Ballet Beauty

I'm in love with these new limited edition polishes by Nails Inc.  They bring together two of my favourite things... ballet and beauty!

They're delicate, feminine, and beautiful for a Spring or Summer wedding.  You can view the full range here.


xBBx

Invisalign - How to Perfect Your Wedding Day Smile

We all know that preparing for your wedding can be less than relaxing. With little time to pamper and preen, many brides can be left lacking in confidence. Behavioural expert Judi James and celebrity dental practitioner Dr.Graham Tinkler share their tips on how to prepare for the big day...

 

 

Invisalign ambassador and behavioural expert Judi James gives her top tips to prepare for the big day:

When you think of the perfect bride you will always think of a woman who is smiling. Smiling will not only reflect your levels of undiluted adoration for your groom, you’ll also be performing bouts of social smiling throughout the day in your role of host, greeter and thanker.

A smile should be a simple demand on what is supposed to be the happiest day of your life, but unfortunately it can be harder than you might think. Firstly there’s the problem of habit. The build-up to a wedding can be stressful as you deal with problems in the event planning, packing for honeymoon, and any workplace hand-overs.

 

Then there’s the challenge of performed smiling when there are cameras around. Some professional wedding photographers are very good at making their brides smile for the camera but more and more brides are opting for the natural, less formal style of wedding photography, not realising that being caught ‘unaware’ can mean your day is marked with what can look like expressions of exhaustion, bossiness, irritation or champagne-fuelled gurning!

 

It’s your smile that will be remembered by your guests, your groom and by you when you look at your wedding photos. For the photos it’s safest to do what the celebrities do and work up a camera smile that you’ve honed first. On the run up to your big day practice smiling in front of the mirror so you get used to what feels comfortable and looks natural. This may feel vain but it’s important to know how it feels and to make sure your smile gets maximum effect. The perfect smile you’re looking to achieve is when the eyes create a half-moon shape crinkling at the corners, the top teeth are displayed with a slight showing of bottom teeth and the smile is symmetrical across the face.

If you do feel your photo smile is getting rigid or stretched then re-boot quickly. Look down or look behind you, pull your lips together tightly and stretch your mouth horizontally as you do so you flex and relax the mouth-muscles. Run your tongue over your front teeth, breathe out, then turn back and re-apply the (now more relaxed-looking) smile. With this practiced smile you can appear confident and relaxed, even if you feel like a nervous wreck!

 

Dr Graham Tinkler shares his top tips to prepare for your special day:

I would always recommend visiting the dentist every 6 months to prevent any dramatic dental work. I tell my patients to try and avoid food and drink that will stain your teeth, especially red wine and orange juice. But if you can’t cut these out altogether, then teeth whitening is a great way to get dazzling results for your wedding day.

Feeling self-conscious about your teeth can have a dramatic effect on your confidence. I have seen many patients who would hide their teeth when they smile or drop their head to cover their mouths. Teeth straightening is a great way to enhance your natural smile so you can be more confident on your big day; an ideal treatment for brides-to-be is Invisalign.

Invisalign involves a set of clear, removable aligners which are custom-made to fit snugly over teeth to direct tooth movement. Each aligner is individually designed for your teeth, with a different set worn every 2 weeks to gradually move the teeth into the desired position. The Invisalign treatment fits simply and easily into your daily routine, without any fuss or embarrassment to your appearance. With no metal wires or brackets, there’s no need to worry about mouth irritations, as the aligners are comfortable to wear and can be easily removed, meaning if you haven’t finished your treatment before your wedding, you can just remove them for the day! Straight teeth are actually much easier to keep clean as well and more aesthetically pleasing, so you’re more likely to make effort to keep them clean.

You can find out more about Dr Tinkler's work with Invisalign here

 

Invisalign - Perfect Your Smile For Your Wedding Day!

I'm very happy to have been working with Invisalign recently and want to present one of their beautiful brides to you...
 
When Nicola’s partner proposed, she was over the moon.  However, a big concern weighing heavily on her mind wasn’t how she was going to cope with her busy full time job as a travel consultant and organising a wedding, but how she was going to smile with confidence on the big day.

 

“I was always conscious that my teeth were crooked, but didn’t do anything about it as a child or into my teens.  I was embarrassed to smile and would cover my mouth when I talked– people automatically assumed I was miserable as I rarely smiled.  Straightening my teeth was something I had considered in the past so my wedding coming up, it seemed like there was no time like the present to improve my smile.”

 

“When my partner proposed to me, I started to seriously consider having my teeth corrected as I wanted to relax and enjoy my big day, without having to worry about how my smile would look in pictures. Your wedding album is memory to cherish; the last thing I wanted was to be constantly reminded of my crooked teeth!
 
Having finally made the decision, I visited my dentist to see what options were available.  We discussed fixed braces but my job as a travel consultant involves a great deal of face-to-face liaison with customers and I really didn’t like the thought of having train tracks at my age.

Before Invisalign

Before Invisalign

I was referred to an orthodontist, but wasn’t satisfied with the recommended treatment plan. The orthodontist suggested that I had some of my teeth extracted and veneers put in – not only did this sound incredibly painful but it seemed a little over the top.  I wanted a second opinion and conducted some of my own research on the Internet.  That’s when I came across Invisalign which sounded great!
 
I’ve been in treatment for almost 12 months and the changes to my teeth have been truly amazing. I noticed movement within three months of starting treatment and I’m delighted with the results.  I’m so much more confident now and I don’t have to cover my mouth with my hand when talking to people. 

After Invisalign



After Invisalign

 

I got married on 23^rd May 2009 and it was the most exciting and memorable day of my life.  I was just so happy and couldn’t stop smiling all day – my face ached by the end of it!  I’ve always shied away from the camera so it was quite an odd experience to feel so confident and beautiful.  Looking back at the photographs, I’m so glad I had my teeth straightened, I’m proud to show off my wedding pictures and we have a wealth of them framed and displayed for everyone to see in our new home.

 

The greatest benefit of the treatment was being able to remove the aligners to eat and drink.  I didn’t have to worry about food getting stuck in my teeth and almost none of my friends knew I was straightening my teeth. Invisalign was the perfect option for me and I have since recommended a friend who was so impressed with my results, she’s now in treatment herself!

Nicola Hall is a 31 year old travel consultant from Cambridgeshire.

 

About Align Technology

Align Technology designs, manufactures and markets Invisalign, a proprietary method for treating malocclusion, or the misalignment of teeth. Invisalign corrects malocclusion using a series of clear, nearly invisible, removable appliances that gently move teeth to a desired final position. Because it does not rely on the use of metal or ceramic brackets and wires, Invisalign significantly reduces the aesthetic and other limitations associated with braces. Invisalign is appropriate for treating adults and teens. Align Technology was founded in March 1997 and received FDA clearance to market Invisalign in 1998. Today, the Invisalign product family includes Invisalign Full, Invisalign Anterior, Invisalign Lite, Invisalign Teen, Invisalign i7 and Vivera Retainers.

Align Technology is a leader in the category with over 1.8m people worldwide treated with Invisalign to date. Align Technology are revolutionising the industry as the pioneer of clear aligner teeth straightening and currently hold several pieces of intellectual property including process and design patents. 

Availability

For more information and to find a practitioner near you, visit http://www.facebook.com/invisalign / http://www.invisalign.co.uk or call 0845 644 5462.

Tasty Treats - Muller Breakfast Corner

For the past couple of weeks I've been enjoying these yogurts for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack.




They are made up of tasty bio yoghurt with fruit granola. You can choose from strawberry, tropical, or raspberry and cranberry.
With around 150 calories per pot and all natural ingredients, they are great if you are trying to eat healthy :)
For full nutritional information, visit the Muller website
Enjoy!

 

Sleep in a Bottle

Well I wish I'd used this the night before my wedding! I remember finally crawling into bed at 2am and then laying awake with excitement and nerves. I could have done with some 'sleep in a bottle' to help compensate :)




Guerlain's Midnight Secret is a 'late night recovery treatment' designed for nights that are too short and should be applied to a cleansed face before going to bed.  Its special formula (named Hydronoctine) contains ingredients that increase the level of oxygen in the skin to help it recuperate rapidly.  The result is that your face looks refreshed and bright in the morning.
I tried it for the first time last week and was very impressed.  I didn't expect the results to be visible but my skin did look smooth and bright in the morning.
It is an expensive product but worth it for your big day!  Take care not to over use it though.  It's powerful stuff and not recommended for use more than three times a week!
Available from Debenhams Beauty