Carbon Coco Ultimate Carbon Kit: Teeth Whitening with Activated Charcoal

With the sheer amount of photos that will inevitably be taken, weddings are always a good excuse to work on your appearance, from hitting the gym more often to growing your hair longer for a fancy hairstyle (both of which I've been doing myself). Another thing I'm working on: teeth whitening thanks to Carbon Coco!

A while back, the company sent over their Ultimate Carbon Kit for me to try out. The star of the kit is Carbon Coco's Activated Charcoal Tooth Polish. A finely milled black powder, it's an oxidized version of charcoal with a hint of bentonite clay and lemon myrtle that supposedly whitens and polishes teeth without any chemicals or bad-for-you ingredients.

To use, you wet the toothbrush (conveniently made with dark bristles to avoid staining) and dip it in the powder. Brush in small circles for 2-3 minutes, spit out and rinse. The powder is odourless and tasteless but the sensation is a bit weird at first. You can feel the powder on your teeth, but it's not gritty and shouldn't cause any sensitivity.

The powder is followed up with the Activated Charcoal Toothpaste, which is also black in colour but foams up. I don't usually like spearmint flavours but this toothpaste was actually quite refreshing once I got past the strangeness of my teeth looking black while I brushed. Thankfully it does all rinse clear. The toothpaste acts as a protectant from staining to maintain your pearly whites.

Pretty easy to use, right? The main caveat I would give to anyone interested in trying these products is that they can get messy if you're not careful. The first time I tried the Tooth Polish, I accidentally used too much and got black powder all over my bathroom sink and counter. You only need to use a tiny bit of powder so once I got the hang of it, the mess factor was no longer an issue.

As for the whitening capabilities, my teeth are already pretty white but I have noticed they do seem brighter. The results are great for only 7-14 days of use (the recommended course).

Overall, I definitely prefer the Carbon Coco system over other more conventional at-home whitening products like Crest White Strips. I love not having to worry about harsh chemicals and potential tooth sensitivity, plus I need to brush my teeth anyway so it doesn't add much extra time to my night time routine.

The Ultimate Carbon Kit is super reasonably priced (on sale now for $59.95)... just make sure you factor in shipping time from Australia since it does take a while to get to North America.

Neocell Super Collagen +C and Beauty Bursts

As you know, I have been sick on/off since December and the stress on my immune system has really been taking its toll on me. I was already taking a number of supplements (fish oils, probiotics, vitamin C, oil of oregano), but recently went to a naturopath to discuss additional options for boosting my overall health. My daily pill intake has now increased considerably but I'm finally feeling more like myself. Of course, time will tell whether my new regime is really having a positive effect rather than placebo but after months of illness let's just say I was getting pretty desperate for any solution possible.

That brings me to today's post, which is a little different because I'm going to be talking about supplements. However, they're beauty-related so still totally relevant for the blog!

A while back, I was contacted by PR for NeoCell to try out some products for the company's recent launch in Canada. Initially I was a bit skeptical because the idea of taking collagen supplements sounded really weird. However. since I've been focusing on improving my overall health and well-being, I decided to give it a try.

NeoCell's collagen products are specifically designed to support the body's natural collagen supply, helping skin achieve that healthy glow, hair grow thicker and shinier, and nails longer and stronger. As we age (something I'm all too familiar with given my impending 30th birthday later this year -- eep!), collagen also plays an important role in strengthening and rebuilding lost muscle mass and connective tissue.

If you're interested in trying collagen supplements for yourself, here are a number of easy to digest options: NeoCell Super Collagen+C Tablets, NeoCell Super Collagen Powder, and NeoCell Beauty Bursts™.

For those who are okay with taking pills, the NeoCell Super Collagen+C Tablets are standard oval tablets that deliver 6,000 mg of NeoCell collagen. If pills are tough to swallow, you can instead try a scoop of NeoCell Super Collagen Powder mixed in with water or juice. I personally don't like drinking my supplements so this is my least preferred method. Instead, I have been loving the yummy NeoCell Beauty Bursts™. These fruit chews aren't candy but they do taste pretty good (if a little chalky) and contain  2,000 mg of collagen, along with hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. Talk about an easy way to pack some important nutrients into your diet!

NeoCell products are all-natural and contain no preservatives, artificial flavors or colors, and contain no gluten or GMO ingredients. Find them at Whole Foods Choices Markets, and London Drugs.


P.S. I'm off to Chicago for a week-long vacation so I'll be taking a mini hiatus from the blog. When I return, prepare to be bombarded with photos from my trip!