Thursday, April 28, 2011

Deep Cleaning

Oil of Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System: $29.99 (Drugstore.com)

I've been wanting to try this new Oil of Olay product since it came out just a few months ago, and I finally found it in stock at Bed, Bath and Beyond (by the way, you can get it for $24.99 if you have a BB&B 20% off coupon handy). I've been eyeing 2 products for sometime now that are higher-priced but similar devices to this: Clarisonic ($150) and DDF Revolve ($100). E! Host, Giuliana Rancic, swears by the DDF and I've heard great things about Clarisonic, so I was set to try one, until I saw an ad for the Pro-X system. It comes with a little massager with 2 speeds, brush head, batteries and a sample of the exfoliating cleanser. The massager is soo nice and actually very soothing to use. It's not rough or too harsh even at the highest speed, which means you can use it dails. The scrub is good too, still figuring out if I love it, but it definitely left my skin feeling so smooth and so clean. The best thing is that you can always use a different cleanser of your choice with the brush and still get the same results. Also, if you're looking for an even deeper clean, try using the massager with a microdermabrasion scrub like Oil of Olay's Microdermabrasion treatment with derma-crystals, once a week. The brush head replacements are only $9.99 and you can get by with 3-6 months of use with the one it comes with depending on how much you use it. I personally like to deep clean 1-2 times a week so I may not need to replace my brush head for even 6 months. Definitely worth a try in my book!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Gettin' That Colgate Smile =)


Hands down one of the best teeth whiteners out there, and so cheap! This is my go-to when I need a quick and super fast perk-up to my smile. Big help is having your own teeth whitening trays because the generic one's sold at stores don't really fit your teeth so the gel doesn't get to all those hard-to-reach spots (quick tip on how to make your own trays at the end of this post). Also, make sure you DO NOT sleep with this gel on. Trust me, I've tried it and my teeth were sooo sensitive the next day. I like to put them on for about 20min maximum, maybe when getting ready or doing things around the house. 10 minutes 2x a week also helps, but I personally don't like doing it too often because all whiteners break down the enamel on our teeth so I use it sparingly. For those of you that don't have trays and don't want to spend the money having some made, here's an inexpensive and easy way to make your own:

-Purchase athletic mouthguards from your local Target/Walmart or even Sports Chalet, etc.

-Submerge both top and bottom guards in boiling water for a few seconds

-Place trays in mouth while hot and mold to your teeth for about 20 seconds

-Let trays cool and you will have individual mouth trays that fit your teeth

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Under Eye Primer



Many of us already use or know about primers that we put on our upper lids to prevent eyeshadow creasing and caking. You can use these same products for your lower lids, or undereye, before you apply your concealer. This will help diffuse any oilyness, wrinkles and fine lines. This one by MAC is a great option for the lower lid because it's not heavy and the pearl color works as a highlighter for your undereyes and helps the process of covering dark circles. The best part, no smudging of eyeliner that we often times find after a day of running around without touching up and no creasing!