Classic Nail Colours for Spring

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acrylic nails, Beauty Essential, colours, Destressed Denim, Detox My Socks Off, fashion, fashionable, fingers, flattering, gel nails, green, inspiration, Just Breathe, lavender, long nails, Love My Nails, manicure, Morning Mantra, multicolour, nail polish, nail varnish, nails, Orly, pastel, red, short nails, spring, toes, white, White Tips

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Spring is just around the corner and with it will (hopefullly!) come a change of weather and trends. This time of year gives us all sorts of inspiration when it comes to colours and our clothes, as well as the colours that we wear on our nails. With this in mind, we’re sharing with you some classic nail looks for Spring and the Orly polishes you can use to achieve them:

Lovely Lavender

This pastel purple shade is perfect for the Spring and Easter season and makes us think of painted easter eggs! It’s a great shade which will go with a number of different looks and it’s neutral enough to still look professional if you work in an industry where that matters. We recommend using the Orly shade Just Breathe to achieve this adorable look. 

Gorgeous Green

While some people associate green with Christmas vibes, green is also the perfect colour for Spring as it reflects the new growth around us. The Orly shade Detox My Socks Off has a slightly turquoise tint to it, for a slight variation on this look, and bold, darker colours look great on short, neat nails, as well as longer talons if that’s your style. 

Ravishing Red

Let’s be honest; has there ever been a time when red nails haven’t been fashionable?! Red is the ultimate in sophistication and makes a bold statement. Red nails can be worn to compliment a red outfit or to add a subtle splash of colour to monochromes. It’s a grown up look which works in Spring, and all year round, and can be recreated using Love My Nails. 

Wonderful White

White nail polish is adorable, if it’s done right, and Spring is the perfect time for white nails. They’re the quintessential neutral with a bold twist and they are another shade which perfectly complement shorter nails. In fact, white nails are super flattering and wearable by just about everyone! Orly’s White Tips is the ideal shade if you want to attempt this look at home. 

Marvellous Multicolour

If you’re feeling really adventurous, this multicolour look is perfect for Spring and is surprisingly easy to achieve! Using a combination of Destressed Denim, Morning Mantra and Beauty Essential, or any other colours you choose, this really is a freestyle look! Simply place neat blobs on the nail using the tip of the brush and allow each one to dry before applying overlapping blobs of contrasting colours. 

Easy ways to create a family friendly kitchen

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appliances, art, baby gate, boiling water, carpets, chilblains, clean, clear area, clear surfaces, cold, colder, cook, cooker, cosy space, cry, cute, danger, diffuser, dinner, draft, draft excluder, easy to clean, eat dinner, family, focal, free of clutter, fridge, fry, gaps, heat, home, home hub, homework, hot, hot chocolate, hot food, insulating, kids, kitchen, laugh, locks on cupboards, love, magazines, make dinner, memories, mid-morning coffee, pets, pictures, playpen, precious paintings, rubbish, rugs, sandwiches, school run, sharp knives, slip proof, smell, smells, table, table manners, talk, teach, temperature, Tiled and wooden floors, toasty feeling, toddler, toes, underfloor heating, windows, worktops

If you have a family, it is highly likely that you spend a lot of time in your kitchen, and that it is very much a focal part of your home. The kitchen is where we laugh, cry and talk, it’s where we eat dinner together, where we teach kids table manners and how to cook, and where we gather at the end of the day to catch up and tell stories. It is place that’s all about love and memories.

Given just how important this room is to so many people, we have put together some ideas about how you can create a kitchen, and a home hub, you love.

Safety is key
It really goes without saying, but safety has to be a kitchen priority. Boiling water, sharp knives, hot food and rubbish are all possible danger points, so care needs to be taken. A baby gate, locks on cupboards and drawers, slip proof rugs and mats as well as putting medicines and cleaning products out of reach of children and pets, are all starting points. You want to enjoy your kitchen, but you can do this more easily if things are safe.

What space do you want to have?
We all want something different from a kitchen, and this changes over time, so think about what you need right now, not in five years. Maybe you need somewhere for a playpen for your toddler while you cook, you might want a table or island bar where the kids can do their homework, or if you have pets, thinking about where to keep their food and water bowls could be a consideration. Think about what would make your kitchen work, and then make the steps towards creating the space you want.

Clear the worktops
Of course, one thing you need is a clear area where you can prepare food that isn’t too crowded and where you have space to keep your appliances too. Even if you have a small kitchen, create an area that is free of clutter, that is easy to clean and that way you know you’ll have the room to make dinner and get sandwiches ready for the next day.

Think about the temperature
You might want your kitchen to be a cosy space, and in the evening when the cooker is on and people are moving around this is fine, but by day it could be a colder matter. To make sure you still get that toasty feeling on Sunday mornings when the children are having their cereal, or when you have your mid-morning coffee, you need to look at the space and how hot or cold it gets. Insulating your home is the best way of keeping the heat in, so check for gaps under doors and window frames, you will be amazed at what a draft excluder can do. Tiled and wooden floors might look great, but come November your toes won’t be happy, so look at underfloor heating, carpets or rugs and that way you can sip your hot chocolate before the school run without getting chilblains.

Make it your own
Yes, clean, clear surfaces and spotless walls are the images we see in magazines, but this doesn’t always create the kitchen you want. Art on the walls can add an extra feeling of love and family, pictures with magnets on the fridge are cute and of course, those precious paintings your little ones bring home from nursery will look lovely in your kitchen!

All about the smell
Kitchens are full of smells and let’s face it, some are better than others! Make sure you keep on top of your rubbish and recycling, if you fry food then keep the windows open and think about having a diffuser to help neutralise nasty odours, and these easy steps can help make your kitchen a pleasant place to hang out!

If you follow these tips, your kitchen should be the best room in your home.

Team Pure Beauty

How to winter proof your wardrobe

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a soft knit, ASOS, automobiles, ballet pumps, black, budget, camel, chill, chunky kint, coldest day, colours, cosy scarf, current fashions, cute, dresses, faux fur, flares, frost bite, heels, Hunter, indigo, insulation, investing, leggings, Long and short sleeved t-shirts, Long sleeves, meal, midi styles, moon boots, Mother Nature, navy, on trend, osiest clothes, Parker, planes, pompoms, pretty cardigan, puffa, quirky options, rips, roll neck, shirts, silk blouse, skinnies, snow boots, soft, statement coat, stretchy fabrics, sweatshirt, thick blanket style scarf, thicker materials, tights, toasty, toes, top end, trainers, trains, Uggs, UK, wardrobe, warm, weekend, wellies, white stuff, wind, winter, winter saviours, woollen, wow factor, wrap up

The UK saw its coldest temperatures of the winter last week, and don’t we know it. As well as the white stuff causing chaos for planes, trains and automobiles almost everywhere, it also made us dig out our cosiest clothes in an attempt to keep warm and stave off the frost bite.

Yes, as a nation we do love to make a meal out of the weather, but with a good couple of months until spring rears its pretty head, we would say its time to get with the programme and make sure your wardrobe can deal with all that Mother Nature might throw at you.

Bring on the boots
Sorry to break it to you, but ballet pumps and heels will not help you get through the snow, this is where moon boots and wellies come in. There are some really funky options out there from the likes of Hunter, and ASOS is jam-packed with cute, quirky options that will ensure you look totally on trend and your toes stay toasty.

Dress it up
Just because it’s winter, it doesn’t mean you can’t wear dresses. A dress is a must-have for colder days and the trick is to go for thicker materials, midi styles, long sleeves and a high neck. Match dresses with boots and a roll neck for the office, and to make this look work for the weekend, a soft knit and trainers tick all the boxes.

Get the right jeans
Winter isn’t the time for flares or rips if you want to keep warm, so we suggest going for skinnies. Wear them casually with a sweatshirt and trainers, go for a silk blouse and heels for a night out, and you tuck them into snow boots and still look great. We would suggest going for black or indigo and if it is really cold, put a pair of leggings or tights on underneath for extra insulation.

Cool coats
Now when we say this we mean a coat that is going to keep you warm but look on trend. There is the puffa and parker, but while these totally work with skinnies and Uggs at the weekend, they don’t have the wow factor for work. We would suggest investing in a statement coat in navy, camel or black, one that is tailored, and go for the top end of your budget if you want it to last.

Basic t-shirts
Long and short-sleeved t-shirts might not be the most exciting items, but they will be your winter saviours when it comes to keeping warm. You can put a chunky kint over the top, layer with a pretty cardigan and they work well with shirts and dresses too. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but go for soft, stretchy fabrics that feel good against your skin, and once you have found the perfect fit, buy it in a range of colours.

Wrap up in a scarf
A cosy scarf won’t only keep your warm when the wind is biting, but it will look good too. Whether you opt for a thick blanket style scarf, a woollen one with pompoms, or glam up with faux fur, you won’t catch a chill when you are out and about, but you will show you are up to date with current fashions. Oh, you might want to buy a hat and gloves too.

Team Pure Beauty

It’s all about the essential oils

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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

How to Give Yourself a Home Pedicure

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aromatic, brush, brushing, decleor, dermalogica, dry, Elemis, Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, Elemis Devils Mint Body Scrub, Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream, exfoliation, feet, foot, hard skin, hydrating, infection, maintenance, nails, nudes, oils, pedicure, rough, skin, smooth, toes, trim

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When the sun is shining and your tootsies are constantly on show in a series of sandals, it makes sense to splurge and have your pedicures done in a salon. However, when the weather cools and our feet are stuffed into boots for months on end, spending money on keeping our feet looking nice seems like a false economy. However, if you leave your feet to their own devices all winter, they’re going to emerge in spring looking more like they belong to the Gruffalo, so we’ve put together some home pedicure tips which should keep you going over the colder months.

Soak Them

Before you do anything to your feet, you’ll want to get them super soft and clean, so soaking in a bath with some Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak will soften any hard skin, making it easy to scrub it away. Make sure the bath isn’t too hot and spend plenty of time soaking to get the best results.

Scrub Them

Getting rid of hard skin is really important, otherwise it can build up and look (and feel) really unpleasant. Many people go straight for harsh files and blades to get rid of skin, but often it’s enough to persevere with a gentler product like Elemis Devils Mint Body Scrub. Use this after soaking your feet on a regular basis and the skin won’t have a chance to build up to unpleasant levels.

Brush Them

The tops of your feet are just as important as the bottoms and people often focus the care and exfoliation on the latter because that’s where the hard skin builds up, forgetting the rest of the foot. This area doesn’t need a harsh exfoliation, but brushing it with the Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush every time you bathe or shower will keep the tops of your toes looking great.

Trim Them

Everyone has a personal preference for toenail length, but keeping them short is the most hygienic and low-maintenance way to get through the winter. Use proper clippers which are intended for feet and make sure you cut them straight, not cutting off the corners as this can lead in ingrown toenails and open you up to possible infections.

Paint Them

Painting your toenails is SO much easier than painting your own fingernails because there’s no need to swap hands! Opt for either a nude which suits your skin tone or a dark colour and they’re the neatest option for short nails. Nudes will need less maintenance, too!

Moisturise Them

It’s absolutely VITAL to moisturise your feet if you want them to remain soft and free from hard skin. Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream is an intensely moisturising formulation melts beautifully into the skin, smoothing and hydrating rough dry areas. It’s designed specifically for feet and is infused with a blend of aromatic oils to help soothe and comfort tired, overworked feet.