Teaching Our Kids How to Obtain Healthy Oral Hygiene

This post is being sponsored by -

A part of being healthy and living a healthy lifestyle includes practicing good oral health. With that being said, one question becomes evident: What is considered to be good or optimal oral health?

The answer to this question is quite obvious: Optimal oral health is having a clean mouth that is free from plaque and debris; a mouth with pink gums in color and having odorless breath.

Of course, this is something we all are aware of, but do we really practice oral hygiene? If you are a parent to young children, are you making sure they know the steps to having a healthy mouth?

If you are asking yourself these questions and find yourself a little in doubt, that's okay. It's a natural part of life. Sometimes the most obvious of things are often forgotten or just over looked. But, that does not mean that this can not be turned around - because it can!

Here are a few easy tips to help you teach children how to obtain good oral hygiene:

• If you have infant children, brush their teeth as soon as they appear. This can be done with plain water and a small infant toothbrush.
• Once child can hold a toothbrush in their hand independently, teach them how to use the brush against their teeth.
• Always use toothpaste that contains flouride as an ingredient. Flouride helps prevent cavities.
• Teach children to brush teeth twice a day for about 2-3 minutes long each time.
• Toothbrushes should be replaced every three (3) months. Investing in electric toothbrushes is highly recommended: Electric brushes are up to 159% more effective vs using a manual toothbrush.
• Along with brushing teeth - children need to learn how to clean their tongue and how to floss. Flossing should never be overlooked - not even by adults - this is a very important step to keeping a healthy mouth being that brushing alone is NOT enough!

Teaching children to floss does not need to be difficult or a daunting task. The easiest way to help smaller children (and children of any age) with flossing is by using the Waterpik® Water Flosser For Kids.

The Waterpik® Water Flosser For Kids is truly amazing. It's very easy to use and is up to 3x as effective as using dental floss and 1000x more fun!

The Waterpik® Water Flosser For Kids is recommended for children 6 yrs and over. The flosser comes with two (2) cleaning tips: a Classic Jet Tip and a Orthodontic Tip. Kids with braces will find this flosser to be very useful in getting all the food debris removed from their teeth by using just plain water or mouthwash in the flosser's reservoir.  (Make sure to see the Back to School offer from Waterpick at the end of post!)

Flossing is such an important step to oral hygiene that it is highly recommended for everyone to practice flossing. Which is why Waterpick also has the Waterpik® Complete Care for adults.

The Waterpik® Complete Care System is equipped with five (5) water Flosser Jet Tips, two (2) Sensonic brush heads, a Premium toothbrush travel case among a few other things. This system can be used with water or a mouthwash. The Waterpik® Complete Care System can be used by anyone, especially for adults who have braces, dental implants, crowns, bridges, and even veneers! The Waterpik® Complete Care is especially effective because of the superior combination of the Water Flossing and Sonic Brushing all in one system.

Waterpick understands that flossing is a crucial step in practicing good oral health. As such, they have two (2) great offers going on that I am allowed to share with you.

These are the offers available to all of our wonderful readers:

and here's a $10 Savings Coupon on the Complete Care system, which can be found on Water Pik's newest site.

Please click on the following links for more detailed information and benefits of The Waterpik® Water Flosser For Kids and Waterpik® Complete Care.

Disclosure: I have received free product in exchange for this post. All opinions stated here are 100% my own. 

Now it's your turn: How often do you floss? If you have smaller children, do you think that they would enjoy using the Water Flosser for Kids?

Kissable Lips and How to Get Them

photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net

Are you ready to pucker up? You should be! Today just happens to be Kiss and Make up Day. For right now we wont concentrate too much on the "making up" part of today. Instead let's get our lips ready for kissing.

For some insane reason some of us tend to forget that our lips are an important feature of our faces, and as such, our lips need to be taken care of. There should be no second guessing about it. Period.

Now, the question of the day is: How can we obtain kissable lips?

It only takes a few steps. The first step is to exfoliate. Our lips, just like the rest of our skin, needs to be rid of dead skin and flakes. Trust me, no one want to kiss dry flaky lips - this is just unacceptable!

What should you use to exfoliate your lips? Make a simple lightweight natural lip scrub. Here is a recipe for a lip scrub I make and use year round.

Lip Scrub:

1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp honey

Mix together brown sugar and honey until these form a paste. Using a clean finger, place a thick coating on your lips. You want to leave the scrub on lips for a few minutes (about 3-5 min) then very gently start scrubbing with your finger until all the dead skin has been scrubbed off.

Please note: Immediately after scrubbing lips it is imperative that use moisturize them. Do not skip this step!

Here is what I like to use for keeping my lips nicely moisturized -

I really like using this lip smoother right after my lip treatment. All I do is take a pea size amount, dab it on both lips and I'm done! The lip treatment is transparent, glides on lips very smoothly and really does keep my lips moisturized.

Note: If you don't have a favorite lip smoother - you can always use a dab of petroleum jelly or even a dab of olive oil! It's just that simple!

Let's recap: The key to kissable lips only involves 2 (two) steps: exfoliate and moisturize 

Now It's Your Turn: Have you ever tried using a lip scrub before? If so, which one? Do you have any personal tips to share that helps keep your lips smooth and kissable?

#LatinaBeauty Vox-Box 2012 Revealed

Happy #WW Wordless-Wednesday Beauties!

Here are a few photos revealing the amazing beauty product samples I received in the #LatinaBeauty Vox-Box from Influenster.

Here is the full list of all the samples:

VEET Ready to Use Wax Strips, Leg & Body
Always Radiant Infinity Pads
Always Tampax Radiant Collection
Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen
NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine
NEW Bath and Body Works Shea-Enriched Signature Collection Shower Gel (Twilight Woods)

Please stay tuned for further posts where I will be sharing my thoughts and reviews!

Now it's your turn:  Have you tried any of these products?  If so, which ones? 

Please feel free to let us know - we really enjoy hearing from you! 

Amazing Designer Apparel Outfits Under $100

Happy Friday Fashion-istas! Today we all have an excuse to do some shopping because today we get to celebrate National Thrift Shop Day!

In true fashion, shopping at thrift stores is something that has become quite trendy. Until recently I had never experienced shopping at a thrift store. It just so happens that while running a few errands in the city of Dublin a few weeks ago, my daughter saw this store and asked if we could stop to see what it was like.

So we did.

Going into Platos Closet was an experience. The store was extremely clean and well organized. The clothing is sectioned out by size and color. Among the pieces of clothing, we were able to find quite a few affordable designer pieces. Other than the endless racks of designer labeled clothing, there was a wall of the store dedicated to only accessories - jewelry, handbags, scarves, sunglasses, and everything you can imagine.

Now, it did take us a while to sift through the clothing, however it was worth the hassle. Between my daughter and I, we were able to find a few trendy designer pieces great for her to wear as school outfits.

Here is a list of what we bought:

• SD II gray Skirt - $3
• Aeropostale blue Tee - $3
• Vega Jeans blue-purple leather jacket - $6
• Aeropostale pink Tee - $3
• No Boundaries olive Tee - $1.50
• Forever 21 demin Leggings - $2
• Spring Street checkered Skirt - $4
• XXI striped v-neck Tee - $1
• Nike black & pink Boots - $25
• Self Esteem plaid Jacket - $15
• Misc. Accessories - $9 (pink LEI purse, bangles, two leather belts)

To see a slideshow of these outfits please see my article: National Thrift Shop Day: Platos Closet

Now it's your turn: Is there a Platos Closet near you? If not, what thrift stores have you shopped at? Please share your shopping experiences and tips with us - We love to hear from you!

Amazing Perfume Roll Ons by Auric Blends

Perfume Roll Ons have been around for as long as I can remember. I had to be at least 8 yrs old the first time I ever owned one. The perfume roll on I had smelled just like a piece of Bubble Gum! Oh, the memories of feeling like a lady at such a young age!

Although many years have gone by since wearing Bubble Gum scented perfume, I still like to have a few bottles of scented perfume roll ons within my fragrance collection. Last week, I was able to add two (2) new perfume roll ons from Auric Blends.

The Auric Blends oil perfume roll on comes in a 1/3 fluid ounce bottle. The size of the bottle is on the smaller end, however it is the perfect size to carry around in my handbag. This way whenever I feel the need to spruce up a little bit, all I have to do it remove it from my bag and roll it on.

Auric Blends offers these perfume roll ons in a variety of scents: Floral, Fresh/Green, Fruity, Musk, Oriental/Spicy and Wood. (To see the entire selection of 40 scents, please click here)

The bottles I received Jasmine and Lover's Moon are in the Floral family. The floral notes strong but not overwhelming. One application of the perfume oil actually lasts for a few hours which is an instant indication that the perfume oils have not been diluted with other fragrances. 

However, if you really want to make sure that the scent remains on your skin all day, here are a few tips I have learned to do when wearing perfume roll ons like Auric Blends:

• Always apply perfume on freshly moisturized skin.
• Apply roll on perfume in short swipes on the desired area.
• Apply roll in perfume to your pulse points: the inner wrists, the base of the throat, behind ear lobes, in the cleavage, behind knees, and the inner elbows.
• You can also maximize the roll-on perfume by layering the perfume oil with a similar fragrance (however, with Auric Blends this is not needed!)

Want to learn more about Auric Blends? Check out their website / Facebook page / or follow them on Twitter

Now it's your turn: What are your favorite perfume scents? Which perfume do you prefer best: spray or roll on?

Please share your opinions with us! We love hearing from you!

Disclosure: I received the above products through Sublime Media Connection in exchange for an honest review. In no way was I asked to give a positive review. All photos and opinions stated in this article are 100% my very own.

13 Reasons to use AHA Brazilian Peel

Over the last month or so I have incorporated the AHA Brazilian Peel facial treatment in my skin care routine. If you haven't had a chance to read about this amazing product, please feel free to read my first two initial blog posts here:

1. AHA Brazilian Peel: Antidote for Aging
2. AHA Brazilian Peel: Round Two

In this third and last post, I wanted to just highlight all the reasons why Brazilian Peel is such an amazing skin care product.

1. This facial treatment is stronger than most of the other types of peels I have used in the past.
2. It does not cause skin to irritate or cause redness.
3. Applying the treatment is very simple.
4. It only takes 10 min for this treatment to work into skin.
5. One box of Brazilian Peel has four (4) applications - this is a month's worth of treatment.
6. Each application has the exact amount needed for your facial.
7. Removing the peel is non abrasive - it is easily removed with just water.
8. The peels active ingredient, Acai, is a natural super anti-oxidant found in the Amazon rainforest.
9. Secondary ingredients are vitamins B1, B2, B3, C and E - these vitamins are highly effective in treating skin for a younger healthier appearance.
10. This peel helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone.
11. Helps improve skin’s texture, smoothing away dullness, roughness and dryness.
12. Brazilian Peel was rewarded the 2010 Allure Best of Beauty Award, Best Beauty Breakthrough.
13. Sephora highlighted the Brazilian Peel as “The Most Buzzed-About Beauty” product in the September 2011 issue of Marie Claire.

If you feel you need even more detailed information about this professional strength facial treatment, please browse their website and beauty blog.

Disclosure: I received the above products through Sublime Media Connection in exchange for an honest review. In no way was I asked to give a positive review.

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen

When I received a sample of  Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration™ Lotion, it was the very first time I had seen this new lotion from Hawaiian Tropics. For the most part, when I purchase Hawaiian Tropic products it is usually for their sun-tanning lotions, which I have been using for years and just love them.

Needless to say, I was curious to find out how this lotion would "hold up" in my book!

Product Description:

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration™ Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30 is available in SPF 12, 30 and 50. With its ultra-luxurious hydrating silk ribbons the lotion sunscreen nourishes and pampers skin while providing broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection, and 12-hour moisturization when out in the sun.

The first thing I loved about this lotion is its fragrance. It smells delicious! I like the consistency of the lotion - it is not watery thin however it does not feel "heavy" on your skin either. Best of all, the lotion is non-greasy. As soon as you rub it into your skin, it's gone! No filmy residue is left behind on your skin or hands.

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration™ Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30  is water resistant lasting for 80 minutes which means I can go into the pool and not have to worry about getting out every few minutes to reapply the lotion. This is a huge plus!

According to the bottle it is recommended to apply the lotion 15 min before getting stepping out into the sun, then reapply every 2 hrs. Easy -peasy! Did I mention that this lotion has been recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation as an effective UV sunscreen product?  Need I say More?

Where to Buy: 

You can find Hawaiian Tropic products at most major retailers.
Suggested retail price: $8.99 for a 6oz bottle

Disclosure: I received a complimentary 2oz bottle of the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration™ Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30 as a participant of the Summer Beauty VoxBox 2012 program from Influenster. However, all photos and opinions stated in this post are 100% my very own. 


Now it's your turn: What type of sunscreen lotion are you using during these last few weeks of the summer? Have you seen the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration™ Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30 at your favorite retailer?

Please share your thoughts and comments with us - we love hearing from you!

2012 Back to School Top Picks

Happy Monday Fashion-istas!

This past weekend was focused on back to school shopping. Out first stop was Old Navy. The main reason for this was, of course, Lil Diva saw the commercial highlighting the $10 sale on jeans, $5 graphic tees and she had her eye on a pair of Ballet Flats. 

So to Old Navy we went!

Here is what we purchased for her thus far:

Jeans - $10 each

dark wash skinny jeans

dark wash - super skinny jeans

dark wash - flare jeans

Graphic Tees - $5 each

Shoes - $19.95 each

Glitter Toe Pink Ballet Flats

These were just a few items among the ones we purchased this weekend. As Old Navy's Back to School sale continues until 8/15/12 I am sure that somehow we will be making another appearance to the Easton store very soon!

Now it's your turn: Have you started shopping for your kids school clothing yet? If so, which retail stores have you shopped at?

Please let us know in the comments and join in on the convo!We enjoy hearing from you!

Find more information on what trends are at Old Navy - Read my Columbus Fashion and Style article here.

DIY Moisturizing Hair Mask

Every woman wants to have long healthy hair. Some of us prefer to use certain hair products to achieve this goal but there are natural methods that we can use in order to achieve similar, if not better, results.

Most times we overlook the fact that there are certain fruits that are not only delicious to eat, but have certain properties to them that when used for beauty purposes, they lend to have good results.

For instance, let's consider the avocado. Avocados are rich in vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K. Using avocados for our hair can help decrease hair loss, promote hair growth as well as moisturize the hair. This becomes very helpful especially during the hot-dry summer months.

There are two (2) ways that avocados can be used in our hair-care routines. The easiest is by simply taking one (1) ripe avocado, peeling it, placing the meat in a clean bowl and mashing it until it becomes a paste. If needed, add in little drops of water until it reaches a "conditioner" consistency. Then use it as a conditioner.

However, here is my personal favorite way to use fresh ripe avocados in my hair-care.

Avocado Hair Mask

1 small ripe avocado, mashed
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp coconut oil

In a medium bowl, mix ingredients together making sure they are completely combined. there may be little bits of avocado or banana but just make sure to mash these up before mixing them with egg and coconut oil)

On DRY hair, apply the mixture - massaging mask into hair. If you wish, you can also massage this into your roots.
Wrap hair in plastic wrap or a shower cap leaving mixture on hair for 10 min.
Rinse hair mask out with water until there is no residue left on hair, then proceed to wash hair as normal with your favorite shampoo.

A few side-notes:

• For those with shorter length hair, just make half of this recipe.
• If you do not have coconut oil, use olive oil.
• Use mask once a week or more frequently if your hair is extremely dry.
• For those who have oily scalp, do not apply the hair mask to roots. Only apply to two-thirds of your hair.
• Hair mask can be left on hair longer than 10 min but do not use for more than 30min.

Now it's your turn: Have you ever used a DIY hair mask before? If so, what ingredients did you use? Have any suggestions on helping hair become healthier?

Please feel free to comment and join in the conversation - We love interacting with our fabulous readers!

PS. Stay tuned for more DIY ideas and recipes - we have been experimenting in the kitchen which means that we will be creating a new series dedicated to beauty skin and hair care recipes!!

Want to see something in particular? Let us know in the comments or on facebook

AHA Brazilian Peel - Round Two

A few weeks ago I shared a review for AHA Brazilian Peel with you. If you recall the AHA Brazilian Peel is a professional strength facial treatment that you can do yourself in the comfort of your home. In this second post I wanted to highlight the ingredients found in this skin care product that allows it to work so effectively.

The three (3) main ingredients are Glycolic Acid, Acai and Magaldrate. For most of us, reading these ingredients is like reading a foreign language! We really have no idea what they are or how they work.

Here is a simple to understand explanation of these ingredients provided by Brazilian Peel: 

Glycolic Acid — An alpha hydroxy acid derived from natural sugar cane.
Acai (Euterpe Oleracea Pulp Oil) — Grown wild in the Amazon jungle, the acai berry is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B3, C and E – as well as Omegas 3, 6 and 9; it’s an exceptional natural anti-oxidant that helps to reduce the effects of free radicals as it promotes healthy skin.
Magaldrate — a blend of aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide that neutralizes acid and draws out impurities.

As you can see, with the exception of the magaldrate, the ingredients are from natural sources. Which explains why the peel is strong enough to work but gentle on the skin - it will not cause redness or irritation. I know I mentioned this in my first post but I cannot stress it enough: I have super sensitive skin. I have used the Brazilian Peel twice and I have experienced no redness, no irritation - Nothing!

Still need a little more information? Take a few minutes to watch this video of an episode of Dr. Oz talk show where the Brazilian Peel is showcased as being an "inexpensive plastic surgery alternative"...


Now it's your turn: What is your opinion of this product? Did you opinion change after watching the video? 

Please feel free to share your thoughts and questions in the comments - we love hearing from you! Stay tuned because we have one last review post coming once we have completed the entire four week treatment.

Disclosure: I received the above products through Sublime Media Connection in exchange for an honest review. In no way was I asked to give a positive review.

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color

You may have heard the news that this Summer's Beauty VoxBox from Influenster included a sample of two nail products from  Sally Hansen: the Magnetic Nail Color (valued at $9.99) and a tube of Nails & Cuticles Hand Creme (valued at $5.99)

I was able to try both products this past weekend while giving myself a much needed manicure. But before I go into my opinions, I want to give you a closer look at both products starting off with the Nails & Cuticles Hand Creme.

Before painting my nails, I washed my hands with oatmeal soap and tepid water. I tend to do this first because it makes it easier to push back my cuticles. So once I do this, I immediately lather my hands up with lotion. For this manicure, I used the 1 oz. sample tube of Nails & Cuticles Hand Creme I received. The creme has a medium consistency, it's not as thick as I was expecting it to be, however, when rubbed into my skin and cuticles, the creme was quickly absorbed giving my skin a silky smooth feeling. The creme proved to be very nourishing and it did help my hands feel softer throughout the day. One point I must stress, a little dab of this creme goes a long way! I really didn't have to use that much of it to see how well it works - that's something I can really appreciate.

After using the Nails & Cuticles Hand Creme, I moved onto my favorite part of a manicure - the nail polish!

The Magnetic Nail Color I received was #903 Silver Elements. After briefly reading the instructions on the back of the bottle, I gave this polish a try. Getting this magnetic nail art effect on your nails is very simple. Once the first coat of color dried I put a second coat on, then using the magnet on the top side of the bottle cap, I placed it over the nail (while still wet) holding it for about 1-2 min. I did this one nail at a time as the magnet only works on wet polish. While doing each nail individually, I did notice that the longer the magnet is held over the wet polish, the more defined the design becomes.

With all this being said, I am very satisfied with these two products. I appreciate the fact that with the Magnetic Nail Color I can easily have this done on my nails anytime I wish and most of all with no complications. I do not have the patience that is required when doing certain nail art effects! Anything that can make the DIY process easier for me is a huge plus!

For more information on the Magnetic Nail Color from Sally Hansen please visit their website

Now it's your turn: Which shade of the Magnetic Nail Color do you want to try? Have you tried to get this magnetic trend on your nails yet?

Please join in on the convo - We love hearing from our readers!


Disclaimer: As an active member of Influenster, I received these complimentary products for testing purposes which were included in the Summer Beauty VoxBox package. All opinions and photos in this post are 100% my very own.