Quick Review : Blanx 'white shock' toothpaste

Having a casual cruise around Boots , ( as you do), looking for things I wanted but didn't need,   I came across this Blanx , White shock , whitening toothpaste .Intrigued by it's eccentric packaging and the fact it was on offer, I decided that I would give it a try to decide if the product was a breakthrough or just another gimmick.

Blanx white shock toothpaste claims to whiten your teeth by activating the whitening agents in the toothpaste with light. It seemed only fitting they have created a toothpaste that has a built in blue led light in the lid. The lid can be detached from the toothpaste so the toothpaste can be either used alone or attached to another tube of Blanx White shock toothpaste. The toothpaste itself is only 50 mls so majority of the packaging comes from the bulky led light. When you unscrew the cap the light turns on automatically and the light is supposed to immediately activate the toothpaste and it's whitening properties. The more light the toothpaste gets, the more intense the whitening action!

The test

So to ensure that I gave this toothpaste the fairest chance for testing it's results I used it exclusively , morning and night , until the tube was finished. I finished the tube fully after about  4 weeks. At times,  once I had brushed my teeth with the toothpaste, I would hover the light over my teeth for around 30 seconds to see if this would increase the chances of whitening my teeth.

My teeth aren't heavily stained though they could do with going up a notch in the whiteness scale.

The result

After four weeks of using the toothpaste I unfortunately didn't notice any differences in an increase of teeth whiteness. However , I did have to take into consideration that I am a heavy tea drinker and my teeth hadn't become any more stained than before. SO the toothpaste did a good job at keeping the stains away from my teeth and maintaining them at the colour they already are. Whitening toothpastes at times can be irritating to gums , make teeth feel sensitive or have abrasive grains to scrub the stains away. I didn't have any problems in regards to any tooth sensitivity using this toothpaste nor did it leave my gums feeling sore. I already have sensitive teeth, the last thing i would want is to make it worse! 

Unfortunately overall I'll have to call this one out as a gimmick as I couldn't tell any differences in regards to pearlier whites. I took photos of my teeth prior to using this toothpaste and can't see any changes.

The toothpaste isn't particularly cheap either and you only get 50 mls of product therefore it won't last as long as most toothpastes unless you use a lot less than a pea sized amount. Sorry to say I won't be repurchasing this toothpaste though I wouldn't miss trying others in the Blanx range.

What I did find handy was that the light came in useful when stumbling across the dark hallways of my house when the lights went out. Toothpaste torch anyone ? 

Themintapple :)

April favourites 2014

April showers are sprinkling here and there and the sun is shining it's face for a lot longer in the daytime. I've just had my first pina colada of the year , which can only mean summer is slowly on it's hazy way. With no signs of any Easter eggs left but a bloated stomach , April has flown by!  All of my April favourites are under £10 with one of my favourites this month being just a pound.

I'll start my April favourites with two eye products I've been using. The first eye cream is Benefits - It's potent! The pot that you see in the photograph is just a sample size that I received in a gift set of miniatures from the benefit B.right skincare range. Now I mentioned all the products in my April favourites were under ten pounds , however the benefit miniatures set fluctuates in price and can retail between £10-£15. firstly, the packaging of the benefit miniatures is beautiful! They all come in aqua glass bottles or aqua coloured tubes looking as they they belong on a dolls dressing table. Despite their gorgeous attire they actually make getting the product out rather difficult.

It's potent! is a thick and creamy eye cream that moisturised my under eye area. Due to it's impact to moisturise the eyes, it added a veil of hydration to eye area that gave it a slight brightening effect. The brightening effect is small , however it doesn't rely on any shimmer to reflect light that in fact makes my under eye circles look worse majority of the time. The thickness of the eye cream made it  a great base for applying a creamy concealer on top.

The second eye product was an eye gel by the company Anatomicals. I love the name of this eye product, " no old bags allowed" , I'm all up for quirky names on packaging.  I hadn't used an eye gel before but I think I may just now be a convert for an eye gel for life! It's a clear gel that when rubbed between my two fingers begins to turn more fluid which I then apply to my eye and orbital area. The gel was so cooling around my eyes, refreshing and helped to reduce my morning puffiness. I didn't feel awake until I had used some of this soothing eye gel. 

It contains some lovely ingredients such as orange flower water and glycerine to seal the moisture. The down side to it's packaging is that the hole where the product is squeezed out from is quite large , so I would always squeeze out far too much product. Anatomicals- No old bags allowed can be purchased here.

The next three products in my April favourites are hair products. The first product on the left being from Avon.

Advance techniques, Moroccan argon oil conditioner from Avon was brought on a whim as I was in need of a new conditioner. I was pleasantly surprised at the scent as it appeared to be clean yet sweet. The thick , creamy white conditioner gives a fantastic finish to my hair leaving it smooth, shiny but just a little weighed down ( though I can look past that). I was so impressed by the end result of this conditioner it was as if I had used a hair mask as it gave the same result as a higher end conditioner. With argan oil and vitamin E , I would definitely repurchase this conditioner as it costs less than £3! You can view the Moroccan Argan hair range at Avon here.

The next hair product in my monthly favourites is VO5 - Surfstyle sea salt spray ( try and say that fast five times ). Sea salt sprays are a great way at adding tousled texture to your hair. Just a couple sprays of this added a matte texture to my hair as if I had spent the day by the seaside. If you use it on wet hair before blow-drying it can add mega volume to your locks. 

The down side to this sea salt spray compared to others is that it can leave hair so dry it feels crunchy and can make hair appear chalky at times. This depends on how much you lavish your hair with it. It's a great budget texturing spray but not so for those that wish to make their hair dryer than it already is.

The final hair product is another conditioner specifically for brunettes made by a company called "creightons". I have never heard of this brand before and I grabbed this conditioner from the shelves of pound land. At just £1 I didn't have high expectations for this conditioner but boy did it deliver! I loved it so much that I have already repurchased it. It left my hair smelling great, left it shiny , soft and I do believe it enhances the brown tones in brunette hair. At just £1 I am ecstatic with this little high street bargain.

Two shower and bath products I have used up in the month of April include The body shops raspberry ripple shower gel and soap & glory's  "The breakfast scrub".

 I believe the breakfast scrub has now been renamed as "smoothie star" as soap & glory have had a name and packaging shuffle lately. The breakfast scrub is a delectable body scrub that smells so good you could eat it ( please don't , I discovered it really doesn't taste nice). The body scrub smells of maple syrup,  containing oat and sugar kernels to buff off the dead skin cells. This delicious scrub also contains banana, almond and honey extracts . Note : if the product says scrub, this often refers to what the product will do and not an action. The product itself will do the hard work of buffing your body to perfection , whilst actually vigorously scrubbing a body scrub could leave skin feeling irritated and perhaps damaged.

The breakfast scrub is incredibly thick so it shouldn't fall into the plughole straight away and leaves a light layer of moisture on the skin afterwards. to avoid the risk of the scrub falling straight into the plughole, i would often turn the shower off, scrub and then rinse away the beads. Plus you don't waste as much water! It is a bit of a struggle to scoop out the body scrub in the shower and then finding a spare hand to put the lid back on. My only desire for this product is that I wish it came in a tube. The breakfast scrub ( "smoothie star") can be purchased from boots here.

Raspberry ripple shower gel from the body shop smells absolutely gorgeous! Every time I lathered myself in the red ripples I felt as if I had landed in some katy Perry-esque candy music video. The shower gel gave a light lather, has a beautiful fruit scent and didn't leave my skin feeling dry afterwards. I believe my skin didn't feel dry afterwards due to the added community trade aloe Vera. bonus.

My final product in my monthly favourites is a strawberry and white chocolate air freshener from Avon. How tasty does that sound?  At less than £3, I am pleased to say that this is a fantastic air freshener. It is strong so you only need a couple of sprays and there are always offers on Avon throughout the year as well as new limited edition house fragrances. 

I recommend spraying them before going shopping so once the scent has lingered in the air and settled, you return back with a sweet scented home. Unfortunately, I believe this was a limited edition scent but I wanted to mention these house sprays as they are brilliant. The packaging is sleek and small making them easy to store.

Have you tried any of the products mentioned above  ? Leave a comment of your Blog so I can read your monthly favourites too. 

Themintapple :)

# OOTD : Colour Punch Sports Wear

Hi everyone ! I was inspired to create an outfit that reflected upon a lot of the "Sports" or "gym" attire that I see often in the shops. Whether it be from long mesh tops or bold T-shirts blasting sports numbers and teams, this style is out in full force. Though I enjoy this style, I have noticed the colours of these tops don't often stray away from black and white. I have created an outfit inspired by those themed clothes but with a colour punch for spring giving a casual, playful, college day feel to the outfit. Yes, I am wearing a crop top.

Why are you wearing a crop top , do I hear you say ? Watching "A nightmare on elm street" , a very young and fresh faced Johnny Depp appeared wearing a crop top and jogging bottoms whilst portraying his very best victim acting skills . I fell in love with the outfit! He looked so casual and sporty , I had to try a crop top even if his outfit dated from 1984. After convincing my flatmates I wanted one, a friend of a flatmate surprised me with the yellow crop top that you see below . (Thankyou)!

I've chosen bold block colours to move away from winter and into the spring. The jeans could have been switched for jogging bottoms to give a more sporty and gym feel.

Outfit Menu

Blue washed denim Jeans - Primark

Blue Nikes  - Asos

Grey Casual Hoody - New look

NY colour cap - New look

Yellow Crop top - Topshop

Black back pack - Fred Perry

What do you guys think ? Please feel free to leave a comment below. Do you agree with the 'Hideous halfshirt' and for the crop top to be left alone ?

Themintapple :) 

December favourites 2013

Happy new year! 2013 has just been swept under the rug for a new polished year , 2014. what are your new year's resolutions ?  As part of my new year's resolutions to myself, I decided to start a blog on products that I adore to share to all the other beauty product junkies. I've really had to kick myself into doing this , not because I see this as a chore, not at all ! In all honesty,  I just feared that me doing a blog on beauty products would be deemed as nonsensical. Nevertheless, here I am! So my first blog to you is my December favourites.  I hope you enjoy and I would love to hear your feedback. ( I am writing this whilst still purging on Christmas goods  and dusting away the biscuit crumbs off my lap. I'm not prepared for January just yet! )

~ simple sun-kissed moisture cream ~

This is a face moisturiser that I wouldn't have thought I would have loved as much as I did. I have really rather dry skin and when I opened the bottle to find that the lotion was quite thin, I didn't have much confidence in that it would satisfy my thirsty face. However, I found that it moisturised my skin throughout the day and the fact that it's a light lotion meant it glided into my skin effortlessly.  I unfortunately threw the bottle away ( sorry) so I couldn't take a snap of it,  but you get 50mls of product for around £5 making it great value. This product lasted me a good two months and the added bonus of it is that is has a gradual tan built in. I never noticed that it gave my skin a "tanned" looking appearance but in time I gave my skin more warmth , an ever so subtle glow. There's no streaks, there's no fake tan biscuit smell . simple!

~Vita liberata - Tinted self tan lotion ( light/ Rich) ~

A tinted self tan lotion ( in light). To add  more warmth to my complexion in the dark dreary winter months , I have been  mixing a small amount of this gradual tan with my face moisturiser. Now, I feared at first slapping a gradual tan that has a guiding colour onto my face ,  I would look like Magda from " there's something about Mary" . Though, when blending a small amount of this tan with my moisturiser , not only did this add a more caramel and warmer tone to my face instantly , but it was slowly building a gradual tan. WIN! There's no funky smell with this tanner and it dries instantly . I shall be looking into more products by the vita libereta range.

~ Clear mascara from MUA ~

 Ahh yes, clear mascara, my trusty friend.  Now this has become more of a staple to me than just a monthly favourite. I don't use this product for my eyelashes though, but for my brows. With brows being more on topic in media , with thanks to those fabulous feathers above Cara delevignes eyes, I too had become more conscious of my brows. Clear mascara not only allows me to brush my brows into the place but the gel fixes them slightly. The best part is I paid a squid (£1, for those who don't understand me yet) , from MUA in Superdrug! Gentlemen, if wish to to tame those lion manes on your foreheads, then clear mascara is a subtle, cheap and easy way to do so.

~ Liz Earle - Cleanse & polish, Hot cloth cleanser ~

A staple amongst the beauty lovers community.  A gentle yet effective face cleanser with a fresh botanical smell that makes me feel I'm in spa. I always enjoy using Liz Earle products and I'm yet to find a product I haven't liked. This product is a thick cream ,  that's  gentle enough to go over the eye area. There's just two simple steps ; smother your face in the cleanser  and then gently buff it off the cloth provided using warm water. My skin doesn't feel like sandpaper afterwards , ( like some foaming cleansers), but dewy and ready for the rest of my skincare routine. I enjoy using this product so much that I even bought it for family for Christmas this year.

~  Soap and Glory -  Hand food ~

who doesn't love this ?! like seriously, find me one person who doesn't enjoy this. It's not rare for me to pop into a friends or colleagues car to then see one of these cheeky pink tubes poking it's face from the side car door or glove department. This hand cream is thick,  leaving hands feeling moisturised and supple, but not greasy at all. ( I really can't stand a greasy hand cream, unless i use it before bed). It has a delicious fruit and floral smell, that's signature to the soap and glory product line and I am unaware of anyone who doesn't enjoy the scent. A 50ml size tube is great to throw in a bag and will only cost a couple of pounds. I find this product also makes a lovely small gift or gesture for those who's hands need some TLC. ( like busy mums)!

~ Woodwick candle in " Spiced Eggnog" ~

The name alone indicates how festive and warming this smells , though you need to take the lid off to give justice to it's magnificent scent.  when lit, my room is filled with a rich and creamy spicy scent, that warms the soul on the dark winter nights. A bonus to the Woodwick candles is that it's wick, (are you ready),  is wood. ( the name gave it away didn't it )?  The crossed wooden wick creates  a crackling and whispering sound like a small fire which I find soothing when it's on whilst I read a book ( or blog of course).

~ YouTube of the month  - Ben Green ~ 

This segment goes to Ben green , also to be known as" DivaDarlingChic". Ben greens videos vary from Vlogs to hauls, fashion , beauty favourites and make-up tutorials.  His most popular video on Youtube titled " YES, I am a boy", has over 4 million views! What makes Ben green my favourite youtuber of the month ,  is not only do I enjoy his sense of humour in his videos but his small movie entitled " substance" moved me.  I was uncertain how I felt about the clip at first but at the end it all clicked and I was reduced to my eyes even welling up. BRAVO BEN! You can find his youtube channel here.

~ Blogger of the month :  MANFACE ~

 I love flicking through this Gentleman's blog with a cup of tea on a lazy afternoon and catching up on all the beauty goss with his impeccable reviews. The blog has been created by Thom who is an accredited skincare specialist.  I have been reading this blog for about two years now and not only does he execute a product review well but it's done in style on his neat and sleek website. I hope to write product reviews as good as him and in my opinion his sites targets a broad audience, making him a great site to recommend to friends.