I've been self-conscious about my smile: teeth whitening review
I LOVE to smile and even moreso, I love to laugh!!! But I'm self-conscious about my smile because my teeth are more on the yellow side and a bit crooked (homegirl is addicted to coffee and I plan on doing Invisalign but I want to wait until we're done having children because your teeth can shift when you're pregnant). In the past, I did the crest white strips and some other paint gel stuff on your teeth, but I always found it terribly inconvenient even though I did have decent results.
Recently, I discovered Smile Brilliant - an at-home teeth whitening company that personalizes custom fitted whitening trays so that you can whiten your teeth wherever you are! You don't have to worry about the gel touching your lips or swallowing it because it's legit exposed on your teeth, or worry about the little pieces sliding off. These whitening trays hold in the gel and people can't even tell they're on there.
now, to be clear, this company is very transparent (which I love) about the fact that ALL teeth whiteners are really just "stain removers". over the years, our teeth develop + hold stains. Smile Brilliant helps to get rid of those stains and get your teeth as close to their natural color as possible - which may not be bright bright white.
here is the difference one month can make and only doing it a handful of times per week (I didn't bring the trays on vacation and I got a little bit lazy in committing -- funny how we are the ones who get in our own way).
anyhoo -- while the difference isn't huge on camera, it's definitely noticeable to me in person - and I saw a difference literally after the first use.
pros:
:: custom fit trays - other strips slip and slide everywhere
:: super easy to use
:: FAST results - what I love is that Smile Brilliant does NOT promise instant results because they can't! how many coffees + teas have you drank in your life? how many candies + lifesavers? these all add up to the stains you have on your teeth. While some people see results super quickly, other people need 10-14 days (still a really quick turnaround for all those years of stains!)
:: way more affordable than having it done professionally: a kit is only $149!
:: natural ingredients
:: desensitizing gel to use after you whiten
:: this does NOT destroy your enamel. I was super concerned about this because of my sensitive and fragile teeth. but because this isn't a full on bleaching / laser treatment but rather a stain remover, your enamel is safe + sound!
cons:
:: hurts sensitive spots
:: you have to keep the trays on for a long time (minimum of 1 hour) and you're not supposed to eat after you use them (time consuming and I'm a fan of having a little - okay a big - snack before bed, so I did eat after I used them)
I have very sensitive gums and certain teeth and I spoke with the company and they said that you can put a little vaseline on your sensitive spots before you put the tray on (personally, I don't feel comfy with vaseline but you can use something more natural!). They also give you desensitizing gel to use in the tray after you whiten and that also is supposed to help in the long run. I ended up just not putting the gel on that specific tooth since they were more in the back anyway!
and because this company is so amazing, I've partnered with them to do a giveaway to one person!!! all you have to do is enter your name and email on the giveaway page HERE to win a free teeth whitening kit! Giveaway ends August 3rd at midnight.
If you miss the giveaway or you don't win, you can use the code "genajaffe" to receive 10% off your order at SmileBrilliant.com.
* Post sponsored by Smile Brilliant. All opinions are my own.