Read up on feeling great this January

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anxiety, balance, balanced, be happy, Be You, Becky Goddard-Hill, best books, body and soul, brilliant business advice, change, changes, cheer leading, Chillpreneur, criticism, cup of tea, Denise Duffield-Thomas, dip in, dip out book, Down-to-earth, downtime, Dr Chatterjee, easy to do a, easy to read, Everything is Figureoutable, Feel Better In 5, five minutes, good book, Good Lives, Good Vibes, gurus, hard work, imposter syndrome, inspire, Insta, Insta guru, journal, kids, lasting happiness, library, Marie Forleo, millionaire mindset lessons, mind, money, money mindset coach, motivated, negative emotions, New Year, New York Times bestseller., pen, Penny Alexandra, perfect, positive, progress, resolution, right foot, round-up, spark a little joy, success, teenagers, time, time poor, Vex King, young adults

We all set out to be the best we can at the start of the new year.

While no one keeps to every resolution, sometimes a good book and a little cheerleading can help you get off on the right foot, and stay balanced as well as motivated to change.

We have done a round-up of what we think are the best books out there, and hope one or two will spark a little joy (no, we haven’t added ‘that one’).

Denise Duffield-Thomas is a fantastic money mindset coach, but it’s her humour and down-to-earth wisdom that sets her apart from other gurus. While she has three books out there, in Chillpreneur she shares brilliant business advice and millionaire mindset lessons that help you become a success, the chilled way. Yes, you have to do the hard work, but this is perfect for anyone who wants to be a success but likes to have a little balance and downtime as well.

Unless you have been hiding out at home, you will know about Marie Forleo, and now you can learn that Everything is Figureoutable in her New York Times bestseller. By the end of the book you will be able to deal with criticism and imposter syndrome, bouncing back from hard times will seem possible, and you can start to see how you can overcome a lack of time and money. You might not become perfect, but you will make progress.

If you are time poor but really want to make changes in your life this year, then Dr Chatterjee‘s third book is for you. Feel Better In 5 is a daily plan that helps you get the life you want, in only five minutes of your day. Easy to read, easy to do and with real life case studies and fun exercises, this can help get your mind, body and soul in shape and in less time than it takes to make a cup of tea – peppermint of course.

Be Happy, Be You, says it is for teenagers, but this great little book can help pretty much anyone out there who needs a little bit of a boost. Penny Alexandra and Becky Goddard-Hill have created a dip in, dip out book that helps kids and young adults deal with anxiety and generally live a better life, the fun way. Get a pen and journal and this could be the start of something new and exciting.

Last but not least, 2020 is the time to learn to love you. Insta guru Vex King has overcome adversity and uses his personal experiences to inspire others. If you want to transform negative emotions into positive ones and find lasting happiness, then his book, Good Vibes, Good Lives is for you. It’s not that long but by the time you are done, you will start to look at the world, and your world, in a new way.

As always, try your local indie bookshop or library and get books there rather than online, and this will help you feel good, too.

Team Pure Beauty

At Pure Beauty we have Christmas gifts for all the family

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acne or breakout prone skin, big day, blackheads, burst of natural goodness, Christmas movie, Christmas shopping, Cinnamon, cleanses and conditions skin, close shave, Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster, Dermalogica Clearing Defence SPF30, Dermalogica Foaming Wash, dry, Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil, Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Polish, Elemis Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream, Elemis Frangipani Sweet Dreams Christmas Gift Set, Elemis Joyful Glow Candle Christmas Gift Set, Elemis Smooth Result Shave and Beard Oil, exotic Polynesian paradise, extra moisture, eye rolling, face and beard-smoothing shave oil, goodies ], hipster, hug, light, luxurious collection, mood swings, multi-purpose, orange, order, panic, parched skin, party season, protective surface oils, smile, smooths, softens, spots, The tricky teenager, time, tree, ultimate smooth, vitamin-rich herbal oils, warming scents of vanilla, water

Haven’t done all your Christmas shopping yet?

Don’t panic.

At Pure Beauty we have something for everyone, and you still have time to place your order and get your goodies under the tree before the big day.

Marvellous Mum
Oh, where to start with the mum who does so much and expects so little. If we had to make one suggestion, it would be the Elemis Frangipani Sweet Dreams Christmas Gift Set. This luxurious collection cleanses and conditions skin and will give your mum the chance to escape to an exotic Polynesian paradise for just a little while. It comes with the Elemis Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream that cleanses skin without stripping protective surface oils. Then there’s the Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil that’s all about giving extra moisture to dry, parched skin. The Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Polish softens, smooths and hydrates skin and let’s not forget the Elemis Frangipani Monoi Hand and Nail Balm that will leave your mum’s hands nourished and happy once again.

Dad dudes
For busy dads, there’s the Elemis Men’s Dynamic Duo Christmas Gift Set. With this set, your dad will get the Elemis Active Hair and Body Wash which will leave him feeling clean and ready for that Christmas movie. With woody and citrus smells plus mood-boosting essential oils, this will help them chill out and get ready for 2020.

The tricky teenager
We know those teenage years can be tough, and spots can rear their ugly ‘blackheads’ right before party season, but we are here to help with that. The Dermalogica Clear Start Clearly Matte Kit contains three great products that are perfect for teenagers with acne or breakout prone skin. We can’t help with the eye rolling or mood swings, but give them the Dermalogica Foaming Wash, Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster and Dermalogica Clearing Defence SPF30 this Christmas and you might get a smile. Maybe a hug too?

Aunty Sue
For something special for that gorgeous aunt, how about the Elemis Joyful Glow Candle Christmas Gift Set? The warming scents of vanilla, orange and cinnamon have been blended to create something special that will fill her home with a burst of natural goodness. This candle comes in a deep purple and gold box that can be used for trinkets, and once the light goes out (it burns for 40 hours) she can use the glass for her water.

Uncle John
If your uncle fancies himself as a bit of a hipster, how about the Elemis Smooth Result Shave and Beard Oil? This multi-purpose face and beard-smoothing shave oil softens hairs and prepares the skin for the ultimate smooth, close shave. Packed with a blend of vitamin-rich herbal oils to suit all skin types, this is a gift your uncle won’t have but will love.

The dog? OK, we can’t help with that member of the family, but we think they will be happy with some festive food and a good long walk on Christmas Day.

Have fun and if you need a hand choosing a present for the ones you love, give us a shout and we’re here to help.

Team Pure Beauty

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

Find fabulous new habits in your forties

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age, bed, Binge drinking, body, boosts your mood, cancers, cigarette, critical, devices, diabetes, drinking, Eyes, fashion statement, fixed, forties, gambling excessively, get you down, good habit, GP, habits, happier, head in the sand, health checks, healthier, heart disease, hide, high cholestero, immune system, irritable, laughter, life, light emitting screens, melanoma risks, Menopause, midnight snacks, mind, miserable, moisturiser, money, outside, perfect, phones, power down, protect, reduce stress levels, reduces stress, risk factors, safe, seven hours, skin cancer, sleep, smile, smoking, snoozing, stop, sun damage, sun’s UV rays, sunnies, Switch off, tech, time, too late, vices, Victoria Beckham, wrinkles

When you get to your forties you may well find that the habits you have formed have been with you for years, but the reality is they might not be doing your mind or body very much good. No one is perfect, including us, so we’ve looked at easy ways to get happier and healthier as you sail through your forties.

Drop the vices
We all know that smoking and drinking isn’t good for us at any age, but this really is the time to try and get things under control. Binge drinking, midnight snacks, gambling excessively and lighting up one cigarette after another will be taking a toll on your health, and wallet. So look at what’s going on and make a decision to stop, and find something better to do with your time, and money.

Have health checks
Diabetes, high cholesterol, certain cancers and heart disease are all conditions that can be detected early through routine GP visits, so book in and get a clear bill of health. If things aren’t 100% good, it’s best to know what’s happening and trying to get it fixed because if you hide you head in the sand, things could get worse and then it could be too late. You might also want to keep a watch on the menopause at this stage in your life.

Get to bed
Sleep is so important and if you don’t get enough, you can feel irritable, miserable and life can quickly get you down. You might however be finding that as you move through your forties, the ease at which you get to sleep, and the amount of time you actually sleep, will change. We would suggest you still aim to get at least seven hours of snoozing a night as this will enhance your immune system, reduce stress levels, and generally help you to cope with life better.

No tech at bedtime
Talking about sleep, the one thing we do suggest is that you don’t take your phones or devices to bed. Yes, they can help you keep connected with the world, but night time is when you need to switch off, so power down and leave those light emitting screens downstairs.

Keep sun damage away
We need to do this all of our lives, but it is critical in your forties to look after your skin if you want to keep your melanoma risks down, as these increase with age. The sun’s UV rays is one of the biggest risk factors you can control, so find a moisturiser that has sunscreen in it, and if you want to go one step further to both protect yourself from skin cancer and keep wrinkles at bay, use an SPF stand alone too!

Look after your eyes
Yes, celebrities wear sunnies all the time, but they are so much more than a fashion statement; they are a good habit to get into. So take Victoria Beckham’s lead (she’s in her forties and wearing it well) and put your sunglasses on not just in the summer, but every time you go outside, and keep your eyes safe.

Smile
Life can be hard in your forties as your kids move away and your parents fall ill, but getting into the habit of smiling and laughing during your day, can be a really good for you. Laughter boosts your mood, reduces stress, and smiling at a stranger could be the lift they also need in their day.

So, what new habits are you going to make, and which badies are you going to ditch to make your forties fabulous?

Team Pure Beauty

Top tips for keeping calm

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anger, angry, assertive, bestie, bitterness, brisk walk, calm, calm reserves, calmer, children, concerns, confrontational, controlling, cool, crazy, cuppa, curb it, cure, day, depletes, disaster, emotion, escalate, exercise, Exercise = calm, feel good endorphins, fix, forgive and forget, funny, garden, gardening, GP, grown-ups, healthy, heart rate, heat of the moment, heightened emotions, help, hurting, irritated, lighter side, listen, listening to calming music, long baths, look after yourself, meditate, meditation, mess, moment, music, netball, normal, olive branch, positive, prevention, quiet, regret, report, short breaks, simple tips, speak, stronger, subsided, swim, talk, thing, thoughts, time, timeout, traffic, walk away, writing a journal

Keeping calm can be a challenge when time is tight and someone then cuts you up in traffic, closes a door on you or doesn’t deliver their report by an already extended deadline. Anger is a normal, even healthy emotion, but only if you deal with it in a positive way. We have some simple tips that could help you, help yourself.

Think before you speak
In the heat of the moment, it’s really easy to say something you will regret later, so take a moment or two to collect your thoughts before saying anything. Hopefully others will do the same, and the situation won’t escalate into a disaster.

Talk when you are calm
Once you have time to think about things, and your anger has subsided, it is easier to be assertive, and not confrontational. Talk over your concerns without hurting others or controlling them, and life will be easier and calmer and you will stay calm.

Take some timeout
We often think that timeout is just for children, but it is helpful for grown-ups too. Having short breaks during the day offers you a little bit of quiet and can stop you getting angry and irritated. Have a cuppa, walk in the garden, sit and meditate, or just listen to some music and you can catch up with yourself – prevention is better than cure when it comes to heightened emotions.

Exercise = calm
Taking time out to exercise is a brilliant way to look after yourself, and to keep calm. A brisk walk or run, a swim, game of netball or even an afternoon spent gardening, can get your heart rate going and those feel good endorphins will make you feel happy and calm rather than cross and bothered.

Look for solutions
It might seem easier to focus on what depletes your calm reserves, but a better use of your time would be looking to resolving the issues bothering you. Does your son’s mess drive you crazy? Then walk away and close the door, he can clean it up. Is your bestie always late when you meet up? Then take a book and catch up with some reading and make the most of the quiet. Anger doesn’t fix anything, but it can make you feel worse, so curb it and will be calmer and happier.

Don’t bear a grudge
You might not want to forgive and forget, but bitterness can make you feel even worse. Why not be the better person and reach out an olive branch and that way you might learn from the situation and grow calmer and stronger, rather than being angrier than ever.

Have a laugh
If you can to see the lighter side of what is going on, if you search harder enough even that mouldy sandwich on a plate left by your partner under the sofa, might seem funny…….might!

Try to relax
As well as taking some exercise, you can work on your anger by relaxing a little bit more than usual. Meditation, long baths, listening to calming music, writing a journal, doing some yoga or watching a funny movie could help take your mind of your worries and help you to relax.

Seek help if you need to
While anger is a normal emotion, if you are finding it hard to keep things in check and your calm has disappeared, speak to your GP and look at what help is out there so that you and others are safe and well.

Team Pure Beauty