Video Review: Got2b Powder’full Volumizing Styling Powder

I recently started filming videos and started a YouTube channel, I’ve wanted to do this forever but I never had and still don’t a good video camera. I’ve been using my webcam which is okay for now. So I apologize in advance if the quality is poor, I’m hoping to get a good camera soon.

I hope you will guys subscribe to my YouTube channel. I would really appreciate it!!!! xoxo

The Lo-Down on Teeth Whitening

Dazzle Your Smile

WITHOUT MAKING A DENTIST APPOINTMENT AND TRY SOME GREAT AT-HOME TIPS TO GET A BRIGHTER SMILE….

 I’m not sure about you girls, but I think I’ve used every at home whitening treatment out there including some home remedies. The truth is I’ve always had white teeth, but when I look at pictures from when my braces were taken off to now ( about 13 years).  My once pearly whites that I got complimented on almost everyday don’t seem as pearly as they were. Of course I should have done something different to prevent that but you live and learn. Anyway, I’ve pretty much always been obsessed with making sure my teeth were as white as they could be and no that picture above are not my teeth, (I wish). I’m not going to lie because my teeth are still white, I just wish they were as white as they used to be.

Coming from someone who has tried pretty much everything except professional in-office whitening, I wanted to share how some of these products work. 

WHITENING STRIPS are actually very effective and I’ve seen great results by using them. Here are a few tips that they don’t tell you on the back of the package:

 First: be cautious of products that promise a dazzling smile in one session, they don’t always deliver.

 Prep: wait at least 6 hours after brushing your teeth or using mouthwash before whitening; any sooner and the fluoride in those products could prevent the bleach from doing its job.  Wipe your teeth with a tissue right before applying white strips to help them adhere better.

Treat: When placing the strips, place them across your teeth without letting them touch your gums (the peroxide can be irritating). If the strips are too large you can cut them. Use the side of a toothpick to mold the strips in place, and push them into the spaces between your teeth. Defineity don’t eat, or drink while their in your mouth. Try not to even talk, which can shift the strips out of place. I used to always talk with them in and noticed they weren’t in the same place as they were when I put them in.

Perfect:  After the recommended time, remove the strips and wipe your teeth with a tissue again, then try using a whitening pen to cover any areas that the strips could not reach (usually near the gums, or where teeth are crooked). I found using a whitening pen to be effective for this reason. You can brush your teeth afterwards if you want but avoid drinks and food that are dark for at least 36 hours (because that’s when your teeth are more prone to staining).

 If you dedicate your time everyday to using them and use all the strips you will most defiantly see a good difference. Choose strips that are designed to be used daily for a week to ten days like  (Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips have a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide than over the counter whiteners).

BLEACHING PENS (Go Smile On the Go Teeth Whitening Pen)

This pen uses a 5.25% hydrogen peroxide bleaching gel delivered from the brush. You use this almost like you would use nail polish applied to your nails. The brush on pen works by brushing the gel onto each tooth one at a time. They are very handy when it comes to using them between meals, you can keep it in your purse and use it in the bathroom quickly. The brush tip allows you to apply the formula in tight areas between the teeth. These pens are actually more useful for touch ups or after treatments. I used this pen by itself and then a week after I was finished with the white strips. By itself, you can’t notice too much of a difference but using this after a whitening treatment helps to boost that treatment even more. They also usually take one to two weeks to work.

NATURAL 5 MINUTE TOOTH WHITENING SYSTEM

This is fast and easy to use because of the duplex mouth tray that allows you to whiten both upper and lower teeth at the same time but it's not too effective. These mouth trays are usually used for people who have crooked teeth and if you want it to really work the dentist is the way to go but you’ll end up spending about $300 on a custom molded tray. I saw the 5 min. tooth whitening system online one day and was so excited to try it, bc the person that was advertising it made it seem like it worked wonders. Then a few days later I found the same brand, the whole set ( mouth tray and the whitening gel) at the dollar store  So of course I bought it bc it wasn’t a knock off, it was the real brand. I used it for about 2 weeks and honestly didn’t see any results. That’s the last time I ever tried treatments that included mouth trays, but who knows, their might be some other brands out there that are more effective.

WHITENING TOOTHPASTES

Whitening toothpastes wont dramatically lighten your teeth, but they contain mild abrasive silica to get rid of new stains, which is better than nothing. Don’t think that using a whitening toothpaste will remove stains from your teeth like whitening products. However they will help to remove any stains that could result from the color of food you just ate.  My personal preference is: Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid  Enamel Renewal Toothpaste

Some Tips & Tricks:

1. If you just got a professional cleaning from the dentist plan on whitening your teeth one to two days after

2. If your teeth are sensitive to cold or heat, they might also be sensitive to bleach which can cause discomfort when using some of these products. To help this you can try brushing your teeth with a desensitizing toothpaste (such as Sensodyne) for about a few weeks before whitening your teeth and take one ibuprofen an hour in advance.

3.Don’t consume dark foods or dark drink for at least 72 hours after whitening. If you’re a coffee lover and can't survive without it, chase it with water immediately then brush your teeth.

4. To brighten your smile between treatments, gently rub your teeth with a washcloth dipped in hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide lightens stains, and the cloth is better than a brush at scrubbing stains away.

5. To make yellow teeth appear whiter, wear glossy, blue based lip colors like cherry red, wine, or berry shades. Skip pearly lipsticks, matte finishes, and beige, brown or yellow undertones, all which bring attention to discoloration. One exception: coral, which makes gray teeth appear whiter. (Clinique.com)

Home Made Remedies:

* Drink a cup of tea with lemon in it once a day and you’ll see a change in your smile

* Take one or 2 strawberries and mash them up in a small bowl and add a bit of baking soda to the mix. Mash it all together really well with a fork. Then use an old or disposable toothbrush and spread some of the mix onto the brush. Start brushing your teeth for about 2 minutes with the mix, then try and hold it on your teeth for a minute. Then spit it out and brush your teeth like you regularly would.

This is really great because strawberries contain Malic Acid which is great for removing stains. Its super easy and if you do this about twice a week (or more if you’d like) you’ll probably start seeing results anywhere form 2 weeks to a month. I was actually really surprised to see how well this whitened my teeth. Actually, some famous celebrities swear by this and say this is how they keep their teeth white.

How do you guys feel about whitening products, have you tried any? If so which ones did you like or dislike….let me know  

Wednesday's Beauty Tip

Beauty Tip of the Week

JUST ADD SOME SUGAR!!

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So you go to get out your favorite exfoliating scrub, start squeezing the bottle but then realize, oh yea, I forgot that I used the last of it the other day.  It’s happened to me, I have a bad habit of putting back empty bottles of face wash, shampoo, etc. It’s okay though, you still can get a decent exfoliating scrub by just adding a little bit of regular sugar to your everyday facial cleanser and there you go, you just made your own facial scrub.

Sugar produces glycolic acid, one of the natural alpha hydroxy acids that exfoliates the skin.  That’s why theirs so many natural homemade facials that includes sugar. Sometimes I’ll add a little sugar to my everyday facial wash just to give my skin a little extra care.

Gotta Love Sugar!!!

NOTD: Blue Me Away!

BLUE ME AWAY!

by Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Polish

I’m really liking Sally Hansen’s Xtreme Wear Polish, I think this is the third color this month I’ve bought in this exact brand. I saw this at CVS the other day with all the other colors and it was like it was screaming “buy me, buy me”! lol. Well you know what I mean, this color just stood out and I feel like it's probably going to be one of the last summerish colors I'm going to wear. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, I probably still have a few more colors to sneak in before fall.

When I applied the second coat I was like whoa! this is definitely a bold bright color but extremely pretty at the same time. I always use my Sally Hansen INST-DRI top coat, but I guess it’s time to buy a new one. Before I even went and  applied it on my nails I could tell just by the brush that the polish was getting thick and gooey (I think that’s the word to explain it lol). So I had to use a top coat that came with one of the nail art kits I have. I feel like it worked well, especially because I still had my INSTA-DRI speed drops that I swear make my manicure last twice as long. Anyway, that’s my little top coat story…

I wanted to do some sort of nail art or decals with this color and I thought pink and yellow would make the blue pop even more. Nothing fancy at all, I just used L.A.COLORS ART DECO in pink to make a few lines. Then I went through my old nail art kit that has stickers, gems, decals, etc. and I found pretty little yellow flowers that matched great with the blue and pink. ( I thought so anyway). This would actually be a really pretty spring look.

QUICK TIP:  To really ensure that your nail polish is sealed and dry, wait a few minutes after applying your polish and soak them in ice cold water for a few minutes. I was hesitant to try this at first but afterwards I could feel that the polish had hardened and was confident that I wouldn’t have any chipped nails the next day

It Aint That Simple Featuring Latorsha

I know some of you might be married already and some may not, like me. One of my favorite blogger friends, Latorsha has a great blog called Life is Hard, Laugh Anyway She is married with a young son so she always has great posts about what its like to be a wife and mom, as well as some stories that will have you cracking up. I thought I would ask her to come on over here and tell those of us aren’t married yet what it's really like. This is supposed to be a funny post, so I don’t want any of you to read this and swear off marriage lol. Thank you, Latorsha for taking time out to deliver this great post!!!! Hope everyone enjoys it and don’t forget to check out her blog.

It's Ain’t That Simple

Many of you that are single are probably dreaming of finding the perfect man, getting married and living happily ever after.



Well, let me give you my run down on marriage. I like to call it “It ain’t that simple”.

Today I'll share with you 5 reasons I believe It ain't that simple. Reasons 5-100 I'll let you figure out on your own. Consider learning those as part of your initiation to marriage. Good luck!

Let’s get started.

1. Don't think after marriage you'll go home, take off your make up, hair, nails, etc sit on the couch and have a glass of wine.

Oh no! Hubby will look at you, I mean won't look at you and will ask where dinner is?

Didn't realize you'd become the chef at the altar did you?

2. Back to the hair and makeup

Remember those days before dating him when you walked around your home in flannel pajamas looking a hot mess, watching Sex and the City and eating ice cream.

Well hubby doesn't, because you never let him see you like that. So don't think that is going to go over well. You'll be cuddling all by yourself.

3. Those days before marriage when you were aggravated and had major bouts of PMS, you’d tell him I’m staying in tonight and I’ll see you tomorrow.

After marriage, it is not so simple. It’s kind of hard to say that when he is laying right beside you and his name is on the mortgage too.

4. So you like your place nice and clean.

I mean no dishes in the sink or dirty clothes on the floor. Hmmmm might want to rethink that. I know what you are saying, no my man’s place is always neat.

Of course it is. Who doesn’t make a good impression when they are dating? Browse back over points 2 and 3.

5. Exercise, remember it well.

People have a way of being more relaxed when they get married. Sure skip a day here or there, lay on the couch a little more, eat a little more, and essentially transform into a new shape. You know, like a circle.

Okay. I’ll stop here because I don’t want to ruin the surprises for you. Just consider yourself warned, I mean filled with anticipation.

These are just a FEW reasons that living happily ever after may not be as simple as you might imagine.

I recommend that you continue to take notes here at Beauty Obsessed so you can find some ways to keep and maintain a beautiful look.

The other stuff, well I am still trying to figure that out. After 9 years of marriage you learn to go with the flow.

I wish you all well in relationships, marriage, and of course living happily ever after.

Note: To my dear husband, if you finally stepped out of the box and made your way here by actually reading my blog I just want you to know that I was held against my will to write this and may have been under the influence of wine. Again, they made me do it.
Cause baby, you know we living that happily ever after.

Latorsha, is the blogger of Life is Hard, Laugh Anyway, a place where she tries to remain optimistic by any means necessary, mostly laughter. She especially loves connecting with new people. On twitter you can follow her at @AnOptimisticMom. You can check out her blog Here or contact her at AnOptimisticMom@ gmail.com

Five Favorites: August 2011

So here are my five favorite products for the month of August. A few of the products I’ve had but used more this month and there are a few new great products I purchased this month. I can’t believe next month I will be writing about September products already. This summer went by really fast, but it was a good one  

 Vaseline Cocoa Butter Vitalizing Gel Body Oil

I've been using this body oil after I get out of the shower all summer long. I’m so glad I bought it because I can’t imagine not having right after I get out of the shower. Vaseline has come out with a lot of good products and this is definitely one of them.  The almond oil fortifies your skin with essential minerals and antioxidants while the Brazil nut oil helps boost skin’s natural moisture barrier to lock hydration. Not only does it help revitalize the skin, it also gives your skin a more supple, healthy glow. So not only does your skin feel extra smooth and soft you can actually see how your skin glows from this oil, but don’t worry just because your skin looks shiny doesn’t mean its going to feel oily and greasy. Unless you go overboard and put globs of it on. A little amount goes along way too.  It also smells really good! I apply this right after I get out of the shower then apply my usual body lotion for extra hydration.

Studio Gear Dual Identity Wet/Dry Foundation

I was looking for a really good wet/dry powder foundation for a while. I really did my research on this because I knew I wanted a non drugstore brand this time, the reason being is I’ve tried pretty much every powder foundation (wet or dry) drugstore brand and was never really too impressed with any of them. So I went to one of my favorite stores website, Ulta and looked up their best powder foundations and found Studio Gear Dual Identity Wet/Dry Foundation. I read all the reviews and descriptions and it sounded like just what I was looking for. I like liquid foundation but there’s those days when you don’t have as much time or don’t need full coverage,  so that’s when this kind of foundation comes in handy. Plus I like the dewy finish it gives me when using it wet. This product plays two different identities, powder foundation and water based foundation. It comes with a sponge called Angel Skin, it’s a dual surface sponge, one side for dry application and the other for wet application. I really actually liked this sponge until I realized you can only use the wet side once because after its been moistened the water ruins the material. So this is a trick I do,  I mix 3 parts of glycerin with 4 parts of water and mix it together in a small spray bottle, then mist my face before applying the powder and use a kabuki brush to blend it in and it gives me a fresh dewy look. You can actually use this with any powder if you wanted. The glycerin also gives me extra moisture and helps set the product.  This product comes in five different colors I believe. I use Praline, its like a dark beige. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good quality wet/dry powder.

Velcro Rollers

I can't rave enough about Velcro rollers! There so great, especially for my hair type. which is straight/wavy, that tends to get frizzy and puffy right after blow drying oh and is also very thick! Right after I'm done blow drying my hair I separate the top of my hair into three sections and roll each backwards into a large roller. Then I usually roll two sections in the middle and roll those as well.   I wouldn’t recommend spraying any hair-spray until you take the rollers out or you might have a sticky hot mess while trying to take the roller out. Do this with any sections of your hair, it's up to you. I try to leave them in for at least 20 minutes and use that time to do my makeup or get dressed. Then right before I'm ready to leave my house I take them out. The rollers also give me some volume too which is a plus and you can find these basically anywhere for cheap. You can get them in sets of 12, 24 or you can just buy 3 at a time. So the prices vary.

e.l.f Defying Eye Brush

Im still amazed that I only paid $1 for this wonderful little brush, I’ve actually went back and bought a few more just in case it went out of stock or was ever discounted. I’ve found that I can use this brush in a few different ways. My favorite is to define the crease and defining the outer V, then I like to use it for highlighting the inner corner of my eye, brow bone and even to contour my nose. The size of this brush is perfect for fitting right into the crease, its small enough but also has that rounded tip to highlight the inner corners, and also is a good fit for the sides of your nose. elf has some really great eye brushes, one of my favorite eye shadow brushes is also from elf and only a $1.

Clean & Clear Advantage popped pimple relief

Although we all know we’re not supposed to pop pimples, sometimes its just really hard not to. I'm definitely guilty of this, and that’s why I bought clean & clear’s popped pimple relief. It promises to diminish any trace of the pimple while the gel begins to work. It’s designed to soothe soreness and clear up acne pimples. I bought this a few months ago hoping everything they promised to deliver would work. It has 2% salicylic  acid, which is a great source of clearing bacteria and clearing scars. I used this the first time I popped a small pimple (by accident) lol. and after a day I noticed that any marks or the beginning of scaring was gone.  this product is excellent to prevent any scarring from acne that occurs after you pop your pimples. I remember I bought it at Walgreens for $6.99, at first I was a little taken back by the price but that’s just the bargain shopper in me. Overall, I'm not disappointed in the price now knowing that it was worth it. 

Wednesday's Beauty Tip

Beauty Tip of the Week

Instant Colored Mascara

Colored Mascara can give your eyes an instant pop of color. I think I still have my Maybelline’s Great Lash Mascara in Royal Blue. Every now and then its fun to use and I always get compliments when I do wear it. That is the only color besides black I’ve ever tried but I always wanted to try maybe purple or green.

If you want to experiment with other mascara colors without going out and buying them, here’s a really cool trick I read in Cosmo recently:

Dip a wand in clear mascara then into any shade of loose shadow (the powder will stick to the bristles). Then swipe lashes gently to tint them. Rinse the brush and use it to make a new mascara hue anytime!!

Pretty cool, huh?

Have you or do you like using colored mascara? If so, what colors do you use?