Thursday, July 11, 2013

Girl on the Go's Guide to Pearly Whites

I love coffee. I need coffee. I drink at least three cups throughout the day. I'm also a fan of soy chai lattés with a shot of espresso. I drink a lot of caffeine, and with this being said, caffeine causes a not-so-bright smile.
I, like most people I'm sure, feel much more confident with a whiter smile. I do naturally have a pretty white smile, but because I've been drinking so much coffee lately, I notice that my teeth aren't as vibrant. I do use a whitening toothpaste, Crest 3D White Luxe Enamel Renewal (long name, I know), and it's my favorite. However, I don't think using a whitening toothpaste alone can do a justice on brightening my coffee-loving smile.

Recently, I tried two different brands of whitening products--Rembrandt & Crest. I first tried the Rembrandt brand because it was less expensive. I bought the Deeply White 2-Hour Whitening Kit thinking that I'd like getting it all over within two hours, but I didn't. I just used it once a day because my teeth felt sensitive. This product worked well, but it was bulky since instead of strips, they were trays that you filled with gel.

Next, I bought the Crest 3D Whitestrips Vivid. These are perfect for a girl on the go. You wear them for 30 minutes, once a day, for 10 days. The packaging and the product itself are portable, so I like to wear them on my way back home from work (it's about a 30-minute commute with the traffic).


I like how they are pre-packaged individually so I can just throw a set in my purse. They are also thin, so they are more comfortable and less noticeable when they're on your teeth. You can also wear them comfortably while you're getting ready for work or a night out. The issue I ran into with the Rembrandt Whitening Kit is that I felt the trays were too bulky and I had trouble applying my makeup evenly. I also noticed less sensitivity with Crest.


Even though I noticed a whiter smile with both products, I prefer the Crest Whitestrips better because I can wear them on-the-go to fit my fast-moving lifestyle.

Show me your teeth :: Lady Gaga

Monday, July 1, 2013

Girl on the Go

Living in Boston and being the Executive Assistant of a nightlife promotional company means that I am always running from point A to point B, stopping by point C and making a last stop at point D before heading back home to crash face down on my bed...oh and I have to squeeze in some gym time as well. I've been a busier person after graduation so sometimes it's hard to look fully made-up or get all eight hours of sleep. I actually don't think I've gotten a full eight hours since I was 13, to be honest.
 
This month I'm going to dedicate my blog to being a "Girl on the Go." I'm going to give some pointers on how to not skimp on your typical beauty routine just because you had to get up extra early for work or were running late for that meeting. There are tips, tricks and shortcuts to everything!
 
For my first Girl on the Go post, I'm going to start with getting ready in the morning and putting on makeup. This morning, I woke up earlier than usual (thanks Chels for the 6:40 a.m. text) so I decided I would stop by the pharmacy before work. I realized that I would have to leave TWO hours earlier to ditch rush-hour traffic, go from one side of Boston to the other, stop by Starbucks and make it into the office on time. This was a challenge I was ready to face.

Being tight on time, I decided my makeup would be the bare minimum today. So, after my Aveeno Positively Radiant moisturizer with SPF 15 sank in, I used my fingers to apply NARS Sheer Glow foundation. This is the foundation I use during the day because it is so natural and leaves the prettiest finish. I pump a full squirt onto the back on my hand and make four dots on my face--my cheeks, chin and forehead. Then I dab the Sheer Glow on to the spots that need most coverage, like where I have more redness or imperfections. Then you can spread it a long the rest of the face. You don't want to rub this foundation in like you would a moisturizer because then you won't get the correct coverage. Just use a dabbing, or patting motion. I applied two layers of the NARS Sheer Glow.

Then, to cover up my dark circles, I applied my yellow NYX Concealer. I love yellow or peach-toned concealers because they color correct my dark circles and brighten up my eyes.

I didn't bother with concealing any more redness or imperfections, I just applied L'Oreal's True Match Powder over my foundation.

After powder I used Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed, which is my favorite color when I'm not using any bronzer. I actually use this color in between the apples of my cheeks and where I would normally contour my cheekbones with bronzer. It's a nice bronze-rose color that adds the perfect, natural flush to your face.

I never, ever leave my eyebrows bare. I quickly applied my Anastasia Tinted Eyebrow Gel in Granite. It takes literally two seconds. Never forget your brows because they frame your face.

Lastly, a quick application of Maybelline's The Rocket Mascara finished my barely-there makeup look of the day. I love The Rocket Mascara. Maybelline makes great mascaras that are inexpensive and give fab volume.

So here I am, in my office (shh), finishing up my first Girl on the Go post and I feel confident in the makeup I put on this morning that took me no more than five minutes. All you need is 6 simple products, and you've got the perfect look to take on your busy day.

The ideal of beauty is simplicity and tranquility :: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe