My beauty Bag

5 Tips for Whiter Teeth…Instantly! From sexy summer dresses to the hottest gladiator sandals, nothing is more important to achieving an effortlessly chic summer look than a bright white smile. Celebrity Aesthetic Dentist Dr. Jonathan B. Levine whose A-list clients include Sarah Jessica Parker, Christy Brinkley and Victoria ’s Secret Model Allesandra D’Ambrosio offers these tips that will brighten your smile INSTANTLY, without expensive procedures, whitening strips or even toothpaste! (Although he created my favorite teeth whitening product–GoSmile!)

1. Whiten While you Chew

Everyone knows that red wine and coffee stain your teeth, but some foods can actually work to whiten your teeth while you eat! The following foods remove stains by exfoliating teeth before the stain molecules have the time to attach deeply to the surface. It is like a skin scrub for your smile. Foods that whiten teeth include:

• Apples
• Celery
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Lettuce

2. Kiss the Stain Away

Some lip colors can actually make your teeth look significantly whiter (and darker!).

If you have grayish teeth:

*Avoid: Red Lipsticks with blue tones

* Try: Cool tone with a brown base. Nude pinks with an almost brownish hue are best.

If you have yellowish teeth:

* Avoid: Deep, dark shades. Bright Shades. Super shiny glosses

* Try: Pink shades that have blue undertones. Nudes
3. Go Bronze

Golden and tan skin tones (from a bottle not from harmful UVA/UVB rays of course) not only give you a more toned, healthy appearance but also make your eyes pop and your teeth look brighter! Some of the most natural looking new tanners include:

SkinCeuticals Sans Soleil - a unique self-tanning lotion that delivers an even, natural looking tan without exposure to the sun’s harmful rays. Price: $32.00 at SkinCeuticals.com

DuWop Revolotion Body - Unlike traditional bronzers, Revolotion is actually a moisturizer that contains SPF 15 sun protection along with a kiss of bronzing pigment and subtle shimmer. The streak free, easy to apply formula is meant for legs, arms, back and decollate. Anywhere you want to show off perfect, glowing skin. Price: $28, available at Sephora and www.beauty.com

(I personally love Aqua Tan!)

4. Accessorize

Try wearing shimmering white rhinestone jewelry or gleaming silver to make your teeth appear whiter. Stay away from gold, which exaggerates any yellowish tones in teeth.

5. Clothing

A bright white shirt will only accentuate less-than-white teeth. Choose an off-white or cream-colored shade instead. Reducing the contrast will result in the appearance of a brighter, whiter smile.

From: http://gottaspa.blogspot.com/

Too Faced’s Betsy Baby Eyeshadow Duo Supports Breast Cancer Awareness

I love when beauty products have a story behind them. The story behind this shadow is especially touching:

“Too Faced’s brand founder, Jerrod Blandino, created Betsy Baby for one of his closest friends, Sephora’s Betsy Olum. In 2007, the Sr. Vice President of Marketing was diagnosed with breast cancer. During Betsy’s trying time, Jerrod was one of her top supporters. And, during one of their many heart-to-heart chats, Betsy jokingly asked if Jerrod would bring back her favorite discontinued Too Faced shadow, Heiress. Jerrod happily obliged, and worked with Betsy to develop the perfect highlighting-accent color. Now a fierce duo (just like Jerrod and Betsy), it’s been renamed Betsy Baby in honor of her battle and triumph over breast cancer.”

So, in support of Breast Cancer Awareness, I went down to Sephora on Friday and picked one up! It is quite a lovely pink pair and I wish I could tell you how good they looked on, but I left it on my dresser and now I fear my kitten has knocked it off and batted it around into some dark corner of my bedroom. Hopefully I will find it and enjoy the colors, knowing how much good I did. Not only did both Betsy and Jerrod pledge to donate $3 for every shadow sold, so did Sephora, for a total of $9 out of the price of $17 being donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. That is awesome. Now I just wish I could find it…

From: http://www.beautyjunkieinsf.com/

Clarisonic Pink Ribbon Brush to Support Breast Cancer Awareness

One great product that I’ve been dying to try is the Clarisonic Skin Brush. It is supposed to be life-changing and actually be worth the steep price tag. ($195). If Kate Somerville promotes it, I know it must be amazing.

How does it work? Well, Clarisonic’s stimulating sonic micro-massage gently clears pores for better absorption, making other steps of the beauty regimen work better. It is also waterproof for use in the shower or tub and at the sink. It uses the same technology as the Sonicare toothbrush, which I’ve been a fan of for years.

Now you can also put your money to good use: since the Pink Ribbon edition of the brush did so well last year, they extended the promotion. In 2007, Clarisonic donated over $100,000 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This limited edition pink brush will be available through year end. So pick yours up at Sephora and other fine retailers.

Brush Lovely!

Berwick Beauty’s Skin Care Tips

I am a big fan of Berwick Beauty and I love their Balancing Day Cream from their Coming Up Roses collection. Here are some skin care tips and expert advice straight from Angel, co-owner of Berwick Beauty:

HOW ABOUT A LITTLE SECRET TIP on how to erase those dark circles under your eyes and reduce puffiness in just seconds? Berwick Beauty expert advice: Keep your Coming Up Roses Eye Contour Gel refrigerated. The soothing coolness and natural strength of the product will instantly tighten and smooth the delicate eye area. The results are fantastic!

DID YOU KNOW that Berwick Beauty’s Nourishing Cream is an excellent source of Hyaluronic acid? Hyaluronic acid is a compound that occurs naturally in the skin and connective tissue, and its depletion (often caused by sun damage) is associated with wrinkling. Dermal fillers such as Hyaluronic acid have proved very popular with individuals looking for non-invasive anti-aging solutions that have a tangible effect. Recent studies have shown that dermal fillers help to restore the structure of sun-damaged skin due to their collagen stimulating properties.

DID YOU KNOW that Rosa Damascena (Damask Rose Oil) contains more than 300 natural compounds and is one of the most complex natural substances on earth? Damask Rose Oil is often referred to as nature’s universal healer and is proven to be highly effective at treating dry, mature and damaged skin as well as modifying the unhealthy skin sebum secretion that causes acne and the appearance of enlarged pores. All Berwick Beauty products contain Damask Rose Oil derived from organically grown, handpicked Rosa Damascena roses.

DID YOU KNOW that the first references to the health and beauty benefits of rose oil date back more than 5000 years? Many great ancient civilizations throughout Persia, Egypt, Greece and Rome placed great value on the exclusivity and aesthetics of the rose. This fascination with the rose only increased as cultures began to truly understand the complexity of the flower and the science behind its natural effect on mood and enhancing beauty.

From: http://gottaspa.blogspot.com/