Easy ways to relax at lunchtime

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ancient Indian hair removal technique, annoying colleague, bad boss, big believers, blood, breathing, calmer option, card writing, chapters, Christmas parties, coffee shop, Convenient, dancing, delicate oils, difficult client., drink, eat, endorphins, energy boost, energy levels, exhausted, eye-watering, Eyebrow Threading, face, fast, feel good chemicals, fresh, heart rate up, increasing muscle activation, invigorated, long hours, lunchtime, manicure, Me time, midday break, mini facelift, mood, Neck and Shoulder Massage, oxygen, pedicure, phone, present shopping, pump, quieter, Read a Book, relaxed, relieve stress, run, salon, season to be jolly, Secret Santa, Shake it Out, shaped, small things, socialise, splashing out, stress of the office, stretching, sushi, threading, tight deadlines, trainers, treat, twisting cotton, untie knots, win, workplace, zen

Let’s face it, by this time of the year, many of us are often feeling exhausted and in need of a recharge. Long hours, tight deadlines and Christmas parties mean we are running on empty and finding ‘me time’ needed to get to the end of the week can feel impossible.

We are big believers that small things can lift your mood and increase your energy levels, so in the run up to the big day, let the card writing and present shopping wait, and do something for you at lunchtime instead.

Try Eyebrow Threading
Having your eyebrows shaped can change the way your face looks and the process means you sit down for just a while, not even able to look at your phone. Threading is an ancient Indian hair removal technique that is fast and convenient, it leaves no marks, isn’t messy and is like having a mini facelift. We admit that twisting cotton through the eyebrows can be eye-watering, but because it’s only ten minutes which will give you time to stop for sushi on the way back to work.

Have a Neck and Shoulder Massage
A half hour neck and shoulder massage can relieve stress, untie knots and leave you so much more relaxed. It’s fast and convenient and the delicate oils used will leave you feeling invigorated and able to make it to the end of the day. Walk to the salon and back and you’ll get an energy boost too.

Go for a Run
A run will get your heart rate up, more oxygen and blood will flow around your body and the resulting endorphins will lift your mood which means Dave in HR will seem like less of a pain. This is the ideal way to get outside and leave the stress of the office or shop floor behind you, so get your trainers on and start running.

Do a Little Yoga
Yoga is all about stretching, breathing, increasing muscle activation and a session in the middle of the day, will leave you feeling zen fresh for the afternoon.

Shake it Out
Dancing is a great way to shake away the stresses of the day, be that a bad boss, annoying colleague or difficult client. See if there is a class near your workplace and you will find that dancing away your lunch break will make you feel fab, and the afternoon will pass by in a flash as those feel good chemicals pump through your body.

Read a Book
OK, let’s take things down a little and go for a calmer option. Taking a book to a coffee shop and letting your mind escape to somewhere quieter is a real treat. Go alone, order something nice to eat and drink and just read a few chapters and you’ll feel those orders and accounts drop away.

Enjoy a Manicure
Want a quick make over for the office party? Why not head to a nearby nail salon for a manicure. Not only will you return to your desk refreshed, but your freshly polished nails will set off your outfit a treat but won’t break the bank! And if you feel like splashing out, have a pedicure done at the same time.

Have a Catch Up
It is the season to be jolly, so why not book in a few lunches before the office closes? Your midday break is a good opportunity to catch up and socialise, in person, with people you might not see that often and if you throw in the idea of Secret Santa then it’s a win, win!!!

Have fun!

Team Pure Beauty

How to Re-Grow Your Over-Plucked Eyebrows

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3-4 months, avocado, brows, cycle, Dermalogica MultiVitamin Power Firm, eggs, Elemis Superfood Facial Oil, eyebrows, facial hair, fashion, fish, grow, growing, growth, hair, hair follicles, meat, natural, nutrients, nuts, oil, over-plucking, plucking, protein, reshape, shape, shaping, spinach, sweet potato, thick, thin, threading, tweezing, Vitamin E, waxing

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Here at Pure Beauty one of the ‘beauty truths’ that we wholeheartedly accept is that many things in the world of beauty and cosmetics are cyclical. This can mean that something which was fashionable for years can suddenly become the exact OPPOSITE of what’s fashionable now – and this has never been truer than it is with eyebrows! We all spent the majority of the Nineties and Noughties plucking our eyebrows into oblivion, only for 2017 to be the year of the heavy brow! Many of us have plucked our brows so much that we need a little help growing them back, so here are a few things you can try to give them a helping hand:

Step Away From the Tweezers!

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but you’re going to have to leave the tweezing alone completely for some time to allow all of your natural brows to grow back in. Once you’ve got a full set of eyebrow hairs, then you can reshape them (or even better, let a brow technician do it for you because, let’s face it, you can’t be trusted!) but until then you need to leave them alone.

Massage with Oil

Massaging the area will help in a few ways. Firstly, it will help to stimulate the hair follicles and encourage hair growth. Secondly, if you use an oil like Elemis Superfood Facial Oil it will trap moisture within the skin which your hair follicles need for healthy growth. Lastly, the nutrients within the oil, such as vitamin A and omegas, will also give your skin the vital nourishment it needs to be able to regrow the hairs.

Eat Protein

Hair and nails are made from a protein called keratin which is produced within the body, so it stands to reason that eating plenty of protein will help your body to have what it needs to some serious brow-growing. Things like meat, eggs, nuts and fish are all great sources of protein and will give you lots of hair-growing superpowers!

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an essential nutrient for hair growth so as well as eating plenty of things which contain it (avocado, sweet potato and spinach, to name but a few), using a topical product like Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm can really help. It’s usually intended for use around the eye and mouth area to combat wrinkles, but adding an extra layer on your brows before bed can speed up the hair growth cycles.

Be Patient!

This step is really important! Hair growth usually follows a 3-4 month cycle, which means that from the moment you stop tweezing you may have to wait 16 weeks to see how your brows have grown in. You’re potentially going to look a little bizarre with wild brows in this time, but it’s well worth it and really is the only way you’re going to see what you’ve got left to work with once you stop the hideous cycle of over-plucking.

Hair Removal – What Are Your Options?

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age spots, ageing, ALA, alpha lipoic acid, anchovies, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, apricots, arms, berries, bikini line, blackberries, blemishes, blueberries, body hair, Brazillian, broad spectrum, Broccoli, chia seeds, damage, dark spots, decleor, Decleor Post-Wax Double Action Gel, Decleor Rose D’Orient Soothing Oil Serum, dermalogica, Dermalogica Antioxidant HydraMist, Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum, Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier, Dermalogica Post Shave Balm, Elemis, Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, Elemis Energising Skin Scrub, Elemis Liquid Layer SPF30, Elemis Pro-Collagen Super Serum Elixir, epilate, epilator, epliation, exfoliate, eyebrows, fatty acids, fish, free radicals, fullness, hair, high factor, Hollywood, hyperpigmentation, ingrown hair, laser hair removal, liver spots, mackerel, nuts, oils, oily fish, omega-3, orange, plump, plumper, polyphenols, pomegranate, protection, raspberries, salmon, Shaving, SPF, spinach, spots, strawberries, sun, sunscreen, sweet potato, threading, UVA, UVB, vitamin A, walnuts, waxing, wrinkles

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Hair removal – it’s one of those things that most of us do but few of us ever talk about it, but it’s a fact of life and needn’t be taboo. There are various different methods that you can use for hair removal, some more permanent than others and varying in price and effectiveness. Here’s a rundown of a few of them:

Shaving

Probably the most common type of hair removal on the planet, shaving is also one of the cheapest ways to remove hair, with some disposable razors costing a matter of pennies. It’s not a very long-lasting method because it only trims the part of the hair which sits above the skin, but it’s definitely convenient and can be done on any part of the body that you care to use it. If you plan to shave, use Elemis Energising Skin Scrub beforehand to prevent ingrown hairs and soothe the skin, post-shave, with Dermalogica Post Shave Balm.

Waxing

Waxing lasts longer than shaving and gives a smooth finish, but does have it’s downsides. You need to leave time between waxes to allow the hair to be long enough for the wax to adhere to, and there’s obviously the pain-factor. Also, unless you wax at home, you’ll need regular appointments which can be pricey. If you do wax, treat your skin with Decleor Post-Wax Double Action Gel to soothe and repair.

Laser

Laser is probably the most expensive way to remove hair but it’s also the only way to remove hair permanently. Most people require between 6 and 10 sessions for complete removal and occasional touch-ups if you get a rogue hair or two growing back, but most people have great levels of success with it. Your skin will feel sensitive after a laser session, so treat your skin to some Decleor Rose D’Orient Soothing Oil Serum.

Threading

Threading is an ancient form of hair removal from Asia which involves using pieces of twisted thread to pull the hairs out. Many Asian women use threading to remove facial hair and arm hairs and the method is actually incredibly accurate, allowing you to get a really nice shape when threading eyebrows. There are many tutorials online to allow you to learn how to thread yourself, but we’d recommend going to a professional at least for a while!

Epilating

Epilating is the Marmite of hair removal – most people either love it or really hate it! It’s usually done with a handheld machine which pulls the roots out and it actually lasts quite a long time – if you can deal with the pain! Ingrown hairs are a real issue with epilation, so regularly scrubbing the areas you epilate with Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush will help minimise this.

5 Annoying Beauty Issues and How to Solve Them

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bacteria, beauty, dry, dry shampoo, germs, hair, lather, make-up, micellar oil, orange, puffiness, puffy, red, redness, remover, shampoo, spots, swollen, tan, tanner, tanning, threading, waking

Some people seem to be absolutely in-the-know when it comes to all areas of beauty, but some of us still feel like we’re in the dark when it comes to solving certain issues. Here, we look at five of the most common issues which befall other women and share a little bit of knowledge which might help you all in the future.

I still seem to have residue left after taking off my make-up

If your make-up remover isn’t quite doing the job then there’s a good chance that it’s just not heavy-duty enough to deal with oil-based make-up. Switching to a micellar oil will ensure that you get rid of every scrap of make-up without damaging your skin in the process and will moisturise as you cleanse.

My make-up is giving me spots

Sometimes, a new make-up simply doesn’t agree with your skin, but if you’ve been using something for a while and it’s just started to give you spots, you could have a build-up of bacteria on your applicators or packaging. Giving them a wipe over with Dermalogica Skin Purifying Wipes will help to kill any lingering bacteria and keep them clean going forward.

Dry shampoo seems to go claggy in my hair

Dry shampoo is one of those products which can be so useful but also a bit of a pain. On the one hand, it can freshen up hair that you simply don’t have time to wash but if you use it too often, it can also build up and leave your hair feeling claggy. Using a little clarifying shampoo on DRY hair before you wet it can really help to remove all traces of dry shampoo, just rub it all in before stepping under the shower to create a lather.

My face is super red after waxing or threading my brows or top lip

Waxing and threading are both really effective and long-lasting ways of removing hair, but they can be a little harsh on the skin, leaving it feeling red and puffy for hours afterwards. Whether you do it yourself or go to a salon, apply a layer of Decleor Post-Wax Cream – Sensitive Areas afterwards to reduce redness, soothe the skin and reduce the speed of regrowth.

My tan is making my sheets orange

We all love a healthy glow, especially if it comes from a bottle but fake tan can leave your sheets looking like you’ve been rolling in Wotsits! Opting for a gradual tanner and using it at LEAST four hours before you go to bed will ensure that you build your tan to a colour that looks nice and natural whilst also ensuring that you don’t end up with sheets which look like they belong to an Oompa-Loompa!

 

The Pure Beauty Guide to Eyebrows

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brow, eyebrows, HD brows, on fleek, plucking, shaping, Shaving, tattooing, threading, waxing

Is it just us, or does everyone seem obsessed with eyebrows lately? For a while, it was a jokey thing with everyone marvelling at the now-infamous “Scouse Brow” (you know, where girls have their eyebrows solid and very dark regardless of their hair colour or skin tone?), but suddenly everyone has the have the perfect brows. There are lots of ways to get the brows you like and we thought we’d take a look at a few of the most popular method of brow-shaping and care.

Waxing

Waxing your eyebrows to keep them in shape is both good and bad. On the one hand it can be done at home or in a salon, is a good way to keep your eyebrows in shape for longer as the hair is pulled out at the root and allows you to get a really defined shape. On the other hand, it can be tricky if you do it yourself, it can be a little painful and it’s also unforgiving – pull out too much hair and suddenly you look like Vanilla Ice circa 1990. If you do opt for this method, keep some Decleor Post Wax Cream for Sensitive Areas to hand for the aftermath.

Threading

Threading is an age-old method, thought to originate in Asia where women are stringent about har removal. Threading is a fantastic method for eyebrow shaping as it is accurate and often performed by highly skilled therapists who’ve been practising for decades. It can be done pretty much anywhere on the body and is cheap, easy and convenient.

Tattooing

Many women these days are opting to have their eyebrows tattooed, which may seem extreme but is rising in popularity. It’s especially good if years of overplucking have left your eyebrows looking a bit sparse, but make sure you find a reputable salon of studio as this is permanent and fixing mistakes could be costly and painful.

Plucking

Ah, plucking. The good old-fashioned way of shaping your eyebrows. If you don’t know what you’re doing it can be REALLY easy to make your eyebrows look a little crazy and overplucking is a big no-no. A general rule of thumb is to only pluck from beneath the brow and use the natural upper brow line as a guide. Watching YouTube tutorials can also be a big help as you don’t want to start randonly plucking without any idea of what you’re doing.

Shaving

Shaving isn’t a method we’re all that keen on because it can be hugely inaccurate and often allows regrowth and that annoying ‘stubbly’ phase after a matter of days. If you do choose to shave your brows, make sure you use a brand new, clean razor and some good shaving oil to protect your skin against razor burn.