Natural Teeth Whitening Kit: Review

Hello!

 Let's get this out there: it is not easy taking photos of teeth. We can now continue..

The teeth whitening kit by Natural Bliss (available here) comes with 3 little pots and a sheet of paper with instructions of how to use it. To be honest, all you need is a toothbrush and you're good to go. It doesn't take too long to do and with a bit of one direction playing in the background to dance along to, the waiting game takes almost no time at all! 

The kit comes with 3 pots with a different ingredient in each. The curcumin didn't do anything special for me, in fact, I almost thought it made my teeth less white. Sodium Bicarbonate is a well know DIY teeth whitener (no surprises that this was a great ingredient) and the willow carbon also worked amazingly well. I'd say the carbon did more for me than the sodium bicarbonate - see the photo below:

Step 1: Apply the Sodium Bicarbonate to your teeth and leave for a bit
   -for me, this worked well but I think my teeth looked extra clean because of the double scrubbing I did, the ingredient in particular was not the miracle

Step 2: Wet a bit of the carbon power and apply evenly, leave for 2 minutes
   -this was the ingredient that stood out for me. I could really tell the difference after the first use of this product. It may be the stark difference between the dark carbon that made me feel my teeth were whiter, or they were actually whiter. Either way, I liked the carbon!

Step 3: Apply the curcumin on to teeth and leave for a while
   -as mentioned previously, I feel like this counteracted the carbon and honestly didn't like it. I also thought it was annoying that it stained my toothbrush. It just didn't work for me. 

Step 4: Brush your teeth clean with water
   -this is where you can taste the curcumin and it's gross. Okay, can you tell I was NOT a fan of the curcumin at all?

Not going to lie, after Day 1, I was super impressed with the teeth whitening kit. My teeth were looking great: super shiny and lovely. The thing is, looking back now I think they might just be that way because I scrubbed my teeth about 4 times, and if you brush your teeth four times within the space of 10 minutes they're bound to look cleaner, right?

After Day 5, I feel my teeth were not as white as they were after Day 1. Contradictory to the whole idea of the kit? Yes. I still feel if I was to use just the willow carbon, the effect would be different. The first two ingredients are definitely worth it - and you're likely to have the sodium bicarbonate at home, so all you need to get is the willow carbon.
None-the-less, the kit is worth it for the willow carbon, and it lasts about 15 days - with each cycle of teeth whitening meant to last 5 days, you can do it 3 times! (yay maths!)

Overall, not bad but I wouldn't say it made a HUGE difference. If you suffer from staining you're more likely to experience better results. If you, like me, have a pretty even(ish) teeth colour and just want a couple of shades whiter teeth, this may not be your best bet.

Do you whiten your teeth? If so, what do you use?

Purchase Of The Week: OraBrush + First Impressions

Hello!

Back in full blast with an after exam purchase and guys, brace yourselves because this one is crazy. I'm only joking, it's just a tongue-brush - that's right, a tooth brush for your tongue. Sound a little weird? Read on...

You may have seen the adverts on YouTube about the OraBrush, because that's where I saw it first. At the time, OraBrush was only available in the US, so although I really wanted to try it out, I wasn't prepared to go all out on the shipping cost. However, now it is more globally available (for us UK people, you can buy it at Boots) hence now was the time I wanted to give it a go. 

The OraBrush Foam is basically like Toothpaste for your OraBrush. I have tried the foam and OraBrush together and let's just say the foam isn't as 'Foamy' as I thought it would be. As I have not tried it enough to give an overall opinion, let me just tell you that as for first impressions, the foam is not necessary, but the brush does an amazing job.

"Up to 90% of bad breath comes from odor-generating residue on the top of your tongue"

The first I time I used it, the outcome was disgusting. Not the brush itself, but the gunk on my tongue! It's not a pretty thought, but at least now my tongue is a lot cleaner. Even though I've only used it a few times - I have been able to tell a difference. My tongue is not perfect just yet, but it does say fully results will be show over time. So, we're just going to have to wait.

As far as first impressions go, I love the OraBrush, but don't see the need for the Foam. 

If you're looking for a more thorough Teeth/Oral Hygiene routine, definitely give the OraBrush a go - first, you'll be disgusted but then pleasantly surprised!   

So, how weird does a brush for your tongue sound now?

*PR Sample

Health Benefits of Raisins

Hello!

I know raisins are a very controversial food - some love them and others hate them… I, for one, am definitely do not agree with the latter!
I LOVE raisins and having consuming it a lot recently, I was interested in the health benefits of it - and seeing as you're reading this, I guess you are too - so let's crack on!

Promotes Efficient Absorption of Vitamins, Proteins and Nutrients
This leads to a better immune system which helps fight off disease!

Aids Digestion
Due to the high fibre content of raisins, it helps maintain regular bowl movements (avoid constipation) and therefore toxins and waste materials can be easily passed out of your body. In addition, Raisins are naturally sweet, so the fruit sugars are easy to digest, unlike the processed sugars in many of our foods today! These natural sugars are said to help the spikes or plunges in insulin levels which can be dangerous for diabetes patients (medium Glycemic Index)

Protection against Cavities and Tooth Decay
Due to the 'oleanolic acid' in Raisins, growth of harmful bacteria is prevented. This also reduces risk of gum disease

Source of Calcium
Keep your bones and teeth strong! Due to content of micronutrient 'Boron', calcium absorption is helped, therefore more calcium for your body.

Source of Iron & Copper
Which is necessary for Red Blood Cell Formation

Reduce Body Acidity
Raising are a source of Potassium and Magnesium - this helps reduce body acidity. Potassium is also said to reduce Blood Pressure

Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Bacterial Properties

Source of Antioxidants
Prevents development of Tumours

Vitamins A, C, B6, F, K

Ways to Consume in your Diet...

I love to add raisins to my breakfast. In the picture above, I've topped wholewheat toast with Peanut Butter, Flaxseed (see their benefits here) and Raisins! So yummy, honestly! I love to have this with a bowl of fruit and a chai tea latte! You have to try it! 

Also, to a bowl of Shredded wheat, I like to add raisins - and if I feel like some peanut butter, I add that too, and occasionally some flaxseeds! Do you see a trend, here? haha!

Also, if you like raisins and shredded wheat, try raisin wheats as a snack or as breakfast - as shown in this post!

I hope you found out more about raisins, decide to maybe consume some and gain from their benefits! So, tell me, do you love/hate raisins?! 

source: 1 // 2 // 3