Crest 3D WhiteStrips Professional Effects - First Time User

In case you simply cannot be bothered to read through my whole ordeal, here are FIVE things you should know before you whiten your teeth for the first time!

#1. The strip works by breaking down the protein layer on your teeth to whiten your teeth

#2. Depending on the strength of the gel, the whiting gel will irritate your nerve system during the whitening process and cause pain.  People who have sensitive teeth are especially affected, but I was very much affected even though I do not have sensitive teeth, the pain actually quite intense for me.

#3. It is my personal advice to not use the whitestrip right before  bedtime just in case your teeth hurts so much you cannot even sleep!! (At least for the first time so that you know what the experience will be like)

#4. Follow instructions! Do not leave the strip on any longer than what is recommended, the gel may be too strong for long duration and cause nerve irritation.

#5. brushing your teeth after whitening will cause the pores to open even bigger, causing more irritation to the  nerves and thus more pain, so brush lightly please~

If you wish to read further, here is what happened that eventually led to my hard learned lesson...

I am a big tea drinker, not only for its health benefits, but also for its earthy, calming smell and taste. Like coffee, tea does some serious damage staining my teeth, and I, in turn,  had the brilliant idea of whiting them!

This is not the first time that I have whitened my teeth, I have, in the past, used Crest whitestrips Gentle Routine, but after using it for 2 weeks, there was no visible result. So this time, I turned to the much more powerful alternative, Crest whitestrips Professional Effects, it is by far considered the most effective whitening strip in the market.

I have read many positive reviews, but nothing quite prepared me for what I went through... quite a nightmare! 



The instruction on the box calls to leave the strips on for 30 minutes. Hoping for faster results, I left it for 10 minutes more, which theoretically should not have too much of an effect.

When I tried to take the strip off 40 minutes later, the gel seemed to be stuck to my teeth, and I had to use a little bit of force to pull them off. Given there was still gel stuck to my teeth, I proceeded to brush my teeth. This was around 10:30 p.m. and I was about to sleep soon.

My teeth felt a little irradiated right before I slept, but it was nothing major, but what came next really scared me a little. I woke up in the middle of the night because both my upper and lower teeth were intensely hurting.  My initial thought was that... 'OMG I have done permanent damage to my teeth and it's going to hurt forever!!!' It sounds a little irrational now, but that my thought during that moment. Just for a bit of background information, while my teeth are perfectly straight, they are not very strong and I have had multiple fillers done.

The middle of the night meant I had no other help other than the internet, and after a little digging, I calmed myself down, and learned a few things about using whitening strips. My teeth continued to hurt for the next 24 hours, although the intensity did gradually decrease.

Stay beautiful, and be safe with beauty products~

New Tiffany & Co. Glasses

I got new Tiffany & Co. eyeglasses! And it is BEAUTIFUL!!! I am so excited!!!

If you are a long term follower of my blog, you will know that I am near sighted and wear contacts. I use to wear glasses as a child, but I wore contacts ever since grade 12. Although I love all the benefits that comes with contacts, I am also well aware that it can cause a lot of health problems for the eye. Wearing contacts for a long period of time is damaging to your eyes, and you should always give your eyes a break once in a while to keep them healthy.

Last year, my optometrist told me that my upper eye lid is irritated from wearing contacts for too long. Since then, I have thought about going back to wearing glasses because it is the best and healthiest option.

The reason I do not wear glasses very much is because I am a vain person and I do not think I look good in them. The solution, good for beautiful designer eyeglasses that cost a small fortune...

I love to spend my Sundays chillaxing with no makeup on to give my skin a break

The designer in question, Tiffany &Co. I have dreamed of owning a pair of Tiffany glasses for awhile now, I actually saw this girl wearing a pair of Tiffany glasses a few months ago on the underground train. She stood in front of me on the train and I immediately noticed that her glasses is BEAUTIFUL! I loved the colour and look, and I fell in love with it then and there (she was a rather pretty girl as well, fair skin, blond hair and blue eyes). I kept staring at her glasses and saw "Tiffany & Co." on the arm of her glasses, and I knew I wanted a pair as well. 

A few month later, I finally made the decision to buy them for myself, and I love them SOOOO much!! The model I purchases is Tiffany & Co. Eyeglasses TF 2058- 8134.

Tiffany glasses is actually much more affordable in price than most of their jeweleries, the frame itself cost about $350, and the lens is another $150, which totals to about $500. I have seen cheaper prices of the model from online stores, but I question its authenticity. 

I am not advocating that everyone should get designer glasses as it is expensive and does not fit into everyone budget, but rather, you should not give up on looking for that perfect pair that makes you fall in love and want to wear them, plus, it is good for your eyes.

The front of the frame is a  dark brown colour with spots of a lighter shade brown ( I know it's hard to tell from the picture), and the inner side of the frame is in the shade of Tiffany blue.

There is a cute ribbon on the side of the glasses to add that extra detail to it. And of course, 'Tiffany & Co. is printed on the arms. You can see in this picture that the inner half of the glasses is actually a different colour from the front. It is details like this that make people turn their heads.

There is a unique product code on the right arm of the glasses that authenticates that the glasses is a real Tiffany  product, be sure the check it if you are thinking of getting a Tiffany glasses as well.

And of course, designer eyeglasses also comes with a designer case! It is just so beautiful, I love it almost as much as the glasses itself.  ( I know I wrote beautiful like a million times, but it is really, really beautiful!!!)

Perhaps I have convenience you to give your eyes a bit of rest and give glasses a second chance by looking for a pair that is the right look for you!

Stay beautiful~

Favourt Skin Care Products [August 2013]

I love to experiment with new products, and I do change up the products I use quite often. I love to read product reviews and am always on the hunt for better products. SO... I thought I should share with you all the skin care product I am currently using, and to be more informative, I will include a brief review of what I think of the products~

NOTE: If you have read my previous blog on coconut oil, you must be aware that my current obsession is harmful chemical free products, aka, paraben, perfum free products. As of today [Aug 2013] I have yet to identify chemical free alternatives to most of the beauty products I use. So do not judge me, I am still working on it.

CLEANSER

I use three different cleansers for different purposes, before you think I am crazy, hear me out!

Cleanser 1: Lacome Creme Radiance $35

For night time

I love Lancome products, some of their products works wonders, but unfortunately, Creme Radiance face cleanser is just average. I use this cleanser for night time because it promises to remove makeup, and it does, somewhat... But it certainly does a terrible job removing any long lasting or waterproof makeup. I certainly do not feel the result justifies the cost. I do not use this cleanser for my morning routine because I feel it would be a waste since I would not have any makeup on my face in the morning.

Cleanser 2: Dove Beauty Bar $1.5

For morning and night time


Most cleansers is not capable of removing all of the makeup on your face, which is why I follow the Lancome Creme Radiance with Dove Beauty Bar for sensitive skin and 3M Nexcare Micro-fibers Facial Cleansing Cloth Skincare to remove any left over makeup. Although it is nothing special, I absolutely love Dove Beauty Bar, and have been using it for years. It is fragrance and preservative free and gentle enough to be used on face.

Cleanser 3: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleansers $25

For mornings

Kiehl's is another one of my favourt brands! I went in to their store because they were having a promotion, and left the store with a great experience. The staff was SUPER nice and helpful! She showed me this cleanser and gave me an samples of it to try out, and I have been in love with the brand ever since. The cleanser is very gentle, and my skin has never had a bed reaction to it. I use it in my morning routine because it promises no makeup removing properties.

TONER
Lancome Tonique Raidance $35

The toner I currently use is also from Lancome. I do notice a slight improvement in my skin since I started to use this toner, plus, I love the smell. The only thing I do not like about it is that its consistency requires the use of cotton wipes, and I feel that more product ends up on the cotton wipe than on my face. I have also used  Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner and love the result and its consistency ( it's thicker, so I can just dub it on my face without the need of a cotton pad), it will probably be my next target considering it is also cheaper ($22.5) than Lancome.

MOISTURIZER

Day Time: Lancome Bienfait Multi-Vital $58

Surprise, surprise, another Lancome product. The Bienfait Multi-Vital is great, I love the product, it is agreeable with my skin and I have seen good things from it. But it is simply too expensive! I will be on the hunt for a cheaper alternative once I am done with it, perhaps an organic one, time to visit Whole Foods!

Night Time: Olay Age Defying Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream $25



I bought this night cream after reading a lot of positive reviews. It was the my first investment towards anti-aging products, and it does keep  my skin moist over night. As for the anti-aging component, only time will tell. Recently I have read somewhere that anti-aging products actually hinder our own body's ability to stay young, and I really wondered if I should be concerned with anti-aging during my current stage in life. I have since made the decision that I will continue to use night creams without any anti-aging properties. I have already purchased Neutrogena Natural Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Night Cream that is 97% all natural ingredients.

EYE MAKEUP REMOVER/LIP BALM/HAND MOISTURIZER: Coconut Oil $15/400 ml


If you have read my Blog on Coconut Oil, you will know I am a big fan of it. It is seriously the best water-proof eye makeup remover ever! So effective! It is also great as a hand moisturizer and lip balm. It is all natural, chemical free and worry free. Seriously, just click on the link and read the blog.

MASK
My Beauty Diary $16/10 sheets (price vary depend on type)



I use a variety of sheet masks, but the one brand I always come back to is My Beauty Diary. I bought my first box when I was in Hong Kong. Although I am sure there are loads of better sheet masks out there, My Beauty Diary is one of the more economical choices, and it is accessible, I can find it everywhere.

Sheet mask is honestly my secret weapon when it comes to skin care. Whenever my skin starts to act bitchy and breaks out on me, I would throw one on and better skin reveals itself in a few days. It is important to continuously use it to achieve consistently flawless skin.There are a variety of types that targets different skin problems, but honestly, they are all good! Sheet mask is hugely popular is Asia, but North America is slowly catching on, why not turn to your local Asian beauty store or online to seek some out!

Princess $3.75 each


Another Mask brand I like is Princess from Korean ( you know them Korean beauty products are legit! ) My boyfriend got me some when he went to Korea, and it is quite high tech, sheet mask wise... but it is very expensive considering you need to use one sheet every 2-3 days. that's over $40 per month!

SERUM
Lancome Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate $95 (30 ml)
 
I have just finished my supply of this serum, it is WONDERFUL! I LOVE IT!!! It worked wonders on my skin! Actually I love the the whole Genifique product line! But sadly I will not be repurchasing it because it is too EXPENSIVE. I actually used up the bottle fairly quickly...about 2 month..  For now, I will count on my sheet masks for my supply of serums.

BLEMISH CONTROL
Kiehl's Acne Blemish Control Daily Skin Clearing Treatment $38

For those days when a acne just turns up out of no where, I use this product to help make it go away faster! And it does work! even though it is $38 for 30 ml of product, consider the amount you need per use, it does lasts for a long time unless you have major, major acne issues, so it is totally worth the money!

That is about all the skin products I use, I hope it was as least somewhat helpful to you all!

Stay Beautiful~

Why Your Sleep Position is Causing you ACNE

Do you notice that one side of your face tends to have more breakouts than the other? It maybe caused by your sleeping position! Check out how you can easily fix the problem!

Beauty is no easy task, and you girls know it's hard work! Even sleeping position can play a part in messing up a clear complexion. I have always slept on my right side and for the longest time, my right face would always have more pimples, I had a sneaking suspicion that my sleeping position had something to do with it, and I was proven correct when I decided to change up my sleeping position.

How is it possible that the way you sleep causes break out?? The way you sleep can cause dust/fibers from your bedding, pillow even your hair to rub on to your face and causes break outs.

If you are like me, you cleans your face and perform your night time routine right before heading off to bed. I apply a load of stuff to my face, toner, serum and night cream, in the hope that I will wake up to better looking skin. But one of the problems in applying products right before heading off to sleep is that the products may not be completely absorbed into your skin before your face hits the pillows. And then disaster happens! All the dust particles, dead skin cells from your bedding gets stuck onto your skin care products and clogs your pores. Get the picture?

Now that you know the cause, the good news is that it's very simple to correct. There are a few solutions:

SOLUTION 1: Sleep on your back. By sleeping on your back, not only will you avoid anything touching your face, but also help delay the appearance of wrinkles! Yes, just think about it, with your face rubbing the pillow all night long, it will bound to cause wrinkles

SOLUTION 2:  Perform your night time routine earlier. Apply all your products 20-30 mins before night time to allow sufficient time for skin care products to absorb. You can also gently  massage your face to increase the rate of absorption.

SOLUTION 3: Choose fast absorbing products. Although they may work wonders, certain products out there take a really long time to absorb. If there is no way the first two solutions can work for you, try choosing products that is fast absorbing.

I personally cannot fall asleep in any other position, so Solution 2 is the solution of choice!

Stay beautiful~

Chemical free beauty product: Coconut Oil [a story]

Wow, it’s been a long time since the last time I wrote. Unlike before, I will make no promises of persistent entries this time around, I will write when I feel like it and when I have time... yes, aren’t we all crazed by life. So much has happened since last time

Although time continues to pass despite all, my pursuit for beauty remains. Today, I am no longer the newbie I once was, who Woo and Ahhed at the sight of a NYC tri-colour pallet (it is the first eye shadow I ever bought over 7 years ago, surprisingly, I still have it today!) Today, my interests has changed slightly, I have challenged myself to use healthy beauty products.

I am a health conscious person, I take pride in cooking healthy food at home and only indulge in insanely unhealthy food occasionally (i.e. chips). I freaked out a little when I accidentally came across an article that details the harmful chemicals found in our beauty products, found in the products I use everyday! Parabens, BHT, parfum, just spelling it out feels toxic.

During a recent trip to Chicago, a colleague introduced me to Trader Joe's,  a specialty grocer that carries organic beauty products, although I did not manage to purchase anything that day, it certainly sparked an interest.

Back in good old Canada, another colleague invited me to visit Whole Foods during lunch with her with the promise that they sell organic beauty products. I jumped at the idea and visited the infamously expensive Whole Foods. Yes, until recently, I have never visited Whole Foods and yes, it is a little surprising considering my unwavering interest in all things new/exciting.  At the time I was actually aiming to purchase a hair mask because my unruly long hair has become somewhat unattainable and I had hoped that a good hair mask treatment would make them nice and soft. I was later proven wrong and caved into the fact that nothing can beat the strength of genetically thick and stiff hair.

During that trip I purchased coconut oil, the sales staff promised great things, and $15 dollars later, I was the proud owner of 375 ml of organic, virgin coconut oil. AH! a milestone! It was the first all natural, organic beauty product I have ever bought! Sure it was a little expensive in terms of oils, but insanely cheap in terms of cosmetics. I later jumped on the internet surfing board and discovered a million great things coconut oil can do.

Scroll down to read 30 ways coconut oil can benefit you! (sure coconut oil has loads of health benefits when eaten, but I am still skeptical on eating it due to its high fat content.)

Since that fateful day, I use the coconut oil as a eye makeup remover, hand moisturizer, cuticle oil, lip balm and hair mask. I have even packaged them into different containers to be used for different purposes. Just thought I should put it out there, It is perhaps the best waterproof eye makeup remover ever!!! even better than Lancome! And my cuticles have never looked good better!

Perhaps the best property of coconut oil is that it solidify at 25 degree Celsius, it liquefies through the temperature of your hands, otherwise has the texture of room temperature butter.

Without a doubt this is just the beginning of my pursuit for natural beauty products, have your heard of cocoa butter?

Stay beautiful~

1	On the skin as a basic lotion
2	In homemade lotion bars for soft, smooth skin
3	In homemade deodorant or deodorant bars
4	As an eye-makeup remover
5	To lighten age spots when rubbed directly on the skin
6	To support healthy thyroid function
7	To help increase sun tolerance and avoid burning
8	As a naturally SPF 4 sunscreen
9	In homemade lotion recipes
10	As a delicious tropical massage oil
11	A tiny dab rubbed on your hands and then through hair will help get rid of friz
12	As an intensive nighttime facial moisturizer
13	Mixed with equal parts sugar for a smoothing body scrub (use in the shower)
14	Rubbed on lips as a natural chap stick
15	Topically, can help skin heal faster after injury or infection
16	As an incredibly intensive natural conditioner- Rub into dry hair, put a shower cap on and leave for several hours.
17	On cuticles to help nails grow
18	In natural Homemade Sunscreen
19	Rub coconut oil on the inside of your nose to help alleviate allergy symptoms
20	After initial heat is gone, can help speed healing of sunburn
21	Is an immediate source of energy when eaten and isn't stored as fat
22	As a naturally antibacterial skin cream
23	When used consistently on skin it can help get rid of cellulite
24	It's anti-inflammatory properties can help lessen arthritis
25	Can reduce the itch of mosquito bites
26	Can help resolve acne when used regularly
27	Can be rubbed into scalp daily to stimulate hair growth
28	Mixed with salt to remove dry skin on feet
29	On hands after doing dishes to avoid dry skin
30	Many use it as an anti-aging facial moisturizer