DIY Teeth Whitening

I've always had decently white teeth. I don't smoke or drink coffee, I brush/floss regularly, and my smile has just always maintained its brightness. However, about six or so months ago, I began noticing that it just didn't look as bright. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that I also had some surface stains. This was something I wanted to remedy quickly, so I did what any decent beauty blogger does: I YouTube'd it. There were tons of reviews for Whitening Lightning kits, but let's be honest: that's esspensive (as Kathleen Lights would say). And honestly, the reviews of WL weren't very consistent either and a ton of people complained about pains and sensitivity with that system. So instead, I looked up videos for DIY teeth whitening. DIY is great because it's often much cheaper and because you're the one making it, you are in complete control of every single ingredient. You know every single thing that is going into the recipe, so can be completely comfortable with applying it to your teeth.

I came across a video that had like, ten or so different DIY teeth whitening methods. A few of them seemed mediocre, ya know? I didn't feel I wouldn't get the results I wanted by rubbing a banana peel on my teeth. One of the methods she talked about later in the video perked my interest though. The recipe called for baking soda, peroxide, toothpaste, and water. These ingredients actually sounded like they would yield some results, and I had all of them already!

Bonus points if you know where that jar is from!

I have had great results with this recipe! One thing I love is that the baking soda provides immediate removal of surface stains. Baking soda is a wonderful exfoliant, so it provides those instant results we all like so much. Peroxide is a bleaching agent, so over time it whitens your teeth. The toothpaste provides that minty freshness and also lends itself to a thicker texture. All of these ingredients combined make a wonderful teeth whitening solution that I would recommend to anyone who wants to regain the brightness of their smile for suuuuper cheap. To use it, I put some on my toothbrush and brush like normal.

A few warnings (I use that word very lightly) about this solution. Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe for you to follow. I found one on Pinterest, but the consistency was weird, so I just sort of winged it. To be honest, a recipe isn't needed. However, if you are one of those people that needs a recipe, you can find tons on Pinterest. Because this paste has baking soda in it, I only recommend using it once a week, and once you get your desired results, about once every other week. Baking soda is very abrasive and using it too often on your teeth can destroy the enamel. While the tooth paste does help, this recipe still isn't super refreshing. Like, your breath will not be minty fresh (unless you use a ton of toothpaste). I have only made this recipe using the toothpaste pictured,  so I can't speak for other brands, but do not be surprised if your whitening paste has a chemical reaction. Mine starts blue, and by the next day it's white.

I hope you found this helpful. I have had really good results with this recipe and love how clean my mouth feels after using it. I keep this solution constantly stocked and use it as needed.

Did you make/use this recipe? Did you get good results?

What other methods do you use to whiten your teeth?

Beauty Hack - ACV Hair Rinse

Okay, so this is a beauty hack that I simply have to share with you! Like, I am so excited about it, that I'm surprised I'm not typing gobledegook!

If you aren't familiar with a beauty hack - it's basically a trick that just makes life easier in terms of beauty. There really aren't many beauty hacks that I use, but I decided to give this one a try after just seeing it over and over again on my Pinterest feed. In fact, if you frequently scroll through the Hair & Beauty section of Pinterest, I guarantee you've seen it.

The beauty hack is to rinse your hair with an apple cider vinegar (ACV) solution after shampooing and conditioning. Mix 1 cup of water with 1 tablespoon of ACV and carefully rinse your hair with it. The immediate change in my hair was dramatic! This rinse immediately removed any shampoo/conditioner that built up in my roots and softened it. My hair feels weightless and is much shinier.

Have you tried using ACV in your hair before? How did you like it?