HOW TO: GET HEALTHY WHITE TEETH! MY DENTAL HYGIENE ROUTINE AND TEETH FAQ!

Hey girls,
I often get asked questions about my teeth so I thought I would share with you all my dental hygiene routine as well as answer some frequently asked teeth questions.

STEP 1

BRUSH

I use Pearl Drops, Beauty Pearls Toothpaste to brush my teeth. This is a gradual brightening toothpaste that I use to help maintain white teeth. I brush with a soft bristle toothbrush because I find that it is most gentle on my teeth. 

STEP 2

ORABRUSH

An important step in my dental routine is cleaning my tongue with the Orabrush and tongue foam. This is one of those hyped products which are actually effective in what they aim they do! I feel so much cleaner after completing this step.  

STEP 3

FLOSS  

I use White Glo Dental Floss Toothpicks to floss in between my teeth, removing food that wasn't already removed through brushing and plague. Sometimes I'm lazy and skip this step but it is really important so I try to force myself most of the time.  

AVOID

MOUTH WASH

Listerine not only tastes bad for you but it is! The alcohols contained in Listerine cause a horrible drying effect in the mouth that causes cells to die and increases the probability of oral cancer. 

STAINING

Drinks like coffee, alcohol and red wine can all ruin pearly whites and apart from all of the other detrimental health effects smoking has...your teeth are also seriously being put at risk if that's something you like to do.

Have you had braces?

Nope, never had braces. 

 

Have you had your teeth whitened?

I haven't but I do use a whitening toothpaste. 

What lipsticks can make your teeth look whiter?

Any dark colours so a rich scarlet, deep pink or bright crimson can really brighten up your smile.

What do you do when you go to the dentist?

I just have a clean and check up. I have never had a filling or my tonsils or a tooth out. If you brush and floss everyday your teeth should be fine. 

Thanks for reading, I hope this answered a question if you were wondering and helped you in creating your own Dental Hygiene Routine.

TOP TEN TIPS: COVERING ACNE

TIP 1

CONCEALER FORMULATION

The formulation of your concealer can dramatically affect the effectiveness of covering acne. Although there are many different formulations including stick, pot and liquid, I find that thick pot concealers such as MAC Studio Sculpt give the best coverage.

TIP 2

CONCEALER COLOUR

The colour of your concealer is of most importance to help avoid blotches in your foundation or even accentuating the acne. Your concealer is always most beneficial when it is one shade lighter than your foundation. Green concealers can also help neutralize redness in acne so would be useful to look into. 

TIP 3

APPLICATION

Apart from using your fingers to help melt the product in with body heat, brushes can also be effective in covering acne. The best brushes to use are small and flat like the MAC 217 brush and EcoTools also has a great concealer brush.

TIP 4

FOUNDATION

My all time favourite foundation is Chanel Mat Lumiere because it is a full coverage foundation that does a great job working with concealer to cover acne. Choose an oil free foundation to help achieve a shine free look and make sure that the foundation you choose is full coverage and matches your skin tone.

TIP 5

POWDER

Choose an oil free powder to help take shine away without irritating your acne. Don't over do it because that could just make your acne look worse and make sure you use a brush and not the makeup pad that comes with it.

TIP 6

PRIMER

Using a primer will ensure your concealer and foundation stays put where you place it to conceal blemishes. You can also find primers which aim specifically to reduce the redness in acne and these may be tinted green which further helps cover acne.

TIP 7 

WHEN TO CONCEAL

The best time to conceal is after primer but before foundation. You just have to be careful when you place your foundation over your concealer that you don't rub it off accidentally.

TIP 8

AVOID CONCEALER REMOVAL

If your using a kabuki brush to apply your powder or a stippling brush to apply your foundations that those brushes don't remove your concealer underneath.

TIP 9 

INVEST

I am a big believer that it is important to invest in good quality face makeup. There is quite a big difference between drugstore quality foundations and high end quality foundations so it's best to invest in face products rather than eye products.

TIP 10

DON'T TOUCH

Once you have properly concealed all of your acne with makeup, it's important that you don't touch your face or the acne on your face because you could take off the makeup you spent so much time putting on.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope these tips helped!

HOW TO: CAVIAR ACCENT NAILS

Hey girls, 
It seems that the latest nail craze is "caviar" or "fish egg" manicures so I decided to hop on the bandwagon and try it out for myself. Personally, I dislike referring to this nail design as Caviar or fish eggs so I like calling them "Fairy Bread" or "100s and 1000s" manicures, explaining the photograph below. This nail craze is based on the Ciate manicure sets which happen to cost as extravagant as they sound! Fortunately, there is another way to achieve this on trend nail look and it isn't going to break the bank! This is a tutorial on a Caviar accent nail because doing all of my nails this way feels like a bit much for me but if you like the look then you can go ahead and repeat the process I show you for all of your nails.

This cheaper alternative requires the replacement of Ciate beads with micro beads from eBay or any craft stores. You can definitely find these little beads in craftware stores but I find that you can purchase them off eBay at a more affordable price! Choosing the right beads is really important because if they are too large it won't work and you need to make sure you have all the colours you desire to achieve the look your going for. You can click here to purchase the bead wheel I am using for this tutorial as they are a perfect size and come with many different colours.

  This blue caviar accent nail emphasizes the gorgeous blue polish without overpowering it.

YOU WILL NEED:

* Base coat

* Blue nail polish 

* Blue micro beads

* Strong top coat

STEP 1

POLISH

Apply a base coat to clean buffed nails to help create a perfectly smooth surface for you polish to glide onto. Next apply your first coat of your blue polish, don't worry about being messy or uneven because the beads will cover up these imperfections. Since we are only placing beads on an accent nail, make sure all your other nails are neat though.

STEP 2

BEADING

Find a cap of some sort which is deep and has curved edges to place your blue beads in. Apply your second coat of blue polish heavily on your accent nail. Tilting your cap with beads in it to the side, roll your sticky fingernail into the beads, collecting as many as possible onto your nail. Once your complete nail is covered in micro beads, take a flat eyeshadow brush and use it to gently press the beads into place and further into the polish.

STEP 3

SEAL

This is a super important step in ensuring that your Caviar manicure is long lasting. Make sure you use your favourite top coat to drown the beads! Without this step your beads will fall off within a day but with this step, the beads will be sealed in by the top coat and won't go anywhere for at least 5-7 days. 

STEP 4

LEFTOVERS

The unused beads can be placed back into your bead wheel and saved for another time or if there isn't enough beads left for another time, they can be put towards mixing bead colours for rainbow Caviar nails. 

 This purple and black caviar accent nail brings some edge to the duo chrome purple polish without looking tacky.

YOU WILL NEED:

* Base coat

* Purple nail polish 

* Purple micro beads

* Black micro beads

* Strong top coat

Follow the exact same procedure as used above for the blue nail tutorial but instead of only using one colour of beads, we will be mixing two different colours. 

MIXING BEADS

Place half of the dark purple beads and half of the black beads into your cap and mix them up. Make sure that they are evenly proportioned and mixed well so that there is the same amount of purple beads as black beads on your nail.

The result is fashionable nails which don't cost you more than a pack of gum! Perfect for a dressy occasion and by doing your own cheap nails, allows you to spend more money on your hair or makeup.

REVIEW: GARNIER TANNING PRODUCTS

Hey girls, 
Recently I picked up a few Garnier tanning products when my Priceline was having a 20% off sale and considering I managed to choose three different types of their tanners, I thought it would be interesting to compare them. It's currently winter for all of those in the southern hemisphere which means less exposure to the sun and unfortunately pale skin! This is when fake tanning comes in handy and can bring a lovely hint of healthy colour back into your skin. However, there is a fine line between bronzed beauty and orange oompa loompa and that all depends on the products you use to help you achieve your colour! I hope these reviews are helpful in assisting you to choice your tanning products wisely to avoid tanning mishaps.

 Ambre Solaire Tanning Wipes

Consistency: This tanning product is in the form of a makeup wipe.

Application: It is a little difficult to apply because your not sure which part of the wipe has product still left on it and because the product is clear, you can't really notice where you have put it.
Developing Time: I noticed it reach it's full colour after about two hours but you start seeing effects after one hour.

Colouring: The colour actually turns out very nice and isn't too orange.
Duration: The colour started to wear off after about two days and was completely gone after four.
Usage: You can definitely do your legs and maybe your arms with one wipe but if your wanting to tan your whole body you will have to use both wipes.

Ambre Solaire Bronze Minute

Consistency: This tanning product has a gel consistency which makes it lovely and easy to apply.

Application: The product is coloured so you can tell where you have already put it which results in an even tan.
Developing Time: This tanning gel works instantaneously so you can see the true colour right away.

Colouring: I love that this is an instant colour where you can see results right away. Perfect if you forgot to gradual tan the night before and need instant colour for an event.
Duration: This product lasts until you hop into the shower and wash it off so it's great for a one night tan.
Usage: This bottle will last you a really long time! I say this because I have used mine at least 7 times and it still feels full. You only need to use 1-2 pumps to completely tan your legs and 3-4 pumps for your whole body.

Ambre Solaire Self Tanning Spray

Consistency: This tanning product has a spray consistency.

Application: The spray consistency makes it a little hard to tell where you are putting it and to get an even, non blotchy tan but I suppose all fake tanners are difficult.
Developing Time: The spray absorbs really fast and you begin to see results after about an hour then you can see the true colour after three hours. 

Colouring: I was pleasantly surprised that the product wasn't blotchy or orange at all despite it's misty uneven spray. It provides a very light tan so I wouldn't recommend this if you are wanting a really dark bronze.
Duration: I found that the tan became blotchy after two days so I exfoliated it off. If you exfoliate before and moisturise while the tan is on your could probably extend this time to three or four days.
Usage: I have used this once and I feel like there is still two thirds of the bottle left so I'm estimating two to three generous applications or four light applications are within each can.

Thank you so much for reading, I had fun trying out all of these different types of tanners and I hope it was beneficial me sharing my opinions of them with you all. 

FOTD: EVERYDAY MAKEUP ROUTINE

Hey girls,
I have been asked what makeup I wear in my YouTube videos and it's pretty much always the same so I wanted to show you all my basic everyday makeup (what I wear in my videos). It's pretty boring but some of you may be interested especially because I actually use quite a lot of drugstore items.

Face

Foundation: Chanel Mat Lumiere in 20 Clair

Concealer: MAC Studio Sculpt in NC25

Powder: Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte in 50 Poudre

Bronzer: Chanel Soleil De in 63 Terre Ambre

Blush: Chanel in 64 Pink Explosion

Highlight: MAC MSF in Soft and Gentle

 Eyes

Eyeshadow: I pretty much always use my 88 neutrals palette but the exact colours depend on the mood I'm in. I prefer using a giant palette because it's much easier than messing around with my mono eyeshadows.

Eyeliner: Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner

Mascara: I am currently mixing Maybelline "One by One" and "Falsies Flared".
I also add corner accent lashes if I'm wearing nude lips to dress up my eyes and go for a more bold eye look.

 Lips

If you have asked me what I'm wearing on my lips in a video...it's probably a Revlon Lip Butter of some sort because I have definitely been reaching for them lately.

Thank you so much for reading :)

RAINBOW RHINESTONE NAIL ART

Hey girls,
I wanted to share with you how I did my nails for this weekend and hopefully give you some rainbow rhinestone nail art inspiration. 

Firstly just paint each nail a different coloured base coat. I chose really bright colours that all contrasted well with each other. What order you put them in depends on what looks best to you!

 Colours used:

Gargantuan Green Grape

Pink Flamenco

No Room for the Blues

Do You Lilac It?

Atomic Orange

 For this next part, your going to need some nail rhinestones. I'm using a multicolor nail rhinestone wheel. I bought mine of eBay for $2.29USD. You can purchase the exact same one as me here. You can use basically anything you have but the main thing is that the rhinestones are small enough to fit a couple on the tip of your nail.

Now just use some tweezers to pick up the rhinestones and place them on the tips of your nail. With this wheel there was a coloured rhinestone that nearly perfectly matched each colour nail polish but if there isn't for you just choose the colour closest or go with silver or black.

I love the look that this gives! It makes you seem like you have just been to the salon to get your nails done when actually it only took you 10 minutes to do at home.

REVIEW: KUU KONJAC SPONGES

Hey girls, 
This review is on an awesome company that I wanted to introduce you all to called Kuu Konjac which sells 100% natural sponges that; stimulate blood circulation, encourage new skin cells, cleanse and soothe. These awesome sponges are made from Konjac which is a traditional Japanese jelly-like health food made from a type of potato called "Konnyaku potato" and calcium hydroxide or oxide calcium. The Japanese have used the Konjac for more than a century, as a beauty treatment for their delicate skin.

 I was really excited to try this out because I have always personally thought that it's more beneficial to be gentle on your skin by using natural and basic products as opposed to corrosive exfoliators and harsh chemicals.These sponges are perfect for sensitive skin as they won't irritate. They are a soft and squishy consistency which feels really lovely on the skin. Something else that I thought was really cool about these sponges is that they are 100% handmade.

 KUU Konjac Pure

Ideal for everyone (RRP: $8.00)

The pure KUU Konjac sponge gently cleanses and soothes the skin by removing dirt and oil, natural restoring the pH level of the skin. Cleansing helps stimulate blood flow and encourage new skin cells revitalising the complexion without damaging the skin.This sponge has no scent. Click here to buy it.

 KUU Konjac with added French Green Clay

Ideal for oily to normal skin types (RRP: $9.00)

Green clay has an incredible power of absorption, is rich in minerals and fine essential oils which exfoliate, cleanse, smooth and soften the skin, restoring vitality and glow whilst drawing oil and grease from the skin. Green clay contains micro-molecules that gently cleanse the pores and effectively removes impurities and toxins, stimulating blood flow and lymph circulation. Revitalising the complexion and tightening pores.This sponge has a light fragrance. Click here to buy it.

How to use:
1. Rinse before use and then gently massage until the sponge has absorbed the water.
2. Use the sponge in circularmotions, it can be used alone as it is naturally 8.4pH balanced or with a small amount of cleanser if you wish.
3. Rinse sponge wafter use (do not wring) and hang to dry.
4. The sponge will harden when dry; re-hydrate in warm water before use again.
5. At the end of its life cycle typically 3-2 months add the sponge to your compost. 

Please visit the Kuu Konjac website and check out all of the awesome products they have to offer!

JUNE BEAUTY BOGGER

The beauty blogger for June is Jessica from her blog Jessica Beautician. I originally found Jess through watching her YouTube videos but then found her blog soon after. A 21 year old beautician and absolutely stunning from Norfolk, I adore British beauties and Jessica is no exception! Keep reading to find out how she got into the online beauty world, her fashion sense, makeup style and much more!

What inspired you to begin beauty blogging and vlogging?

I started watching YouTube beauty videos about 3 years ago and to begin with I could honestly never see myself ever doing it (I'm actually a really shy person!). After 2 years, I finally decided to give it a go and started my channel, JessicaBeautician. I gradually stumbled across other blogs but I didn't even know how to follow them, so I'd just save them in to my bookmarks and visit them every now and then. I got into blogging around the same time as I started making YouTube videos.

How would you describe the clothes you wear?

Very simple and casual. I never really wear anything too daring and always play it safe with neutral colours such as blacks, browns and greys!

How would you describe your makeup style?

Again, very low-key and minimal most of the time. I prefer to use products which enhance my features, although when I get the opportunity I love to wear a bright lip!

When your not blogging or vlogging, what do you enjoy doing with your time?

I just enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I also really enjoy travelling, I've done quite a bit over the last few years and I love to see new places. Of course there is shopping as well, I probably enjoy that a bit too much!

Beauty products you couldnt live without and why?

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser is my all time favourite cleanser, it removes makeup so easily. Origins Vitazing is an amazing moisturiser, it gives the skin such a healthy looking glow. Makeup wise, I couldn't live without concealer, I often just use it to cover up any imperfections and go without foundation.

Do you have any goals for your YouTube channel and blog?

I just hope to continue what I'm doing for a long time to come! I hope to progress a lot further with both my channel and blog, possibly update on my technology but at the moment I'm just really enjoying doing it as a hobby!

Thank you so much to the gorgeous Jessica for being my May Beauty Blogger!

Please go check out her blog and YouTube to see more of her!