Dirty Little Beauty Secret…Protecting Your Pearly Whites

One thing about me; I am a freak for dental hygiene. I have a compulsion to brush my teeth after eating ANYTHING. I carry a toothbrush and a small bottle of Listerine in my handbag (I know, I’m crazy). And, of course, I am very particular about the products that I use.

Now, this “beauty secret” really isn’t a tip or a trick, but rather a gadget that will help you keep your teeth beautiful!

I don’t want to totally gross you out, but the fact is that your bathroom is filled with germs, and if you aren’t careful, you are getting them on important things, like your toothbrush! For instance, if you don’t close the lid of your toilet before you flush, it is likely that bacteria/germs are traveling from there onto your toothbrush. Oh my gosh, the thought of it just freaks me out! So, yes…lesson one…close the lid before flushing!

And, if you want to alleviate the fear of germs even more, may I suggest this amazing gadget! Oprah actually selected it as one of her best picks for the holidays, and it was featured on Good Morning America. It is the Zapi toothbrush sanitizer!*

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It uses germicidal UV light to kill 99.9% of the germs on your toothbrush. You just snap it in, push the button, and let it do its work! It is easy to snap apart and clean.

When I first got mine (Christmas last year), they didn’t offer the array of colors that they now do…and look at the versions for kids (or the kid at heart)!

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They even have travel versions now!

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If you are looking for something that holds more than one toothbrush, they have a larger version.

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It is reasonably priced at around $20-30, and you can find it at your local Target or Walmart. However, you might find a limited selection of colors in those stores, so its possible that you will have to order online to find a pink one (or ninja one!)! I personally love my Zapi. It makes a great Christmas present for the germaphobe in your life, if you are still on the lookout for a great stocking stuffer!

*This isn’t a sponsored post, I just REALLY like this product and wanted to share it with you!

P.S. - have you entered my giveaway for 100 custom postcards yet? Do it!!!

Dirty Little Beauty Secret #2

Ah yes, another secret to share with you! J

When it comes to clear skin, I am obsessive. I dread the thought of waking up on my wedding day with an enormous zit on my forehead! Oh, the horror!!!

I know that there are many little tricks out there to get rid of zits quickly (toothpaste? Windex?), but years ago I became absolutely hooked on a product by Mario Badescu.

Mario Badescu

The drying lotion is an absolute essential to have stocked in my medicine cabinet. It will shrink/heal white heads overnight…it is amazing! You simply dip a Q-Tip into the bottle, then apply directly to the zit that you are zapping!

Although it will be an investment of $17 for a 1oz bottle, it is worth every penny! Typically, I only have to buy one every 4-6 months, so it does last a while! I can sleep easy at night knowing that any pesky zits I may have will be reduced or eliminated in the morning!

Do you have another skin clearing solution? Like last time, leave me a comment and share with everyone! And, if you have your own “dirty secret” you’d like to share, let me know…I’m looking for future tips/tricks/products to share!

Dirty Little Beauty Secret #1

When it comes to wedding day beauty…I’m starting early! Like the Boy Scouts say…”be prepared!”

I thought I would start sharing a few “dirty little beauty secrets” that I have come across and implemented into my routine.

First up…the perfect (and un-moveable) eyebrow!

Ok, this sounds ridiculous, but I CANNOT STAND when eyebrow hairs decide to stick out/down in strange spots…they need to stay in place!

A few years ago, the thought of filling in my eyebrows was a foreign notion. Today…I can’t leave the house without doing it! If you are like me and your eyebrows are rather light in color, I highly recommend purchasing an eyebrow powder to fill them in! If you are looking for the pro item, I suggest Smashbox’s Brow Tech.

Smashbox

However, if you are looking for something a bit more budget friendly, I recommend trying out Maybelline’s Ultra-Brow.

Maybelline

I apply the powder with an angled brush (like this one...also from Maybelline).

Maybelline

I make sure to only brush within my eyebrows…extending outside of the shape of your eyebrow, in my opinion, sometimes can make it look like you drew them on!

And, for the final touch…how do you keep them in place? A makeup artist clued me in to this trick a year or two ago, and I don’t know how I didn’t think of it myself! Clear mascara! I suggest Maybelline Great Lash since it is probably one of the cheapest ones out there, and it does the trick! Simply brush a light stroke over your eyebrows and let dry…and voila! The perfect eyebrow, according to moi!

Maybelline

Do you have a beauty secret that you think I should share? I’d like to continue this series…and I LOVE trying out new techniques/products. Leave me a comment, and if you’d like it to be a “secret” for the time being, you can just say so in the text (I moderate the comments before posting), and I can reveal it at a later time! Thanks!