Luminous White Teeth

This post is sponsored by Tom's of Maine.

To know me is to know that I'm obsessed with clean teeth. I love the dentist, and I look forward to getting my teeth cleaned twice a year. And during the time in between visits, well, I try to keep my pearly whites in tip-top shape at all times. The only thing is that I have very sensitive teeth, and a lot of the whitening toothpastes and products on the market exacerbate the sensitivity. 

I have been on the hunt for a gentle toothpaste that whitens, and I was so happy to hear that Tom's of Maine has released a new whitening toothpaste called Luminous White Toothpaste that is safe for every day use and safe on my enamel. It promises to give you whiter teeth in two weeks by removing surface stains vs. fluoride toothpaste. It also doesn't have any artificial flavors, colors or ingredients. 

I took their challenge to see if I would really have whiter teeth in two weeks. Though I couldn't tell a dramatic difference, what I have loved is that my teeth are staying bright white without any issues of increased sensitivity. Not to mention I feel good about using Tom's of Maine more than any other toothpaste out there because 10% of their profits goes to environmental and human goodness. That's super hero power toothpaste!

I'd love to see you take on Tom's of Maine's challenge of brighter teeth in two weeks, and report back your results. It's always great to hear if other people have had good experiences too. 

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

TIPS ON LASH EXTENSIONS

Okay, I'll admit it...I thought eyelash extensions were a bit "much" if you will. When I heard people were paying around $50 a month to maintain these puppies and it took over an hour to get them on, I rolled my eyes thinking, "What's so bad about applying mascara every day?" Well, don't knock it until you try it, folks.

With any luxury good or service, you really have to weigh the pros and cons as to why you want to do it. It's obviously not a need, and mascara and false lashes can help you achieve a similar look, so what is the big deal? Well, here's my break down of pros and cons for you to help you decide, as well as my experience and tips on lash care.

PROS:
1. They look more natural than false lashes. No false glue goop or crooked lashes here, my friends.
2. You wake up looking HOT and awake! You can actually say, "I woke up like this," and mean it. For tired moms, I highly recommend doing this before baby comes and during the first year. 
3. Shorter beauty routine. When I wear lash extensions I rarely put on eyeliner, eyeshadow or mascara (You can add mascara if you want as long as it's not waterproof. Same thing for eyeliner).
4. Longer fuller lashes than any mascara can promise. There's just no question.
5. No smudgy, streaky messes when you cry or swim. I have been crying a lot lately, and these have been helpful during a hard time. I'd also recommend these if you swim a lot. (You can get them wet after 24 hours of application).

CONS:
1. They take 1 - 1.5 hours to put on, and 30 minutes to 1 hour to fill.
2. You can't get them wet for 24 hours
3. They cost a ton more than a tube of mascara or false lashes
4. They only last 3 weeks before you need a fill
5. You can't use any oil based makeover removers or moisturizers

To me, the pros out weight the cons, but it really comes down money for me. My lash lady, Nicole, charges $100 for a full set of lashes, and $50 for a fill. That's a screamin' deal. If you live in the Arizona area, you can book this deal until the end of August. Just direct message her on Instagram and tell her I sent you her way. Nicole has been doing lash extensions for over five years. She also does microblading if you are interested in that as well. There was nothing painful about the process, and she created a combination of long and short lashes to make them look as natural as possible. You better believe I'll be going to her through this rocky season of life.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

Best Cleansers

The amount of facial cleansers I have tried over the years has to be in the hundreds. When I was a teenager I was looking for the magic cure for acne, and now as a 33 year old woman I'm looking for the fountain of youth. Okay, maybe it's not time for that quite yet, but I'm definitely looking for a cleanser to be gentle to my skin, take off the makeup and brighten my skin's appearance. 

In my recent review of Dermalogica, I shared I have started on a quest to take better care of my skin. I tried Rodan + Fields as well, and even though I found satisfaction in them both, I couldn't help, but wonder would I still like something better? So, I tried out a few more. Here are my thoughts:

Pharmagel Hydra-Cleanse: This is a very gentle cleanser that takes off your makeup extremely well. My skin really liked this product. My only beef with this product is the smell. It has an old lady smell to it, but I would buy it again regardless because I liked it so much.

Pharmagel Ezyme Ex-cell: This daily scrub was less abrasive than Rodan + Fields, but, unfortunately, it still was too harsh for my sensitive skin. I would rather use the Dermalogica exfoliant over this one.

Skin Fix Foaming Oil Cleanser - I love this gentle cleanser on my skin. It smells great and makes my skin feel soft afterwards, but the only problem is that because it's oil based you can't use it with lash extensions. If I decide to get mine off I will definitely use this. Plus, it's accessible at Target.

Skin Fix Gentle Foaming Clay Cleanser - This definitely exfoliated my skin in a more gentle way. I can't say I saw a huge difference, but I think alternating between the oil cleanser and this cleanser is a great daily beauty routine for me. This is probably what I will stick with for now because it's affordable and accessible. 

CLE Melting Cleanser - This cleanser has the best smell! It's so fresh and clean. It definitely does a great job removing makeup. The gentle non-foam formula is good for sensitive skin. The only downside is that is that it's not accessible as grabbing it at Target. My skin also felt so clean it had that rubbery feeling. I would recommend applying a strong moisturizer afterwards. 

Photos by Rennai Hoefer; product was given for review.

REVIEW OF DERMALOGICA

At the start of this year, the extent of my skincare routine was wiping my face with a makeup remover cloth and applying a daily SPF. Thats it. When I did the Rodan + Fields challenge a bit ago it was simply because someone sent me some product to try, and so I did. I wasn't results driven. I was just curious. After having success with brighter skin, it made me wonder what else was out there. 

A friend of mine who had once worked for Dermalogica told me she swore by this line. I had heard of it before from an aesthetician, but I didn't really know much about it. She sent me a box of goodies, and so I gave them a whirl to see if I liked this line compared to Rodan + Fields. 

I'm happy to report that I have found some products that I can't live without not because of dramatic results but because they are much more gentle on my skin. Truthfully, huge anti-aging results aren't going to come with your daily skincare routine unless you are using bleaching creams, retinol and abrasive products. I'm not really looking for that. I'm just looking to keep my skin healthly and fresh. 

Dermalogica's precleanse is AMAZING! It look forward to rubbing it all over my face and neck every day. It's the answer to a better makeup remover that not only smells divine, but gently removes eye makeup and foundation. Simply rub it into your skin and then dampen your hands and slowly rinse it off. Then you wash your face with a gentle cleanser. 

I personally love the Dermalogica Mircofoliant. It's the first exfoliating product for my face that doesn't irritate my skin afterwards. It's SOOO gentle, and exactly what I would look for in daily exfoliation. Rodan + Fields exfoliator was way too rough for me to use daily. If you have sensitive skin like me, I would give this a whirl. The only downside is that it doesn't smell the greatest. 

Lastly, the Phyto Replenish Oil is MAGIC! In Arizona my skin gets so dry. Having Sjorgren's disease doesn't help either since one of the side effects is dry skin. This oil gives me the dewy skin I have always wanted. I just apply three drops to my day and nighttime moisturizer for additional moisture and it does wonders. It smells amazing too!

I did try some other products like their eye cream, gentle cleanser and moisturizer, but I can't say they were standout products to me. Nothing bad to say about them, but they definitely are much to write about either.  Be sure to check out some of my other beauty posts below for my experiences. 

THE GIFT OF REST

I am convinced that the best gift you could give any woman on Mother's Day is rest. Rest is a undoubtedly a luxury for me in this busy season of motherhood and at the top of my wish list, but sometimes when I have the opportunity to try and rest I don't know how. That might sound crazy, but it's true. So, that's why gifting items from The White Company is an amazing idea. Their high quality, timeless home and beauty products are everything you need to feel pampered and rested.

The box I received from The White Company was the most beautiful box I had ever laid eyes on. The attention to detail is impeccable. And then you open it, and it's like peeling back layers of a rose petal starting with the warmest, personal welcome from The White Company, crisp cotton pillowcases, and a silver picture frame.

When I opened the second layer I discovered an oversized terry cloth robe, a candle that smells like a bouquet of flowers and 100% cashmere socks and a throw. Just lighting a candle and wrapping myself up in all of that pretty would put me into the deepest sleep.

It only got better though when I reached the third layer. Waiting for me was the finest face and body products. Face wash, moisturizer, oil and cream all work together to make your skin feel so soft and smell delightful.

The unboxing experience was a gift alone. However, the rest that came when I shut my bedroom doors, turned on some soft music, showered and applied it all...Well, that was exactly what I was missing in my life - true pampering and rest.

The White Company is coming across the pond from Britain to the U.S. next month and opening their first store in New York City. If you're in the area, be sure to visit. And if not, you can order it all online, at The White Company. I’m excited to be working with them on some upcoming projects as well, so stay tuned for that!

Photos by Rennai Hoefer