Our Blog – Page 59 – Pure Beauty – The Lichfield Beauty Salon

Health and Happiness, Life and Fashion, Skincare Advice

Winter beauty tips to make you glow

08/11/2016 08/11/2016 0

Winter might be on the way but that doesn’t mean you have to look as washed out as the weather.

At Pure-Beauty we love it when the leaves change colour and we can pop out for hot chocolate after a walk in the park.

We have put together some easy to follow beauty tips that will make you glow as bright as the autumn leaves and pretty sunset.

To keep your skin plumped and totally hydrated, trying massaging it every day. Not only will this cleanse your face and rid it of make-up and dirt, but it will also help stimulate collagen and drain toxins so you look as fresh as the morning snow. Who knew?

As the sun fades, try using a concealer that is the same shade as your skin. Many of us go lighter but this can actually make you look as you have been skiing and left your goggles on! For the best results, tip your head down and look straight into the mirror, as this will expose the dark areas you want to work on. Apply make up with a good quality, clean, pointed brush and gently smooth with your ring finger.

Once you have perfected your foundation and concealer, next you ideally need to use a powder to keep things in place all day, or evening, long. To get the best coverage, use smooth, sweeping strokes across puffed out cheeks and whilst you might look funny it will allow for a natural finish and the powder won’t settle in fine lines and age you.

If you are getting ready in a rush, it can be easy to over do the blusher and look doll-like. Don’t panic and wash it all off and start again. Instead, simply apply a little more foundation over the checks and blend the mistakes away. Magic!

Mascara can transform any look but so can a smudge. Don’t wipe your face clean, however bad the lines are, instead put a little eye cream on a cotton bud and gently wipe away the excess mascara and start again.

Cotton buds can also be a life-saver when it comes to a home mani or pedi. We all make the odd mistake here and there, but if you dip a bud in remover and carefully work around the nail, you’ll create perfection in no time at all. Always remember to go for two coats of colour and a top-coat if you’re looking for a professional finish that will last.

Go for a moisturising lipstick that brightens your skin and makes your eyes really stand out even on the dullest of rainy days.

Rather than constantly putting your hair under the strain of straighteners, why not create waves and volume the natural way? Shampoo and condition your locks and towel dry. Then twist strands of your hair and pin up your head. Sleep with the pins in and by morning your hair will be clean, bouncy and healthy.

Keep a lip balm and hand cream in your bag at all times and you will be able to keep the cold from irritating your extremities.

Beauty doesn’t stop as you sleep you know. After you cleanse, tone and moisturise, why not snooze on a silk pillow? It might sound a bit OTT but because silk is naturally hypoallergenic it doesn’t zap moisture so your skin will soak up the goodness of your products and you will wake will a dewy glow.

It goes without saying, if you eat a balance diet, drink at least eight glasses of water a day, take exercise and sleep well, these can also help you look and feel your best whatever the weather throws at you.

Let us know what tricks work for you.

Team Pure-Beauty

Dermalogica, Health and Happiness, Skincare Advice

Combat Hormone Havoc with Dermalogica

05/11/2016 04/11/2016 0

Anyone who’s ever had a period knows that they can play absolute havoc with your complexion. Spots and oiliness are all you need if you’re already suffering with cramps and PMT, so we’re taking a look at the actual causes of poor skin at the different stages of your cycle, as well as suggesting things to help to combat it.

The Week Before

During the week leading up to your period, your body’s oestrogen levels start to drop and progesterone production amps up, which also causes your skin to produce more oil. This can lead to shiny skin, blocked pores and pimples. Using a heavy-duty oil-free cleanser like Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser will help to mop up the excess sebum and using a good mask like Dermalogica Sebum Clearing Masque will keep it at bay for the longer term.

During

After the oil-slick that your skin endures the week before your period, spots are going to be at their worst so clearing your pores of the residual grime is vital if you ever want to clear your skin. Using an emergency treatment as the spots appear, like Dermalogica Emergency Spot Fix, will help to reduce the redness and kill the spot-causing bacteria, while Dermalogica Concealing Spot Treatment will attack the cause of the spot whilst also giving you a bit of coverage to reduce the appearance of the blemish. We also suggest using Dermalogica Skin Purifying Wipes to cleanse your skin during your period as they will purify skin and remove excess surface oils and breakout-causing bacteria and impurities.

The Week After

Once your period is finished, your hormone levels should return to normal which hopefully will also have a knock-on effect for your skin. Spots will start to clear, oil production will slow down and you can resume a regular skincare routine without having to account for pesky zits! The Dermalogica Skin Kit for Normal/Dry skin is the ideal combination of products to keep your skin on track between your period and contains everything you need for a good daily routine. It contains a good moisturiser which will be especially useful in the week after your period as there’s a tendency for skin to dry out a little after the sebum festival in the previous couple of weeks!

Health and Happiness, Life and Fashion

The natural power of rosehip oil

01/11/2016 31/10/2016 0

You might not know this, but one of the best natural products you can use on your skin and hair is rosehip oil.

Andean Indians of Chile have been using this as a beauty and health staple for generations, with many others following suit and today it is loved by millions the world over.

Why?

Well, as you would expect, rosehip oil comes from the hip of the rose and is a natural source of Vitamin E, which calms and hydrates dry and sensitive skin as well as protecting it from sun damage.

Natural source of essential fatty acids omega 3, 6 and 9 occur in this oil and help repair and regenerate damaged skin.

Things don’t stop there. It is also a source of Vitamin C which is a skin brightening, anti-ageing antioxidant that helps deal with pigmentation and tone.

Why stop there?

You will also find the powerful antioxidant lycopene in rosehip oil which can help improve the texture of skin and guard against premature ageing.

Brimming with nutrients and vitamins it can be used externally and internally and has many, many uses, some of which we are going to share with you today.

Our complexion takes a daily battering and rosehip oil can be a great facial moisturiser. Just a little contains a super-serving of essential fatty acids, which rehydrate sad skin and lock moisture. This beauty trick can be used all year long and you can even mix with your regular day and night creams for maximum results.

If your limbs are feeling a little unloved, treat it to a dose of rosehip oil. Rich in the essential fatty acids like omega 3 and 6, this oil can help nourish and rehydrate parched skin. Apply a little oil to problems areas like elbows, knees, cracked lips and heels and watch nature get to work.

You might think oil would make hair lank and greasy, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Rosehip oil is just the ticket if you want to put the life and shine back into your locks. Massage a little, warmed oil into your hair before you wash it, leave it on for a couple of minutes, wash and dry as usual and the bounce and silkiness will return.

Rosehip oil can also be used to deal with dandruff and other annoying scalp problems – yes, really. Simply massage a few drops of the oil into your scalp, leave it on for around half an hour, shampoo and you will see a difference.

If you are conscious of your neck then why not trying massaging a little rosehip oil into it? There is very little natural moisture in the neck area, which means it can look dull and prematurely aged. Pop a drop or two of oil into your hands and rub into your skin, which over time, will look more refreshed and healthier.

If you thought things could get any better, this super beauty product is also great for nails. It gets to the heart of soft, cracked and brittle nails and makes them healthier and stronger than ever. As part of your daily routine, massage your nails every night before going to bed and before long they will be stronger than ever.

Thanks to the omegas, vitamins and fatty acids, rosehip is perfect for helping nurture scars and stretch marks as well as evening out the skin tone around the affected area. Gently massage into the effected areas and in time the skin should improve and recover.

If you have any other uses for this amazing product, drop us a line and share your secret.

Team Pure-Beauty

Skincare Advice

Ten Commandments of Skincare

29/10/2016 31/10/2016 0

When it comes to beauty, we’re all doing our own thing and making things work for us, but there are certain irrefutable truths that all of us should know and abide by. Here are the Ten Commandments of Skincare according to us here at Pure Beauty:

Thou shalt not sleep in make-up

We all know how easy it would be to slip into bed without removing our make-up and daily grime from our face but it’s really not good for your skin. Keep some Dermalogica Skin Purifying Wipes on your nightstand for times when minimal effort and maximum results are needed.

Thou shalt not keep out-of-date products

It might seem tempting to keep things for as long as possible, especially when you’ve invested in high-end products, but all products have a shelf life (usually printed on the bottle inside a triangle) and using them after this time could be potentially harmful.

Thou shalt MOISTURISE

Even if you have oily skin, you still need to use a moisturising product to rebalance your skin. Find one which is specific to your skin type and use it as often as you feel necessary.

Thou shalt use sun cream

We ALL know how harmful the sun can be, yet a staggering amount of us still forego sun cream in an effort to gain a tan. It’s worth remembering that you WILL still get a tan even with a decent SPF and the risks just really aren’t worth it.

Thou shalt drink plenty of water

Water is basically the single most important beauty product that you should be using – it’s all very well covering yourself in lotions and potions, but without basic hydration your skin will look dry and sallow and wrinkles will be Far more pronounced.

Thou shalt use a decent shampoo and conditioner

So many of our clients spend a fortune on creams, masks and cleansers for their faces but use something cheap and cheerful on their hair. You should, however, be looking after your crowning glory properly with a clarifying shampoo and moisturising conditioner.

Thou shalt not share make up

As tempting as it may seem to share cosmetics with a friend, mum sister or partner, using someone else’s make up is one of the quickest ways to get an infection. Stick to your own, or at the very least invest in some disposable applicators.

Thou Shalt Remember Your Body

Beauty doesn’t stop at your neck and remembering to pamper your body is a must – there’s no quicker way of ruining an outfit than with dry elbows and knees! Opt for a good all-over moisturiser and exfoliate at least once a week.

Thou shalt not squeeze your spots

We KNOW how tempting it is to go all Dr. Pimple Popper on your face when spots and blackheads appear but you risk scarring your face and actually spreading the spot-causing bacteria. Opt for a spot-fix treatment to reduce redness and clear blemishes safely instead.

Thou shalt take care of your hands

Hands are another place which are often neglected, and they’re usually the part of you which works the hardest. Treat yourself to a really rich hand and nail cream and make sure you use it daily, especially when the weather starts to cool down.

Health and Happiness

Be breast aware this October

25/10/2016 31/10/2016 0

If you didn’t know already, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Breast Cancer Care research has shown that nearly 60,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year.

That’s the equivalent of one person every 10 minutes, with 1 in 8 women in the UK expected to develop breast cancer during their lives.

That is quite a number, so we want to make sure you know the facts so you can be breast healthy and aware of your own body.

First of all, let’s look at who, statistically, is most susceptible to breast cancer:

First of all, woman are most at risk factor of developing breast cancer.

Secondly whilst we hear of young cases in the media, actually the older you are, the more at risk you are of developing the disease. Over 80% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women over 50 and if men have the disease, they are most likely to be aged 60 over.

A family history can be another factor but this isn’t common and around just 5% of those diagnosed with breast cancer have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.

Whilst these are the most at risk cases, the reality is that breast cancer can happen to anyone and anytime.

Bearing this in mind do you really know what breast cancer is?

Well, in the simplest of terms it happens when cells in the breast divide and grow in an abnormal way. This can happen for a number of reasons (including those above) or can be due to a combination of factors, some of which we can’t control.

The are several types of breast cancer, which can be diagnosed at different stages, and each case grows at different rates. As no two patients are the same, no two treatments plans are either.

From today, why not start to check your breasts regularly?

Once you start you will soon know what feels normal and therefore it will be easier to notice if something feels, or looks, different.

You can check them in the bath or shower, after you have exercised, when you get dressed or as you use moisturisers or body lotions.

Is it important to check all parts of your breast including your armpits and up to your collarbone and the changes you are really looing for include:

A change in size or shape of your breasts
A lump or thickening of tissue that feels different from the rest of the breast
Redness or a rash on the skin and/or around the nipple
Any changes in your breast skin texture such as puckering or dimpling
Look out for a liquid discharge from the nipple that occurs even when you don’t squeeze
Nipples becoming inverted or changing in shape or position
A swelling in your armpit or around your collarbone
A constant pain in your breast or armpit

Whilst most changes will be innocent, if you do find something you are worried about go and see your GP as soon as you can. The worst thing you can do is worry and suffer in silence. There’s a good chance of recovery if cancer is detected in the early stages and there is some incredible support out there if it’s the new you didn’t want to hear.

Chances are, it won’t be anything at all, but be breast aware and have peace of mind.

For more information visit the NHS website or go to Breast Cancer Care.

Decleor, Dermalogica, Skincare Advice

Brightening Beauty

22/10/2016 31/10/2016 0

At this time of year it’s really easy to start feeing a little dull – the sun has all but disappeared, many of us have our heating on and fashion has taken a turn for the woolly! It’s important for both mind and body to stay feeling great so we thought we’d take a look at five of our best brightening products to help you fend off those winter blues.

Decleor Anti-Dark Circle Multi-Brightening Eye Care

Whenever we’re feeling tired or under the weather, the first place it shows is in the dark circles around our eyes. This eye cream from Decleor is a powerful ally against dark circles and can be used daily to keep the area around your eyes looking bright and refreshed.

Decleor Brightening Cleansing Foam

Cleansing is an important part of helping us to feel bright and fresh, so opting for a silky brightening cleansing foam is a good idea. This product from Decleor does exactly that, eliminating impurities and excess sebum to refine the complexion day after day.

Decleor Brightening Cleansing Oil

Cleansing oils are such a great way to deeply cleanse your skin without stripping away essential moisture which is often the cause of dull skin. This cleansing oil from Decleor actively brightens your skin, adding radiance and luminosity as well as strengthening the skins natural barriers and deeply cleansing as it goes. Quite impressive!

Decleor Intense Brightening Mask

Using brightening products on a daily basis is important but you can also bolster your skin with regular mask treatments. Decleor Intense Brightening Mask is a mask to refresh, hydrate and brighten dull and pigmented skin types. It harnesses Decleor’s unique “White Focus” plant complex to intensively refresh the face and can be used once a week.

Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum

This serum from Dermalogica is one of their most powerful and most popular as it not only increases luminosity and brightness, it also actively reduces the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation. It contains a number of oligopeptides which actually improve the appearance of your skin on a deeply cellular level and reduces melanosome transfer to cells.

Life and Fashion

Boost your mood with your food

18/10/2016 17/10/2016 0

Whilst some of us love wrapping up warm and kicking the leaves in the park, for others the cool winds of autumn are unwelcome and can create feelings of sadness and lead to snacking and comfort eating.

Whilst cakes and crisps might taste great, not only can the add to your waistline but doing so may make you feel sluggish and more tired and lethargic than ever.

We have put together our top mood boosting foods that will make you want to grab your trainers and run out of the door rather than hide under the duvet until spring.

Eggs are the perfect mood food you can enjoy at any time of the day. Eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner, have them boiled, poached or scrambled and you simply can’t go wrong. One the reasons they are so good for you is because they are jam packed with protein that the body breaks down into the amino acids that make neurotransmitters and keep our mood balanced. What are you waiting for – buy a dozen today.

Another breakfast winner is porridge. Oats boost your mood because they have a naturally low glycaemic index (GI) so they slowly release energy into the bloodstream. This means both your blood sugar levels and mood are kept stable and you don’t get that mid-morning slump. Oats also contain the selenium as well as Vitamin B12 and other B vitamins that all play a role in producing and stabilising mood boosting brain chemicals. Start the day with a bowl of porridge made with semi-skimmed milk and add nuts or yoghurt for protein packed bonus points.

Bananas are a very, very happy snack. Either slice onto a bowl of fortified cereal with semi-skimmed milk or blend into a healthy smoothie together with mood boosting blackberries. As well as being full of potassium, bananas also boast high levels of the happy hormone, serotonin, which can also be found in plums, tomatoes, kiwis and walnuts.

Snacking on nuts and seeds rather than crisps and sweets, can be a great way to fill up and keep smiling. Full of protein, these once again can help with the production of neurotransmitters and help keep our mood balanced and mind focused.

A great way to keep a smile on your face and a skip in your step is to eat fish. Oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, wild salmon and tuna are a fantastic source of the omega 3s that are vital for healthy brain function and good mood. Don’t just have fish on Friday, instead enjoy a severing two or three times a week with rice and steamed vegetables or with a jacket sweet potato and avocado slices.

If you like chocolate, you’ll be delighted to know that a little bit of dark chocolate can be good for you. We aren’t saying buy the biggest pack and eat it in one sitting, but having one square of dark, organic, unprocessed chocolate a day can help to deal with anxiety and stress. This is because it contains the antioxidant, falvonols, which can have a positive impact on your mood.

Try switching red meat for turkey at least once a week. We say this because it is a rich protein full of feel good serotonin from an amino acid, Tryptophan. Tryptophan occurs naturally in turkey as well as some dairy products, dried dates and soya. To get most happiness from these foods, eat them with a small portion of carbohydrate to increase the absorption rate and conversion to serotonin and feel that smile creep onto your face.

Believe it or not, if you feel below par, reaching for cinnamon can be better than eating large slice of cake and mug of sugary tea. These kinds of food might give us a quick fix but in no time at all you will be feeling down in the mouth again. Sprinkling a teaspoon of cinnamon onto peanut butter or porridge or drinking a warming cup of cinnamon tea can keep blood sugar levels balanced and mood even.

So, next time you go shopping, think about what will make you happy before you put it in your trolley.

Team Pure-Beauty

Health and Happiness, Skincare Advice

5 Surprising Reasons for Spots

15/10/2016 14/10/2016 0

We all know that there are certain things which cause spots, like weather changes and hormones changes which are basically just a fact of life and have to be dealt with as and when they happen. However, there are quite a few totally avoidable reasons for spots which may not have even occurred to you, so we thought we’d take a look at those reasons and allow you to be pre-armed and forewarned.

Your Make-Up

Using make-up with is ‘non-comedogenic’ is basically the only way to ensure that your make-up will never cause you spots because this literally means that it doesn’t clog your pores. Other than that, making sure that you wash your face really thoroughly at the end of the day is the only remedy. We recommend Decleor Soothing Micellar Water and Dermalogica Soothing Eye Make Up Remover to ensure a super clean face with no irritation from harsh chemicals.

Your Bed

Okay, so this one is a bit…icky…but if you’re not changing your bedsheets as often as you should, especially your pillow case, then your sleep-haven could definitely be giving you spots. Every night, you lay in bed and your face touches your pillow case which, if it hasn’t been properly sanitised, could be teeming with bacteria. Make sure to change your bedding at least once a week and wash them at a minimum of 60°C.

Your Partner

If your partner has facial hair of any kind, there’s a good change he could be contributing to your spots, especially if you’re a pair of kiss-aholics! If your partner has short, stubbly hair, this could be irritating your skin and causing breakouts, whilst a long beard could be harbouring sebum and bacteria, also causing you to breakout. Make sure he keeps his beard super clean and softened with a little beard oil.

Overusing Products

Having a skincare routine is something that we’re fairly evangelical about, but we’ll be the first to admit that there IS such a thing as overdoing it, and even we need to switch things up sometimes. Although products which contain salicylic acid can do absolute wonders for your skin, some of them are for occasional use only and using them too much can cause a whole set of issues by themselves, such as dryness and outbreaks of spots. If this happens to you, try to lay off the powerful products for a while and stick to something gentler like Dermalogica Gentle Soothing Booster.

Smoking

Sorry to be a bore, but smoking is bad for you in YET ANOTHER way. We all know the potentially fatal side effects of smoking, which is reason enough to quit, but smoking can also give you spots. When you smoke, you literally deprive your skin of oxygen and all of the chemicals in cigarettes will dry the skin, causing you to over-produce sebum which will eventually make you spotty. How to stop it? Quit!

Health and Happiness

50 easy things to do to make you happy

11/10/2016 10/10/2016 0

Bogged down, tired, stressed?

Many of us feel this way as life is busy, schedules are full and the nights are drawing in.

Don’t feel mad, sad or bad, instead take a leaf out of our book and do something easy today that will make you feel great.

Go for a walk in the autumn sunshine and get some fresh air.

Meet a friend for coffee and chat.

Write a letter.

Cook a cake.

Take up knitting – very therapeutic.

Swim in the sea.

Light some candles and enjoy the sweet smell filling up your house.

Listening to your favourite song on full volume.

Book a holiday.

Resign from the job you hate.

Tell someone you love them.

Have a horse-riding lesson.

Take a duvet day.

Pay someone a compliment.

Read that book you have had on your list forever.

Put all your photos in an album.

Buy a new pair of shoes and wear them out of the shop.

Propose!

Throw away the scales.

Buy a colouring book and relax as you draw.

Make a hot chocolate with double cream and enjoy every last taste.

Cuddle a newborn baby.

Say hello to a stranger and brighten their day.

Make a donation to a charity you believe in.

Cancel that expensive gym membership you never, ever use.

Call your mum and say hello.

Have a digital detox and turn off all devices and gadgets for the day.

Cook a roast dinner for the whole family.

Take a course and learn something completely new.

Go to a car boot sale and sell anything you don’t use or need anymore.

Go to the beach.

Paint your nails bright red and wear matching lipstick.

Make a mid-year resolution.

Have your hair done, feel special. You’re worth it.

Keep a diary of three good things in everyday and embrace happy.

Tell the truth.

Throw out your chipped mugs and buy a new set that matches and looks nice!

Send a postcard to your sister.

Snuggle up with your dog, and if you don’t have a dog, borrow one.

Say sorry and really mean it.

Throw a party, just because.

Meditate and take time out to rest, relax and find happiness.

Don’t skip meals, instead nourish your body and soul with good food and water.

Have an early night and catch up on some much needed sleep.

Get out the popcorn, close the curtains and watch your favourite movie in your pjs.

Volunteer your time. Whether you help at a local hospice, make tea at the school fete or do some shopping for a neighbour, do it for free and make a difference.

Make a list and stick to it, ticking each item off one by one.

Don’t keep anything for ‘best’ use or wear it everyday.

Look for butterflies.

Smile, it is hard to feel down when you are grinning.

Go on, give these a go and we bet you will feel better for it.

Team Pure-Beauty

Health and Happiness

De-Stress with Decleor and Dermalogica

08/10/2016 10/10/2016 0

Unless you’re the sort of rare creature who manages to remain Zen at all times, there’s a good chance that you’ll feel the need to de-stress at times. Taking some time to concentrate on yourself can be an excellent way to improve your inner-calm and we’ve got suggestions of five amazing products which will help.

Dermalogica Stress Relief Treatment Oil

This oil from Dermalogica is the perfect product for relieving stress and can be used in a number of different ways. It contains soothing lavender, sandalwood and orange oils and can be smoothed onto the skin during a massage, added to a bath, rubbed onto wet skin after a shower or even added to your regular moisturiser for an all-over effect. Additionally, patchouli and clary sage as well as tea tree, lemon and ylang-ylang combine to help to soothe your overworked mind.

Decleor Neroli Hydrating Oil Serum

This serum is perfect for skin which has been exposed to the stresses of everyday life. It’s won numerous awards for Decleor and soaks into the skin upon application to soothe and relax the skin. It works best when combined with Decleor Hydra-Floral Anti-Pollution cream and should be applied morning and night, smoothed onto the face a drop or two at a time.

Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash

More often than not, when we need to de-stress, the first place we head for is the bath or shower and this body wash is the perfect accompaniment to your scrubbing to help you de-stress. It contains a blend of purifying and cleansing natural oils which also smell sublime and will leave you feeling as though all of your tension has melted away/

Decleor Sublime Re-Densifying Night Cream

Once you’ve de-stressed and are ready to hit the hay for a restorative snooze, using a night cream to continue the good work is a great idea. The cream contains an aromachological blend of iris, frankincense, immortelle and camomile to soothe and de-stress the skin, allowing you to wake up feeling fully revitalised.

Dermalogica Gentle Soothing Booster

This booster from Dermalogica does exactly what it says on the bottle by gently soothing dry, tired and stress-out skin. Red raspberry extract, healing honey and calming flower extracts soothe irritation and areas where your skin looks and feels stressed as well as reducing redness and natural moisture levels.

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