GETTING A BRIGHT SMILE

After all of the orthodontia I went through (headgear, braces, retainer, etc.) you better believe I am doing everything I can to keep my pearly whites looking their best. As I have gotten older and started drinking drip coffee in the mornings, I have noticed my teeth have started to yellow. I used whitening toothpaste for a bit but I found it made my teeth very sensitive so I stopped. I have tried Crest White Strips, but they tasted terrible and were really expensive. But, recently, I tried a toothpaste that did the trick in three days. 

It's called AP24 by Nu Skin. I was skeptical about it when I started seeing friends post about in on Facebook. I thought, "Oh no. Is this another get rich quick scheme?" When a close friend of mine started selling it I had to ask her the million dollar question, "Does this stuff really work?" She said, "Yep, and it tastes like normal toothpaste and doesn't make your teeth more sensitive." Noticing I was still skeptical, she said she wold give me the toothpaste at no charge to try it as long as I gave an honest review about it. 

I accepted her challenge, and just three days after using it I saw a dramatic difference. In fact, I have been using it since then and they don't seem to be getting whiter than the white I got after three days. So, that means, you just have to use this toothpaste for three days and then return to your paste of choice. At least, that's what I have done, and the next time I see my teeth getting yellow again I'll bring this one back out because it works like a charm. 

This toothpaste is expensive compared to any normal tube you would find at a drugstore, but $20 isn't much to pay compared to expensive whitening treatments like white strips or trays. If you are in need of a brighter smile I highly recommend AP24. 

All photos were taken with my iPhone to ensure that no post editing or professional photography would alter the results. I do not make any money by promoting AP24 toothpaste.

STRETCH MARK MIRACLE WORKER

Not everyone gets stretch marks with pregnancy. With Elle I hardly got any, but I did get quite a few of them with Levi. He was a bigger baby than Elle, and I got them all across my stomach. I don't really mind them, but, I won't lie, I would prefer they didn't exist in the first place. My skin is also looser as a result of my second pregnancy, which isn't uncommon either. 

Of course, I would happily do it all again in a heartbeat, and I got a beautiful baby boy which matters WAAAAY more than stretch marks. However, if you can do something about lessening the appearance of the marks why not, right? After sharing a post-partum update I received an email from Nina asking me if I wanted to try Nerium to firm up my tummy and reduce the appearance of the stretch marks. I was definitely skeptical because there is no real fix for stretch marks, but if she was going to send me something I may as well try it, right? 

And so I did. I applied this lotion to my stomach for six weeks. It claimed to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and firm up my skin. And it worked as you can see.

These photos were taken at the same time of day in the same location (you can email Rennai to confirm that). They are not edited in any way, shape or form. They are straight out of the camera. The only difference is that I have short hair and wearing workout clothes. 

I can't say that my stomach looks firmer necessarily. I'm starting to do pilates now to really correct that issue, but my stretch marks have faded significantly after six weeks. If you have stretch marks that bother you I would highly recommend giving Nerium a try. 

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

RED LIP CHALLENGE

Growing up, the idea of "becoming a woman," was not appealing. I just associated it with uncomfortable body changes, bras, periods and childbirth. In my eyes, there wasn't much to celebrate. In fact, it seemed like it was a curse to be a woman. Unfortunately, many years of my life were spent operating under the label of "girl" instead of "woman" because it felt more freeing and comfortable. It wasn't until after I had my babies that I embraced my femininity.

Growing, birthing and nurturing children has unlocked this new found strength, respect, and confidence in my body and self. I am PROUD to be a woman. So, I am rocking bold red lips as a symbol of femininity, strength, and confidence for the the Verily Magazine Red Lip Challenge. 

You can be a part of the challenge too by posting a photo of yourself wearing red lipstick and saying what it means to you to wear it. See more details on Verily's Instagram post.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

BEING NICE TO MY HAIR

I haven't been so nice to my hair in years past. In fact, it started breaking off because I had not been careful about how I was taking care of it. Excessive heat, styling and coloring on my fine, dry hair caused my hair to become weak and break so much so that I chopped it off. 

My hair is in a fragile state at the moment, but I'm being mindful of it and treating it kindly. I'm starting to see improvements to the texture and quality in just a short few months too. I thought I would share what I'm doing to keep it healthy and happy. 

1. Weekly hair masques - I alternate between different ones, but I'm mainly focusing on putting moisture back into my hair and strengthening it. I really like these from Aveda (damage remedy, dry remedy and color conserve).

2. Washing it every three days - I've been doing this for a long time now, but I'm being extra mindful to do this for the health of my hair. I don't even brush my hair between washes. I simply apply dry shampoo to my roots to keep the oil at bay and work it into my scalp with my fingers. I usually shake my head upside-down to give it a fluff too.

3. I try only to blow drying my hair and styling it once a week - This has been really hard for me because I love the volume the dryer gives my roots, but for now reducing the amount of heat on my hair will help a lot. When I do blow dry my hair I use a lower heat setting as well, which take a bit longer, but I think it's worth it.

4. Once a week I'm letting it air dry natural curly - Since I'm only using styling tools once a week the other time I wash my hair I just let it air dry. I'm learning how to rock my natural texture. I just apply my curl cream and mousse and let it go. It's kind of liberating to my surprise. 

5. I switched my styling tools to ceramic plates instead of metal - I learned that ceramic plates protect the hair more than metal because that heat more evenly. Metal plats can contain hot spots. There are some metal plates out there that are coated, but if the coating wears off it will damage your hair. This is what happened to me. I recently bought Chi Ceramic 1" straightener and I love it. I also purchased Hot Tools NanoCermaic Tapered Curl Wand and that give my hair a nice bend. 

6. I'm going longer between color appointments - This has been hard since I started sprouting some gray hairs, but lightening your hair definitely can weaken and damage your strands. I'm going with deeper roots and touching up with dry shampoo that is for brown hair. I use Salon Grafix for brunettes. 

7. I'm layering products into my hair to protect it from UV and heat (when I use it) - Styling products add a barrier of protection for your hair and many contain UV protectants too. This will help protect from your color fading, as well as damage. 

8. Getting regular haircuts and maintaining short hair - I've always been the client to shop my hair off and then let it grow for six months. I would just get two cuts a year and call it good. That's the worst idea ever because once those split-ends start they will continue to creep up your strands and break your hair to the root. It's more money and time, but cutting my hair every 8 weeks is going to ensure that split ends stay away.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer; this post contains affiliate links

LIPTASTIC

I have been wearing two lip colors all fall and winter long. If you follow me on IG Stories or Snap (@avestyles) you probably have seen this nude lip I'm wearing, and many have asked about it. I figured it was time for a blog post so you can see them up close.

Aveda has time and time again been a brand I go back to because their products are natural, quality and smell amazing. Many of us have probably tried their hair or skincare products, but if you haven't tried their makeup line you should. My favorite nude shade is called "sheer primrose" and it's a moisturizing formula that also appears somewhat matte. You can add their noursh-mint lip gloss for shine if you want too. It's minty and refreshing, and gives a high gloss appearance.

My favorite dark, berry shade is "carnelian." It packs a punch, and is an accessory in itself. It tends to show a bit more shine than the nude one. It's moisturizing and doesn't flake or cake.

I don't even a use a liner with it. I just go for it and add some gloss later if I want.

It's the only red you'll need for the holidays, and it's one you'll be wearing long after.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer