As the seasons change, so does my beauty routine. With winter weather in full swing, my skin gets pretty dry and itchy so right now I’m all about moisturizing products. My other focus is getting holiday party ready, which calls for a white smile! Smile Brilliant reached out to me about trying their whitening system and I figured it was the perfect time to give it a shot! It’s been an easy process and I’ve seen great results. I’ll talk more about that in a minute :)
First up, skin care!
I have pretty sensitive skin so when I find a line or product that works well, I stick with it. Hence all of the CeraVe products I have in my beauty arsenal right now. After removing my eye makeup with Neutrogena’s oil-free eye makeup remover I cleanse my face with a hydrating cleanser. It’s really gentle and leaves the skin feeling very fresh. If I had a thicker foundation on that day, I will also use a toner to make sure I get everything off (this Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Toner is my favorite!). Then I use either the CeraVe moisturizing lotion or the skin renewing night cream. The night cream is thicker and feels really nice, but I use it sparingly since it’s more expensive than the lotion—usually twice a week or so. Another lotion I really like is this berry blossom body lotion from EOS because it feels light, smells amazing and leaves your skin really soft.
And don’t forget about your lips! I put Vaseline on every night before I go to bed. Then my husband always gives me a big kiss so that he can have some, too (for that reason I always put on an excessive amount). This keeps them from getting too chapped and dry. Usually I use the original petroleum jelly, but the advanced healing Vaseline pictured above works well, too. It’s hard for me to go to sleep without anything on my lips because it has become such a habit over the years.
In addition to cleansers and lotions, I love using facial masks! There’s something about them that are so relaxing. Maybe it’s just making the time to pamper myself that I enjoy. Some of them can be really expensive, but I found these at Target which I really like (shocking, Target having something amazing for cheap… what else is knew?! haha). The only one I haven’t loved was the peel off mask. Those things hurt if they get to close to your hair! Rookie mistake, I guess. A mask with a bath and glass of wine is the perfect way to unwind! And speaking of baths, I found this three-pack of body scrubs at Trader Joe’s this winter for only $8.99! I’ve only tried the eucalyptus pomegranate scent so far, but I love how it feels and smells! It would be perfect for a gift or stocking stuffer, too.
Last, but not least: white teeth!
Before our wedding I tried a couple whitening products, but I didn’t like how goopy they would get, plus I didn’t see great results. However, I gave it another shot when Smile Brilliant reached out about reviewing their system. The first step is making impressions of your teeth in order to get the customized whitening trays. It’s really simple and not as uncomfortable as I remember when getting molds for braces at the orthodontist. You just mail them in with the provided envelope and after about a week you’ll get your trays. Now you can start the whitening process! Use the syringe of whitening gel to create a ribbon along the front side of the trays, then pop them in and wear them for about an hour (I usually had them in while I was finishing up some blog work or watching TV with my husband). Then you do the same thing with the desensitizing gel, which you wear for about 15 minutes. This helps re-mineralize and replenish your teeth to diminish that sensitivity. I still felt some sensitivity after using them, but nothing too uncomfortable. It took me about four weeks to use all of the whitening gel. I tried to use them consecutively, but there were some nights I didn’t have time or we were out and about. Overall it was really easy and I definitely saw results! There are also a lot of YouTube videos showing reviews, like this one.
Have you had a good or bad teeth whitening experience? I’d love to hear about it in the comments! And if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask!
GIVEAWAY!
If you want a whiter smile, too, you’re in luck! I’ve teamed up with Smile Brilliant to give away a $139 store credit! Just click here to enter before December 30! You can also use code treatsandtrends to get 5% off of your purchase (valid until January 16, 2017).
