Raising the Bar

Until recently, bar soap was always an afterthought to me. Sure, I’d go out of my way to find the most nourishing, aromatically enticing body scrubs and butters, but as far as I was concerned, bath soap was always something best bought in bulk from the supermarket. I had no use for the fru fru, seashell-shaped soap sets I received every Christmas (which were always re-gifted), the words “French milled” meant nothing to me and my idea of “guest soap” meant replacing the slivers that had fused together with a fresh bar.

However, my appreciation (or lack thereof) for better body bars changed dramatically when I came home for the holidays to a house in transition. Riding the “green” wave, my mother had given the place an extreme organic makeover that touched everything from the light bulbs to, yes, the bath soap. The nameless, bleached-white block I remembered had been replaced with an earthen-flecked, oatmeal-colored cake that lathered up delightfully and left my skin feeling velvety soft and supple, not tight and parched. I was hooked.

Seeking to recreate the experience, I hit the big box stores and scoured the web in search of the best nature-based bars. Here’s what made the cut:

TRIPLE MILLED POMEGRANATE SOAP by Archipelago
Triple milled—repeatedly sent through a series of kneading rollers for finer consistency—Archipelago’s vegetable-based Pomegranate Soap is the perfect marriage of luxury and utility. As antioxidants and enzyme boosters shield and stimulate the skin, the crisp scent of tart berries and citrus greets the senses. 

HONEY I WASHED THE KIDS SOAP by Lush
Canada-based soap masters Lush know how to take a theme and run with it. Shaped like a wedge of honeycomb, Honey I Washed the Kids is a 100% vegetarian bath bar with hints of bergamot and orange that soothes as it gently cleanses—a dream come true for sensitive skin!

FABULOUSLY FRESH PEPPERMINT & ROSEMARY BODY BAR by Burt’s Bees
This mint-vigorating body bar is made for those mornings when you’d rather hit “snooze.” As crisp peppermint undertones rouse your senses, exfoliating almond flour awakens your skin for a truly fresh start. Who needs coffee with a wake-up call like this?

For more luscious ingredients and healthy, radiant skin, shop the Pur Minerals skin care collection!

Look Your Best at Any Age

Let’s face it, with today’s scientific modalities and plastic surgery techniques, it can be hard to distinguish a woman in her twenties from a woman in her forties. Although we tend to associate wrinkles and gray hair with the elderly, signs of aging can creep up and start to show themselves when we least expect it. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to achieve beauty at any age. So what’s the secret to looking great? Simple—good skin care.

20s

Prevention is crucial during this phase in your life. If you didn’t have good sun habits in your teens, now is the time to start. Sunscreen should be a daily part of your beauty regimen, whether in your lip colour, foundation or moisturizer. In addition to sun exposure, drinking and smoking can have adverse effects on your skin. If you prevent damage and protect your skin while in your 20s, your complexion will thank you for years to come.

30s

Between career moves, busy lifestyles and starting a family, your 30s can bring on a variety of different stressors. Many women at this age are plagued by adult acne due to hormonal changes and work-related tension. Regulate sebum production and keep breakouts at bay with a mattifying, oil control gel. Signs of aging can begin to appear around the eyes, but can be curtailed with professional treatment products. Our Pür Minerals beauty experts recommend Re-Vital Eyes for fine lines and puffy eyes, and Intensive Eye Treatment for dark circles and discolorations.

40s

As we enter our 40s, skin begins to lose elasticity, making it harder to return to its original shape. Lines that may have only been visible when you smiled or laughed in your 30s may now be etched into your complexion. Stimulating collagen production is central to promoting healthier, more youthful looking skin. Pür Minerals Skin Perfecting Serum gently exfoliates and increases collagen and elastin to help control wrinkles. For a more vigorous treatment, try an anti-aging peel to smooth and brighten skin, and help you hold onto your youth.

50+

Skin’s ability to retain moisture is weakened at this stage. Hormonal fluctuations and diminished natural reserves can cause the complexion to appear dry or flaky. A vitamin-infused moisturizer will not only provide vital hydration to the skin, but also help firm and tighten sagging skin (such as around the forehead, mouth and eyes) to rebuild definition. Choose an antioxidant formula to help avert further free radical damage.

For more ways to look great at any age, shop the complete skin care collection at PurMinerals.com.

Golden Globes Beauty Buzz

The stars came out on Sunday at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards, gracing the red carpet with a plethora of style and talent. Whether they took home awards or not, these beauties are winners in our eyes.

Kate Winslet
In addition to her two awards for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for Revolutionary Road and The Reader, respectively, this British beauty wowed audiences with a sleek, stunning YSL gown and a perfectly coiffed, elegant updo.

Beyonce Knowles
Donning head-to-toe sparkle, Beyonce (or was it Sasha Fierce?) dazzled onlookers with a sequined gown by Elie Saab, a gorgeous platinum and diamond necklace and an equally brilliant smile.

Freida Pinto
Ms. Pinto added a splash of color to the red carpet with her chic, golden gown. The star of the critically acclaimed Bollywood fantasy, Slumdog Millionaire, looked youthful yet sophisticated with a romantic, half-up hairdo.

Charlize Theron
You’d never know its winter looking at this bronzed beauty. Sporting head-to-toe Dior (dress and makeup) and a sun-kissed glow, Charlize will appear in the upcoming film The Road, scheduled for release early this year.

To create your own red carpet-ready look, shop makeup and skin care must-haves at PurMinerals.com.

FREE Standard Shipping On PurMinerals.com!

As a Thank You for your patience while we restocked our beauty shelves, Pür Minerals is offering FREE STANDARD SHIPPING through January 19th on all purchases! 

Start Shopping!

Ask Joli: Hydration and Exfoliation

You’ve got questions, Joli Baker has answers. Read on for advice from the Pür Minerals president and get the beauty scoop—pür and simple.

Q: I generally have balanced skin, but the winter months wreak havoc on my complexion! Can I still exfoliate even when my skin is dry, and what extra steps can I take  to keep my skin hydrated? – Vicki, Los Alamos, NM

While winter weather conditions are responsible for seasonal dry skin—especially in already-dry climates—hot, dry indoor heating is also to blame. When we turn up the heat, we dry out the air, which tends to dehydrate our skin.

Start by using products that target evaporation and trap moisture in the skin. Mineral Moisture Infusion,  for example, contains unique humectants that literally pull moisture from the air to quench skin’s thirst. In addition to skin care solutions, there are some commonsense things you can do to avoid skin dehydration. Using a humidifier can also help. Avoid fabrics like wool that have the potential to irritate, opting for breathable, skin-friendly cotton. And when washing clothes, use detergents free of skin-irritating dyes and fragrances. Most importantly, continue to use sunscreen—dehydrating UV rays can leave skin parched even through the coldest part of the year.

You can definitely continue regular exfoliation even if your skin is dry. Because skin cells have greater difficulty shedding in the cooler, drier months than in the warmer ones, they build up faster and keep surface moisture from reaching the fresh, new cells below. As those cells become dehydrated and dry up, the skin starts to crack and flake. By exfoliating, you remove that top layer of dead skin and allow hydrating ingredients in. A gently exfoliating mask or a face and body scrub like Pür Polish is perfect for the winter. Because the latter uses all-natural aloe vera and citrus oils, it moisturizes as it exfoliates to plump and protect young skin cells.

Do you have a beauty question for Joli that you would like to see answered here? Leave us a comment or send an email to blog@purminerals.com.

Pür Minerals Around the Web: Where We Were Spotted Over The Holidays

Happy New Year! Even with craziness of the holidays, some of you still took the time to blog or vlog about Pür and we would like to thank:

• YouTubber Darklightlove for her fantastic review of the Pur Minerals Starter Kit.
• Monique of Your Style Star for the great review of our Holiday Collection.
• Amanda who reviewed our Starter Kit and prefers us over other competitors. Welcome to beauty--pür and simple, Amanda!
• Beautifile.com for their awesome review of our cornerstone product, the 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation.

Also thanks to Navy Beauty Freak, YouTubbers eyeXluvXmakeup and QueenofBlendingMUA.

With the New Year already off and running, there's one thought we'd like to share: Take a few minutes each day for you and live life pür and simple. Best wishes for 2009!

Post-Holiday Fitness Tips

The damage has been done (and yes, it was worth every savory second). However, now that the “season of splurge” is behind us, it’s time to get serious about shaping up. Read on for tips and tricks to get back that pre-holiday bod and then some.

Set a Goal
Wishing those holiday pounds away won’t get you swimsuit-ready come Memorial Day. What you need is a plan of action! Make your goal as specific as possible. “I want to lose four pounds a month” not only sounds better than “I want to lose weight,” it establishes a tangible yardstick for success and prepares your mind for action.

Remember to keep your goal realistic. Shedding one pound (of fat) requires burning 3,500 calories (the equivalent of walking 30 miles). A medium-sized adult burning 300 calories three times a week, therefore, could shed roughly a pound a month. By cutting caloric intake (dieting) by 300 calories, that same person could shed two pounds per month.

Establish a Routine
Determine the best time—and the amount of time--you’re willing to commit to getting fit. While it’s important to establish a workout routine, there’s no need to set it in stone. Be flexible. If a meeting keeps you from hitting the gym at lunch, go after work. If your Saturday afternoons are booked, make a point to exercise in the morning.

To effectively lose weight, aim for a minimum of 200 minutes of medium intensity exercise a week. (You can shrink this number by cutting your caloric intake.) Beginners may want to start at 60 minutes a week and work their way up. Remember, a routine is only good if you stick to it.

Get Fit
The fast-track to post-holiday weight loss is cardiovascular exercise (running, cycling, jumping rope, etc.). The beauty of cardio is that it can be done just about anywhere—outdoors, at the gym; even in front of the TV. To burn calories in less time, exercise in intervals. That is, alternate between bouts of high-intensity activity (running as fast as you can for 30 seconds, for example) and low-intensity recovery (jogging for one-and-a-half to three minutes). Always allow time to stretch before and cool down after your workout.

While cardio is your best bet for slimming down, strength training (lunges, push-ups, lifting weights, etc.) is the key to toning up. If focusing on individual muscle groups, alternate between groups to allow muscles to recover. You can also perform multi-group exercises that work out a variety of muscles all at once. If combining cardio with strength training, give strength training first billing or alternate days of each.

My Fair Lady

Makeup Tips for Light Skin

Whether you have naturally porcelain skin, or just a case of seasonal paleness, here are a few tips to help keep fair skin looking luminous and lovely all winter long.

SKIN: A protective day cream is a must for those with light skin tones. Choose a moisturizer with a double-digit SPF, such as Pür Minerals Day Renewal Complex SPF 20, to help block harmful UV rays and preserve skin’s health. Exfoliating regularly, especially during the winter, will help fair skin maintain that supple, milky radiance.

FACE & CHEEKS: Since discolorations tend to reveal themselves more on lighter skin, try prepping skin for makeup application with a colour correcting foundation primer. A green-tinted formula will help to even out the skin tone and offset any redness or imperfections, such as under eye circles or blemishes.

As for foundation, barely-there makeup looks best on fair skin. 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup in shades Porcelain and Light provide flawless, transparent coverage for ladies with very fair to fair skin. If you love having a sun-kissed look, lightly apply a bronzing powder for a natural-looking, golden glow. Top with a shimmering, pink blush to give cheeks a fresh, youthful flush.

EYES: Pastel eye shadows and subtle metallics go well with pale skin. Pink and lavender shades are a sure bet to complement those with fair hair and complexion, but if you really want to light up your eyes try a shimmering golds and yellows or smooth, sparkling blues and greens. Fair-skinned ladies with darker hair look great in amber, plum and golden-brown hues.

Pür Picks: Blondes should try Pressed Mineral Shadows in Rose Quartz, Violet Iolyte, Champagne Citrine, Sunstone, and True Emerald. Brunettes and redheads will look lovely in Amber, Rose Symesite and Fawn Fayalite.

LIPS: A lip gloss in a soft shade of pink will add just the right amount of polish to your pout. Deeper, berry tints can also provide a nice contrast to your skin tone, but look best with a matte finish. Mineral Shea Butter Lipstick in Black Amethyst is a romantic, berry-stained colour that flatters all skin tones and looks particularly stunning on those with light skin and dark hair.

While fair-skinned beauties should beware of over doing it with bold, over-the-top lip colour, a bright red lipstick can look glamorous and sophisticated when done right (think Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman). Again, matte lipstick suits this look best, since too much shine can appear harsh against pale skin.

Shop PurMinerals.com for more ways to make fair skin look fabulous.