How to shop in the sales so you really get a bargain

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a shift dress, bargain, birthday party, black dress, brogues, cash, charity shop, classics, coat, consumer rights, credit card, cute jumper, deal, dirt, discounts, doubt, dust, exchange, fits, fitted trousers, foundation, High Street, holes, killer heels, love, mix and match, online, pounds, purchases, receipt, refund, research, sales, save, savings, shop, shop floors, size, size 12, size 8, small, snags, spend, spontaneity, staff, staples, terms, trainers, trends, use, wardrobe, wear, wedding, wining, work do

Mention the word ‘sales’ and the temptation is to head to the shops and spend, spend, spend. The reality is that something in the sale is only a real bargain if it is something you need, something you are going to wear or use and something that fits.

With discounts out there on the High Street and online, we are going to have a look at how you can be a winning shopper when it comes to the sales.

Do your research
OK, this might take out a little bit of the spontaneity of sales shopping, but before you part with your credit card, just check you are getting the best deal possible. Those trainers with 20% off in one shop, might have a whopping 50% off somewhere else, so look around and you might be surprised at what you will find and where the real savings are to be made.

Buy for now
Yes, that black dress is amazing but if you are a size 12 and it is a size 8, don’t buy it ‘just incase’. Go for items that actually fit you now and you are going to wear, rather than something that will stare at you from the wardrobe and remind you of those extra pounds you keep meaning to lose, but don’t.

Go for classics
A wool coat, a black shift dress, fitted trousers and leather brogues are all classic staples that will stand the test of time. You really will make a saving if you go for items that you can mix and match as the trends change.

Check your diary
The sales are a great time to find something for a forthcoming wedding, birthday party or work do. See what’s in the diary and you never know, you might save stacks on a knock out dress and killer heels which would normally be way out of your budget.

Take a closer look
Let’s face it, shop floors in the sales can get busy and messy, so just check what you are buying. Look for dirt and dust, check for holes and snags, and look at the neck and ensure it isn’t plastered in foundation that might not even come off in a hot wash.

What are the terms?
Yes, you have consumer rights, but we would just suggest you check these before you buy. See whether you can get a refund or if it is exchange only and always put the receipt somewhere safe. Also ask when these changes have to be made, so you don’t end up taking that cute jumper to the charity shop because it’s just too small but can’t be returned.

Check your shoes
Now, you might see those perfect heels as the shop is closing and want to just take them then and there, but before you hand over the cash, make sure they fit and also check they are the same size. Nothing worse than getting ready to party and finding you have one size 5 shoe and one size 6!

Take a break
Shopping is fun, but while you are out make sure you stop and refuel and take stock of what you have already bought. If you are tired and hungry, you may well make purchases you regret which will mean a return visit so you won’t have saved any time, or money at all.

If doubt, don’t do it
What we would say is that if you are in doubt, then don’t buy it, move on and save your money for something you really love.

Happy shopping.

Team Pure Beauty

Beauty Focus: Mother of the Bride

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ageing, anti ageing, anti-oxidant, bride, Decleor Lift and Firm Day Cream – Normal Skin, Decleor Lift and Firm Eye Cream, Decleor Youth Cleansing Milk, dehydrated, Dermalogica Age Reversal Eye Complex, Dermalogica Antioxidant HydraMist, eye, fine lines, firm, free radicals, hyaluronic acid, hydration, lift, marriage, mother, mother of the bride, parabens, Pea Extract, plumping, quench, wedding, wrinkles, youth, youthful

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mother_and_Bride_(22253088882).jpg

So, your daughter is getting married this year and you want to get your beauty routine dialled in so that you look your best on the big day? Well, first of all, congratulations! And secondly, step right this way because we’ve got a whole selection of products which are perfect for women “of a certain age” who want to perfect their complexion.

Decleor Lift and Firm Day Cream – Normal Skin

When skin starts to age, it loses both the ability to produce its own moisture, as well as the ability to produce collagen. This means that the skin loses plumpness and elasticity, making you appear older than your year, which is why using a good moisturising day cream is essential. This cream from Decleor will add moisture, as well as lifting and firming your skin from within, giving you a more youthful appearance.

Dermalogica Age Reversal Eye Complex

The eyes are a key area to attack when trying to improve the signs of aging, so this cream from Dermalogica is a must-have for any Mother of the Bride. Not only will it actively reverse the signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles, it will also prevent further signs of aging from happening. It’s a powerful but incredibly delicate formulation which is perfect for even the most sensitive of skin.

Decleor Youth Cleansing Milk

Keeping your skin clean and free from daily pollutants is hugely important in keeping the signs of aging at bay, but many cleansers are simply too harsh for older skin. This cleansing milk from Decleor has extreme hydrating power to plump the skin and enhance its youthfulness and is free from parabens, making it ideal for sensitive skin. Magnolia and sweet almond oils cleans and smooth the skin while hyaluronic acid locks in moisture.

Dermalogica Antioxidant HydraMist

This hydrating mist from Dermalogica is the perfect product to keep in your handbag and use every day, or as and when you feel you need it. It has flash-firming properties which will improve skin texture while intensely hydrating dry, dehydrated skin. Hyaluronic acid acts as a hydration magnet to quench dehydrated skin while pea extract creates instant firming action to lift and tighten while rose and clove extracts comfort and refresh the skin.

Decleor Lift and Firm Eye Cream

As well as offering the Lift and Firm Day Cream, Decleor also offers the eye cream equivalent which is for specific use around the delicate eye area. It contains several high-powered ingredients to boost firmness and add radiance around the eye area and comes with an innovative massage spatula to allow for precise application and blending around the eye contour, enhancing drainage.

Kate Middleton’s Five Most Iconic Looks

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complexion, decolletage, Duchess, Duchess of Cambridge, elegant, Hunter wellies, Kate, Kate Middleton, lace, Princess Kate, regal, Royal, Royal wedding, wedding, wedding dress

Kate Middleton’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, was well known for her elegant style, and the Duchess of Cambridge seems to be following closely in her footsteps in this respect. Kate has rarely been seen with so much as a hair out of place, and there are many of her looks that we’ve greatly admired, so we thought that we’d take a loot at our five favourites.

Navy Dress

One of Kate’s most iconic outfits, this dress has been replicated over and over again, with Caitlyn Jenner famously donning it for the red carpet a couple of years after Kate. The navy looks great against the Duchess’s lightly tanned skin and is a flattering cut for almost any body shape.

Breton Stripes

It’s far more usual to see Kate in a dress or skirt than it is in jeans but when she does casual, she does it well. We’ve seen her in Breton stripes on more than one occasion, looking fresh-faced and relaxed, and she looks wonderfully stylish even when “off-duty”.

Full-Length Lace

Kate always looks elegant but this full-length lace gown was 100% glamorous, showing us that the Duchess could turn up the heat when she needed to. Although still demure and showing minimal flesh, the lacy effect gives Kate a vampy look which is complimented by her bouncy hair!

Leather and Wellies

It looks as though Kate is out walking the dogs in this picture, making a pair of Hunter wellies look better than we’ve ever seen them look before! Her long, slender legs look amazing in form-fitting jeans and her clear complexion is enviable to say the least.

Wedding Belle

We couldn’t talk about Kate’s most iconic looks without mentioning her wedding dress, which is probably THE most iconic outfit she’s ever worn! There aren’t many people across the planet who couldn’t describe that dress if you asked them and it’s one of the most replicated wedding dress designs of all time. The dress covered her arms but exposed her décolletage, allowing just a hint of flesh whilst looking ultimately graceful.

Bridesmaid Gifts from Dermalogica and Decleor

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beauty, bride, bridesmaid, gift, gifts, maid of honour, matron of honour, mother in law, mother of the bride, shower, skin care, spring, summer, wedding

Wedding season is FAST approaching, and if you’re planning your big day there are probably still a hundred and one things left on your to-do list. If you’ve got a whole bunch of your sisters/cousins/besties in your wedding party, there’s a good chance that you’ll want to buy them a gift to say thank you for being a part of your big day and what better present than the gift of good skin?! Here are our suggestions of which Decleor and Dermalogica products make great gifts for the most important women in your life:

Dermalogica Favourites Kit

This kit from Dermalogica contains all of their most popular products and is a great way to sample them without investing in the full-size product, making this the perfect kit to give as a gift. The kit contains a pre-cleanse, primer, exfoliant, booster and a toner, giving the full Dermalogica experience for a fraction of the price.

Dermalogica Travel Sizes

Dermalogica offers a huge amount of their products in travel size bottles, which means that if you have a friend who travels a lot, these would make the perfect gift. It also allows you to select individual, smaller products and make your own personalised beauty hampers with them!

Decleor Intense Brightening Mask

If your wedding is a huge affair, there’s a good chance that your bridal party will have been involved in planning, dress choosing, hen parties, hair and make-up and all of other shenanigans before the big day even happens, so by the day after they might be more than a little bit frazzled! The Intense Brightening Mask from Decleor is a restorative, indulgent product which when given as a gift is bound to make the recipient feel loved and appreciated.

Decleor Lift and Brighten Eye Cream

You may be jetting off on your honeymoon the day after your wedding, but spare a thought for your guests, who’ve been left behind to deal with a hangover! The ladies in your wedding party may well appreciate something to help with the inevitable eye-bags, making Decleor Lift and Brighten Eye Cream another great idea for a bridesmaid gift!

Gift Voucher

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If you can’t find a product which you think will suit your friend or relative, or simply want to give them the chance to choose something for themselves, then Pure Beauty offers gift vouchers, starting at £20. It still shows you care but also allows them the freedom to select a product which is personal to them.

Bridal Skincare

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bridal, bride, care, skin, skincare, wedding

August is officially the most popular month for weddings in the UK, which means that thousands of brides up and down the country are only a matter of weeks away from their big day. Every bride on the planet wants to look their best as they say their vows and pose for photos which they’ll treasure for decades to come, so we thought we’d put together some skincare tips which will come in handy in the run up to the most important day of your life.

Keep it Clean

There’s a good chance that your skin will have taken a bit of a battering, with make-up trials and the like, so a proper cleansing system is vital for keeping your pores clear and your face blemish-free. Dermalogica’s UltraCalming Cleanser is the perfect product as it can be used on both face and eyes and gently cleanses without stripping the skin of its own essential barriers.

Say No to Eye Bags

Although you’ve probably had MANY a sleepless night in the run up to the wedding (and we don’t just mean the Hen Weekend!), eye-bags are a big no-no for wedding photos. We highly recommend Decleor 2-In-1 Dark Circle and Eye Wrinkle Eraser; as well as reversing any signs of aging that you may have suffered whilst dealing with tricky caterers or tyrannical wedding planners, this product will banish dark circles, making sure you look bright eyed and ready for anything.

Banish Dry Elbows

Your face isn’t the only place which needs attention, and depending on the cut of your dress, you’ll want to make sure that the rest of your skin is in tip-top condition too. In the weeks ahead of the wedding, use Decleor’s Exfoliating Body Cream to get rid of dull dry skin and ensure that every inch of you has that bridal glow.

Don’t Get Tango’d!

Speaking of bridal glow, there’s always the temptation to go for heavy spray tans to give you a healthy hue, but we think that Decleor’s Self Tanning Milk gives a far more natural glow. Use daily ahead of the wedding (although not at the same time as the exfoliator as one will cancel out the other!) and you’ll look naturally tanned and gorgeous.

Pucker Up

The last thing you want when you kiss your Husband or Wife for the very first time is for your dry, chapped lips to feel rough and unappealing. We know how make-up and air conditioning can play havoc with your lips at this time of year, so be sure to use plenty of Decleor Nourishing Lip Balm to ensure your lips are soft and super kissable.