Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects Review

I've always wanted to whiten my teeth, but the price tag of most professional dental treatments has always deterred me from doing so. I've eyed Crest's 3D Whitestrips for a long time and finally splurged (and I use that term lightly because it is cheap for a whitening treatment...around $50). There are many different types of Crest Whitestrips but I chose the Professional Effects version with 20 treatments.

Each treatment comes with two strips, one for the bottom set of teeth and one for the top set of teeth. The strip is only long enough to cover your most front teeth (fang to fang), so don't expect to get your molars whitened too. You should apply the bottom strip first. To apply the strips, peel them and stick them on your teeth starting where the teeth meets the gum. Press over the strip until it sticks onto your teeth and into all crevices (this is important to get an even distribution of bleach) and fold over the rest of the strip behind your teeth. You use one treatment per day and leave them in for 30 mins each time. I believe you're also not supposed to use this more than twice a year.

Immediately upon application, the strips were a lot longer than I expected them to be. I already have a small mouth so these strips really stretched far back to my mouth, covering almost two of my molars. It was also more slippery than I expected them to be. These strips are meant to be "strong grip, no slip" but I felt like it wasn't as sticky as it could've been on my teeth, especially near the later treatments. In fact, when I applied the strips, it reacted with my teeth immediately and formed a foamy, white substance. All the application videos I watched on this product never mentioned this so maybe it was just a chemical reaction to my teeth. Either way, it was really unexpected. It was almost hard pressing down on the strips for them to stick because the foam wasn't helping them grip.

For some background, I have pretty sensitive teeth. I can't even bite into popsicles or ice cream. These aren't supposed to hurt but if you do experience pain, reviewers have suggested to take a one day break between treatments. I did experience some days with painful throbbing but it wasn't unbearable. I just waited a day until my next treatment and it was perfectly fine. 

Results are meant to be seen within a few days of treatment and many reviewers had corroborated this. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly see results until around the sixth day. The whitening was definitely more prominent in my two buck teeth than my other teeth, perhaps because they stick out more than the others. 

Sorry for the dry lips!

As a disclaimer, I drank a lot of teeth-staining substances (Coke, tea, coffee, etc.) near the end of the treatments, which definitely hindered the whitening process. Even so, I saw great results in the middle of my treatment but started to see more teeth staining, especially in between my teeth, near the end. After finishing the treatment, I've noticed my teeth is slowly going yellow again.

All in all, this treatment wasn't as effective as I had hoped. To be fair, I did drink a lot of teeth staining substances (bad Emily!). I still don't regret buying this relatively inexpensive product and would use it again if my teeth became really yellow again. However, don't expect extremely gorgeous pearly whites from this product. For that, you might just want to go to a professional.

July Beauty Favorites

I know everybody always says this month flew by, but I genuinely felt that with July. I found myself pretty busy this month trying to balance work, appointments, and hanging out with as many people as I can before I leave for college. Even so, I still found time to acquire some make up along the way and stumbled along some great finds. However, I also rediscovered some old favorites. Since I had so many products to show, I decided to write a cumulative beauty favorites. 

Milani Baked Blush in 'Luminoso'

This well-known drugstore blush has been on my wishlist for a long time. I ended up purchasing this at CVS for around $10. Well known as being a dupe for Nars' Orgasm Blush, Milani's Luminoso didn't disappoint in color or quality. Most of my blushes are more on the pink side so to finally have one on the peachier/corally side was so satisfying. One swatch of this gorgeous peachy color easily proves it to be the most pigmented blush I own. There is a slight satin sheen to it but nothing on the shimmery end. It is such a perfect color for all skin tones--especially during the summer. This definitely makes me want to try more of the colors from this line.

Elf Eyebrow Kit in 'Dark'

I don't want to delve too much into this product as I raved about it in my E.l.f. haul. But basically, I've never filled in my eyebrows before due to the stark difference between my naked brows and my filled in ones. Yet, this palette doesn't give an exorbitant amount of color in each application. It is easy to use and does the job perfectly, an A+ in my book. If you haven't tried this product yet, I recommend purchasing this...not like you'll be losing too much---it's only $3!

Wet n' Wild's Icon Trio Eyeshadow in 'Walking on Eggshells'

Wet n' Wild's Icon Trio Eyeshadows are nothing new to the beauty world. They've been raved about practically since their inception, especially 'Walking on Eggshells'. I was lucky enough to be gifted this from an awesome friend (thanks if you're reading this :])and I practically screamed when I saw it. I haven't had much time to use them too much but I'm already in love with these shadows. Like most Wet n' Wild's powder products, they're extremely pigmented and so easy to use. Even if you're new to makeup, they label each shadow with the corresponding suggested location. The shimmery white is for the brow bone (and inner corners), the dark brown one is for the crease, and the shimmery champagne color is for the eyelid. For an eyeshadow novice like me, this palette was so easy to use. Putting this on immediately boosted my self-confidence 90%. Long story short, you MUST have this product!

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara 

I bought this mascara a while ago to keep my furry, unyielding brows in check. Though it did a good job combing and setting my brows, I neglected any brow grooming in my daily routine and hardly ever used it. I've only recently begun using it on a more frequent basis and I fell in love with it once again. This clear mascara truly sets your brows in place, which is so necessary for those who wake up and their brow hairs are going in different directions. It also darkens your lashes to make them look a tad more filled. With just a couple swipes of this product on my brows, I already feel more put together.

What were some of your July beauty favorites?

E.l.f. Haul and Reviews

As much as I'd love to splurge on expensive makeup, it just realistically isn't practical for me. Although I've purchased from the extremely inexpensive makeup brand "E.l.f." before, I never really delved into the brand as much as I have this week. In fact, I purchased 7 products this week alone. I bought four brushes and three products: the Elf Makeup Mist & Set, Elf Baked Highlighter in 'Moonlight Pearls' and the Elf Eyebrow Kit in 'Dark'. All of them were part of the studio line and were $3...what a steal! 

E.l.f. Makeup Mist & Set Spray

I always wanted Mac Fixed Plus or Urban Decay's All Nighter setting spray, but I could never bring myself to spend so much money for a squirt bottle. I ended up trying out this spray as a cheaper alternative to those high-end products. Unfortunately, I was thoroughly disappointed by this product. My problem isn't necessarily with the product itself but with its packaging. As a setting spray, I expected the nozzle to spray an even fan of mist all over my face. Instead, I got a forceful squirt of a stream of liquid. The nozzle literally squirts like a water gun, in one streamlined motion. I couldn't even test whether it set my makeup or not, because I couldn't get the product over my face! I felt like I was just shooting my face in different points with a water gun. I was very disappointed and threw it out after just a couple of sprays.

Elf Eyebrow Kit (Dark)

Many beauty gurus have said great things about the Elf Eyebrow Kit. I never fill in my eyebrows because I am terrified by how different I look after each attempt. Yet, I decided to pick this product up on a whim. After all, it was only $3! I got the darkest shade, fittingly named 'Dark'. There is also a 'Medium' and 'Light'. The kit comes in a sleek compact, the usual packaging of many E.l.f. products, and includes a gel and a powder.

When I put this on, I think I heard angels singing. The color was a perfect match for my eyebrows because it wasn't too dark or light, a problem I've had with other brow products. My brows didn't have the stark contrast I always cringed at. I think the best thing about this product is that you don't pick up too much of the color, so your brows don't look ridiculously dark. Even the tiny dual-ended brush that comes with this kit works well, although I go for my angled Sonia Kashuk brush. I mainly use the powder but the gel works just as great. I usually end up using both! As a person who never filled in her brows, this product has changed my life. I can finally fill in my eyebrows with confidence and more importantly, I can finally say my eyebrows are on fleek (sorry...I had to).

Elf Baked Highlighter in 'Moonlight Pearls'

I've been dying to try this product since KathleenLights raved about the Elf Baked Highlighters on her channel. The reviews and swatches of this product seemed to corroborate her opinion, so I decided to purchase this. The baked highlighters weren't available at Target so I ended up purchasing this on Amazon.

I absolutely love highlighting. I have extremely dry skin, so any glow to my face is greatly appreciated. I have the Dior Shimmerstar in 'Amber Diamond' and I absolutely adore it (though I think it's been discontinued). I also own Benefit's High Beam, which works just as nicely. However, I wanted to see if there was a good drugstore highlighter and had high expectations for this one after all the rave reviews. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the poor color payoff. 

'Moonlight Pearls' is a nice shimmery highlighter but I was disappointed by the pigmentation, especially because online pictures and reviews made it seem like it was very pigmented. I found myself having to rub the product several times to get significant color payoff. I used the E.l.f. fan brush to apply this product to the top of my cheekbones and was delighted and surprised to see a nice glow. Perhaps this product isn't as 'swatch-able' but still functions well as a highlighter. Even so, I'm pretty ambivalent on how I feel about this product. I think I'll continue to use it but not repurchase it. My search for a drugstore highlighter continues. I'm thinking I'll try Physician's Formula's Shimmer Brick next. 

I guess I scored 1.5/3 with my purchases, but I fared a lot better with the brushes. Maybe I'll do an upcoming post featuring all my e.l.f. brushes...or just a makeup brush collection post in general. I'll see how I feel. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this post and let me know if there are any good e.l.f. products I should try.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation Review

I must admit I'm far too lazy to ever use foundation, and it is definitely one of the products I almost never wear. I find that hardly anything works well with my dry skin. Everything just ends up patchy and settles in fine lines, contributing to "cake face". But because my acne has gotten particularly bad recently and I have a lot of acne scars and red spots, I finally pushed myself to purchase the famous Revlon Colorstay foundation. I used my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to buff it in. Though I was worried about the matte finish (I always prefer dewy foundations because of my dry skin), it didn't look as cakey or patchy as I expected. Instead, it blended rather seamlessly. The coverage is medium to heavy, which is good for covering my acne. However, it doesn't feel heavy on my skin at all. 

Revlon Colorstay Normal/Dry Skin in 150 Buff

The only foundation I've ever really liked is the incredibly dewy Maybelline Fit Me Foundation, because it was light yet buildable and didn't patch up on me. Revlon Colorstay beats that because the tone is not as orangey as Fit Me and is more of a neutral tone, suiting all skin types. Its coverage is also significantly better than the Fit Me foundation and did a good job covering up my acne spots. I also have some really bad acne scars, which was covered well by this foundation.

The only bad thing about this foundation was the fact that it sometimes settled into my fine lines and dry patches. It definitely isn't a bad as other foundations I've tried and unless you take one of those zoom-in mirrors to your face, the settling is dismissive. The foundation in 150 Buff was also a little too light for me, but that's on me. 

All in all, this inexpensive foundation definitely lived up to its expectations and made me smile looking at my near flawless skin--a feeling I haven't felt in a long time.

NOTD: Essie Turquoise and Caicos

One of my favorite colors is the mint/turquoise genre (as you can tell by my blog). So when I saw Essie's Turquoise and Caicos, I knew this would be the perfect color for my nails. This color is more muted than Essie's Mint Candy Apple,which I always found to be too bright for my liking.

This color is much bluer in person!

My pictures made the color look a lot greener than it actually is. Trust me when I say the color is much bluer in real life (think Tiffany Blue or Robin Egg). I also used two coats.

This is one of my go to nail polishes and if you want a more muted minty blue nail polish, I suggest Essie's Turquoise and Caicos.

June Favorites

June was my first month off of school, so I really had a lot of down time (which is why I revived this blog). To occupy myself, I immersed myself in random leisure activities (aka being a couch potato and eating). Therefore, I have quite a bit of favorites to share from this month!

Favorite TV Show: Law and Order SVU

I can't even tell you how OBSESSED I've become with Law and Order: SVU.  Hearing the duh-dun sound apparent in all the Law and Order episodes gets me all excited. Cable television usually has a marathon of reruns on several channels and the few I watched previously didn't really seem like my cup of tea. The only crime show I watched was NCIS, which I absolutely adored and SVU seemed to lack that continuous character development and quirks that I loved so much in NCIS. However, I recently started getting into SVU and I fell in love with the brilliant writing and superb filming. The harsh cases shed light on the atrocities that happen in front of our blind eyes. I love the way the show makes me feel so passionate for justice yet so betrayed by the justice system. Sometimes, this show makes me want to pursue a career as an ADA. Plus, the writers manage to make each episode unpredictable. Even if I tune in for the last 10 minutes of an episode, I'm always sucked in until the end. And there is actually some continuous character development, making me attached to some of the characters, who are portrayed by exceptional actors. Though I'm usually not a fan of somber shows, SVU is so worth the watch. If I don't convince you, SVU is even one of Taylor Swift's favorite shows...she even named her cat after Olivia!

Favorite Beauty Product: Loreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black Liquid Eyeliner

I've never been a huge fan of liquid liner, but the Loreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black Liquid Eyeliner I picked up on a whim has converted me. This product is so opaque and easy to apply. I love how the tip is flimsy, making it much easier to maneuver across my eyelid. This eyeliner is perfect for winging to make a cat eye as well. On my lazy days (which is almost every day), I find myself only applying this and leaving the house. The only drawback I find with this product is that it is definitely not waterproof and wipes away quite easily when just a little bit of water gets on your eyelids. Just make sure you don't wear this when you know you're going to cry. Though I have sweaty eyelids, this eyeliner still stays on pretty well throughout the day. 

Favorite Food: Taco Bell

My brain says no but my heart says yes

This is pretty embarrassing but I've become obsessed with Taco Bell. I never really ate there until this year, which is ironic because I live within a minute driving distance of one, Yet, now I find myself going there at least once a week. I realize their food is essentially toxic to your health but I really just can't help it. Their Doritos Locos Taco, Beefy Nacho Grillers...washing it down with a Baja Blast...mmm. Fake Mexican food heaven. I wasn't going to share this, but I've learned to be PROUD of my Taco Bell addiction. 
**Disclaimer: not recommending you eat Taco Bell as often as me...for your own health's sake***

Favorite Drink: Starbucks S'mores Frappucino

This heavenly concoction came out a while ago, but I still feel obligated to include it in my favorites because I'm so in love with it. It is a frappucino with a bottom layer of marshmallow whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, frappucino (coffee flavored?) topped with more marshmallow cream and finished with a graham cracker crumb sprinkle. Whoever invented this drink was a godsend because this drink brings tears to my eyes with every sip I take (only half joking). There was even a period when I ordered this at least 3x a week. It is on the sweeter side, which is great for my insatiable sweet tooth. If you love s'mores, I highly recommend you try this drink. It WILL change your life.

And that's my June Favorites! What did you love this month? 

NYX Natural Eye Palette

 Hey guys! I picked up a NYX eye palette in 'Natural'. I actually have no eyeshadow palette in my makeup collection (like I said before, I hardly ever wear shadow). This was an impulsive buy because I was intrigued by the easily wearable colors and I tend to be attracted to NYX products.

As you can see, all the colors are matte, everyday colors except for the second from the left, which is a light golden shimmer.

The pigmentation of these shadows were slightly disappointing. I expected them to be softer and have more color payoff but most of them were pretty chalky, particularly the shimmery one. This is unfortunate since these shadows are really nice natural colors.

This palette is alright and I don't exactly regret the $8 I spent, but I'm sure there are better options for the same or less amount of money. 

Have you tried this palette? What are your thoughts? 

NOTD: Sally Hansen Triple Shine in "Sparkling Water"

Hey guys! I feel like I have not posted a Nail of the Day in a very long time (then again, I was on a blogging hiatus for some time). I recently received this Sally Hansen Triple Shine polish in "Sparkling Water" as a gift. I never owned a polish from this line before and the bottle made the polish look like this enticing dark aqua blue with a sparkling sheen. It definitely looked like my cup of tea.

I ended up using my Ciaté nail polish in 'yule rules' on my ring finger just to add a subtle extra sparkle. 

I used two coats of "Sparkling Water".

The formula for this polish is quite thick, something I wasn't too used to after religiously using Essie nail polishes. It was still quite easy to work with and I liked the flattened brush. 

The polish thankfully didn't come off as some over the top, tacky, sparkling extravaganza. Although it does give off some reflective sheen, it is quite subtle, which is why I felt an accent nail would be okay. The beauty of this polish is not completely revealed until it is viewed under the sun. The beautiful aqua shimmer of the polish reminds me of some enchanting sea in some far away mystical land. It is stunning. Overall, I'm quite happy with this polish.

I apologize for the mediocre photos but I used my iTouch to take these photos because I was too lazy to take out my camera.

What's your favorite nail polish line?

May Favorites

*Drumroll please*. My first ever monthly 'favorites'! I do not know why it took me this long to actually compile a bunch of my favorite things of the month. I guess I felt that I did not discover anything new or important enough to share with the world. Luckily, I stumbled upon quite a few new and awesome things in the lovely month of May!

TV SHOW:
"The Office"

I'm really late on "The Office" train but every summer I choose a show to watch to pass time (more like waste time). "The Office" has always been a show I've wanted to watch and after watching a few episodes, I got hooked. My television addiction kicked in once again and I already flew through the first two seasons in just a few days. Every episode has me cracking up and the ingenuity of the writers never fail to impress me.

BEAUTY:
Maybelline's Falsies Big Eye Mascara

Photo courtesy here.

I picked up this mascara on a whim at Target and I do not regret it. It is now one of my favorite mascaras. It makes my lashes extremely long and holds my curl. I must concede that the lower lash wand doesn't seem to make that much of a difference and I don't really see the purpose of it but it is nevertheless a great mascara. I chose the waterproof version of this mascara and it doesn't smudge on my eyes at the end of the day. Yay.

*UPDATE*
I freaking love this mascara. I actually see more of an effect on my lower lashes now. It really does separate each individual lash and lengthens and volumizes like crazy. It holds my curl and I've never seen a greater effect from a mascara than this one. This has definitely cracked my top 5 mascaras. 

SNACK:
Green tea KitKats

Wait what? Say that again? Green tea kitkats? 

Though overpriced, green tea kitkats is basically what the name suggests. Kitkats with a green tea flavored chocolate coating. It has a stranger more powdery (?) texture than the normal kitkat. I absolutely adore this candy. Even if it does not seem that appealing to you, I highly recommend giving a chance to this interesting twist on the classic candy. I tend to find this in asian supermarkets; it can be quite pricey but this is something you have to try at least once in your life. 

What are your favorites of this month?

Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo Eyeshadows

I went to Target ages ago and bought a few beauty products--namely eyeshadow. This was quite a change since I never ever wear eyeshadow but I decided to just go for it.

I purchased the Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo eyeshadows in 'Bold Gold' and 'Bad to the Bronze'. I know this product was hyped up a year ago but it's never too late right?

I chose gel eyeshadow since I figured it'd be easier and quicker to apply with a swipe of a finger and it seemed like it would last long on my sweaty eyelids (gross).

Left: Bad to the Bronze; Right: Bold Gold

The pigmentation of these eyeshadows is amazing. One swipe of the finger gives you an opaque amount of color. The sheen of these two particular colors are also amazing. They offer a nice shimmer/shine yet straying from a tacky glittery shadow. Although I did not wear the shadow for 24 hours to verify if the product's name stands true, I did wear it for quite a bit, around ten hours, and the shadow seemed to have stay put. Application was simple; I just used my finger!

All in all, I would definitely recommend these. 

Have you tried the Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows?

I'm BACK! Seven Deadly Sins of Beauty

Wow I've been absent from my blog for so long and I really do apologize for that. This was due to 1) my summer has been jam-packed with a lot of work and other things 2) I honestly just lacked a lot of blog post ideas. But anywho, I'm back and will hopefully get in the swing of things again.

My blogger's block was helped by Emily from Ahem, It's Emme, who tagged me to do this fun tag. 

Rules
1. Link of the person who tagged you. 

2. Answer the questions on Greed, Wrath, Gluttony, Sloth, Pride, Lust, and Envy. 

3. Tag a many people as you wish, and be sure to let them know. 

4. Let the person who tagged you know by linking your post in their comments.

Greed  What is your most expensive beauty item? 
Definitely my Dior Shimmerstar in Amber Diamond. It was $42 at Sephora! Ridiculous but luckily I did have a gift card so damage was minimized slightly.

Wrath Which item do you have a love/hate relationship with? 
This definitely has to be my Milani Liquif'eye Liner. I like the creaminess and opaqueness of this liner but everytime I put it on my waterline, it definitely smudges a little on the bottom corner of my eyes, which really looks unattractive. The smudginess worsens if it's a hot climate. 

Gluttony What brand makes up the most of your collection? 
I don't usually stick with a particular brand but I do like Revlon and Covergirl products.

Sloth Which product do you neglect the most due to laziness? 
Any type of lip product because I honestly don't see the point of putting on lipstick or lip gloss if you eat or wipe your mouth and the color is gone within an hour or two. I'm not one to re-apply makeup throughout the day, even if it's just a lip product. 

Pride Which product gives you the most confidence? 
I'd have to say mascara because it really opens up my eyes and makes me look awake yet it's very subtle. Undereye concealer is a must-have though when I'm running on little sleep.

Lust Which item is at the top of your beauty wish list? 
The new Maybelline Falsies mascara seems nice, the one with the bottom lash comb. I honestly haven't researched it at all but never tried any of the renowned Falsies collection and my mascaras are definitely near their expiration date! However, I also really want Nars Multiply in Copacabana or the famous Orgasm blush.

Envy Which makeup product/look is great on others but not yourself? 
I have to agree with the other Emily and say filling in my eyebrows. I have sparse eyebrows and it's only natural to fill them in but it just looks hideous and bizarre. Perhaps I just need to get used to the look. 

I tag:
7% Solution
Elle Sees
The Patch Diaries
fun size beauty
Siri's Life
Jenni My Style

NOTD: Essie Mint Candy Apple

Summer's here so it's time for me to dig up all my bright nail polishes. A color I've been obsessed with lately is mint. I recently purchased Essie's Mint Candy Apple since I remembered hearing so much about it last summer. 

I adore this color and it's a nice mint blue, very reminiscent of the Tiffany & Co. Blue. It's very close to turquoise. I find this color interesting since it looks so different in different lighting. 

Two coats of 'Mint Candy Apple'

I'm always a little apprehensive with Essie since their formulas are always a hassle to work with, at least to me. This polish was a teensy bit runny, like all Essie polishes but I still recommend this color if you're into mint.

Dior Shimmerstar: Amber Diamond First Impression

So I recently made a big splurge at Sephora and bought the a very hyped-up product, the Diorskin Shimmerstar in Amber Diamond.

The packaging was super nice (well, duh, it's Christian Dior.) In the box, it came in a cute velvet pouch and inside the actual product.

The product retails for around 45$ or so, which is ridiculously expensive but I needed a highlighter and I never actually bought a Dior product due to the big price tag but I wanted to indulge a little since the reviews were so amazing.

The product comes with several shimmery colors (the picture just doesn't do it justice). As you can see, it goes from a nice shimmery white and darkens while fading to a nice tan brown. 

 I want to apologize for the poor photos of the swatches. I was hesitant to post them since you can't even see them due to my crappy camera and pale skin. For some reason, it was incredibly difficult to get the right lighting and my camera isn't some expensive professional one. I can't even explain to you how how much these photos don't do the product justice. It really is a nice tan shimmer.

Again, I'm so sorry for the bad photo.  The photos don't do the product justice. It looks beautiful in real life.

This product wears nicely on the face by giving it a nice shimmer. I have really dry skin so it's nice to make my complexion glow a little more. I'm not sure how well it would work on oilier skin tones though. I personally don't think it's overly obvious or anything if that helps.

The versatility of the colors is what makes this product great. You can use the lightest shade as a highlight on the inner corner of the eyes or underneath the brow bone, each color as an eyeshadow, maybe even a shimmery bronzer  and of course, a highlighter (each one separately or mix em' all together). 

The steep price tag was the biggest drawback of this product and I haven't had it long enough to say whether it's worth it but I know I'm going to like this a lot and many reviewers seem to say the product lasts long. 

If you are willing to splurge for a good-quality highlighter, I'd do some thorough research but I can say that most (I myself included) reviewers will say the product is absolutely worth it. (I'll update this post if it's not)

NOTD: Revlon Midnight

I love the Revlon Colorstay nail polish line since one coat is opaque and shiny enough already so I usually stop there.

I painted my nails in the color Midnight (a dark blue) and layered a coat of this blue multi-colored sparkle polish from PacSun (the brand is Black Poppy). Sadly, there was no name anywhere on the bottle.

 Of course, I topped my nails off with Revlon's Quick Dry Top Coat.