for every different skin issue and a wealth of ingredients which vary from things found in your pantry to things found in the deepest oceans or rainforests! Looking at ingredient lists often feels like trying to decipher an unknown language, but there are some key things that you can look for if you’re in the market for anti-ageing products. Here are five of the best ingredients for maintaining a youthful complexion:

Retinol 

Retinol is a form of vitamin A that’s suitable for the skin. It belongs to a group of vitamin A derivatives, known as retinoids. Retinol has multiple uses and can be used to combat conditions like acne and can target areas of pigmentation. It can also reduce signs of ageing and sun damage. Retinoids don’t work equally well on everyone. If you suffer from rosacea, eczema, or psoriasis, it’s probably best to avoid retinol since it can be too powerful on skin that needs a gentle touch – it can increase inflammation, dryness and sensitivity in already delicate complexions.

Try Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant — a substance that retains moisture — and it is capable of binding over one thousand times its weight in water. This substance is naturally found in many areas of the human body, including the skin and eyes. Hyaluronic acid helps skin stretch and flex and reduces skin wrinkles and lines. Hyaluronic acid is also proven to help wounds heal faster and can reduce scarring. Allergic reactions to hyaluronic acid are rare, so that means whether you have oily skin, sensitive, dry skin, or combination skin, you have the green light to use hyaluronic acid products.

Try SkinCeuticals H.A. (Hyaluronic Acid) Intensifier Serum 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C can help keep skin looking plump and firm. This is because it’s highly acidic when applied topically and can help to promote collagen production and reduce the appearance of ageing skin. It also contains a property that inhibits the skin’s melanin production levels, two of the culprits that can lead to dark spots and hyperpigmentation, making it an absolute hero at giving you a glowing, healthy complexion. It’s usually found in oil-based products, so may not be ideal for acne and blemish prone skin, but it’s great for pretty much all other skin types. 

Try REN Clean Skincare Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream

Bakuchiol

If you’re looking for an alternative to retinol that can be used on more sensitive skin, bakuchiol is a good place to start. Bakuchiol is found in the seeds and leaves of the Indian Babchi plant and has been used in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for centuries. It also has calming anti-inflammatory and healing antibacterial properties and is even safe for use when pregnant and breastfeeding. It’s a potent-yet-kind ingredient which the British Journal of Dermatology found was just as effective as retinol and significantly less irritating, which is great news for anyone looking for an alternative.

Try Medik8 The CSA Bakuchiol Edition Kit

Ceramides

Ceramides are fats or lipids that are found in skin cells and make up 30% to 40% of your outer skin layer, or epidermis. Ceramides are important for retaining your skin’s moisture and preventing the entry of germs into your body. If your skin’s ceramide content decreases, which often happens with age, it can become dehydrated. Skincare products with ceramides will help reinforce your skin’s barrier and increase hydration, giving you plumper, smoother, firmer-feeling skin with fewer visible lines and wrinkles, as well as fewer signs of sensitivity.

Try Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Moisture IQ

Busting More Beauty Myths

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chemicals, cleansing, damage, deficiency, follicle, hair, harmful rays, hypoallergenic, ingredients, irritant, irritating, make up, make-up, makeup, misinformation, Myth, nail polish, nails, natural, natural ingredients, oxygen, safe, sensitive skin, shave, Shaving, sleep, sunscreen, synthetic, thicker, Vitamin D

Photo by Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash

Back in 2019, we wrote this post where we looked at some of the oldest and most persistent beauty myths around and gave you the truths behind them. The beauty industry seems to be awash with untruths about what is and isn’t good for you and your skin, and there are many more myths out there which need to be debunked, so we’ve come up with five more myths and the reality behind them: 

“Using sunscreen all year round causes vitamin D deficiency”

Sunscreen’s effect on vitamin D levels is actually minimal for most people. The truth is that everyone is at risk for vitamin D deficiency whether they have lighter skin tones or darker skin tones, even among people who live in sunny climates and are outdoors year-around. Skipping sunscreen is a case where the risk significantly outweighs the reward, so it just doesn’t make any sense to do in hopes of increasing your vitamin D levels.

“Wearing makeup every day is bad for your skin”

While wearing lots of makeup can be cumbersome for the skin on your face, wearing makeup consistently won’t actually make your skin worse. Granted, a day with no makeup feels great, but the real culprit of skin damage is not consistently washing your makeup off and leaving makeup on overnight. And no, using a face wipe won’t do the trick, either! Make sure you use a proper make-up removing cleanser and the effect of your make-up on the skin should be minimal. 

“Shaving makes your hair grow back thicker”

This is one of THE most persistent (and if we’re honest, IRRITATING!) beauty myths out there. Shaving will not make your hair grow back thicker, faster, or darker. The growth of hair is controlled by the follicle, and shaving doesn’t affect the follicle or growth pattern whatsoever. Your hair just might appear more stubbly because the blade cuts the hair at the thickest part. There are products which can help to slow the regrowth, but there’s no need to worry about turning into a yeti just from shaving! 

“Nail polish harms nails because it prevents them from breathing”

Nails are dead cells. The reality is that nails do not actually “breathe”; they receive their nutrients and oxygen from the bloodstream and not the air. If your nails are feeling weak and damaged, especially after having gel polish or extensions, using Protein Formula For Nails No:4 can help to restructure and strengthen damaged nails, whilst hydrating and promoting healthy nails.

“Natural ingredients are better for sensitive skin”

If you have sensitive skin, it can be easy to think that ingredients which are derived from natural sources will be less irritating than those which aren’t. However, this is simply not true. Some of our most potent products are made almost entirely from natural ingredients and in fact, it’s important to be selective about ALL ingredients, not just the synthetic ones. There are lots of synthetic ingredients proven to be hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. And even if a synthetic ingredient has the potential for irritation, cosmetic chemists have the ability to remove the allergenic portion of the ingredient in a lab, making it more tolerable for your skin.