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.

How to Be Mole-Safe with Pure Beauty

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blemishes, Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50, Dermalogica Solar Defence Booster, freckles, melanoma, moles, protection, rays, skin, skin cancer, solar defence, SPF50, sun, sun safe, UVA, UVB

Photo Credit: Gigi Hadid/Instagram

In the past, women in the public eye would do their best to cover any “imperfections” on their skin and Photoshop was a magazine editor’s best friend if any of their models had moles. However, with the likes of top supermodel Gigi Hadid embracing her moles and showing them off in all their glory, we thought we’d take a look at some of the ways that you too can embrace your blemishes in a healthy way.

Keep an Eye on Them

There are apps online which actually allow you to take photographs of your moles, document them with times and dates, and then compare them to pictures at a later date, giving you the all-important info about whether your moles have changed size, shape or colour. The rule to remember is “ABCDE” – if your moles are ASYMMETRICAL have a ragged BORDER, uneven or dark in COLOUR, change DIAMETER or EVOLVE in any other way, they should be seen by your GP.

Protect Them from the Sun

We all know how harmful the sun’s rays can be, but moles are particularly vulnerable to them and can put you at greater risk of something nasty if you don’t use protection. Opting for a high SPF sun lotion, such as Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50 and paying close attention to moles and freckles when applying should give you peace of mind. We advise using this all year round, too, as winter sun can still be harmful.

Think About Where They Are

Moles on your body are likely to be covered up by clothing for most of the year, especially if you live in the UK, but it’s possible to have moles just about anywhere on your body and moles on your face, hands or neck will be most vulnerable. If you already use a moisturiser or hand cream in these areas, you can add a great boost of protection by adding Dermalogica Solar Defence Booster SPF50 to your usual creams.

If In Doubt…

As much as we embrace beautiful moles and freckles, if you have a blemish which is worrying you, see a GP or dermatologist about having it removed. Imperfections are truly beautiful and make us unique, however nothing is worth risking your health over and if you’ve a family history of cancer, it’s best to get them removed.

Caring for Your Skin After a Chemical Peel

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chemical peel, dead skin, decleor, dermalogica, Dermalogica Pure Light SPF50, flaky, hyperpigmentation, moisture, moisturise, peeling, Renew, replenish, sensitive, sensitized, side-effects, skin, SPF50

Here at Pure Beauty, we feel that the products we offer from Dermalogica and Decleor are more than enough to ensure that we don’t need to go for more drastic measures such as fillers and chemical peels. However, we know how a-peel-ing (see what we did there?!) the prospect of totally renewed skin can be and that a chemical peel can seem like a good idea, so we thought we’d put together a guide for helping you to care for your face after taking the plunge.

Be Gentle

The single most important thing we can tell you is to BE GENTLE! The skin which has been peeled away has revealed the brand new, extremely delicate and sensitive skin beneath and it needs to be treated with the utmost respect. Opt for the mildest cleanser you can find; we recommend Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser which is designed to cleanse and protect even the most delicate and sensitive of skin.

Don’t Over-Moisturise

The whole point of a peel is to destroy the top layer of skin, which means that your face will feel dry and flaky once the chemicals have started to work. It’s tempting to add moisture to your skin when it feels this way but actually, in order to get the full benefit of the treatment you need to allow your skin to dry out and flake away.

Replenish

Once the old, dead skin has fully peeled away, NOW is the time to start replenishing the new, rejuvenated skin with the moisture it needs. One of the unwanted side-effects of a chemical peel is that the peel can actually increase melanin production temporarily, which can cause dark spots. Using a product which reduces the effects of hyperpigmentation is really important, so investing in Dermalogica Pure Light SPF50 ahead of time is a good idea.

Stay Away from the Sun

Keeping your brand-new skin away from the sun is also very important. Your risk of burning is FAR higher when you’ve had a chemical peel and burning brand new skin right away, causing sun damage, completely defeats the object of having a peel in the first place! The Dermalogica Pure Light SPF50 that we mentioned above is good for this reason too; the SPF50 gives added protection if you simply aren’t able to stay indoors.

Don’t Exfoliate

This may seem like a no-brainer but exfoliating is a big no-no right now. Your skin is probably the most delicate and sensitive it will ever be and exfoliating it now could cause you some serious discomfort. It may be tempting to help the flaky skin to peel away but YOU MUST RESIST!

Poolside Products

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beauty, decleor, Decleor Ultra Protective Hydrating Milk SPF50 Body, dermalogica, Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream, Dermalogica Climate Control Lip Treatment, Dermalogica Emergency Spot Fix, Dermalogica Sheer Tint SPF20, holiday, lip balm, moisturiser, pool, poolside, SPF, SPF20, SPF30, SPF50, sunscreen, swimming, tint, vacation

If you’re lucky enough to be jetting off to warmer climes this summer, or even if you have your own pool at home and are planning a staycation, there are several things that you’ll want to keep in your bag. Dermalogica and Decleor have a number of products which are perfect for keeping in your bag while you’re poolside and we thought we’d share just a few of them with you.

Decleor Ultra Protective Hydrating Milk SPF50 Body

Obviously, the most important things about laying in the sun is…sun protection! Using a sunscreen with a high SPF will allow you to spend time in the sun without burning and will prevent the suns harmful rays from accelerating the signs of ageing. This SPF50 from Decleor is highly moisturising and will rehydrate skin which may have been dried by chlorine or salt water.

Dermalogica Sheer Tint SPF20

Wearing a full face of make while you’re poolside is a fools errand, especially if you’re planning to actually swim in the water, combined with sweat will likely decimate your carefully applied make up. If you don’t want to go completely bare-faced, Dermalogica Sheer Tint is a great idea as it gives you colour and coverage as well as an added SPF20 protection for your face and can be reapplied whenever needed.

Dermalogica Climate Control Lip Treatment

Laying in the sun for hours is a sure-fire way to dry your lips out, so keeping a lip balm in your bag like Dermalogica Climate Control Lip Treatment is wise. The treatment is specially formulated to keep your lips hydrated in extremes of temperature, so even those of us jetting off to the warmest places will be well protected!

Dermalogica Emergency Spot Fix

The last thing you want while you’re doing your best to look glamorous on your lounger is for a pimple to emerge, so keeping a product like Dermalogica Emergency Spot Fix in your bag could be a real life saver. Dab onto a blemish as soon as you feel it starting to come out and it will help to reduce redness and inflammation, as well as killing the spot causing bacteria.

Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream

Our reasons for recommending this product are actually two-fold. Obviously it’s hugely important to keep your skin moisturised to look best in your swimsuit, but this moisturiser also contains tea-tree oil, which is a natural insect repellent. This means that by slathering yourself in this cream from Dermalogica you could be rehydrating your skin AND keeping the mozzies at bay.

Prolong the life of your tan

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after sun, aftersun, ageing, damage, Dermalogica Ultra Rich Body Cream, gradual, harmful, hydrate, moisturise, natural, prolong, protect, replenish, skin, SPF, SPF15, SPF30, SPF50, sun, tan, tanner, tanning, UVA, UVB

Here a Pure Beauty, tanning is a bit of a hot topic for us; while we love to travel and spend time in warmer climates, we’re all too aware of the damage that the sun can do to our skins and how much of an effect that has on the ageing process. However, tans which are achieved naturally and gradually (i.e. not through deliberately baking ourselves in the sun for hours) can give us a healthy glow that we want to hold onto, so we thought we’d share some tips and tricks for prolonging your tan, with the use of some handy Decleor and Dermalogica products.

Use the right sunscreen

So many people still think that if you use sunscreen you won’t tan, which is nonsense. Using the right broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high SPF will protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays and prevent your skin from burning. Using a minimum of SPF30 is essential (unless you’re naturally dark skin, when an SPF15 should suffice) as is reapplying every 2 hours, to ensure your skin absorbs only the good parts of the suns rays.

Find Shade

The skin has a natural cut-off point for how much melanin it will produce, which means that sitting in the sun all day long isn’t going to increase the depth of your tan if you’re just not that dark skinned to begin with. Give your skin regular breaks by sitting in the shade to avoid damage from UVA and UVB rays and use an aftersun to replenish the moisture lost and prolong your tan.

Eat carrots!

Okay, this one may sound a little ridiculous but beta-carotene is found in carrots and can hugely improve the skin’s ability to tan. It’s best taken as a supplement, rather than becoming a Bugs Bunny impersonator, but taking a beta-carotene supplement daily can improve your skins natural defences against the sun and will give you longer before the skin starts to burn, as well as increasing melanin production, the thing which gives us a colour.

MOISTURISE!

Sorry to get all shouty, but we cannot emphasise this one enough: MOIST-U-RISE! Keeping the skin well hydrated is the single most important step towards maintaining your tan. Skin which is dehydrated will immediately start to look dull and more pale, so we recommend stepping up your moisturising routine and adding something rich like Dermalogica Ultra Rich Body Cream to give you maximum moisture potential.

Fake it

If all else fails, fake it! There’s no point risking your health to top up your tan when there are so many amazing gradual tanners on the market which allow you to build a natural looking colour without ANY of the risks associated with tanning.