How to Detox Your Wardrobe

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With Dry January out of the way and your body akin to a temple (right?), February is the perfect time to go ahead and detox your wardrobe.

Why not spend some time this month looking at what you have, and what you might need, and to get really organised so you look fresh and polished from now right through to the summer.

Set aside a morning or afternoon when you can turn the phone off and just get on with the job in hand! Put it in your diary and stick to it.

Ready? Let’s go.

The six-month rule
If you haven’t worn something in your wardrobe in the past six months, the chances are, you won’t wear it again. This is a time to be honest and ruthless so as you go through your clothes, make three piles – keep, sell, and give away. Those bright pink skinny jeans, the fluffy bomber jacket and those lime green cowboy boots didn’t work for a reason, so don’t hang onto them just incase.

Quality over quantity
You might feel good knowing your wardrobe is bursting open with hundreds of items, but how many do you actually wear and really like? You might not believe us, but having 30 pieces you really love to wear will make your clothes work so much better for you. By doing this you can also see what is missing and what you need to buy, if anything.

It’s a matter of jeans
OK, how many pairs of jeans do you have in your wardrobe? 5, 10, 15…..more???? Jeans are a staple but one that is hard to crack. They need to be the right length, colour, shape, style and only then are they perfect. Cropped jeans elongate legs and there is nothing like a flash of ankle, mid-risers are hip flatterers and skinnies work on so many levels. See which ones fit, get rid of the ones that don’t, and buy a couple of new pairs that make you look, and feel, amazing.

Jump to it
Come rain or shine, winter or spring, fine knits in black, grey and navy are essentials, end of. They are the most versatile items in your wardrobe, so it pays to invest in the best you can afford. They can be worn with tailored trousers for a smart casual look, match them with those perfect jeans you have found, or pop over a dress and you look as if you have pulled a new skirt out of the wardrobe!

Stripes
Whether you are 13, 30 or 83, a long-sleeved Breton t-shirt will always be your fashion friend. They are brilliant to wear with trainers and jeans on the school run or pop under a jacket and you have a more tailored look that will work well for a meeting with clients or lunch with friends.

Go by the seasons
When you are organising your wardrobe, do it by the seasons. As we are in the middle of winter, you can pack away bikinis, kaftans, flip flops and straw hats – wrap them in tissue paper with moth balls, and store away until the snow has thawed and spring is in the air. You want everything else, to be visible so you can grab, and go.

Be an outfit builder
If you want the clothes you have kept to really work for you, create three outfits from each item you have kept. For example, that long-sleeved floral maxi dress can be worn alone, add a jumper and boots and you have a daytime staple, and if you layer with a fine knit and fake fur gillet, you have a boho look that Sienna Millar would be proud to be seen in.

Fold or hang?
If you want them to keep their shape, always fold knits, t-shirts and jeans. You can either layer them in a chest of drawers or get storage accessories that hang in your wardrobe. Trousers and skirts can be hung on clip hangers and for dresses, go for slim hangers. The golden rule with hanging is that you should be able to fit two fingers between each hanger, and this way your clothes don’t get crushed or lost in a blur of fabric.

Sort it out
If you have taken the time to find the clothes that work for you, it is worth sorting them out in a way that works too. Hang dresses, jackets and shirts together, and then have subcategories of work, home, gym, out-out and if you want to go one step further, complete with a spot of colour coordination.

So, now you know what you have to wear, you just need to fill your diary with events to go to.

Team Pure Beauty

Up the beauty odds this autumn

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air conditioning, Aloe Vera, antioxidant serum, battering winds, beauty, beta hydroxy Salicylic Acid, bobble hats, brisk, central heating, chilly, chunky knits, coat, complexion, Coneflower, dead cells, Decleor Flash Radiance Mask, Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant, Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance, dull, eased, elderberry, Elemis Lip Revive, Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm, environmental attacks, evidence, exfoliate, express mask, feed, fine lines, freezing, gentle, Ginkgo, glow, grape seed, Hydrocotyl, imperfections, infused, intensely cleansed, Jan Marini C-ESTA Serum, Lactic Acid, lavender, layer up, Natural fruit enzymes, non-abrasive, nourished, October, Optimega oils, Padina Pavonica, rare rose extracts, renewed, roses, Saro essential oils, skin, snow, soft and supple, staple, starflower, stimulated, summer, thermal tees, Vitamin C, Wild Yam, winter

While we have been enjoying warm sunshine during early October, those brisk early mornings and chilly dark evenings, and battering winds, are all the evidence we need at Pure Beauty to know winter is on the way.

You can layer up in chunky knits, thermal tees and bobble hats to keep your body warm, but at this time of year you need to be thinking about your skin too. Harsh frosts, rain and lower temperatures mixed with the endless blasts of air conditioning and central heating, means our skin is constantly on high alter for all that you throw at it.

At Pure Beauty we stock some great products which will help your skin to glow all winter long.

One way you can be sure your skin is winter ready, is to exfoliate away the dead cells that are getting you down. We love the Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant which is a gentle, non-abrasive exfoliation treatment. Lactic Acid, Beta Hydroxy Salicylic Acid and natural fruit enzymes have been blended to ensure that not only is dull skin removed, but renewal is stimulated too. As you would expect from this brand, conditioning botanical extracts including Lavender, Aloe Vera and Coneflower, have been added and together they soothe the skin and make it as soft as snow.

While roses are usually identified with summer, the Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm is a perfect winter staple. This deep cleansing balm not only dissolves make-up but daily dirt and pollutant build up too. Skin that has suffered at the hands of the elements is immediately cleansed, nourished and renewed by this gorgeous product. Made from a blend of rare rose extracts from around the world and infused with Elderberry, Starflower, Optimega oils and Padina Pavonica, this is a beauty winner in our book.

If you are thinking of stepping up your mosituriser this winter, the Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance could be a good bet. This ultra-rich phytonutrient moisturiser is perfect for dry skin and thanks to added Vitamin C, fine lines are eased and skin is left feeling soft and supple. Vitamins A and E, and Ginkgo protect against environmental attacks while Hydrocotyl, Grape Seed and Wild Yam, reduce the signs of premature ageing, so you will look better than ever.

The harsh winter months can leave even they healthiest skin looking dehydrate and tired. To combat this, why not feed your complexion with the Jan Marini C-ESTA Serum. This powerful antioxidant serum is packed with Vitamin C goodness that helps to ease the appearance of the fine lines and wrinkles that can look more prominent during the colder months. Ongoing use will help skin look smoother and more evenly toned, while deep lines will seem less pronounced and you will look healthie,r even if you are freezing under your coat.

Unless you wear a balaclava, your lips are going to take the full force of winter. Don’t despair, if you carry the Elemis Lip Revive with you, they will stay soft and perfectly moisturised from dawn to dusk, and beyond. A nourishing White Bees Wax base has been enriched with added vitamins and peppermint to create a lip salve that is too cool for school.

For those nights out when you want your skin to glow, why not try the Decleor Flash Radiance Mask? This clever express mask has been created to specifically revive complexions and hide imperfections. Leaving the blend of Elemi and Saro Essential Oils on cleansed skin for just three minutes, will restore radiance and skin will be soft, smooth and even.

We would love to help you decided on which products could be best for you this winter, so why not get in touch and chat through some ideas?

Team Pure Beauty

The simple guide to happy hair

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bacteria, brittleness, brushes, Busy lives, central heating, chop, coconut oil, cold winter months, combs, conditioner, conditioning mask, damage, damp cloth, dandruff, dark brown sugar, deep-cleansing shampoo, drink lots of water, dry naturally, drying, extreme cold, feeling lighter, germs, hair glossy, hairdresser, hairdryers, healthy, heated styling tools, heavy, homes, hydrated, ingredients, locks, longer styles, looking better, lotions and potions, massage, product build up, product residue, regular products, scalp, silicon heavy product, six to eight weeks, skin, snow, split ends, springtime ready, straighteners, super-stylish bottle, tongs, trim, warm water, week, work

Springtime is typically when we spruce up our homes and gardens, but it’s a great time to tackle our locks, too.

The wind and snow of the cold winter months, can cause drying, split ends and dandruff as well as product build up and a lack of bounce and shine.

We have put together a simple, but effective, plan to get your hair glossy, healthy and springtime ready.

Go for a chop
Before you do anything else, book in with your hairdresser and have a decent cut. Busy lives, and longer styles, can mean we leave having a cut for months, but this won’t do you any favours. A trim every six to eight weeks will not only leave your hair looking better and feeling lighter, but it strengthens it so you are less likely to have to deal with split ends and breaking due to brittleness.

Ditch the build up
Product build-up can leave hair looking lank and dull – the opposite of what we want if we are spending hard-earned cash on lotions and potions. Many people don’t know this, but silicon heavy products can, over time, cause build up on the hair shaft which can make it look and feel heavy. To bring your hair back to life, go for a deep-cleansing shampoo and conditioner, something different to your regular products, and wash two or three times a week and let it dry naturally whenever you can.

Put a mask on it
Once a week we suggest that you put a conditioning mask on your hair and let the ingredients get to work. There are some great options on the market, or you can keep things simple and massage coconut oil straight from the pot into your hair and you will feel a difference in no time at all.

Go for the scalp
Winter isn’t just hard on our hair, your scalp is constantly exposed to extreme cold outside then the warmth of central heating inside which can make skin dry and cause flaking. To combat the impact of the winter, mix two tablespoons of dark brown sugar, two tablespoons of fine oats and a tablespoon of olive oil together and massage into your scalp before washing away with warm water and shampoo.

Turn the heat off
We know you love them, but heated styling tools cause all manner of damage to your hair, so why not just turn them off for a week or two and let your hair dry naturally. Put hairdryers, straighteners and tongs away but before you do, give them a clean with a damp cloth to take away product residue as well as bacteria and germs, and this goes for your brushes and combs too.

Go H2O
We say this a lot but drink lots of water. As well as being great for your skin, it helps your hair, too. Buy yourself a super-stylish bottle and take it with you wherever you go to ensure you and your hair are totally hydrated all the time.

We hope these tips get your hair look great all summer long.

Team Pure-Beauty

Sun Protection Isn’t Just For Summer

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acne, antioxidants, broad spectrum, burning, colour, Decleor Anti-Pollution Hydrating Fluid SPF30, Decleor Daily Defence Fluid Shield SPF30, Dermalogica Matte Moisturiser SPF15, Dermalogica Sheer Tint SPF20 Medium, Elemis Liquid Layer SPF30, free radicals, luminosity, matte, microproteins, mineral, moisture, moisturising, natural, oil free, plymeris spheres, protection, rich, sheer, snow, sun, sunscreen, teen, tint, titanium dioxide, UVA, UVB, wash, winter

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It may seem like a really odd time of year to be telling you about sun protection, but it’s actually important to protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays all year round. It’s also possible to get sunburn in the snow, as the powerful reflections can intensify the sun’s effects and leave you looking like a lobster! Here are five of the best “all year” sunscreens that you should be adding to your daily routine.

Decleor Anti-Pollution Hydrating Fluid SPF30

This hydrating fluid from Decleor is a really good all-round, every day moisturiser and it performs a whole bunch of skin-saving tasks. As well as protecting from UVA and UVB rays, it also protects from daily pollution and free radicals which speed up the ageing process. It also adds a wash of moisture to your skin, keeping it healthy and hydrated all day long.

Dermalogica Sheer Tint SPF20 Medium

If you like a wash of colour on your face rather than a full face of make-up, then this tint could be ideal for you. It gives your skin a sheer layer of colour, helping to even the skin tone and contains hyularonic acid and walnut seed oil which moisturise your skin deeply. It’s suitable for all skin types and contains a broad spectrum sun screen which will protect against UVA and UVB rays.

Elemis Liquid Layer SPF30

This sunscreen from Elemis contains naturally occurring Titanium Dioxide which is a physical UV barrier, as well as polymeric spheres to reflect and refract UVA and UVB light. The formula is rich in anti-oxidants to defend against free-radical damage and is an invisible layer which won’t interfere with your regular moisturiser or make-up.

Dermalogica Matte Moisturiser SPF15

Teens with oily skin may find it particularly difficult to use regular sunscreen, which is why Dermalogica created this oil-free, matte moisturiser which contains UVA and UVB protection. It actively absorbs oil and reduced shine and can even be used on acne-prone skin, without causing more spots.

Decleor Daily Defence Fluid Shield SPF30

This sun protection from Decleor is a truly multifunctional product which contains moringa oleifera microproteins to fight pollutants and free radicals, as well as mineral pigments to enhance skin’s natural luminosity. It’s a 100% mineral shield which helps to protect against the sun’s harmful rays and can be used on top of any make up throughout the day, if you need a top up.

There’s an app for that

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Ever noticed how often you ask someone a question and they tell you ‘there’s an app for that’?

Increasingly people are turning to technology in all parts of their lives and while having some downtime away from screens is a good thing, apps can actually really help with the way you live, work, exercise and socialise.

We’ve had a look at some of our favourite apps that we think you might like too.

If you love journaling, you will adore Moodnotes. This cool app lets you jot down your mood and thoughts in an online journal that is easy to use and look cute. As well as tracking how you are feeling, with this on your phone you can learn healthy habits when it comes to thinking patterns and overtime, you can use it to help feel upbeat, more self-aware and it can be a way of taking control of your well-being.

Ever tried to get into your online banking or order your weekly shop and forgotten your password? Well, there’s an app for that. 1Password is free, easy to use and remembers all your passwords and keeps them safe and secure. All you need to remember is that one password and you’ll never be left scratching your head again.

If you struggle to come up with tasty meals, you need the Handpick app. By putting this ‘food discovery app’ on your phone, you will have access to a tonne of trending dishes and inspiring recipes that have been sourced from around the world, and web, that will change the way you cook forever.

Love yoga but never quite make it to your class, then you need Yoga 15 in your life. As well as a great website, the brilliant app teaches agility, balance, flexibility, focus, mobility, strength and relaxation. The easy to follow videos let you take things at your own pace and each one enhances your physical and mental well-being and means you can check out of your schedule for just a little while.

If you like your carpets to be clean and your work surfaces tidy but still want to hangout with your friends, you need Houseparty in your life and one your phone. This handy app opens in your smartphone’s camera and allows up to seven friends to join you, hang out and party on your own terms but without the mess or hangover.

Want to be down with the kids? Well then you need to download SNOW. This is a creative video messaging app that’s already been snapped up by over 100 million users around the world. You can use this app to send stickers and funny vid’s with live face effects to your friends during calls. You can send notes while chatting and invite friends to a group chat so you can catch up and share your secrets, well for 24 hours at least.

Nothing new about this one but we love the Calm app. Thousands of people around the world are benefitting from meditation and mindfulness thanks to this easy to use app. Listen in bed, on the sofa, even on the tube and learn how to bring your breath into the moment and how to keep a handle on your stressful thoughts.

Got an app you love? Let us know what it is.

Team Pure-Beauty