Easy ways to add a little exercise into your life

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abs, ankle, arms, ballet, body, breathing, bright, build, cardio exercise, cardiovascular health, cool down, coordination, crunches, decent trainers, exercising, focus, foot, friends, gentle jogging, good shape, group hug, gym, happy, heart healthy, heart rate, Heel raises, injuries, intense cardio training, itness levels, jog, joints, lesson, low impact, low risk, meditative elements, mental wellbeing, muscle flexibility, muscles, neck, OTT, Pilates, pressure, right track, rope, salsa, schedule, serious, social element, Speed walking, sport, still mind, still your mind, strengthen, stretch out, summer, supple, sweat, swim, tai chi, time, together, warm up, water, work out, yoga, Zumba

We know that exercising can impact all areas in your life, for the better, but we also know that getting time to actually do it can be hard. We’ve had a look at how you can fit just a little bit of workout time into your schedule so you feel bright and happy all day long.

Jog on
If you’re not keen on intense cardio training but would like to break out in a slight sweat, then how about some gentle jogging? This exercise helps to strengthen your entire body and keep you in good shape, without putting huge pressure on your joints. We do suggest that you invest in some decent trainers, take water with you, and always warm-up and cool down to prevent injuries.

Speed walking
Taking it down another notch from jogging, we have speed walking. You might not know this but a brisk walk can help build your cardiovascular health and can also boost your mental wellbeing. This really is a low commitment exercise that anyone can fit into their day, and if you have a dog, even better as they need their walk and you can get fit together!

Yoga
As well as keeping your heart healthy, it is also important to ensure you have muscle flexibility and a still mind, and yoga can do this for you. Yoga, as well as tai chi and Pilates, engage your muscles so they stay healthy and you also have the meditative elements that still your mind, allow you to focus on your breathing and bring down your anxiety.

Crunch it out
If you want to work on your abs without going OTT in the gym, simple crunches are the way to go. Crossing your arms across your chest while doing these exercises can help you to avoid pulling on your neck and causing injury. If you aren’t quite sure how to get this right, ask a PT and they will be only too happy to assist so you know you are on the right track.

Shake it out
Dancing is an amazing way to keep fit, stay healthy and make friends. Zumba, ballet, salsa, and tap are just some of the options out there and not only will taking part make you feel good but because of the social element, you will feel like you’ve had a group hug at the end of the session.

Go for a swim
We often think about swimming in the summer but this is a great cardio exercise that will benefit your health and mental well-being all year round. As swimming isn’t dangerous for joints and muscles, it’s something many of us can enjoy, and if you are serious about your strokes, book in a lesson or two and really make this sport work for you.

Raise your heals
Heel raises, which involve deliberately lifting and lowering your heels off the floor, can help to address weakness, balance, range of motion, and coordination of the foot and ankle. This might seem like a really simple move, but it goes a long way to stretch out those muscles and keep you supple.

Skip away
A rope and a little space can really get your heart rate up and those feel-good endorphins pumping! You don’t have to do it for ages, and while you’ll be surprised at how hard it is when you start, build it up over time and your fitness levels will boom.

Team Pure Beauty

Exercise Apps You’ll Love

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0-day beginner’s course, 30 minutes per day, 5k, abs, addictive, app, barre, beach holiday, board, body, boxing, cardio, chillout, community, competition, cycling distances, Daily Yoga, de-stress, determination, digital, downloading, downward dogs, feel good endorphins, finish line, fit, fitness studios, focus, four week to summer fitness programme, free trial, friend, From Couch to 5k, get fit, Gixo, Headspace, HIIT, important, intimidated, Judgement, kettlebell, mind, mindfulness, motivated, newbies, one stop, performance, personalised teaching approach, physical workout, progesss, running, Russian twists and reverse crunches, shop, Six Pack in 30 Days, speeds, start, Strava, strength routines, strong, Studio Tone It Up, sun salutations, sweat, three days a week, tip-top condition, tone, toned, total beginner, track, walking, warrior poses, wellness, wellness journey, willpower, work out, yoga, yoga and meditation

If you hate going to the gym and feel intimated by fancy fitness studios, why not jump on the digital bandwagon and get fit with an app?

OK, you will need a certain amount of willpower and determination, but free from judgement and competiton, by downloading an app, you can work-out when it suits you, wherever you like and you can often track your progress so you stay motivated too.

We have had a look at some of the best options out there to keep you in tip-top condition.

Gixo
Day and night, teachers are available on Gixo for 15, 25 and 40-minute sessions of running, walking, HIIT and strength routines that you can do without having to leave your living room. With no excuses about not being able to find time to get to the gym, you can try a free trial at home and then get to work with the ‘four week to summer fitness programme’ – what are you waiting for?

Daily Yoga
If you want something a little less intense and a bit more zen, then the Daily Yoga app offers over 100 yoga and meditation classes with plenty of poses to choose from. From sun salutations, warrior poses and downward dogs, you can chill out and tone up with this app and the meditation offerings mean this is a one stop de-stress and focus shop.

From Couch to 5k
If you haven’t heard of ‘From Couch to 5K’ where have you been ? This app is quite literally taking people from the comfort of their couch to the 5K finish line in weeks. It is perfect if you are a total beginner who wants to try running, but isn’t sure where to start. You only have to sweat for 30 minutes per day, three days a week for nine weeks to get to your target distance, and we think that you will be hooked on running before then! Why not get a friend involved and you can get fit, together?

Six Pack in 30 Days
Got a beach holiday coming up? Then you might want to strengthen your abs with ‘Six Pack in 30 Days’. No fancy gear is needed to do these ab workouts and the programme is suitable for total newbies. The app clearly shows you how to do classic core workouts like Russian twists and reverse crunches which will help you to work up a sweat, but make you look fab-tastic.

Strava
Not that exercise has to be a competition, but if you want to compare your performance with friends this app cold help to give you that extra push towards the finish line. Strava is a great way to keep track of running and cycling distances, speeds as well as endurance, and believe us, it can become as addictive as those feel good endorphins.

Studio Tone It Up
If community is important to you, then Studio Tone It Up could be what you have been looking for. Without leaving the house, you will be guided through workouts that will help to get your body toned and your mind strong. There’s a choice of yoga, cardio, barre, boxing, kettlebell, and more on offer and with new classes arriving every week, there’s no chance of getting board, just fit.

Headspace
Not everyone is looking for a physical workout, and if that is you, then how about trying the a wellness journey with the Headspace app? Start things off with a free 10-day beginner’s course that shows you the essentials of practicing mindfulness on a daily basis and with meditating known to help ease insomnia and increase productivity at work, you never know where this could lead.

Got an app you think we would like? Let us know about it and we will give it a go.

Team Pure Beauty

Wash away the day with Pure Beauty

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beauty bestie, beauty products, build-up, Chamomile Extract, clean and refreshed, clean skin, cleanse, cleansing action, clear away, Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover, decongest, dehydrate, Dermalogica Precleanse, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, dewy, dirt, Elemis Deep Cleanse Facial Wash, Elemis Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser, environmental pollutants, excess sebum, eye, eye area, front door, goodness, Grape Seed Extract, green tea, grime, healthy skin, help, hydrating, impurities, Jan Marini Age Intenrention Gentle Cleanser, Lavender Extract, make-up, melt, milk protein base, multiple, natural moisture balance, naturally-foaming Quillaja Saponaria, oak bark, Olive and Kukui oils, peppermint, plump, pollution, potent blend, professionals, purify, radiant, refreshed, remove make-up, removes, restored, revolutionary formulation, Rice Bran, Rose Petal Flower Water, scientific blend of virgin botanical oils, skin, skin pollutants, skin type, sleep, soap free foaming gel, soft, soothe, spearmint, sunscreen, sweat, tight and uncomfortable, ultra-clean, Vitamin E, Vitamin E and F, Waterproof mascara

From the moment you set outside your front door in the morning, your skin is hit by a deluge of dirt, grime, pollution and sweat, as well as your beauty products.

At the end of each day it is vital to clear away all of this, as well as your make-up, and we are here to help and ensure that your skin is clean and refreshed before you get into bed at night and go to sleep.

Whatever your skin type, you can rid it of impurities, without disturbing your natural moisture balance, with the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel. This soap-free, gel thoroughly removes the dirt you don’t want, and keeps the goodness you need, thanks to naturally-foaming Quillaja Saponaria. With added Lavender Extract mixed into the cleansing action, you are left with soft, clean skin whatever the day has thrown at you.

We don’t know about you, but some products actually dehydrate our skin, rather than hydrating it, which means it is left feeling tight and uncomfortable? We are pleased to say that this won’t happen with the Elemis Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser, which effectively removes make-up and the build-up of skin pollutants without taking away the moisture that keeps it looking plump and dewy. Vitamin E and F have been blended with Rose Petal Flower Water which together hydrate and purify even the most sensitive skin, leaving it restored, clean and radiant.

The Jan Marini Age Intenrention Gentle Cleanser is a mild, non-irritating formula which means it is perfect for sensitive skin, including the eye area. While it is gentle and non-foaming, thanks to Green Tea, Grape Seed Extract and Chamomile Extract, it gets to work on the dirt, but doesn’t take away the goodness even when used multiple times a day.

If you love your make up but you don’t want it to impact your skin, the Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover could be your new beauty bestie. Created from a revolutionary formulation that is powered by a scientific blend of virgin botanical oils and floral water will cleanse, remove make-up (even stubborn waterproof types), soften, plump and soothe skin and help boost radiance. Phew, that’s a lot of goodness, so why not give it a go.

Want to take things up a notch or two when it comes to cleansing? If that’s the case then the Dermalogica Precleanse is the deep cleansing weapon of the professionals, and could be yours too. This fab product gives you ultra clean, healthy skin and works alongside your daily cleanser. Suitable for all skin types, Olive and Kukui oils melt layers of excess sebum, sunscreen, environmental pollutants and residual skin products that build-up during the day. Conditioning Rice Bran and Vitamin E not only nourish the eye area but are on hand to remove that annoying waterproof mascara that never wants to budge.

If you haven’t tried the Elemis Deep Cleanse Facial Wash yet, where have you been? This brilliant, fast-acting gel really is the ultimate daily cleansing solution for all skin types and it looks pretty slick too. A totally potent blend of Oak Bark, Spearmint and Peppermint has been added to a Milk Protein base and together the heady ingredients not only remove impurities but decongest the skin and leaves it clean, revived and totally refreshed.

Got a question, or want to try before you buy? Get in touch today and we can help with more info and send you some samples too.

Team Pure Beauty

Get Your Toes Sandal Ready

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attention, back to basics, bare feet, beautician, bed, bubble bath, candles, chill, clean, coloured toes, cool coral, cooling, corners, cup of coffee, curve, cut straight across the nail, decent scissors, dry, exfoliation product, extra, feel, feet, flip flips, focus, foot cream, foot crystals, fun, get out of bed, good, goodness, hand, hard, heat, ingrowing nails, jagged sides, job, look, love, melt, paint, pamper night, peppermint, phone, playlist, pop of pink, problematic, protect, pumice stone, rich red, rinse, running for the bus, salon, sharp corners, skin, slick finish, smooth, smudges, soften muscles, stairs, stubborn areas, summer, Sunday, sweat, temperatures, tempted, ticklish, tissues, toe nails, tough, Vitamin E, walking to work, warm water, work

Let’s face it.

Your feet work really hard for you.

From the moment you get out of bed and make that first cup of coffee, to walking to work, running for the bus and then climbing the stairs back to bed, it’s all go for your toes.

The thing is, if you take care of your feet in-between salon pedicures, you can look sandal smart all summer long and we are going to show you how.

Soak Away
Why not set Sunday aside as a pamper night? Once you have switched off your phone and lit some candles and turned on your play list, fill a bowl with warm water and get ready to chill. Add a little of your favourite bubble bath or foot crystals (available in chemists and supermarkets) then let your feet soak for around 10 minutes and use this time to focus on you and your breathing. As your feet sit in the water, the skin will soften and your muscles will relax.

Exfoliate
With your skin nice and soft, rinse and dry them and then use an exfoliation product to get rid of the dead cells that can build up as a result of wearing flip-flops and padding around in bare feet when the temperatures rise.

Buff Up
For this step, we suggest you go back to basics and use a pumice stone as these can make a big difference to the way your feet look and feel. Very gently rub the stone over those stubborn areas where the skin is tough and problematic. If you do need an extra hand with this, then speak to your beautician the next time you are in the salon.

Tidy Up
There is no point in making sure your feet look good if your toenails leave a lot to be desired. As they will also be softer than usual after a warm water soak, this is the time to pay them some attention and we would suggest you buy some decent scissors just for the job. You need to cut straight across the nail, do not be tempted to go for a curve or to tidy up the corners, as you could cut too much away or end up with ingrowing nails – neither of which you want. Toes are ticklish, but needs must when it comes to beauty, so next take a clean file and make sure they are smooth and tidy with no sharp corners or jagged sides.

Moisturise
Just like other parts of the body, your feet need to be moisturised if you want them to be happy and healthy. Go for a foot cream which is rich in Vitamin E and contains peppermint, which is super cooling as this is a winning combination. Work the cream into the problem areas and let the goodness melt in.

Paint
Yes, this is the really fun bit. We love coloured toes but the key to a clean, slick finish is to either use separators or place a twisted tissue between each toe and this will protect against smudges. Whether you opt for rich red, a pop of pink or maybe a cool coral, add a clear finish and you will have happy feet and a smile.

Team Pure-Beauty

It’s all about the essential oils

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acne, amazing, antibacterial and antiseptic properties, Argon, avocado, beauty routine, blemishes, chamomile, clean, clean soft cloth, coconut, conditioner, cotton bud, dandruff, dehydrated, essential fatty acids, feet, fine lines, irritated scalp, joys, lavender oil, medium-chain fatty acids, mix, Mother Nature, natural essential oils, nourish, rich, Rosehip Oil, sage, scars, shampoo, sinks, skin, smooth oil, soft, sooth, spots, stretchmarks, summer, super shiny hair., sweat, tea, Tea Tree Oil, tired, toes, Toner, vibrant scent

At Pure-Beauty, we are massive fans of natural essential oils, and even more so during the warm summer months when need to take care of ourselves that little bit more.

We have had a look at the benefits of adding oils into your beauty routine and we think you might be pleasantly surprised at how mother nature can make things so much better.

Keep breakouts at bay
When it is hot we tend to sweat more than usual and this can lead to a build-up of oil under the skin and cause annoying spots. Lavender Oil is perfect for dealing with this because it is packed with the antibacterial and antiseptic properties that can help prevent the bacteria that causes acne from growing as well as treating the blemishes you do get. Dilute a little oil with water and dab gently to the affected area using a clean cotton bud and it will soothe and nourish the skin the natural way. You can also mix the oil with cold water for a simple toner that is especially good for treating oily skin.

We are massive fans of Tea Tree Oil and it is our acne go to product thanks to the really powerful antiseptic qualities and vibrant scent. Simply add a few drops to cool water and apply to your face using a clean soft cloth and let the oils get to work.

Oils for your skin
Bear with us on this one because we know it might sound wrong, but putting oils on your skin can be amazing.
The summer brings many joys, but it can also make our skin dehydrated and tired, however adding an essential oil into the mix can bring it back to life. Rosehip Oil is a good choice because this rich, smooth oil sinks into your skin leaving it soft and supple without a trace of greasiness, just vibrancy. Packed with essential fatty acids plus Vitamins A and C this is a true beauty must have. As well as helping with fine lines, it is also brilliant for the scars and stretch marks many of us are conscious of in the summer but do remember to still apply sun cream if you are going outside.

Look after your head
If you think Chamomile is only for drinking in tea, you’ll be surprised to know that it also soothes and hydrates an irritated scalp – something that can happen when the heat is high. Simply adding a few drops of oil to your shampoo or conditioner can make a big difference and ease itching without the need for any chemicals.

Sage is often thought of as a little bit of magic and we agree when it comes to getting super shiny hair. As an astringent, it is beneficial for hair growth but also fights dandruff and encourages glossy locks. You can simply apply a little oil to your scalp and let nature take care of the rest.

Oils for hair don’t stop here with Argon, Avocado and Coconut all being offering a boost, so them as a regular, weekly treatment and we are pretty sure you will see the shine in no time at all.

Happy feet
Back to those medium-chain fatty acids from Coconut Oil and we would suggest you apply this loving to your feet and give them the care and attention they deserve. Coconut Oil is totally nourishing and will get to work on tough, dry skin, leaving your toes as soft as a baby’s in no time at all.

Team Pure Beauty