Crest & Oral-B Pro-Health Routine

Hi ladies! Sorry for the lack of updates, but now that I am back to Montreal from my trip to Europe and my vacations in Wildwood, NJ, I am ready to get back in the game... while searching full-time for a job! Hurray... not.

The Crest Pro-Health routine is a triple-threat of toothpaste, toothbrush and rinse working to promote oral health, while also removing surface stains from teeth and freshening breath for a healthy-looking mouth and teeth that are up to 4X cleaner* (whew, you might need to brush and rinse after that mouthful of a sentence, eh?). As a BzzAgent, I was really excited to be able to take part in this campaign and to test a few Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health products, including the new PROFRESH toothpaste!

Crest Pro-Health PROFRESH Toothpaste is a smooth toothpaste, using a Polyflourite System that combines ActivClean Crystals with therapeutic, antibacterial fluoride. It’s an all-in-one toothpaste to fight cavities, plaque, tartar, gingivitis and tooth sensitivity - what more could I ask for? I really enjoyed the refreshing peppermint flavour that was a bit stronger than what I am used to with other toothpaste, although it did not really keep my breath fresh for hours, like claimed.

Although I am used to electric toothbrushes, I was pleasantly surprised at how Oral-B CrossAction Pro-Health Toothbrush - which is the all-in-one brush for a cleaner, healthier mouth, providing 7 oral care benefits for every use - gets the job done! Thanks to the CrossAction bristles, the tongue and cheek cleaner and the PowerTip bristles, my mouth is left feeling incredibly clean after each use.

Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse, an antibacterial mouthwash that kills germs causing plaque, gingivitis and bad breath without the burning sensation of alcohol, is honestly not the most freshening and long-lasting mouthwash I have tried - I do prefer Scope Outlast. I must say I was pleased with the Refreshing Clean Mint flavour though!

Be sure to check out Crest.ca for more info on the Crest and Oral-B products!

Disclaimer: One or more products were sent to me for consideration to review. I am not affiliated with this company and the fact that the products were free absolutely does not influence my opinion.

Project Pan Them All | June/July Empties

I could never get enough of the Cake Be Delectable Triple Moisture Body Lotion - this beautiful blend of coconut oil, shea butter and aloe vera leaves my skin soft, smooth and moisturized all day long, and it also works great on my suburns! It has a nice light consistency that is spread easily and absorbed super quickly. Oh, and that decadent strawberry and cream fragrance...

I always try to favour alcohol-free toners for my dry and sensitive skin, and I enjoyed using Lara Beauty Revitalizing Daily Toner for Sensitive Skin it in the morning to quickly refresh my face when I was in a rush before work, instead of a face cleanser.

Both versions of Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser were included in the Essential Discovery Collection I had the chance to try a few months ago, and I enjoyed using the Normal/Combination version in the morning since it is lighter and is absorbed faster than the Dry/Sensitive version, which is a nice welcomed treat at night - it also works really well as a face mask (apply in thick layers without massaging it in, and remove the ecxess after ten or fifteen minutes).

Peptalash is claimed to naturally improve the appearance of lash length, darkness and volume to make eyelashes appear longer, thicker and fuller in just two weeks, but I have been using it for months without noticing even the slightest improvement. Disappointing.

There is never much to say about a toothpaste, and Crest Clinical Plaque Control Toothpaste is nothing special honestly, although it claims to not only reduce plaque but also help keep it from coming back, while also whitening teeth and freshening breath.

I am not really fancy when it comes to anti-perspirants/deodorants, but I try to buy cruelty-free alternatives as much as I can, and I was pretty pleased with Mitchum Power Gel Shower Fresh Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant, until it started to burn my underarms real bad when it was almost empty...?!

I know, I know, I just can't stop raving about this miraculous product that is Get Creamed Body The Balm! I am really glad I took it with me to Europe because it is such a wonderful multi-tasking product - it was literally all I needed! Made of coca butter and shea butter, this is absolutely wonderful on my dry patches of eczema, and I could not believe I ran out of it so soon! It's easy and mess-free to apply but also to carry around while travelling thanks to its packaging similar to a deodorant stick.

I can't remember where or when I got this sample of Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 50 with Helioplex*, but it is not really "dry touch" to me since it is really greasy when I apply it and it seems to take forever to get absorbed into the skin!

Julep The Best Pedi Créme Ever! is probably the best foot cream I have ever tried! In only a matter of days, I was amazed at the difference this cream made for my feet - they were soooooo soft and smooth! For $22, I wish the tube was bigger, but even though the cream is light, you don't need a lot of product to cover both feet. The cream smells absolutely delicious and fresh - juicy cucumbers, yum!

I never thought I would fall in love with eos Lip Balm Smooth Sphere in Strawberry Sorbet like so many before me, but I did! The lip balm coats my lips perfectly in a single swipe, and I did struggle a bit once the top started to flatten, but it was worth it! The consistency is perfect and I can actually feel the product on my lips, which is great since I know they are being properly protected. I don't feel the need to constantly re-apply this lip balm, even though it sure does not last all day and it is probably not the most moisturizing lip balm I have tried, but it does work well.

I am usually a big fan of Montagne Jeunesse face masks, but I was a bit disappointed by their Dead Sea Mud Spa Face Mask, which claims to intensely invigorate and revitalise skin with Dead Sea Minerals, but all it did was make my whole face tingle, and it left it even drier...

*Please note that these products are NOT cruelty-free

Crest & Oral-B Pro-Health Challenge

In April, I was asked to take part in a fun challenge, which involved using Crest Pro-Health and Oral-B products for a month, in an attempt to help prevent plaque. I was sent Oral-B Professional Care Deep Sweep + Smart Guide Triaction 5000 Rechargeable Toothbrush, Crest Pro-Health Clinical Plaque Control Toothpaste, Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Clinical Protection Floss, and Crest Pro-Health Invigorating Clean Multi-Protection Mouthwash. These products are conceived to protect teeth and gums against problems such as cavities, gingivitis, sensitivity, tartar, plaque, stains and bad breath.

Before trying out these new products, I was using my all time favorite electric toothbrush, Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000, and I was also trialing Kiss My Face Spearmint Breath Blast Mouthwash, which I will probably review soon. I am a bit shy to admit that I was never a regular flosser though - I am so lazy - but thanks to this challenge though, I was able to make this habit stick!

Before starting to use the new Crest and Oral-B products, I had to go to my dentist for a check up, and I am happy to report that I don't have any major problems, appart from my wisdom teeth that I will need to have pulled out soon - I am so scared!

I then proceeded to use all of the Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health products at least twice a day for four weeks, and I quite enjoyed my experience. Oral-B Triaction 5000 Rechargeable Toothbrush is just as nice as my old one, with its unique brush head design with 3 cleaning zones and its 5 customized modes - I use the whitening mode every day and I do notice a big improvement on my naturally yellow teeth! I like that Crest Clinical Plaque Control Toothpaste not only reduces plaque but also helps keep it from coming back, while also whitening teeth and freshening breath. Although I was pleased with the Invigorating Mint flavour, I honestly can't say Crest Multi-Protection Mouthwash is the most freshening and long-lasting mouthwash I have tried - I have yet to find a mouthwash that beats Scope Outlast on this point!

I am happy to report that when I returned to see my dentist after a month, she had absolutely nothing negative to say about my teeth - she still insisted that I get my wisdom teeth pulled out though - argh!

Disclaimer: One or more products were sent to me for consideration to review. I am not affiliated with this company and the fact that the products were free absolutely does not influence my opinion.

Project Pan Them All | June Empties

Julep The Best Pedi Créme Ever! was a nice surprise in my Julep Maven Boho Glam box from last April. For $22, I wish the tube was bigger, but even though the cream is light, you don't need a lot of product to cover both feet. The cream smells absolutely delicious and fresh - juicy cucumbers, yum! I can't say I was absolutely amazed at the difference this cream made for my feet, but yes, it did leave them softer and smoother.

I already used Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer a long time ago and it absolutely did not work for me... which was not different this time. I received a sample through Facebook and it lasted me a relatively long time but it absolutely did not made me look tan. I was hoping I could use this lotion to touch up my tan, but no, it's useless because it did not even moisturize my skin properly.

Zorah Biocosmétiques Bioserum Structure is awesomely moisturizing and it lasted me quite a long time because I only needed about two drops to cover my whole face. I like how this product leaves my face imediately soothed and smooth. If you use the right quantity, Bioserum Structure is quickly absorbed into the skin and you don't have to wait forever to apply your night cream.

Crest Complete Scope Outlast in Long Lasting Mint is supposed to provide a cool, refreshing brushing experience and a fresh feeling that lasts up to 5x longer than a regular anticavity toothpaste but I will have to disagree with the latter statement though because I have yet to find a toothpaste that leaves my breath as minty and fresh as Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste does!

Marcelle Hydra-C ComplexE Facial Exfoliating Gel came in the Hydra-C Xmas Black Box I bought at Groupe Marcelle Spring 2010 Warehouse Sale but I was incredibly disappointed with it. It's not abrasive enough for a good exfoliation and the product just vanishes super quickly - I had to refrain myself from throwing it in the trash!

I received a sample of The Body Shop Chocomania Shower Cream as part of Meredith's giveaway prize and OMG, this stuff smells sooooooooooooo good, almost like the real stuff! I also appreciate how it's really more like a shower cream than a liquidy gel. I'm so glad to have a full-size backup in my stash!

I was really pleased with AHAVA Foot Cream unique texture - it really felt thick and a bit muddy, which was awesome and really moisturizing! I never used something like this before.

New Crest And Oral-B Complete Products

Isn't it silly to be excited about some toothpaste and mouthwash? But hey, I'm sure you agree that oral health plays an important role in beauty as well! A few months ago, I was sent some of the new Crest and Oral-B Complete products - a comprehensive line-up of toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrush, and floss that help Canadians feels confident about their oral care - and I think it's about time I share with you my opinion on them!

First up is Crest Extra White Plus Scope Outlast Toothpaste in Long Lasting Mint which uses ground-breaking outlast technology to provide a cool, refreshing brushing experience and a fresh feeling that lasts up to 5x longer than a regular anticavity toothpaste. I will have to disagree with the latter statement though because I have yet to find a toothpaste that leaves my breath as minty and fresh as Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste does!

Crest Extra White Plus Scope Outlast Toothpaste also contains silica, which helps to gently polish away surface stains for a whiter smile, although I have yet to see the results...  I can't say I was disappointed with this toothpaste because it does refresh my breath and leave my teeth clean.

According to the Crest and Oral-B Great Canadian Smile Survey, 58% of Canadians worry their breath isn’t as fresh as it should be - enters Scope Dual-Blast mouthwash, which freshens breath by killing bad breath bacteria and helping eliminate food odours, giving you the confidence to enjoy your favourite foods without having to worry about bad breath.

Scope Dual-Blast technology captures the odour-emitting volatile sulfur compounds from strong foods such as garlic and onions, helping to neutralize strong food odours in the mouth. Although I was pleased with the flavour Fresh Mint Blast, I honestly can't say it's the most freshening and long-lasting mouthwash I have tried - I do prefer Scope Outlast.

Last but not least, I had the opportunity to try Oral-B Complete Action Power Toothbrush Deep Clean, and of course, I had to compare it to my current power toothbrush, Oral-B Pulsonic Sonic Toothbrush. Oral-B Complete Action Power is a battery-powered toothbrush that uses a rotating PowerHead with CrissCross bristles for more cleaning action in every stroke. It provides a thorough clean, delivers more cleaning action than the leading manual toothbrush and helps reduce gingivitis.

I imediately found this toothbrush to be bulky and incredibly noisy compared to my super slim, light and quiet Oral-B Pulsonic Sonic. I don't like how Oral-B Complete Action Power works with a battery when it could come with a charger, just like Oral-B Pulsonic Sonic, which is less of a hassle. Also, I am under the impression that the battery "shakes" inside the toothbrush which might be one of the cause of the noise.

Be sure to check out Crest.ca for more info on the Crest and Oral-B products!

Disclaimer: One or more products were sent to me for consideration to review. I am not affiliated with this company and the fact that the products were free absolutely does not influence my opinion.

Mail of the Week (March 12 - 16)

Product samples from Crest Complete range I have noticed that oral care products are not often featured on beauty blogs but I do think it's an important part of our routine. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect mouthwash that will leave my breath very fresh for a long time and I'm also looking for a toothpaste that will really whiten my teeth, as I have always been disappointed before.

When I was given the opportunity to try the new Scope Dual-Blast mouthwash with its odour neutralizing technology, I must say I was curious. I was also kindly sent some oher products from the line, such as Crest Complete Multi-Benefit Extra White + Scope Dual Blast toothpaste and Oral-B Complete Cross Action Power Brush.

Marc Anthony bye.bye.Frizz Smoothing Keratin System Wow, I have definitely been spoiled by the people from Marc Anthony recently! Last week, they kindly sent me the complete Dream Wave Amplifying Collection and now this? bye.bye.Frizz is a frizzy girls dream since it not only removes frizz, it makes your hair so much easier to blow out and style.

The entire bye.bye.Frizz collection is designed to solve frizzy hair issues by smoothing the cuticle and retaining moisture with the power of Keratin. I won't be able to test these products myself because 1) I try to stay away from products with keratin because I don't like my products to contain ingredients derived from tissues found in reptiles, birds, amphibians, and mammals, and 2) I don't have frizzy hair. Fortunately, my dear friend Julie and her fiery red and curly mane are more than happy to help!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat This is a product I'm very curious about and I'm very excited to try it as I have never seen anything like it before. Lash Genius is basically a colorless topcoat that instantly waterproof, refreshes and protects any mascara all day, without clumping. I never wear waterproof makeup because it's always so damn hard to remove, but having this topcoat on hand will surely come in handy someday!

Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Herbal Tea sample Celestial Seasonings were giving away free tea samples some times ago, but their offer has now ended.

Bioré Combination Skin Balancing Cleanser sample Bioré recently had an offer on their Facebook page where you could claim your free sample of their new cleanser and also have a chance to win a full-sized bottle as well. Don't want to miss another freebie offer? Be sure to "like" my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter (:

Escada Rockin' Rio new fragrance sample Escada is giving away free samples of their new Summer Fragrances on their Facebook page. Take the fun quiz to discover if you are Sexy Graffiti, Island Kiss or Rockin' Rio and receive your free sample.

♫ Co-Pilot - Kristina Maria ft. Corneille

February Empties

Thursday Plantation Tea Tree face Wash Foam See my review here.

Repurchase?  I would, if it was not $14.99! I'm sure there's lots of more affordable foam cleansers out there that work just as well.

What I'm currently using to replace it: Lara Beauty Conditioning Cleanser for Sensitive Skin

Grateful Body Aphrodite's Feast Restorative Serum See my review here.

Repurchase? No. I know serums are on the pricey side but $40, seriously?

What I'm currently using to replace it: Skin RX Medi Peel Hyaluronic Moisturizer

Bioré Detoxify Daily Scrub (sample) I'm super picky when it comes to facial scrubs because most of them are rubbish in my opinion, and this one is no exception. The beads are too tiny, not abrasive enough and they vanish after 30 seconds!

Repurchase? No. 

What I'm currently using to replace it:  Burt's Bees Peach & Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub

Passion Savon Goat's Milk, Honey, Lavender & Cedar See my review here.

Repurchase? No, there are many handmade soaps out there that smell better and that don't melt as quickly.

What I'm currently using to replace it: other Passion Savon soaps

Passion Savon Cranberry & Rhubarb See my review here.

Repurchase? No, there are many handmade soaps out there that smell better and that don't melt as quickly.

What I'm currently using to replace it: other Passion Savon soaps

Made From Earth Lemongrass Tea Soap See my review here. 

Repurchase? I would, but I find it's very small for the price ($4.99)

What I'm currently using to replace it: Passion Savon soaps

LUSH The Ex-Factor Bath Bomb See my review here.

Repurchase? No, it does nothing for my skin and it doesn't really smell once in the bath.

LUSH Cinders Bath Bomb See my review here.

Repurchase? No, it does nothing for my skin and it doesn't really smell once in the bath.

Time & Again by GANZ Strawberry Swirl Bath Fizzy I was sent this product for consideration to review but honestly, I'm not sure it's worth a complete review because I really did not like it. I liked that it fizzed very slowly and it smelled amazing, but it did nothing for the bath except from staining the tub!

Repurchase? No.

Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste* See my review here.

Repurchase? No because I didn't notice much difference even after using up the whole tube!

Clairol Nice 'n Easy ColorSeal Conditioning Gloss* I seem to have one of these in every empties post I write but oh well! This is just your average conditioner that comes in a box of hair dye.

Repurchase? No. Even though this is available separately, it's just average and I'm still on the lookout for cruelty-free hair dyes. 

What I'm currently using to replace it: random conditioner

*These products are NOT cruelty-free

CLOSED - Giveaway: Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste

What's a better way to start the new year than with a giveaway? Here is your chance to win your very own tube of Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste!

Rules:

• This giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents only
• You have to follow Gaby's Beauty Blog via GFC (you don't need to have a blog)
• Blogs made solely for giveaways will be disqualified
• This giveaway ends on January 17 at 12:01 am.

To enter (mandatory):

• Fill out the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post

Good luck!!!

Please wait for the Rafflecopter form to load!

Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste

New Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste uses a patented enamel safe whitening ingredient that polishes away stains to gently whiten teeth. In fact, it removes up to 80% of surface stains in just 14 days. 

This paste-gel hybrid formulation gives you the cleaning of a paste and the freshness of a gel, getting your teeth smooth and clean. 

Add Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste to your oral care routine for:

• Up to 80% reduction of surface stains in 14 days
• Immediate freshness for a whole-mouth clean
• Unique foaming-action carries whitening agents to surround teeth
• A cool blast of mint

Do you remember my last experience with Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips? Let's just say I was far from amazed from the results and I was left in horrible pain, so you can imagine my hesitation to try another product from the range, but I figured out I had nothing to lose with a simple toothpaste, right?

Because Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste claims to remove the majority of surface stains in just 14 days, I couldn't wait to see the results, but after 2 weeks, nothing happened, so I continued to use this toothpaste to be able to write a fair review... but no, nothing.

L - R: Before and after 2 weeks

Do you know how awfully hard it is to take a picture of your teeth in the exact same spot with the exact same lightning twice? Honestly, even in real life, I couldn't notice a difference.

Something I love with Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste and that I have very rarely experienced before is how incredibly minty and fresh it left my breath for a looooooong time after using this. Seriously, I'm always looking forward to brush my teeth with this toothpaste!

Yes, I have naturally yellow teeth and yes, I'm addicted to coffee, but still, I still hope I will find a product that will truly work one day!

Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste is available in Radiant Mint flavor in 4oz for $3.25, 5.8oz for $3.75 and 7.6 oz for $4.25.

*This product is NOT cruelty-free

Disclaimer: One or more products were sent to me for consideration to review. I am not affiliated with this company and the fact that the products were free absolutely does not influence my opinion.

Mail of the Week (November 21 - 25)

My prize from Danielle's Wet n Wild Holiday giveaway: I'm super happy to have won this amazing prize as Wet n Wild always comes up with interesting products for the Holidays, but of course, we never get them here in Canada. The minute I saw this eyeshadow palette on Danielle's blog, I fell in love! The shadows are all super pigmented and gorgeous, and brown and gold shades are my favorite! As for the nail polishes, I would grab all of them if I could as I'm a sucker for glitter nail polish! Here's what Danielle included in my package:

• Wet n Wild Coloricon Baked Eyeshadow Palette in Baked, Not Fried
• Wet n Wild Coloricon Nail Color in 24 Carats
• Femme Science Body Cream sample
• Chanel Chance Eau Tendre Eau de Toilette sample

Thank you so much for this amazing prize Danielle! =D

Veet Face & Bikini Wax Strips and High Precision Facial Wax* : I've been very kindly sent these two products to review but I can't tell you much about them because I have a little surprise coming up for you! I won't be able to properly review the face & bikini strips because I'm having IPL done on my bikini area - meaning that I'm not allowed to wax or do anything that will pull the hair out - but I will have my mother test them instead. As for the High Precision Facial Wax, I'm very excited because I've always wanted to try waxing my eyebrows but I was always too scared!

Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste* : Because of my addiction to caffeine, my naturally yellow teeth tend to turn even more yellow and I haven't found yet a whitening product that works at removing all the stains. Despite my previous negative experience with Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips, I agreed to try this toothpaste and report back after two weeks, because it's claimed to provides up to 80% surface stain removal for a whiter smile in 14 days.

Nexxus Pro-Mend product samples: I absolutely don't remember signing up for these but I can't find them on the internet anymore so I guess the offer is over. I don't think I've heard of this line before but it seems interesting as it's designed to help split ends. I received samples of the Daily Shampoo, Daily Conditioner and Targeted Leave-In Treatment Creme and they also included a $3 coupon.

♫ The Legend of Zelda Rap - Smosh

*These products are NOT cruelty-free