Pure Beauty - The Lichfield Beauty Salon

Fantastic Treatments in a fabulous salon with only the best Products and the very Best Beauty Therapists!
 

Perfect Your Pout Without Fillers

Perfect Your Pout Without Fillers
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In the past, cosmetic surgery was reserved for Hollywood stars and the super-rich, but with the advent of non-surgical treatments like lip fillers, almost everyone knows someone who’s had some type of work done. In fact, last summer, one clinic reported a 200% surge in requests for lip fillers, and we suspect the numbers are just as high around the UK. However, if you want a plumped pout without the pain and price tag, we’ve got some tips for a more gentle alternative:

Exfoliate

If your lips are dry and cracked, the skin contracts and makes your lips look thinner. Getting rid of the dry skin is the first thing you should be doing, using a little Elemis Gentle Rose Exfoliator. Buff the lips using a small amount on your finger (making sure you don’t swallow any!) and wipe away with a clean cloth to get rid of all of your dry, flaky skin.

Plump

The next step is to give your lips plenty of moisture and plumping action, with some Elemis Pro-Definition Eye and Lip Contour Cream.  It’s a rich eye and lip contouring cream containing active plant stem cells from edelweiss, combined with skin supporting mafane flower and alaria esculenta. Thin, dry skin around the eyes and vertical lip lines appear firmer, plumper and re-densified.

Conceal

Using a concealer on your lips not only gives them a better base for lipstick to attach to, it also allows you to create a canvas on which to over-line your lips a little. As long as you don’t go too mad (think Coco Chanel rather than Coco the Clown!), you can create a slightly larger lip which looks totally natural and blends beautifully with the surrounding skin.

Gloss

Adding a dab of lip gloss to just the middle of your pout can have a surprising effect. We’re not sure how (something to do with deflection of light, maybe?) but glossing the centre of your pout makes your lips look much fuller. If you want matte lips, you can create a similar effect by adding a little concealer or white eyeliner in the centre and applying your lipstick over the top.

Colour

When thinking about what lipsticks to use, the darker you go, the more you’re going to shrink your lips. Dark lipstick creates a more defined edge against your natural lip line and make the lips look much smaller. Pinks are apparently the best colours for faking a fuller pout.

Start your day, the caffeine free way

www.pexels.comThe dark mornings and cold nights of winter, can make us feel that the only way we can start the day is with a strong cup of coffee, or two. While this isn’t the end of the world, it also isn’t the only way to feel energised first thing.

Some people will say don’t touch caffeine at all, others will wax lyrical about the buzz it gives you. We aren’t going to preach to you, but we are going to give you some ideas so you can start your day the non-caffeine way, and still have a spring in your step.

Start the night before
This might sound back to front, but having an actual bedtime routine that you stick to, can actually make you feel more energised when you wake up in the morning. Turn your screens off at least an hour before you go to bed, relax in a warm bath, read a book, make sure your bedroom isn’t too hot and aim to get around seven to eight hours of sleep a night. This might sound a bit rigid, but we think you will be pretty impressed with how it helps you to feel so much more alive and all without the help of that extra shot cappuccino!

Step away from the snooze button
It might be really tempting to hit the snooze button on your alarm again and again, but do so at your peril. Your body is ready to wake up the first time the alarm goes off, and by snoozing it gets confused. You go back into a deep sleep, which means when you do finally get up, you are dragging yourself around, looking for the caffeine hit to bring you to life. When the alarm goes off, get up, and start your day and you will do it with more energy than ever before.

Drink water
We tell you this all the time but you need to drink water, if you want to keep hydrated. If you drink enough water you will feel more alert, your digestive system will work better, your body will be able to flush out toxins and your skin will look bright and healthy – what’s not to like? Put a glass of water on your bedside table and sip at little when you wake, then have a cup of warm water and lemon first thing to cleanse your body and awaken your senses.

Eat breakfast
A strong coffee with sugar might wake you up, but you will crash and burn, so why not make some changes? As well as drinking water, have a protein rich breakfast, maybe eggs with rye toast, porridge with a handful of almonds, or a vitamin bursting spinach smoothie. These are all nutritious and will give you a good start to the day without the caffeine you have always relied on to give you that get up and go you need.

Take some exercise
If you want to take caffeine out of your life, add exercise into the mix. Whether it is a walk, bike ride, yoga class or swim, a workout will give you a burst of feel good endorphins which leave you feeling alert and happy, without the need for the high from a caffeine buzzing flat white. You might also find that a regular massage will ease those aching limbs that can come with sports, and it gives you a chance to chill out for a bit, which is really important.

Make a list
Our brains can get full and jumbled given all the pressures of modern-day life. If you wake up and immediately feel anxious about the day ahead, coffee might have been your way to see clearly, but this isn’t a long-term strategy for happiness. Having a list of what you need to do will help you to focus on the important things and you won’t need an espresso to sweat the small stuff.

Over time all of these habits will start to become the new norm and you will wonder how the old, caffeine powered you managed to get through the day!

Team Pure Beauty

What Would We Include in an Ultimate Beauty Box?

What Would We Include in an Ultimate Beauty Box?
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Beauty boxes are massive business, with many different companies across the globe offering beauty-lovers the opportunity to have five beauty products sent to them each month. The boxes are usually curated according to a set of questions asked about the subscriber and usually include at least one full size product, fitting within a certain budget.

With Christmas just around the corner, we thought we’d put together a list of products that we’d include in an ULTIMATE beauty box, where budget is no object!

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream

This is possibly the priciest item on our shelves, but there’s a good reason for this…it works REALLY WELL. Celebrities from Yasmin Le Bon to Kate Hudson to Lily James adore this anti-ageing moisturiser which has been shown to reduce the depth of wrinkles, improve skin firmness, tone and hydration within 15 days.

Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream

This skin smoothing cream from Dermalogica is one of our best-selling products and has been given a whole new and improved formulation for 2018. Incorporating Active HydraMesh Technology™ Skin Smoothing Cream 2.0 will infuse the skin with 48 hours of continuous hydration and help protect against environmental stress while simultaneously locking in moisture and protecting skin’s beneficial bacteria.

Decleor Aroma Nutrition- Satin Softening Dry Oil

When we were thinking about what to put in our beauty box, we were thinking about which products we’d be genuinely excited to receive ourselves, and thus dry oil from Decleor was definitely on the list. It’s scented with a subtle, delicate and beautifully feminine fragrance, this versatile dry oil leaves your body and face feeling softer and more comfortable, your hair nourished and looking shiny.

Jan Marini Bioglycolic Resurfacing Body Scrub

It’s hard to choose our favourite products from the Jan Marini range because they’re all so good, but this resurfacing body scrub is definitely high on the list. It combines highly concentrated glycolic acid with exfoliating particles and key botanical extracts for noticeably smoother glowing skin that is silky smooth to the touch.

Decleor Luxuriant Nourishing Lip Balm

Decleor Luxuriant Nourishing Lip Balm is a balm that nourishes the feel of lips with moisture, and protects from dryness. Its luxuriant texture melts on the lips leaving them feeling supple and soft, with restored comfort. It’s an ideal product to include in our ultimate beauty box and one that we think customers would come back to buy again and again.

How Often Should I…?

How Often Should I…?
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When you consider the fact that a ‘beauty routine’ isn’t just cleanse, tone, moisturise, but also all the other stuff like washing your hair, filing your nails, using an exfoliator and everything else in between, it’s easy to feel bamboozled.” What should be part of my routine, and how often should I be doing it?” is one of the most common questions we’re asked, and today we’re answering the latter:

Hair Washing

This very much depends on two things – what your hair is like and what products are you using? If you aren’t massively prone to greasy hair, then eking it out and washing it twice a week should be more than enough. However, if your hair tends to be more oily or is fine, you can get away with a daily wash if you use Dermalogica Daily Cleansing Shampoo and Daily Conditioning Rinse.

Skin Exfoliating

Over-exfoliating can cause chronic skin irritation and inflammation, which can lead to accelerated aging. Two to three times a week for normal and combination skin, and once a week for sensitive skin should be adequate for keeping skin cells renewed without irritating the skin. Choosing the right exfoliator for your skin type is also important.

Moisturising

Listen, we don’t care who you are or what your skin type is, you should be moisturising EVERY DAY. Every type of skin needs a moisturiser, they key is choosing the right moisturiser for your skin type. Even oily-prone, acne-plagued skin needs moisture, and these issues are often caused by underlying dryness.

Face Masks

This one is another question which needs to take a lot of factors into consideration; what is your skin type? What mask are you using and what are you trying to achieve? Most face masks require weekly or bi-weekly usage, and again, the key is making sure you’re using the right mask for your skin type, or the particular problem that you’re trying to tackle.

Nail Filing

Even if your nails grow very quickly, filing your nails too often can cause a whole host of problems, from splitting and peeling to whitlows and infections. The best rule of thumb is to try to file your nails no more than once a week (nails only grow an average of 2-3mm a month, so any more than this shouldn’t be needed) and always ensure you use a clean nail file. Finish with Elemis Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Cream to give you beautifully smooth, firmer, younger looking hands.

Make the most of your beauty sleep

www.pexels.comWinter evenings are for many things – cosy nights by the fire, hot chocolate after dinner as well as all those Christmas movies to eat as you eat mince pies and enjoy the odd tipple. Winter, however, isn’t always the best thing that can happen to your hair and skin. Dropping temperatures, lack of sunlight and blasting central heating can cause flaky skin, cracked lips, dry legs, and brittle hair – ouch.

Don’t fear, we are here to help and have some easy ideas that you can incorporate into your evening routine that you might not have thought about but could really help you to look and feel better.

Chapped lips
Not a winter goes by without us suffering from chapped lips, but as well as lip balm, we also find comfort in tea. The tannins that are found in the humble tea bag are often used to soothe sunburn, and they can do the same for dry lips. When you make your evening cuppa (go for decaf), let the tea bag cool down as you enjoy your drink, then put it on your mouth for about ten minutes, and we think you will find the cooling, hydrating properties will work wonders. You could use this time out to also apply a hydrating mask to your face as this can help to ease the dry patches and fine lines which do happen as the mercury drops and the moisture is zapped from your skin.

Split ends
Let’s face it, we often don’t put a hat on when we go out, so not only does all the heat escape from your body (didn’t you listen to your mum) and this means your hair is totally exposed to the elements. As well as having a regular trim, you can keep your locks in tip-top condition if you put coconut oil on the ends of your hair overnight. As you sleep, the natural goodness will get to work adding love back into your hair and when you wash the oil away the next day, your hair will be left shiny and bouncy once again.

Pass on the bath
We know that when you are cold, tired and just want to wash the day away, the temptation is to run a super-hot bath and stay in the water until your skin is shriveled and your aches are soothed. The trouble with doing this is that hot water will strip your skin of those all important natural oils, which is the last thing your body needs. Instead, have a quick, warm shower, and then while you are still in the misty bathroom, massage in your body cream and this will help to lock in hydration and keep you looking healthy and glowing.

Add a serum
As well as your usual cleanse, tone and moisturise routine at night, you might also want to add a serum into the winter mix. Serums can give you that little bit of additional love and help your skin to recover while you sleep as well as hydrate, brighten and tone your complexion

Sleep in your socks
Not only will sleeping in your socks keep you warm, but if you gently massage a little coconut oil into your feet, focusing on those dry, cracked areas, and then put your socks, as you sleep the natural oils will ease dry areas and painful cracks.

Take care of your hands
Your hands really do get a bad deal in the winter months. They go from hot to cold, get plunged into water and covered in soap that often isn’t washed away, and as for all that anti-bac gel, it might kill bugs, but it can really dry out your skin! As well as having a regular manicure (with hand massage), also make sure you use a gentle soap on your hands, always dry them and use hand cream day and at night, not just as a treat now and again.

Love your cuticles
We all know how painful split, cracked cuticles can be, but you can avoid this from happening if you look after them. Try to always wear gloves when you are outside or washing the dishes, and then before you go to sleep, rub a little almond oil into the cuticles and this extra bit of loving nourishment, will keep them healthy and strong all winter long.

Sleep with your humidifier
Bear with us on this one, because we believe you can keep dry skin at bay, if you turn on your humidifier as you sleep. The mist which is generated, not only eases breathing but can help keep dry skin at bay and you will wake feeling refreshed and looking well. It’s got to be worth a go?

Got a tip for us to try before we hit the sack? Drop us a line and let us know as we are all ears!

Team Pure Beauty

Keep your health game up, this winter

www.pexels.comLet’s face it, winter isn’t the easiest time to stick to a healthy diet and fitness plan, however hard you try. With changeable weather, festive events and naughty treats putting sleigh sized obstacles in the way, it is hardly surprising that even our best intentions can get lost in the tinsel and snowballs.

However, you can stay healthy during the winter and we have had a look at how you can stay top of your game until spring comes along.

Keep an eye on the carbs
You know the ones – toasted white bread with lashings of butter, hot pasta loaded with pesto and, fresh baguettes stacked high with sausages, mustard and pickles. Yes, these snacks taste amazing, but opting for proteins like eggs and lean turkey, together with brown rice or sweet potatoes, will keep you fuller for longer and this may help you exercise harder too because you are taking on the right fuel to give you energy.

Mushrooms all the way
You might not know this, but mushrooms are jam-packed with nutrients and vitamins and are perfect when it comes to winter cooking. The humble mushroom is a great source of the antioxidants that help protect your body from the free radicals that can cause conditions like cancer and heart disease, and they boost your immune system too. They come with the copper that helps your body make red blood cells and a whole host of amazing B Vitamins including riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid. Whether you add them to soups and stews, grill them as part of a hearty winter breakfast, stuff them with spinach or cook up a risotto with brown rice, buy them, use them and enjoy their goodness!

Eat your greens
You are never more than a couple of sneezes away from a full-blown cold or nasty tummy bug, so you need to ensure your immune system is firing on all cylinders so you don’t get sick. We don’t really need to tell you this, but winter is the most important time to load up on fruit and veg if you want to stay well. Fresh, tinned and frozen options are all good for you, and you will find that a good dose of greens – be that kale, spinach, cabbage, kiwis, apples or grapes – mixed with the rainbow of colours and goodness found in peppers, berries, carrots and oranges, you will be on your way to good health whatever bugs are in the air this winter.

Put exercise in the diary
With office parties, shopping trips and drinks with the girls all coming up, if you don’t put your exercise dates in the diary, you just won’t go! Decide which classes you are going to go to and book them, make a regular slot for your runs by the river and even put time aside for a regular massage so you can stretch out those aches and pains and relax!

Go inside to exercise 
If you want to continue to exercise, but the cold winter weather puts you off, the simple answer is to move inside during the really chilly months. Your local gym, swimming pool, yoga centre or even your living room are all options to ensure you keep your workouts up, without getting wet and cold outside.

Keep an eye on alcohol
The odd beer here and glass of wine there might not seem like a lot at the time, but they all add up. We don’t want to be kill joys, but it is worth remembering that alcohol not only takes away your inhibitions (remember Keith and the Christmas party) but can add to your waistline, leave you hungover and also make you feel lethargic. Try to have a couple of booze free days a week, drink plenty of water in between those cocktails, and even offer to be the designated driver sometimes so you can skip the cider and feel better for it.

We hope these hints and tips help you keep feeling tip-top all winter long, and if you have any other ideas, we are all ears!

Team Pure Beauty

Treat Your Skin to Some Pumpkin

Treat Your Skin to Some Pumpkin
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Here in the UK, pumpkin seems to be something that gets used for carving up on Halloween and maybe for the occasional soup, but not much beyond that. However, pumpkins are actually full of nutrition that we should be getting more of not only in our diets but also on our skin. Today, we’re looking at what the power of pumpkins can do for our complexion and which products you should be using.

How is Pumpkin Good for Us?

According to Medical News Today, “Pumpkin has a range of fantastic health benefits, including being one of the best-known sources of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant. It also gives orange vegetables and fruits their vibrant colour. The body converts any ingested beta-carotene into vitamin A. Consuming foods rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer, offer protection against asthma and heart disease, and delay aging and body degeneration.”

So Which Products Use Pumpkin?

Dermalogica Pure Light SPF50

This product from Dermalogica is designed to combat hyperpigmentation and contains pumpkin fruit ferment filtrate, which helps exfoliate surface cells to enhance skin tone and eliminate dark spots. It contains critical broad spectrum protection against UV-induced hyperpigmentation and a powerful peptide helps regulate melanin production.

Elemis Superfood Facial Wash

In this nourishing facial wash, pumpkin seed oils are combined avocado and broccoli oils, as well as a natural Pre-Biotic to help balance the skin’s precious microbiome. It’s a wash that revives and refreshes whilst deeply cleansing the skin. Formulated with nutrient-dense Superfoods offering a balanced diet of active ingredients for an outdoor-fresh glow.

Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel

This resurfacing product from Dermalogica is a potent treatment for revitalising your skin. Pumpkin fruit enzyme and rice bran extract resurface and help even out skin tone while smoothing Australian caviar lime extracts brightens skin for a more radiant complexion. Each pack contains 10 peel applications with a handy travel bag.

How to have happy winter hands

www.pexels.comWhile we try to make sure we wear gloves and dry our hands thoroughly when they are wet, life is busy and quite often our digits just don’t get the love they deserve. The problem with skipping basic hand care is that is can lead to cracked skin, sore knuckles and weak nails, which can all be made worse by the cold.

The thing is, when the temperatures drop and the heavens open, our skin is more prone to dryness and the hydration they do have, is often sucked out of them thanks to central heating. We have had a look at some easy ways you can look after your hands, so they are soft, supple and comfortable however low the mercury drops.

Keep things plain
The temptation might be to buy a soap with a powerful scent and rich lather, but both of these factors can dry out your skin even more. Have a look around and go for something which contains hydrating ingredients like Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, and Jojoba Oil and remember that quite often, less is more.

Go for warm water, not hot
We often wash our hands in really hot water, but we would suggest you don’t do that. Turning the heat up is more likely to strip your skin of the natural oils it really needs to stay healthy, so go for lukewarm water and completely dry your hands, and in between your fingers, and we think you will start to see a difference.

Remember to moisturise
Hand creams aren’t there just to be used as a treat! Each time you wash and dry your hands, use a moisturising cream too. There is a wide range of products on the market to choose from, but in the winter, a thicker, more nourishing cream or lotion is a good idea as it will offer protection as well as locking in moisture. Again, try to stay away from anything that is packed with artificial scents and go for natural options where you can.

Add an oil
If you really do suffer from skin dryness, why not protect your hands from the harsh winter elements by adding oils into the mix. Shea Butter, Argan and even Olive Oil can be really soothing, but different things work for different people, so do a patch test with several options and go for what works for you. When you do use oil, make sure your hands are dry, then massage a little into your skin, paying attention to your cuticles and nails, as well as the really parched areas of skin on your hands and you may find this helps ease things and brings the softness back.

Nightime care
Just as you look after your face and neck at night, you can apply the same rules to your hands. As you sleep, your skin repairs itself, so this is the perfect time to put hand cream on and as you get your rest, the ingredients can help your mitts and nails recover from whatever the day has thrown at them.

Wear gloves
Whether this is when you are doing the washing up, walking the dog, or doing the school run, always try to wear gloves. Keeping your hands warm and shielded, should help protect your skin and nails and prevent them from drying out and splitting.

Talk to someone
If you find your hands are still getting dry and cracked, and if they are bleeding, it is worth seeing your GP or talking to your pharmacist for some expert help and suggestions.

Team Pure Beauty

How Pure Beauty Can Help You to Heal

How Pure Beauty Can Help You to Heal
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From spots to scratches to ingrown hairs, there are a whole bunch of different skin issues which mean that your skin needs to heal before it can repair itself. Here at Pure Beauty, we know that anything we can do to help our skin is a bonus, especially when it comes to healing, and we’ve curated a list of five products to give your skin a healing boost:

Decleor Prolagene Gel

Decleor Prolagene Gel is a multi-tasking gel to rescue damaged skin by toning, firming, repairing and revitalising. Prolagène Gel supplies the deep tissue with the active ingredients necessary for the reconstruction of its natural collagen. Acting on the whole of the skin’s structure it helps speed up cell renewal to improve the look of stretch marks and scarring in addition to loose skin.

Dermalogica Emergency Spot Fix

Dermalogica Emergency Spot Fix is a potent, topical formula that kills breakout-causing bacteria deep within pores to clear breakouts fast. It’s perfect for teenage skin which needs a little help in dealing with spots and breakouts and stops breakout-causing bacteria in the follicle and helps clear skin.

Jan Marini Transformation Eye Cream

The skin around the eyes is some of the most delicate on the whole body, which means that it gets damaged easily and needs special products to help it to heal. Jan Marini Transformation Eye Cream will help visibly improve the texture and restores hydration around eyes while helping to prevent future damage.

Elemis Tea Tree S.O.S. Spray

This handy spray from Elemis contains Tea Tree oil, which is nature’s own antiseptic, having powerful anti-bacterial and antiviral properties. It’s useful in SO many situations – it can be used for treating fungal infections on the feet, spraying directly onto cuts and spots, protecting against insect bites, using after waxing and it can even be used on congested back or chest area.

Dermalogica All Over Toner

Part of the healing process is about killing bacteria to prevent infection and ensure your skin is healthy. This timer from Dermalogica is a purifying mist that controls excess oil and helps eliminate breakouts on the face and body with salicylic acid. Twelve gentle botanicals refresh, energise and revive skin while tea tree kills bacteria.

Make vegan food swaps the delicious way

www.pexels.comWith more and more people turning to a plant-based diet and lifestyle, we have had a look at some easy swaps that you can make which will make you feel good and help the environment too.

Nut butter not real butter
Nut butters are full of much-needed fibre and protein and while they have the same texture and spread-ability, they are way better for you. Packed full of the healthy fats that promote good heart health these are a must have for your shopping basket. Don’t just go for the peanut butter, try almond and cashew too, and experiment until you find the one that is right for you.

Lentils for meat
If you want to find a meat substitute, you can’t go wrong with lentils. Soak first to soften them up, then added to them soups, curries, casseroles and tacos, and as well as giving you a protein burst, they are filling and taste good too!

Hummus not mayonnaise
While you can find vegan mayonnaise in some shops, why not add hummus to your sandwiches and salads instead? Made from mashed chickpeas, a dollop of hummus gives good fat, fibre and protein as well as folate, which helps to turn carbs into energy and keeps your ticker healthy. Make it fresh at home, eat as a snack with carrot and cucumber sticks, add to a wrap along with beef tomato and rocket, or spread thickly on rye toast and enjoy!

Tofu not eggs
Many people miss eggs when they follow a plant-based diet, but when you can replace them with tofu, you don’t need to. Tofu is made from condensed soy milk and the resulting solid white blocks are packed with protein, magnesium, copper, zinc and amino acids too. Chop your tofu into small cubes, then gently fry over a medium heat in a little oil and serve with mushrooms, tomatoes and rye bread and you will have an Instagram worthy breakfast in a flash.

Courgette spaghetti
This is a treat for anyone who wants to up their veg intakes. Use a spiralizer or vegetable peeler to slice two or three courgettes into fine strips, then pan fry for a minute or two before adding a little water to the pan and letting the veg simmer for another five minutes. Pour over a lentil chilli or vegetable curry, toss in peanut butter, or add garlic and ginger plus a little soy sauce, and you have a super healthy supper in seconds.

Bean burgers not beef burgers
If you are craving comfort food, why not make burgers from black beans and you really won’t feel like you are missing out. Not only do black beans come with a serious serving of fibre and protein, they can also help keep your gut and heart healthy and boost your bones too. Create patties, cook them and serve in a bun with sweet potato wedges, avocado and a side of tomato salsa and you will be full in no time.

Agave rather than honey
If you are looking for an alternative to honey, why not give agave a go. The sweetness in this easy to use, and eat, syrup comes from inulin, a fructose derived from fruit and vegetables. Thanks to a low-GI, agave can help to keep blood sugars level, so add it to your cakes and cookies as well as smoothies and yogurts, but like honey, it is still sweet, so you don’t need a lot.

Plant-based never tasted so good!

Team Pure Beauty