Great Gifting - Last minute gifting for problematic people made easy at Shoppers Drug Mart!

Gone are the days of having to brave the malls to pick up last minute gifts - there is a Shoppers Drug Mart on practically every corner and they are all chock-full of amazing gift options - the problem of course is what to get for the problematic giftee... hope this helps!

We all have that friend who is a trend-setter who you dread buying for because you know whatever you give them they are secretly judging your lack of with-it-ness - take this you judgey bitch!

Quo Beauty Cooling Cryo Mask and Headband Set - $20 - includes a cryo mask and an adorable bow headband. Just chill the cryo mask in the fridge for a refreshing, depuffing effect that helps invigorate your skin. Paired with a soft headband to keep hair away from your face during pampering sessions, this set offers gentle cooling refreshment.

No matter what you get this friend she/he is never satisfied. Gino knows where it's at, Jasmine loved hers so this is sure to be a hit! And if all else fails at least it vibrates...

 

Oral-B iO Series 2 Rechargeable Electric Powered Toothbrush in Night Black - $114.99 -combines powerful, but gentle micro vibrations with Oral-B's dentist inspired round brush head to deliver 100% cleaner teeth versus a regular manual toothbrush. Features automatic pressure to protect gums; 3 cleaning modes; 2 minute timer; and a long-lasting battery with a low-charge indicator. Includes 1 gentle care brush head.

Your mother-in-law sighs no matter what you give her and then re-gifts it back to you for your birthday so you might as well buy her something you will love - although she might just end up keeping this one... 

 

Estée Lauder Glow Authorities Repair + Lift + Hydrate - $60 - a daily regimen for stronger, radiant, deeply hydrated, healthier-looking skin with a 4-piece set of deluxe travel sizes including: Advanced Night Repair Serum - 15ml - helps skin look smoother and less lined, younger, more radiant and even toned with continued use; Revitalizing Supreme+ Creme Moisturizer - 15ml - significantly improves skin’s firmness and elasticity for a firmer feel and more lifted look; Immediately triple skin’s moisture for a visibly healthy look with Futurist Watery Glow Primer - 15ml - wear alone or under foundation for skin that’s plumped, dewy, glowing; and Revitalizing Supreme+ Eye Balm - 7ml - helps reduce the look of lines and dark circles with continued use. Leaves the eye area looking radiant and more youthful.

Teachers, Babysitters, Hairdressers, Yoga Instructors, etc are all sick of boxes of chocolates and mugs - treat them to something that will ensure no "B"s for the kids or baby-bangs...

 

Jason Wu Pearl Darling Posh Palette - $50 - an exquisite 15-color matte shadow palette, meticulously crafted to suit every occasion with 5 neutral, 5 cool and 5 warm nude shades– all in a stunning, pearl encrusted compact. There is also a Diamond Darling Sublime Palette option that is covered in crystals that contains shades that aren't all matte if you think that would be more their jam.

And if you're looking for something better then a bow to decorate your packages or stuff your stockings with there are lots of Quo Beauty options - everything from tiny eyelash curlers that sparkle, the softest puffs of pink and mini sets of all the best products - a yearly fave of mine...

Quo Beauty Cosmetic Crackers - $20 - 6 gold crackers, each one filled with a gloss surprise!

Happy shopping at your local Shoppers Drug Mart - and if you're buying for me, don't worry, I'm not the least bit picky!

 

- Lisamarie -

Smile - we're having an Oral-B Contest!

Did you know that April is oral health month? Of course we all want our teeth to be healthy but you know the real obsession these days is teeth that are super white! Don't worry, there is no need to compromise, there is something nifty and new that will give you both:  

Oral-B ProfessionalCare Smart Series 5000 - $139.87 - this electric toothbrush has something special - a built-in whitening mode to remove surface stains with noticeable results in two weeks.
Other benefits to their most technologically advanced toothbrush: 

• Deep Clean mode removes up to 99.7% of plaque from hard-to-reach areas*
• Pressure sensor stops pulsations when brushing too hard
• Gentle on teeth and gums
• Improves gum health
• 5 modes: Daily Clean, Sensitive, Whitening, Massage, Deep Clean

I'm a long time Oral-B user and what I like best about this latest edition is that not only does it time off 2 minutes so you can make sure you are brushing long enough, it also indicates every 30 seconds so you can move the brush around the quadrants of you mouth and make sure they are all getting equal attention! This is helped out by the wireless SmartGuide which will give you a visual of the quadrants and a smiley face when you are done - is there any chore not made better by a smiley face?! 

We want one of our readers to experience the joy that is Oral-B and smiley faces - and along with the Oral- B 5000 to really whiten up your smile we will also include:
Crest 3-D White strips Advanced Seal;
Crest 3D White Vivid Paste;
Crest 3D White Multi-Care Rinse;
Oral-B Stain Floss x 2

If your teeth aren't blinding white after all of that then we really can't help you, can we? Want in? Then read on...

This contest is open to all our Canadian followers and it's very easy to enter, just leave a comment letting us know that you follow through Google Friend Connect or Facebook Networked Blogs (if you aren't a follower you can do that now - sign up buttons are in the right sidebar).

1 entry for following and answering the question - Are you a manual or electric toothbrush person?  Please also leave your e-mail so we can find you if you win! 

And for extra entries: 

Follow @BeautyCrazedCan on Twitter and tweet the contest.
Follow @OralB on Twitter and tweet the contest.

If you prefer not to leave your info on a public post, please leave a post saying you want to enter with your answer to the question and then e-mail your info to info@beautycrazed.ca, please put "Oral-B Contest" in the subject line. Remember to leave the post or you name won't actually end up in the draw! Winners to be decided by random drawing and you have until May 3rd to enter. Good Luck! 

- Lisamarie -

Crest challenges me to a duel and loses! Okay, fine it was a whitening challenge, but duel sounds more interesting...

About a month ago, I was asked to take part in the Crest and Oral-B 3D White Before and After Smile Challenge.  I was happy to do it, the holidays coming up are the perfect excuse for some smile whitening!  As you can see from my before, my teeth aren't too bad but they are a little stained on top from my devotion to coke (drinking kind) and blueberries!

And here's after - please excuse the weird mouth thing I'm doing, I realized that a real smile hides part of my front teeth and since that's what I really wanted you to be able to see, I did my "I'm so happy to see the in-laws" smile instead!  I also meant to wear the same lipstick but couldn't remember what shade the before one was!  This one is close anyhow!  Here is everything that I used:

Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips - with Advanced Seal no slip technology - $59.99 - I first tried whitestrips when they first came out years ago and I hated them - I couldn't get them to actually stay on my teeth, I remember giving up before even finishing half the box so I'm happy to report that they really have improved the technology!  If you dry your teeth off a bit first before applying they really stick well and I found even if my teeth were a bit wet, they would slide around a bit at first but would eventually stick on and stay.  I will say though that they made my teeth quite sensitive, especially now that the weather is so cold. I found the best method for me was to use them for 30 minutes once a day for 2 or 3 days and then take a day off.  It stretched the time period out, I should have been through them in 20 days and it took me close to a month but if time isn't an issue and you are sensitive, this is the way to go!  I also noticed on the first day after using the strips that I had small white dots on my gums but they didn't hurt and it only happened the first time so I guess it wasn't anything to worry about.

Oral-B Pulsar 3D White Advanced Vivid Toothbrush - $6.99 - it does this vibrating thing that is supposed to disrupt plaque and stimulate the gingival margin.  I am used to a full on electric Oral-B so this didn't feel like it was doing much of anything at all but I would use this for traveling as it is much more portable!  This would probably be more impressive if you were trying it after being used to a regular manual brush!
Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste - 165ml - $3.88 - I'm not generally a big fan of whitening toothpastes as I find they usually have kind of a chalky feel but this one's texture is like a regular toothpaste.  I only ended up using this once a day and I used a toothpaste for sensitive teeth the rest of the time to help with the sensitivity I was experiencing from the strips, but I would use the toothpaste now to help combat staining!

Crest 3D White MultiCare Whitening Rinse - 473ml - $6.49 or 964ml - $8.99 - I really hate alcohol in mouth wash so I was really pleased to see that this one is alcohol free.  I found the taste really pleasant and my husband hated it - and since he is addicted to Listerine, I knew this was a good sign, it wasn't medicinal tasting enough for him!  It contains hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth by removing surface stains and sodium hexametaphosphate to help protect against future surface stains.

I actually bought my husband a box of the strips and made him do the challenge with me but he refused to let me take a before or after picture which is too bad as his teeth were much worse to begin with and they have whitened up to about the same shade as mine.  But at least that proves that it will work for you whether you need to whiten a little or whiten a lot!

Has anyone else tried any of these products?  Would love to know what you thought of them!

- Lisamarie -