

4 Highlighters You Need In Your Beauty Arsenal
Whether I'm in full glam or a simple look, you can bet I'm wearing a highlighter. It adds such a glow and sparkle to your look — you can literally go from good to great with one product and who's not here for that?
I tend to try different types of highlighters, whether it's powder or cream — I really don't discriminate. As long as it's pretty and shinin', I'm good.
With all that being said, I tried a few highlighters and here's why you need to add them to your beauty arsenal.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Gold Deposit
Shade: Gold Deposit
Price: $34
If you tend to go for a golden glow, this is one of the best choices. It can act as a highlighter alone or as a skin finish to intensify any highlighter you choose. This soft and radiant highlighter adds a golden, sheer, and luminous polish for your face and body.
You can make your highlight as subtle or as eye-catching as you want, however, keep in mind with this product a little goes a long way. With the rich gold, the slightest amount of highlight will be noticeable. In my opinion, the best way to apply this product is by using a fan brush. The fan brush allows you to take a reasonable amount (not too much or too little) and build as you need to.
If gold is not your color of choice MAC offers a variety of colors including: Barely Dressed, Cheeky Bronze, Global Glow, Landscaped, Nuanced, Perfectly Lit, and Soft & Gentle.
Shop product here.
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Featured photo by Krissy Lewis
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Freelance writer, content creator, and traveler. She enjoys the beauty of simplicity, a peaceful life, and a big curly fro. Connect with Krissy on social media @iamkrissylewis or check out her blog at www.krissylewis.com.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
So, I have a confession. I’m super late to the pumpkin craze. But hear me out. Growing up, pumpkin was never really a thing in my household. My parents didn’t eat it, and as I got older, it never really appealed to me. Eating pumpkin? I couldn’t imagine what that would taste like. Pumpkin-scented products? Never cared to try it. Aside from eating the pumpkin-shaped candy that is mixed with the candy corn that’s popular around this time of year, which I know isn’t real pumpkin, the thought of pumpkin didn’t excite me. But that has recently changed.
Like many of you out there, I love Starbucks, and as you may know, every fall, they release their pumpkin spice latte. This year, I decided that I was finally ready to see what all the hype was about, and let me tell you, I am now a fan. It surprisingly didn’t taste like what I expected, meaning it wasn’t disgusting (haha). The oat milk probably helped, but I enjoyed the taste and have since ordered it a second time, and the other day, I bought a vanilla pumpkin candle from Target. I may be late to the party, but I’m still going to enjoy myself. I want to share my new obsession with the world, and so I’ve listed a few cool pumpkin products that you can enjoy this season.
Brown Sugar By Kesha Janaan Pumpkin Spice Soap
Keesha Janaan
How cute are these jack-o'-lantern soaps from Brown Sugar? Not only do they smell amazing, but it's good for your skin. Pumpkin has vitamins A and C, which helps moisturize the skin.
Hempz Pumpkin Spice And Vanilla Chai Lotion
Amazon
As the weather gets cooler, it's important to keep your body soft and hydrated. Hempz limited edition pumpkin spice and vanilla chai lotion can be used daily to achieve the moisture you need.
Candier By Ryan Porter’s Pumpkin Spice Things Up Candle
Ryan Porter
Like the candle says, "spice things up," and fill your home with this intoxicating fall scent.
USDA's Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil
Amazon
USDA's Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil is rich in vitamins A, C, and E and can be used on the hair and body to get rid of dryness.
Too Cool For School’s Pumpkin 24K Gold Mask
Too Cool For School
This Pumpkin 24k Gold mask is made with pumpkin extract and gold flakes to help with skin brightness, elasticity, and moisture.
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Feature image by Maskot/ Getty Images