Why You Should Be Paying Attention to Amino Acids

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amino acids, anti-aging, appearance, astringent, basil oil, blow, body, botanical, breakage, building blocks, Burdock, cells, chamomile, cleansing, cucumber, detangling, drying, elasticity, essential, exfoliating, expression, Eyes, Frankincense, frizz, Grapefruit, hair, healthy, heat, hydration, Ivy, Jojoba oil, lavender, lemon, lines, Mallow, moisturised, moisturising, nature, oil, oils, peel, peptides, protect, protection, radiant, rose, sagging, science, shine, skin, smoothness, softness, soothe, split ends, useful, Watercress, youthful

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Amino acids are the building blocks of the cells that make up your body – however, did you know they can also be good for your skin? Amino acids, which contain moisturising, anti-aging, and exfoliating characteristics, can aid with skin elasticity issues that arise as we age. Amino acids come in 20 different varieties, and they are useful for people of all ages and skin types. A more moisturised, youthful, and generally healthy appearance of the skin is achieved by using amino acids in skin care products that also encourage cellular repair and collagen formation. Here are five of our favourite products which harness the power of amino acids:

CACI – Amino-Lift Peptide Complex

This effective anti-ageing skin care cream contains powerful peptides, essential oils and amino acids that target expression lines and help to firm sagging skin. It can be used twice a day after cleansing to give visible results and as well as being packed with amino acids also contains basil oil, jojoba oil, grapefruit peel oil and a number of other other botanical ingredients which nourish and revive your skin. 

L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Vitamino Colour 10-In-1 Multi-Benefit Leave-In Treatment Milk

Amino acids don’t just benefit your face – your hair can also benefit from using products which are infused with amino acids. This leave-in treatment milk from L’Oreal is a multi-benefit spray designed for coloured hair with 10 key benefits. It promises to help your hair to achieve shine, softness, smoothness of hair fibre and hydration, as well as offering protection against heat up to 230°c, detangling, anti-breakage, anti-split ends, anti-frizz and even facilitates blow-drying! 

Aromatherapy Associates Eye Zone Concentrate

The skin around the eyes is one of the thinnest areas of skin on your whole body, which means that it is more prone to premature ageing. This eye cream from Aromatherapy Associates combines powerful, bio-fermented actives, advanced amino acids and an effective pure essential oil blend to lift, tighten and contour the area around the eyes. It also contains rose, camomile and frankincense essential oils to soothe and protect for a radiant, youthful complexion. 

Dermalogica Active Moist

This moisture-rich product from Dermalogica combines the best of nature and science, containing a whole host of ingredients which are taken from natural sources. Silk amino acids help smooth and improve skin texture while natural botanical astringents lemon, ivy, watercress and burdock help to refine the skin. It also contains soothing extracts of lavender, mallow and cucumber to help provide deep-hydration.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Serum

This resurfacing serum from Elemis is so powerful that it’s advised that you avoid sunbeds and always use an SPF while using the treatment! It’s created using a powerful combination of alpha-hydroxy-acids, selastin and patented Tri-Enzyme technology, as well as selected amino acids. This serum smoothes the skins’s surface, revealing a stunning complexion and also helps to reduce the appearance of pores and wrinkles.

Starting College? These Products Will Give Your Teen Skin a Boost

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A-levels, AHI, antimicrobial, antioxidant, apple fruit, apprenticeship, bacteria, BHA, blackhead, blackheads, clarifying, clear skin, college, cowling clay, decongest, exams, excess oil, extractions, extracts, face mask, GCSEs, gel serum, Glycerin, glycolic acid, hormones, hydroxydecanoic, impurities, Lactic Acid, lysophosphatidic, mandelic acid, mango Steen, masks, oiliness, paws, poor refining, purify, radiant, raspberry, redness, results, Salicylic Acid, school, sebacic, sebum, serum, shine, sixth form, skin, skin care, skin issues, smoothness, soothing, spots, spots prone skin, sulphur, teenage, texture, university, visible paws

Photo by Max Fischer

With A-Level results out already and the impending GCSE results coming out next week, there are going to be a LOT of 16-18 year olds thinking about the next stage of their education, here in the UK. Whether you’re off to a new college, going into sixth form, embarking on a degree or even starting a work-based apprenticeship, we’re guessing that you want to put your best foot forward. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of the best skincare for teen skin so that your face will be the last thing you need to worry about when starting your next adventure:

Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask

This clay-based cleansing mask has an active fizzing formula which activates upon application helping to open pores, decongest skin and facilitate blackhead extractions. The clay absorbs excess oil and purifies the skin whilst apple fruit helps to hydrate the skin. It also contains sulphur, which provides anti-microbial benefits to help clear skin, making it the perfect way to cleanse and clear teenage skin. 

Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse

While this product isn’t specifically for teen skin, it has properties which make it perfect for fighting several typically teen issues. It contains an exfoliating AHA/BHA complex of mandelic, lactic and salicylic acid as well as glycerin for a pore refining, deep cleanse. It’s infused with mangosteen and raspberry extracts to provide natural antioxidant protection and increase skin barrier function and thoroughly removes impurities to decongest the skin.

Skin Republic Spots and Blemish Mask

As you’ll know if you come here often, we at Pure Beauty love masks for their enhanced efficacy when it comes to reversing certain skin problems, and this one from Skin Republic is every teen’s best friend. Ideal for spot-prone skin, this calming face mask will reduce shine and redness, as well as tighten pores and eliminate spots without drying out the skin. With anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties, this effective mask will help keep skin clear and radiant.

Elemis Clarifying Serum

Teen skin is prone to spots, due to a combination of hormones and sebum production, but it’s also quite common for teenage skin to be sensitive and reactive, causing redness and worsening breakouts. Elemis Clarifying Serum is a lightweight, soothing serum clinically proven to reduce the appearance of blemishes, visible pores and blackheads in just 2 weeks. Skin is left looking calmer, clearer, more even with improved texture and smoothness.

Murad Outsmart Blemish Clarifying Treatment

Getting rid of stubborn blemishes takes dedicated products such as this clarifying treatment from Murad. It is a medicated lightweight gel serum that is clinically proven to reduce overall blemishes in just 1 week. Salicylic acid combines with lysophosphatidic, hydroxydecanoic, sebacic and glycolic acids in Penta-Acid Technology to clear skin of blemish-causing bacteria, oiliness and blackheads while minimising dryness and irritation, giving you the confidence to go back to school with clear skin. 

Five of the Best Products for Curly Hair

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all hair types, anti-humidity, coconut oil, coiled, conditioners, curly hair, defrays, diffuser, dry hair, dryness, flexible, flyaways, freeze, gels, GHD, glossy, hair, hair gel, hair products, healthier, heat, heavy, heavy creams, hydrated, L’Oreal, lightweight, mask, natural, naturally curly, non brittle, non-crunchy, nourish, nourishment, oil, repair, scrunching, serums, Shea butter, shine, silky, smoothness, spring, styling routine, technology, tongs, wet hair

Photo by Vlada Karpovich

It wasn’t so long ago that the options for caring for naturally curly hair were pretty much limited to scrunching a bit of gel through after washing and leaving it to dry down to a slightly crunchy finish. Thankfully, the curly haired among us have made it known that they deserve far better when it comes to hair care in recent years and the curly girl revolution is well and truly underway. The rise in demand for dedicated hair products for curly hair means that many brands have risen to meet this, and we have a number of products on our shelves which will care for your curls better than ever before. Here are five of the best products to help you to look after your curly hair:

Color Wow Dream Coat for Curly Hair

If you’re sick and tired of the gels we mentioned above then this product from Color Wow will be a breath of fresh air for your hair. It’s a super-light, alcohol-free formula that delivers all the combined benefits of out-dated gels, serums and heavy creams, rolled into one. The product is enriched with powerful polymers that work to moisturise, condition and de-frizz curly locks whilst restoring bounce and ensuring flexible, non-brittle endurance and glossy shine. The results are waves and spirals that are perfectly bundled, hydrated and non-crunchy with supernatural shine.

GHD Curly Ever After Curl Hold Spray

Depending on your curl type, you may sometimes use tongs or a diffuser to ensure that your curls are uniform and properly coiled. This hold spray from ghd will deliver up to a 12 hour curl hold for a style that lasts all night. It contains the ghd heat protect system to form a protective thermal layer over the surface of the hair for smoothness and a healthier feel. ghd curly ever after spray is suitable for all hair types to maximise your heat styling routine.   

L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Liss Unlimited Masque

Curly hair can often suffer from dryness, but the issue is that many conditioners are too heavy and will weigh your curls down completely. L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Liss Unlimited Masque will nourish, repair and smooth your frizzy hair, working in minutes, leaving you with super silky smooth locks. This mask takes advantage of its key technology, Polymer AR to wrap the hair fibre with a special anti-humidity shield, keeping it smooth and glossy while stopping frizz in its tracks.

Nine Yards Twist N Shout Curl Revival Cream

Nine Yards Twist N Shout Curl Revival Cream is a lightweight cream that functions as a styling and caring product for a full curl comeback. This formula conditions and revives the natural shape of the curls by adding moisture to the hair. It contains natural shea butter and coconut oil to condition dryness and add a natural spring and shine to your curls.

Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil

Olaplex is one of the biggest names in hair care right now, and this bonding oil is a saviour for those of us with a curly mane. This oil provides highly concentrated nourishment to help repair dry and damaged hair whilst improving manageability by minimising frizz and flyaways and providing heat protection up to 232°C. It’s suitable for all hair types and can be used on wet or dry hair, but it will revive and protect your curls without weighing them down. 

Opting for Organic

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accelerate repair, acerola cherries, ageing, artificial colours, damage, DEA, Dermalogica MultiVitamin Power Firm, elasticity, Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask, Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Serum, Elemis Quiet Mind Temple Balm, eucalyptus, face lift, firm, improve, ingredient, lemon, menthol, Methylsilanol Manurronate, mineral oils, organic, organic fruit acids, parabens, Patchouli, protect, resurfacing, seaweed, Silicones, smoothness, sodium laureth sulphate, strengthen, strengthened, wrinkles

Royalty-free inage

While many people focus on the products that they consume, like foods and drink, and opt for organic products to ensure the best quality, not everyone has the same idea when it comes to the products we put ON our bodies. Here at Pure Beauty, we stock many products which contain organic ingredients and these are five of our favourites:

Elemis British Botanical Shower Cream

This shower cream from Elemis is a nourishing formula based on organic oats and contains essential oils of lavender, chamomile, geranium and palmarosa, all of which were produced in Great Britain. Omega-rich echium oil works to hydrate and nourish the skin, whilst vitamin and mineral rich organic Oats and Rosemary gently cleanse the skin, for a truly restorative in-shower experience.

Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm

This firming cream from Dermalogica contains organic silicones – this is important because low-quality silicones can drag on the skin, create a sticky feel and can even bobble on the skin rather than soaking in properly. It’s designed for ageing skin and promises to protect against damage, accelerate repair, strengthen elasticity and improve smoothness.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask

This gel mask from Elemis is designed to resurface the skin, leaving it look tighter, firmer and more even. It harnesses the power of organic fruit acids from acerola cherries which safely and effectively exfoliate the skins surface adding to the resurfacing efficacy of the mask. It bears the Elemis promise, which means it contains no parabens, sodium laureth sulphate, DEA, mineral oils or artificial colours.

Elemis Quiet Mind Temple Balm

This little bottle contains a highly powerful blend of essential oils, including organic menthol, which combine to soothe the senses, aid relaxation, make sleep come more easily and help promote harmony, tranquillity and relaxation. As well as menthol, it contains patchouli, eucalyptus and lemon, all known for their calming properties.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Serum

This serum from Elemis is a huge ally in the battle against ageing and contains methylsilanol manurronate, an organic derivative of seaweed, which helps to bind moisture in the layers of the skin, leaving skin feeling firm and strengthened whilst smoothing the appearance of wrinkles. The product has an immediate tightening and firming effect – we like to call it our ‘face lift in a bottle’!