Whiten your teeth - the natural way!

Are your pearly whites lookin’ a little more on the yellow side?

Whitening toothpaste and strips totally work, but can create teeth sensitivity. Here are some tips on how you can naturally achieve a glorious mouth that belongs on a toothpaste commercial!

Crunchy and crispy fruits and veggies

Foods like apples, carrots, and celery taste delicious, but also have a gentle abrasiveness that help lift stains from teeth.

They also help your mouth to produce more saliva. This is a good thing! Saliva contains compounds and enzymes that give it detergent properties which help protect teeth from cavity-causing bacteria.

Baking Soda

Helps remove surface stains, and if you squeeze a couple drops of lemon juice with it this will create a bleaching effect.

This solution can be harsh on your teeth. So no more than once per week. And make sure you do not leave the mixture on your teeth for longer than a minute.

Strawberries

The vitamin C in strawberries help remove plaque build up. They also contain malic acid, a natural astringent which helps remove surface stains.

Crush up some strawberries and apply to your teeth with a toothbrush. You can add a bit of baking soda as well if you wish. Allow that mix to it to sit on your teeth for 3-5 minutes and rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.

Avoid things like tea, coffee, red wines which stain your teeth. Drink plenty of water and brush and floss regularly. for perfectly pearly whites! J

Also WBB TIP - wearing darker shades of lip colours, bold reds and rich berry shades will give the illusion of a whiter smile ;)  

How To: Keep your lipstick from fading

Here are some simple steps to keep your favourite lipstick from fading on a night out, or during a special event.

Photo: Samantha Erin Photography Hair + Makeup: KrystieAnn

Make sure your lips are soft and smooth! Exfoliate your lips using a lip scrub. I prefer a homemade scrub of honey and brownsugar. J Use a soft bristle toothbrush to help scrub away any dead skin.

Make sure you keep a lip moisturizer on your lips when you sleep too for extra hydration!

Lip primer is the perfect tool for helping lip colour stay in place. It also helps minimize the appearance of fine lines in the lips, for an even application. Urban Decay makes one of my favourite lip primers.

Next, apply a foundation over your lips and set with a loose or pressed powder.

Then outline your lips with a lipliner. I prefer to use the side of the lip pencil rather than the point. It creates a softer lip line, and is much easier to blend.

Match your liner with your lipstick if you have a bold colour. But if your lipstick is a natural more flesh-toned pink, then use a natural colour that matches your lips. Another great trick is to use a clear, or nude shade. DuWop and CARGO cosmetics both make a “reverse lip liner” which is fantastic to use. These pencils are mostly wax, and also help give the illusion of a fuller pout.

Then apply your lipstick. The creamier or more sheer your lipstick, the more chance you have it fading. Stick with a matte lipstick for the best staying power. The trick is to saturate your lips but not to add a super thick layer of lipstick.

-On myself, I use my index finger and tap the product into my lips. I find I get the perfect amount of colour and you can easily layer it on if need be.

Next blot your lips on a tissue, and set your lips with a translucent powder. This will allow your lipstick to adhere to a dry base. If you want, you can add another layer or lipstick and set again for extra staying power. And voila! Pucker up! 

How To: Get Rid of Puffy Eyes

AHHHH!!!! You've woken up and can barely see through your puffy eyes. Long night of crying? drinking? Baby keeping you up? Or just literally NO sleep?

 Consuming too much alcohol dehydrates the body and can lead to puffy eyes. As well as crying – the salt in your tears, retains water. Not to mention the pressure your poor eyes go through with loud sobs. Even eating salty foods can cause puffy eyes.

Here are some simple solutions to help get rid of those puffy eyes, and get those peepers back to normal!

Chilled Tea Bags

After you have brewed your morning tea, place the tea bags on a plate in the fridge to cool down. Place the chilled tea bags on your eyes for about 10-15 minutes. Caffeine draws water away from the skin for creating a tighter appearance.

Chilled Sliced Cucumbers

Place sliced cucumbers over your closed eyes and let this delicious veggie do its work. The coolness combined with the hydration from the cucumber will help minimize any puffiness.

Witch Hazel

A natural skin tightening astringent. Apply two cotton pads soaked in cold witch hazel to your eyes for about 5 minutes.

 

Chilled Spoons

Place two pre chilled spoons for 5 or 10 minutes on your eyes to help relieve any swelling.

Using eye creams with caffeine and antioxidants help to tighten skin. And products with chamomile as an ingredient in them helps calm inflammation.

So cut back on the salty foods, and booze and make sure to drink plenty of H2O to help reduce puffy eyes. Especially before a special event!  

Fall Hair Trends!

There is just something I LOVE about fall fashion and beauty. Don't get me wrong, Im a big fan of the carefree days of summer. But it's nice to push the effortless beauty trends of summer aside and get into more polished looks for fall.

Here are some of the hottest hair trends for fall 2012....

Pony Tails

No not gym hair pony. No, not sweaty bangs and a hot mess of a pony.  It's all about chic, classic red carpet pony tails. Hot off a runway.

Bangs

Bangs make almost any hair style look sexy to me. They really accentuate the eyes and make them pop. Whether you are rockin’ a full, square bang, swept off to the side, or long and whispy, bangs are a hot hair accessory.

Bouffants

This fab retro hair style is hot for fall. Think Bridget Bardot and Sophia Loren. Big hair is back. Break out the teasing combs and hair spray.

Twists

Add a bohemian, creative look to almost any hair style. Can give a simple hair style the oomph that it needs to take it from drab to fab in seconds.

Pixie Cut

Super short = super cute + super sexy.

With stars like Rhianna and Anne Hathaway snippin’ their strands, this is a trendy hair cut for the fall

High Bun

Super chic and sassy. LOVE this look for a sexy girls night out, or a classic wedding updo. Its simply fabulous.

Give these hot hair do's a try this season!