Look and feel cool this summer with the right clothes

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animal prints, beach, bikini bottoms, black capri pants, black dress, blanket, Body con dresses, breathe, cami, capsule wardrobe, chic, classic, classy, comfort, cotton shirts, crisp, day time dress, denim, dresses, exfoliate, fantastic outfits, feel, fitted t-shirts, floaty, florals, foundation, gold accessories, good quality sunscreen, heat, hot pants, jeans, kaftans, leg-lengthening wedges, light jacket, lightweight, limbs, look, lose, love, midi dresses, monochrome mixes, navy city shorts, navy vest, office, oversize shirt, pale, party, party dresses, patchy, pins, relaxed, rule of thumb, sharp, shave, shorts, smart look, statement necklace, style, summer, super short denim cut-offs, tailored shorts, tee, tube, wardrobe staple, wax, weather, weekend, white, work

While we love the sunshine, as the temperatures rise, it can be tricky to know what to wear so you look, and feel, cool wherever you are.

Pretty dresses and crop tops are great for keeping the heat at bay, but while they work at the weekend, they might not do the job in the boardroom. The general rule of thumb is that if it works for the beach, it probably won’t be right for the office.

We have had a look at how you can look and feel cool this summer whatever you are doing, wherever you are doing it.

Cut down on denim
We know that denim is a wardrobe staple, but standard jeans, dresses and even skirts can make you feel as if you are wrapped in a blanket and your limbs will struggle to breathe. If you like the comfort of denim but not the heaviness, go for a lightweight, pale option that you can match with a navy vest and pretty pumps and you’ll have an effortlessly chic, cool look in moments.

Make shorts work for you
Let’s get this out of the way – hot pants, super short denim cut-offs and bikini bottoms are great for the beach and pool, but when it comes to going to work or the shops, we would suggest a slightly longer length. If you want a sharp, smart look, the answer is tailored shorts with a signature tee tucked in and leg-lengthening wedges.

Trash the tights
Yes, some people hate their legs so much that they will still wear tights in summer. You don’t need to! OK, they might be pale and patchy but if you exfoliate, shave or wax and apply a gentle tanning product, you will soon love your pins.

Create a capsule wardrobe
This sounds a little structured, but if you get the basics right you are on the way to winning when it comes to the cool stakes. We all have our own style but crisp, cotton shirts, fitted t-shirts, midi dresses, decent underwear, shorts and flat sandals are a good starting point. You can then add a light jacket, statement necklace and bold bag and dress things up and down to match the weather and occasion.

Keep it lose
Body con dresses look might be on trend, but if you are on the tube or in the bank queue, you are going to feel hot and sticky. Yes, wear those fantastic outfits when you party, but for the day time you might want to go for something that is more relaxed and floaty as this can keep you cool and save those embarrassing underarm marks.

Think about neutrals
You might think that when summer comes you need to ditch everything else and only wear white, but this isn’t the case. A classic black dress and gold accessories, navy city shorts and a fresh white tee, or black capri pants and a fitted short-sleeved shirt, all look fantastic, classic and classy and will show off your tan perfectly.

Grab a kaftan
Kaftans aren’t just for the beach; they can actually work well as a day time dress or oversized shirt. We would suggest you go for monochrome mixes, animal prints or florals but one word of warning – if they are see-through wear a cami to save blushes.

Add in sunscreen
Even if there are clouds in the sky, the sun’s rays can still get through and burn your skin. Whatever else you wear, please make sure you apply a good quality sunscreen before you go out in the sun. It’s it key to also use a facial sunscreen and if you don’t want to overdo the foundation, try a tinted moisturiser instead for the summer months.

Team Pure-Beauty

Five Summer Beauty Hacks

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24 hour, BB Cream, bed, cling film, cool, Decleor Green Mandarin Sun-Kissed Glow Cream, Decleor Satin Softening Dry Oil, dry oil, even, fake tan, feminine, fine lines, flawless, fragrance, fridge, glow, glowing, gradual, hair, heat, hydration, illuminates, Multi-Functional Products, nail polish, night, nourished, oil, refrigerated, rehydrating, shiny, sleep, SPF, summer, sun, Sun cream, sun-kissed, sunny, tan, tanner, tanning, warm, warmer, weather, wrinkles

Photo by Tamara Bellis on Unsplash

Now that we’ve has a stretch of half decent weather which has lasted for more than a week, we’re finally confident that we can say “summer is on it’s way!”. With the changes in weather and longer days, most of us like to change our beauty routines at this time of year, so we thought we’d give you five hacks that you can use in summer to make your life easier and more comfortable.

Cling Film

If you live alone but need to apply fake tan or sun lotion to your back, there’s a simple solution that you won’t believe until you try it…head to the kitchen and grab some cling film! Cut a piece around one metre long and apply a blob of your sun cream or fake tan to the centre of the film. Then take both ends of the film and use it to rub the lotion over your back as if you were drying off with a towel to evenly spread the lotion.

Get Chilly in the Fridge

A lot of beauty products work better in the summer when you keep them in the fridge – thinks like foundation, nail polish, after sun and lip balms all stay in better condition and work more optimally when they’re refrigerated during the hot weather, and keeping them safe will protect your investment, too.

Multi-Functional Products

If you’re anything like us, you won’t feel like layering a dozen products on your skin on a hot day, so finding products which do more than one things is a good idea. Decleor Green Mandarin Sun-Kissed Glow Cream is a day cream to moisturise, help to prevent fine lines and wrinkles while giving an immediate even sun-kissed glow to all skin types.

Overnight Magic

Night creams are great for rehydrating your skin while you sleep, but if you want your hair looking its best all summer, using some dry oil before bed is a good way to do it. Decleor Satin Softening Dry Oil is scented with a subtle, delicate and beautifully feminine fragrance, and leaves your hair nourished and looking shiny.

Lighten Up

A lot of facial products feel too heavy when the sun is shining, so changing your foundation for a BB cream will help you to achieve a flawless finish without foundation. It contains an SPF and offers 24 hour hydration, as well as a natural looking tint which illuminates and evens out the complexion.

Get Fresh Faced for Autumn

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acne or breakout prone skin, air, autumn, boots, botanical oils, build-up, combination or problematic skin, complexion, creamy cleanser, daily dirt, Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover, deep clean, Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution, Dermalogica Foaming Wash, Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser, drier and prematurely-ageing skin, dry, Elemis Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser, energises, Essential C and E Vitamins, excess oils, face, flipflops, floral water, Jan Marini C-ESTA Cleansing Gel, Lactic Acid concentrate, lather, lemon, light, love, make-up, moisture levels, moisturiser, Natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients, non-sticky texture, pleasure, potent Vitamin C cleanser, purify, refreshes, remove, repair and balance, revolutionary, rich, Rose Flower Oil, rosemary, Safflower Oil, scientific blend, season, sensitive skin, sharper, shorter, smile, sunroof, sweatshirts, teenagers, temperamental, tight, Toner, Vitamin E, Waterproof mascara, weather, wipe out, world class cleansers

With the air turning sharper and the days getting shorter, we might still be wearing flip-flops and driving with the sunroof down, but it would seem that autumn is on the way. As well as bringing out those favourite sweatshirts and boots, now is also time to think about your complexion as the season changes.

At Pure Beauty we sell some world-class cleansers which will ensure you are ready for autumn and today we are looking at just a handful and hope there will be one which is right for you.

If your face is feeling tight and dry, why not ease things up with the Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution? This rich, creamy cleanser nourishes dry skin and sweeps away impurities, but those all-important moisture levels are maintained. Essential C and E Vitamins have been combined with Safflower Oil, Rosemary and Lemon, which together help condition and refresh your skin and leave it ready for your toner and mosituriser to do their thing.

If you want to repair and balance combination or problematic skin, you need the help of the outstanding Elemis Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser. Extracts of Lime Blossom, Lecithin (aka Vitamin F) and Vitamin E help balance excess oils and soothe the skin while removing the build-up of daily dirt as well as make-up. The light, non-sticky texture makes this cleaner a pleasure to use and the results make it even easier to love.

For teenagers with acne or breakout prone skin that can be even more temperamental as the weather changes, we have the excellent Dermalogica Foaming Wash, which is part of the Clear Start range. Not only does this deep clean and purify the skin, it also energises and refreshes it all without stripping those key natural essential oils. Natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients have been blended together and when massaged into wet skin the formula breaks up dead skin cells and clears away trapped oil which helps wipe out existing and future breakouts. Phew!

If you are looking for lather when you cleanse, look no further than the Jan Marini C-ESTA Cleansing Gel. This outstanding, potent Vitamin C cleanser is suitable for all skin type and the luxurious lather helps soothe and protect your skin. As this cleanser is highly concentrated, only a small amount is needed morning and night to see results which will make you smile.

The Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover is a new cleanser on the beauty block and one which is powered by a scientific blend of botanical oils and floral water. Impressed? We think you will be. The ‘revolutionary’ formula cleanses your skin, removes you make-up (even waterproof mascara cannot escape) and also plumps and soothes even the most sensitive skin so it is soft and radiant once again.

Time for one last recommendation and we think the Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser deserves a mention. Regular use of this product will help drier and prematurely ageing skin become super smooth and ultra-clean. The Lactic Acid concentrate re-textures skin, antioxidant Vitamin E conditions and Rose Flower Oil gets to work calming the pesky sensitivity that can really get you down. What’s not to like?

If you’d like further details about these, or any of the products we sell, get in touch today and our team would love to help.

Pure Beauty

Super charge your summer wardrobe

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80s, Adidas, ankle cowboy boots, arm candy, autumn, big, bright bolds, cats-eye sunglasses, catwalk, chunky, coloured, cool vibe, cropped fitted trousers, cut, dad trainers, denim jacket, dog tooth trousers, dots, Down-to-earth, dress, dresses, Edward Enninfu, Fun florals, gorgeous, grab, granny style cardies, head to toe, High Street, inexpensive, jumpsuits, kudos, length, lightweight trench, luxe track pants, morning after, moulded sports shoes, night before, Nike, patterns, pencil skirts, pink, polka dot, Princess Di, prints, rain or shine, raincoat, shades, shops, sliders, small, Stella MacCartney, stripes, sun, thermals, tops, UK, Vicky B, waist-cinching A-line style, wardrobe, weather, wrap skirt, yellow

The weather is still a little unpredictable on UK shores at the best of time, but it only takes the sun coming out for a couple of hours for us to start putting the thermals away and consider our summer staples.

We have had a look at what’s hot this summer so you can look totally gorgeous come rain or shine.

Go dotty
From the catwalk to the High Street, dots are big (and small) for the summer. Princess Di’s polka dot obsession can be seen on everything from jumpsuits and tops to dresses and pumps and if you have a thing for the ‘80s, they will serve you well.

Bag it up
Forget structured totes, sunny times call for a whole new kind of arm candy. Down-to-earth, inexpensive fabric cross body bags, raffia baskets and string shoppers are slightly retro but come with a cool vibe that will last right thought to the autumn.

Shades
This summer is all about cats-eye sunglasses, and we love them. They are smaller than the Vicky B super-sized sunnies of summers past, but are face-flattering and still big enough to hide the fun of the night before, the morning after.

Cover up
Put the puffa away and when the showers show up, reach in your bag for a lightweight trench or shake things up by going for a bright pink or yellow raincoat for extra kudos. If you want something a little different, the shops are fully of granny style cardies in a range of shades and textures that you can grab as you go.

Go faster
If you haven’t noticed stripes in the shops, where have you been? Go faster blasts, can be seen on everything from dog-tooth trousers to luxe track pants and designer hoodies. Don’t covert the look from head to toe, that would be total totally OTT, but go for one piece and match with bright bolds and you will be leader of the pack.

Dress it up
Summer isn’t summer without at least one new dress in your wardrobe. Fun florals, patterns and prints are all out there, just work out which cut and length is right for you, team with sliders and a denim jacket, and you have a look that even Edward Enninful would approve of.

It’s all about the dad trainers
You might not believe us, but Adidas, Nike and Stella MacCartney are all over the dad trainer this summer. Think chunky, coloured, moulded sports shoes and you have the perfect summer style to match with cropped fitted trousers and floaty pastel dresses.

It’s a wrap
Last but by no means least, we need to talk about the wrap skirt. This versatile staple has made a come-back from 1992 and we like it. Put the pencil skirts away, and swap them for a maxi-wrap in soft jersey, or a waist-cinching A-line style, match with a sharp white tee and you have a celebrity look in seconds.

With a pair of ankle cowboy boots, a dab of peach blush and plenty of sunblock on standby, you are ready to go forth and stand out in the fashion stakes this summer.

Team Pure Beauty

Grow your own this summer

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basis, bikes, chillies, chutneys, clean, climbing frames, compotes, Coriander, creating, crush, English, fast-growing, garden, garden centre, grapes, greenhouse, growing, grown, ingredients, jams, jellies, kitchen, labour of your love, lemons, little bit of green, local, mini orchard, mint, mix, parsley, peas, peonies, pick, plethora, potatoes, pots, proud, season, seeds, sills, soil, space, start, sunny ledge, supermarket, take away, tomatoes, trees, urban, ventilation, waiting, weather, window, window sills, work well

There’s nothing more rewarding, or tasty, as eating your own home-grown fruit and vegetables, and the good news is that right now is the best time to start growing your own!

With a plethora of crops that can be grown from seeds, there’s bound to be something you can grow however big or small your garden is, or even if you have no garden at all.

No Garden
If you are an urban dweller and don’t have a garden, we’re pretty sure you have window sills and where better to grow herbs and veg than on a sunny ledge? A quick trip to your local garden centre, or even supermarket, can get you set up with all you need to create a crop whatever you are working with.

Baby salad leaves are perfect for growing in small pots and tin troughs and because they are fast-growing you will soon get foliage and kitchen ingredients. Mint, parsley and coriander all work well as window plants and if the sun shines on you sills, basil is a winner too.

Small Gardens
Small gardens are the perfect place for creating an eclectic mix of flowers, fruit and vegetables. Choose a mix of crops that you actually want to eat, say strawberries, tomatoes and peas and complement these with sunflowers and pansies for impressive results.

If you have a courtyard or patio to work with, look no further than bags, pots and sacks to create a crop of potatoes, peas and peonies to be proud of. Again, you can add herbs into the mix and if you do decide to plant spuds, this reduces the risk of pesky slug invasions.

Large Gardens
If you are the owner of a bigger garden this will give you greater growing space and more opportunities to be creative and work big. Think about the space and the kind of garden you want to create. Are you looking for structure and fine detail or do you have children and therefore need flexibility as climbing frames and bikes come into the equation? Plan out your garden into various areas, look at where you get the most sun, where there are shady areas and consider the soil type as this can influence what you grow. Trees can be a lovely part of any garden and if you have the space, you can look at creating a mini orchard. Apple, pear and plum trees are all pretty easy to grow and maintain and the labour of your love will be compotes, chutney, jellies and jams all year round.

To take away the English weather’s ability to crush your crops, when you have a large space you can incorporate a greenhouse. These are perfect for growing things such as chillies and tomatoes as well as grapes and lemons but always ensure the greenhouse is clean at the start of the season and there is adequate ventilation otherwise things might not go quite to plan.

So, what are you waiting for? Pick your pots, sort your soil and get growing.

Team Pure Beauty