tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122864862024-03-07T19:54:14.480-05:00Never A Dull Moment...My Everyday Adventures! Always Complicated, Never BoringMarie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.comBlogger296125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-74700550170612110492013-05-08T15:14:00.000-04:002013-05-08T15:14:14.748-04:00Invisalign RefinementsSo much to my dismay, I was assigned 19 trays for my Invisalign Refinements. I was also given IPR the day I got them in like 4 spots. So I'm looking at another 38 weeks with Invisalign Braces. It's worth it, to get it RIGHT (since I paid a lot)...but hate that it's going to take over a half a year more and that's assuming I don't need anymore refinements after this. Ah well. Plus side is that since my teeth are straight, the new trays don't hurt...they are doing small adjustments every two weeks so it's good I won't be feeling much discomfort, just a teeny bit of barely noticeable tightness!Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-82748793039958192262013-05-08T15:07:00.000-04:002013-05-08T15:07:04.302-04:00Revlon Colorstay<a href="http://prettyopulent.blogspot.com/2013/05/revlon-colorstay-i-caved-and-bought-it.html">http://prettyopulent.blogspot.com/2013/05/revlon-colorstay-i-caved-and-bought-it.html</a>Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-44580242143287471602013-05-08T14:54:00.001-04:002013-05-08T14:55:48.017-04:00NYX Make Up Haul!<a href="http://prettyopulent.blogspot.com/2013/05/nyx-make-up-haul.html">http://prettyopulent.blogspot.com/2013/05/nyx-make-up-haul.html</a>Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-82221008716647748822013-05-08T14:42:00.000-04:002013-05-08T14:55:39.114-04:00Bentonite Clay Mask<a href="http://prettyopulent.blogspot.com/2013/05/bentonite-clay-mask.html">http://prettyopulent.blogspot.com/2013/05/bentonite-clay-mask.html</a>Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-23733831508615856292013-04-11T16:47:00.001-04:002013-05-08T14:42:19.675-04:00Micro Needling?!?<a href="http://prettyopulent.blogspot.com/2013/04/micro-needling.html">http://prettyopulent.blogspot.com/2013/04/micro-needling.html</a>Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-77553261457374790122013-04-11T16:45:00.001-04:002013-05-08T14:42:29.657-04:00Revlon Colorstay or Revlon Photoready?<a href="http://prettyopulent.blogspot.com/2013/04/revlon-colorstay-or-revlon-photoready.html">http://prettyopulent.blogspot.com/2013/04/revlon-colorstay-or-revlon-photoready.html</a>Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-28697465617847013332013-04-11T00:47:00.001-04:002013-04-11T00:47:22.619-04:00Love Affair With AmazonSo I had a free trial of Amazon Prime...which got extended (via
regular purchases by me) to a year's worth of free Prime. Prime gives
you FREE 2 day shipping. It's not completely free, as some vendors
boost up their total cost to cover a bit of shipping but for the most
part, you can find prices on Amazon close to or CHEAPER than store cost,
with the added bonus of the item(s) being delivered to your front door!<br />
<br />
How addicted am I? SUPER ADDICTED.<br />
<br />
First
of all, I'm a researcher and I'm reviews-driven. I like to make
informed decisions on pretty much EVERYTHING. I like to read people's
opinions, good or bad. Does one bad review ruin the product for me?
Sometimes! But sometimes there are so many GOOD reviews that I am
willing to over look the few bad ones and see for myself!<br />
<br />
Besides
reviews, I like the recommended products. Found a lot of new products,
highly reviewed and rated that have really worked for me!<br />
<br />
And
who doesn't love receiving packages? I love being saved a trip to the
store. Although sometimes I will take that trip to the store to
physically see an item before I buy it on Amazon. A bit obsessive, I
know.<br />
<br />
Oh and the ease of buying RIGHT from my cellphone! And one-click purchasing! I could go on and on...<br />
<br />
Amazon, I truly do love you! Haven't shopped on eBay for months now...SORRY EBAY!Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-269219174868598622013-03-27T13:44:00.001-04:002013-03-27T13:44:11.756-04:00Completed 23/23 Invisalign Trays!Meant to post saying I was on my LAST tray but didn't have a chance! WOW did time fly or what? So today completed two weeks being on tray 23! Went to the Orthodontist office where they shaved off the "bump" attachments and re-scanned my mouth for refinement trays. What does that mean? Well most people need some extra trays to get it just right. Although my teeth are now straight, there are perhaps a few that can be straightened just a bit more. Looking at my teeth I can see at least one that needs to be put more in line with rest...but if I were to stop here I would be VERY happy! I've always had crooked lower teeth but now seeing top and bottom straightened out, it has done wonders for my smile! <br />
<br />
They then told me, that I will wear aligner #23 at nighttime only for 1 month until my refinements come in. What whaaa? I'm done with wearing them during the day? Partayyy!<br />
<br />
Just how many refinement trays I will get will be a surprise. They re-scanned my entire mouth like I said earlier, then they send them to the Invisalign company and in 3-4 weeks I will get my new trays. I'm hoping to get no more than 8, which would be about 16 more weeks of trays. If I get like 5 or 6, I'll be very happy! So let's see. It's hard to imagine getting 6 months or more after doing almost a year of trays (and teeth looking pretty much straight already) but whatever they give me will be worth getting the perfect results that I'm paying for!<br />
<br />
Feels good not to have the bump attachments on! And not wearing the trays during the day is nice...although I want to wear them for at least part of the day to keep them in line! LOL. Will let you know how many refinement trays I get! Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-28990256762645837932013-02-06T13:03:00.001-05:002013-02-06T13:03:14.632-05:00Invisalign - Tray 20 of 23!Can't believe how fast time has gone by! I am now on my tray 20/23. So that's 3 more tray changes and I'm done! Well...not exactly...but my main treatment is over and I will get my mouth re-scanned for "refinements". So...maybe we're looking at another 2-4 months and I'll be done for good! Yippee! Maybe even less time, depending! Has it been worth it? Absolutely. I can see a major difference and am very very happy with the results. Most of my life I've been wanting straight teeth and now I'll have them! Just have to make sure I keep up after with using my retainer at night, etc. I'm also an avid flosser. Hee hee. So that routine of brushing and flossing will stay with me I'm sure. Lots of benefits from having Invisalign! <br />
<br />
OH! I almost forgot to mention I had IPR done before getting tray 19 fitted. My Orthodontist filed like two of my teeth and he did it by hand. It wasn't at all scary and it's not even noticeable! So...whoever is scheduled to have that done, have no fear. Unless he's using a machine to do it. Even then, lol. Okay I'm done now!Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-85643421808799091352012-11-21T11:40:00.001-05:002012-11-21T11:41:32.830-05:00"Makeup Is For Ugly People"In attempts to raise a healthy view of beauty, my well meaning Aunt said to my female cousin that make up is for ugly people. Well in some cases that may be true...but make up is really for everyone! My obsession started when I was about 16 and finally allowed to wear eyeliner. I remember my eyeliner of choice was a glittery silver...(it was, of course the Spice Girl's era). Make up "parties" selling Mary Kay or Jafra got me into foundation...and before long I was hooked onto covering up my teenage acne with the wonderful magic liquid! <br />
<br />
Fast forward to my late twenties and with YouTube's make up guru's my love for make up only grew! In fact I've never been better at make up application and knowing which drugstore item was great or when it was time to splurge for a department store item. I received lots more complements on my eyes and got more daring with colors and trends. I recently joined "My Glam" which is now called "Ipsy" founded by Michelle Phan. They send makeup/skincare/haircare samples monthly. Every month they send at least one full sized item, sometimes even two! I'm never ever ever gonna cancel my subscription! I'm so busy lately....and I so look forward to my random bag of goodies! <br />
<br />
My love of make up will never end. I love using a highly pigmented shadow, or experiencing a really creamy lipstick or gloss that just feels great. Since I'm a bit older, I use glitter sparingly but still have some I can whip out on special occasions! I recently discovered BB Cream...(life changing product). Who knows what I will discover next? Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-50568588964158940932012-10-26T11:57:00.001-04:002012-10-26T11:57:13.580-04:00Invisalign RefinementsAnyone out there have refinements done? How many trays were you assigned? I'm worried now, about the tooth that won't come down. There is a gap there. I was told practically everyone at my office got a set of refinements and I'm just worried about how many I'm gonna get. I googled it and I noticed some people were assigned refinements midway. My doctor does it at the end. I don't know which is better. Probably his way, because then we get to just work on the teeth that weren't "moved" properly. I'm beginning to think maybe getting a full metal mouth, wouldn't have been so bad, because a true year having them is a true year! With Invisalign, treatment can go on and on depending on how good you are with wearing them. <br />
<br />
Just ranting! Any comments would be helpful!Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-75008657966129411322012-10-24T13:02:00.003-04:002012-10-24T13:04:30.131-04:00Picked Up Tray's 13-18 TodaySo....I had an Orthodontist visit today. I voiced my concerns about seeing a little gap between the tooth and the plastic on one of my teeth. He said that tooth needed to come down further...so they gave me "Chewies" basically this little rubber cylinder thing you chew on to get the trays to fit better and move the teeth. I wanted to say, WHERE THE HECK WAS THIS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF MY TREATMENT??? They work great! At this moment I'm gnawing on it, in the hopes this tooth will come down further and catch up. If not...no worries. I asked when I would be "done" they said sometime in March...but then they added...there may be some "refinements" done. I asked how many patients get those refinements? (I did the research and the concept of additional trays used to refine is nothing new to me). They said practically every patient. So....I won't be exactly "done" in March. Boo! Just hoping I don't get too many extra trays. I've heard people getting 6 trays which ain't bad at all but then I've heard some getting 20+ which is basically another YEAR of treatment. Since I'm just fixing a few crowding issues, I'm hoping I don't get that many trays.<br />
<br />
Anyway...have I been doing great with brushing and putting them in ASAP after EVERY meal? No. I have to get better. So what I'll probably resort to doing, is rinse really good, then pop back in and brush later. When I'm at work, it's really hard for me to stop once I get engrossed in something but I'm going to resolve to stop and brush so I can put them back in. I think the better I do at keeping them in, the less extra trays I will get. Hopefully. <br />
<br />
Every two weeks when I switch to a new tray I noticed some trays come with more discomfort than others. Not sure why. And not sure if it has to do with how good I've been wearing them too, like the longer the less discomfort I will feel during the switch. Anyway, can't wait to get this over with. I know in the long run it will seem like a distant memory...but right now I can't wait to be done! Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-50476785198969122652012-08-01T15:46:00.003-04:002012-08-01T15:46:41.905-04:00A Quarter Of My Treatment Time DONE!!!So I'm done with the first 6 trays! There's 17 trays to go. I'm so happy I'm done with the first segment!!<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Last week, I had a cleaning done, and the hygienist said she has never seen my gums in such great shape! So I was right, the flossing <i>does </i>make a huge difference and I hope to keep up with it long after the trays are removed. She also is at the end of her Invisalign treatment. She admitted to me that she drinks coffee with them! I still have my morning cup with them out. It just feels wrong. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Today I had an appointment with my Orthodontist. It was a real fast visit. They just put in tray 7 (ow), felt around to see how it fit and gave me trays 7-12. I asked him to see my ClinCheck video and I was impressed by the animation! More incentive to be patient and good about wearing them as much as possible! My end result will look great...my top row didn't seem so bad off, but it really needed to be spaced better (wider) as well. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
OH! I also asked about IPR...when I'm having that done. The girl said right after tray 19. So I have that to look forward to, yay. But from looking at the image on the computer, it looked like it only affected two teeth. I'm not that worried about it anyway. I asked what type of retainer I would have, and he said I would have an Invisalign-type retainer that I would only wear at nights. I can live with that! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So they scheduled my next visit in 12 weeks and sent me on my way. I've been really doing good with keeping them in...and will try to be more diligent about putting them in faster after meals, etc.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Can't wait 'till I can say it's half over, and then when it's ALL OVER!</div>Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-86340077602915226432012-07-09T14:45:00.002-04:002012-07-09T14:45:30.448-04:00Invisalign - Things I've Noticed<b>Spacing - </b>My teeth are spaced wider...so flossing has been a breeze - used to be really tight in certain spots but not any longer. My bottom lower teeth are separating and moving apart (like one is going more forward and the other more backward) making it look slightly worse...but it's all about the big picture in the end. I'm sure after IPR (where they file the teeth) and more treatment trays to bring the teeth in closer, I'll have a nice result.<br />
<br />
<b>IPR - Teeth filing</b>. I'm very afraid of it! Not about the procedure itself, I've just read too many horror stories online where the Orthodontist took TOO MUCH tooth off and had to apply bonding material to make it look better. I'm going to voice my concerns with him. Thank goodness I haven't done it yet. A lot of people say they have it done before the first tray is put on. I'm assuming mine will be done when I come in to pick up trays 7-12.<br />
<br />
<b>Crooked lower teeth </b>- I've always had a complex about my crooked lower teeth...but now that I have the braces on, and speaking to people, I've observed a lot of people have crooked lower teeth?! I guess it's common...but I don't care, I still want straight teeth! LOL.<br />
<br />
<b>ANYONE WHO'S HAD IPR</b>, please comment and tell me if you like your result and how painful it is. I have a high tolerance to pain but would like to know what the pain could be compared to.<br />
<br />
I really cannot wait until this is over. I got used to the whole regimen fairly quickly, but still cannot wait till it's over and my teeth are straight! I still would have to wear a retainer...but at least the whole process will be over. Every two weeks, it takes me a few days to get used to the new trays and it just feels uncomfortable! But at least I don't have on the metal brackets. My Ortho told me he can finish them off with the metal if I want, and I really do think, I might as well go all the way to get the results that I want, even if I am metal mouth for 2 or 3 months!Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-6162797213562311962012-07-06T16:42:00.002-04:002012-07-06T22:37:30.962-04:00Invisalign - Tray 5So I'm on tray 5 now. Just switched trays this past Wednesday, July 4. The top, where I have the least issues feels tight but not uncomfortable or painful. The bottom, is a whole different story! It hurt like crazy...like for a good minute. <br />
<br />
I put my new trays in at night so that by morning, they will be easier to take in and out. I would say it takes a good 3-5 days where it's easy to take out.<br />
<br />
After tray 6, I will be officially over with a fourth of my treatment! (Given I have no setbacks/adjustments to be made). I still haven't had the IPR done....hope that's not too bad.Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-57937283633306127072012-05-24T15:11:00.003-04:002012-05-24T15:22:51.632-04:00Invisalign - First Time Switching to New Tray!So just as these trays were sliding in and out of my mouth with ease, it was time to change them. I was advised to change them at night, as you will have the whole night when you sleep to get a little used to it. When I first "tried" it on, I was like YOWWWW that's tiiiiight! Had a hard time getting it off too. When I snapped the bottoms there was even a burst of pain. Well, I popped them in and went to bed and by morning, they were easier to pop on and off. Oh, first thing I also noticed about the new trays, is they were cloudy. I put them through 3 minute antibacterial denture cleaner and that did the trick. Now they advise against using denture cleaner, but I read a lot of blogs and people have used it without a problem. So I got the 3 minute kind...maybe the people soaking for an hour or more were weakening the plastic. Not on mine! No cracks and they come out shiny and clean. I soak them in the morning while I'm having my coffee, brush and pop back in. <br />
<br />
I also read of an increase in cavities (because of lack of natural flow of saliva) which does concern me, but I've been keeping up with the brushing and flossing. I've never brushed and flossed so much in my life! I'm making up for lost time I guess. <br />
<br />
I was really happy that the new tighter trays did not cause my extra salivation problem I was having at first. Those first 5 days are hell, but once you get through them, you will realize in time you won't even think about them being in your mouth, and you will appreciate not having metal scratching your mouth!<br />
<br />
So, I'm on tray 2 of 23. I was studying tray 6 and although I can see a slight difference, but not big enough. I'm impatient man!<br />
<br />
Oh, I am definitely keeping all my trays so I can look back at the transformation. I was looking online to see what people did with their old ones, and found something someone said that literally made me laugh out loud:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #ececec; color: #323d4f; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"...if I ever want to go back to how I had my teeth originally, I can wear them in reverse order."</span><br />
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I was actually thinking of painting them white so they look like teeth, lol. Maybe the first and the last set. Hmm...we'll see!Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-6086440183733697672012-05-17T16:32:00.003-04:002012-05-24T15:22:51.634-04:00Invisalign - 1st Week DONEIt's pretty safe to say that by the first week, things are a WHOLE lot better. I'm on my 9th day, and have 6 more days before I switch to tray #2 of #23. So exciting!! I'll probably blog after my first switch. <br />
<br />
So just as a recap, days 1-5 are hell. And now it's pretty much a breeze and part of my life! I'm getting more and more used to the feeling of it in my mouth, it's less tight so of course there is less pressure and less tension at the end of the day. When I sit down to dinner, taking them off is a welcome break. Invisalign is great because I have no restrictions on what I can eat. I'm brushing and flossing after EVERY meal so my gum health will be impeccable by my next cleaning visit, my hygienist will be pleased! And I'm no longer biting my cheeks! Woot woot!<br />
<br />
I had to go in the Orthodontist's office the other day to get an attachment re-done on one of my bottom teeth. I read online that they can fall off from time to time. I was in and out in a matter of 20 mins. Was happy to have the attachment back on so that my trays will continue to work properly.<br />
<br />
Now I am very annoyed with the location of the attachments. I understand the tooth must rotate but since this is Invisalign, I would expect them to come up with an invisible option. Like having the attachments on the INSIDE of the teeth. But, as my husband states on a regular basis, what I go through is NOTHING compared to what he had with regular braces. I just think mine would be completely unnoticeable. I have to fight the feeling I have to share with every friend and acquaintance that I'm wearing them. Maybe they won't notice??? But I do! <br />
<br />
About the speech impediment...I think it's still there but greatly reduced. And I think I notice it more on myself than anyone would.<br />
<br />
That being said...even though I'm not finished with this process, if you are considering them, I feel comfortable enough to recommend them. But research other's final results. I kind of wish I could change trays each week! I feel like that would expedite the process....but they know what they are doing...so let's see how this year goes! Someone said that this seems like forever, but once you are done it will be like a tiny speck in time. :-) I sure hope so!Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-47923343243190454322012-05-12T19:17:00.001-04:002012-05-24T15:22:51.630-04:00Invisalign - Day 4<div><p>I downloaded an app that will let me publish blogs from my phone. So I'm testing this now. </p>
<p>Getting more used to the braces...every morning feels much better. Still biting my cheek when they are off and don't think that will go away until my teeth have reached their final destination. My husband thinks its funny. He went through metal braces for two years and went through much worse.<br>
</p>
</div>Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-77942612859240527932012-05-11T14:13:00.002-04:002012-05-24T15:22:51.636-04:00Invisalign - Day 3Woke up feeling MUCH better! And when I snapped my trays back in after brushing in the morning, I found they were a bit easier to snap on! I'm still salivating more, but it's less than before, so I'm happy about that. I also find myself not focusing on thinking of it being inside. <br />
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I'm still having trouble speaking....and it's making me self conscious. I heard you have to keep practicing speaking to learn how to speak w/o lisping. And I'm also not smiling as big because of the stupid bubbles in the Invisalign that accommodate for the attachment bumps they never tell you about!!! Except for my teeth looking shiny, you would never know if it weren't for those darn bumps. That's a big annoyance. One lady at the Orthodontist office told me if I were going out for an evening, to just leave them home and don't even worry about putting them in. Ha! What does it matter? I leave them home, and I have Klingon looking teeth...okay it's not that bad, but nobody's natural teeth have bumps on them. I can imagine some rocker people might start wanting to attach spike-like things to their teeth...<br />
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Here's what they look like, and no these are NOT my teeth. And I think these actually look MUCH nicer than mine. The plastic just emphasizes it even more. <br />
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So yeah, if you are considering Invisalign, just know, NOTHING is invisible! Unless you have the behind the teeth thing. Oh well.Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-34564887060633369662012-05-11T14:04:00.003-04:002012-05-24T15:22:51.615-04:00Invisalign - Day 2Okay Day 2 was a bad day...the salivating was getting on my nerves, and by the end of the day, the pressure on my teeth just made me feel tired. I didn't like the feeling of chewing so carefully....because if I didn't I would bite my cheek. When I took them off for dinner it was a welcome break. When I put them back on, I felt a lot better. I think breaks for eating are very helpful during this transition. I also looked forward to sleeping...it's easy to wear it for bed and I don't think I will have any problems using my retainer. I read a few other blogs and checked out people's before and after pics and regained the strength to carry on. I read that after 5-7 days you forget they are there. Can't wait for that! I also read some people get cavities??? I'm not drinking anything other than water when I have them in...even though you can have "clear" liquids. And I've never flossed so much in my entire life!!! I am assigned 23 trays. Looking at tray #6, I can already see a SLIGHT improvement. Can't wait until I'm halfway done with this process. I think by halfway I would see a large improvement - because they have to move all the teeth back and then I can have certain teeth filed (slimmed down) and last trays tighten everything back together. I'm going to have to do a round of teeth whitening and some bonding on one chipped tooth. Ah well....I'm still a long way away!Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-19804847182738206222012-05-10T10:33:00.000-04:002012-05-24T15:22:51.614-04:00InvisalignSo I'm a bit old for braces...so I opted for Invisalign braces. I really got them for my bottom teeth, but my top teeth could use a bit of straitening also. Plus you need to move both top and bottom anyway so they match. Now they have technology where they use a handheld wand to scan your mouth - better than waiting for a mold to set but still a bit time consuming and sometimes painful when holding the wand a certain way. They sent me home with an appointment to come back 2 weeks later.<br />
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So yesterday was my first fitting...I sat in the seat and waited for them to give me my braces...when the lady was preparing something...I was like, what is that? It's bump attachments, to give the braces something to grab onto she said. Okay, I hope they are hidden somewhere in the back I thought to myself. NOPE! She glued on little "bumps" to 6 teeth (3 on each side of my face) top and bottom. They are to help the teeth rotate. So much for invisible! I wasn't told about any bump attachments! If you read a bunch of forums, which I did when I got home, I found out a lot of people aren't told about them...you are fortunate if you have them in the back somewhere, but mines are on the front sides, so it's easy to see. The Invisalign braces have bumps on them to accommodate the bump or buttons as they are sometimes called. SIGH.<br />
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So after gluing the attachments, they sand them down so they would feel a bit more comfortable in your mouth, for when you take off the braces and actually eat. They put in the braces...felt tight but not at all painful so I was happy with that. Showed me how to put them in and out, gave me quick instructions about cleaning and I was on my way. I am to change them every 2 weeks (I have 5 other replacements with me). And I was advised it was better to change them at night this way come morning, they will be easier to take in and out. I took out the last pack and didn't see much of a change...but I'm sure much later, like 15th pack I'll see a major difference. I also have 2 cases, one for the previous Invisaligns and one for the current. I asked why I had to keep the previous set, they say in case the new set doesn't fit quite right, they would have me keep in the last set for a few days more. Got it, makes sense. So off I went!<br />
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<b>FIRST IMPRESSIONS....</b><br />
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<b>First </b>thing I noticed, was it felt super weird. I can't clamp down my teeth at all. And it felt weird to drink too...which by the way, I could only drink clear liquids with them ON, if not I'll have to take them off. Pain in the neck? Yes, but that's the price I pay.<br />
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<b>Second </b>thing I noticed was the speech impediment. Great. Now I <i>stalk </i>funny. LOL it's not that bad...but I do notice a huge difference in my pronunciation of things, but thankfully I read I will adjust within a few days or weeks.<br />
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<b>Third </b>and most annoying thing to me...is the increase in salivation! My body thinks I have something in my mouth, therefore I'm constantly salivating! Drove me crazy by nightfall...but I read your body adjusts in a matter of days or weeks. I'm waiting!!!<br />
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<b>Fourth </b>thing, when you take them out to eat, you start chewing funny...your mouth was getting used to a new position, but then to chew, it starts chewing the old way or somewhere in between and then OW!!!!!!!!! You just bit your cheek. I did that a lot and had to make myself chew slower.<br />
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<b>Lastly</b>, you must brush your teeth after every meal or snack before you put them in. If you put them back in without brushing, you will feel icky. Plaque will build up and you will put your gums in jeopardy. So yay fun, I have to brush my teeth EVERYWHERE I go. At work, in restaurants, etc. I will definitely be doing much less snacking! Which is great....I'm trying to lose weight anyway.<br />
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So last night was my first night wearing them. I went through a whole ritual, brushing, flossing then pop them back in and went to sleep. Woke up with them feeling a lot more comfortable. Needed to have my coffee so I dunked them in denture cleaner and had my coffee. I was really told to brush them with water or mild soap but I read other people saying denture cleaner worked just fine to keep gunk off. Gross I know. I'm going to be OCD about keeping them super sparkly and clean. Feels odd to have them off but I had my coffee, brushed and put them back in. I think I will skip right to lunch today! Such a pain to be brushing all the time. I think it will be a good habit though. I bought Colgate's "Optic White" and should have whiter teeth in the process.<br />
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I read a girl who blogged about her first week with Invisalign and then she didn't update her progress. So I will probably glance at a few other blogs today. Who knows, I might do the same thing. Ha ha. I'll try to update with my progress and experience with it. It's helpful to read other's experiences.Marie Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053476777455628281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-28339170008863242362010-12-29T19:51:00.010-05:002011-12-14T13:55:53.046-05:00Purchase Reviews!Just wanted to post a mini review on the items I bought recently...some of you wanted updates. Well here it is! I'll go in order.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.A209347.desc.tarte-Amazonian-Clay-Mascara-4pc-Starter-Kitwith-Brush" style="font-weight: bold;">tarte Amazonian Clay & Volumizing Mascara 5-pc Collection</a></div><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Good: </span>Like I mentioned before, the <span style="font-weight: bold;">mascara </span>alone is $20, so you are getting a bargain by buying this set. I am completely and utterly in love with the mascara! It is my favorite item in the whole set! I am hooked, and can see myself tossing all my drugstore mascaras out the window! Only bad thing is, it dries rather quckly. GRRR.... I was pleasantly surprised by the <span style="font-weight: bold;">pink cheek tint</span>...I thought it wouldn't go well with my skin tone, and it gave a nice warm pink flush. I would say it's pretty safe for most skin tones! The <span style="font-weight: bold;">waterproof clay shadow/liner</span> is just top of the line quality. It glides on your lids and is just the richest darkest black...with my makeup skills, I'm probably not doing it justice! The <span style="font-weight: bold;">brush </span>to apply the liner is decent, although I prefer the angled kind, like pictured <a href="http://www.coastalscents.com/cfwebstore/index.cfm/product/2179_37/destiny-precision-angled-liner-brush.cfm">here</a>. The <span style="font-weight: bold;">eyeshadow duo</span> goes on smooth, it's PERFECT for everyday use...it's very subtle, I would have liked a shadow duo with a bit more oomph myself.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Bad:</span> There's not much <span style="font-style: italic;">bad </span>in this set, besides the pink cheek tint and the clay liner not being full size, but I could live with that. They make good travel companions!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Final word: </span> The mascara alone makes this set worth it, so if you're interested in getting a few good quality additions to your make up collection, buy it!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next!!! </span><a href="http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P4633&categoryId=B70" style="font-weight: bold;">The Hope in A Jar Moisturizer</a></div><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Good: </span> Has a clean scent! Literally MELTS into your skin. This is the lightest moisturizer I've tried that does the trick. Perfect for warmer climates. It's also full of antioxidants and wrinkle fighters as also mildly exfoliates. It's made without sulfates, synthetic fragrances or dyes and Petrochemicals. I don't know what Petrochemicals are, but I certainly don't want them in my beauty products!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Bad: </span>A bit pricey. Doesn't contain SPF. But there's hope! (Get it?) They make one that has 25 SPF, and that will be my next purchase. (Right now I'm using it as my night cream).<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Final Word:</span> If you don't mind splurging on skin care, this is a definite must. If you like light creams, you will definitely like if not love this product.<br />
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<div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">My Shoe Dazzle Membership<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The last pair I bought from them was this one: <a href="http://www.shoedazzle.com/products/maureen" style="font-weight: bold;">Maureen</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">I didn't like the shoe. I LOVED IT. It was comfortable, not too high and got <span style="font-style: italic;">mega </span>compliments. Now a lot of people don't know how this shoe club works. In fact I was so hesitant to join that it took me a few months before I actually did. Let me just clear up the myths. First of all, you don't pay a monthly fee. How it works is, you create your shoe profile by selecting a bunch of shoes you like. Then their "stylists" send their top 5 shoes that they think you will like. At the beginning of every month, you will get an email telling you your showroom is ready. You now have a few days to visit your showroom - you either see something you like and buy, or simply say "Skip This Month". If you buy something, you pay $39.99 including shipping and you get it in a few business days. If you skip the month, you don't get charged at all. What happens if you forgot to "skip"? Then you get charged $39.99 and it is kept as a credit towards a future purchase. But I haven't had any problems forgetting to check out my selection.</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Good:</span> You can always find coupon codes online taking a certain percentage off your purchase! Last pair I spent $33 including shipping and it was so worth it. Another bonus is buying BOOTS on this site. You get your money's worth buying cute synthetic boots - so stylish yet inexpensive. Shoe Dazzle has certainly vamped up my shoe collection, gave me more incentive to dress up when I go out because you now have a killer new pair of shoes to pair with those skinny jeans. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Bad:</span> If you're real forgetful and not on top of your emails, you could forget to check your showroom and get credits stacking up on your account. </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">That's all I have for reviews right now, stay tuned for my next post which will be on my favorite drugstore items!</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;">I am a self-proclaimed drugstore whore!</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-21872351546674132652010-12-06T18:16:00.008-05:002010-12-08T07:18:47.184-05:00The Shopping BugNow, I've been feeling the travel bug...but since I know that I won't be going anywhere anytime soon (for obvious reasons) I've put that little bugger to rest. I've been hit with a different type of bug, and this one I have to keep feeding to quell. It's the shopping bug!<br /><br />Maybe it's because it's close to Xmas time, and all those adverts are up. Maybe it's the good deals they advertise...or maybe I simply haven't been shopping in a while and need to get it out of my system! The other night as I was about to go to bed, I was flipping channels and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">QVC</span> was on. On it they were advertising this <a href="http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.A209347.desc.tarte-Amazonian-Clay-Mascara-4pc-Starter-Kitwith-Brush">4 piece make up set by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tarte</span></a>. Immediately my eyes were glued, as I love make up, especially good quality make up. Then they used some magic words: "Natural ingredients". Uh oh, I'm in trouble. I watched in awe as they took this girl's lashes and made them POP with their mascara. The beige and taupe eyeshadow included in the kit is a staple item! It also comes with a clay liner, and I've already been accustomed to applying eye liner with a brush. The well-acclaimed cheek stain in the kit gave the model a rosy glow. The entire kit was just $29 bucks. I went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sephora</span>.com and saw the <a href="http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P111902&categoryId=B70">mascara alone</a> costs $20. Ah that's exactly what I was looking for! Justification! Then they were on to the next thing, which was <a href="http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P4633&categoryId=B70">"Hope in a Jar" moisturizer by Philosophy</a>. As they rambled on about the benefits, I thought to myself that I've always wanted to try Philosophy products. The more they talked about it, the more I was sold. It took all the willpower I had to shut the TV off and go to sleep. That's why it sucks having at TV in your bedroom.<br /><br />In the morning, those products were the first thing that popped into my mind. I let the day progress, and finally I buckled down. Darn you <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">QVC</span>!!! I Ordered the <a href="http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.A209347.desc.tarte-Amazonian-Clay-Mascara-4pc-Starter-Kitwith-Brush"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Tarte</span> Amazonian Clay 4 piece set</a> at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">QVC</span>.com and got myself a 2 oz jar of "Hope in a Jar" from eBay. It was, after all one of Oprah's favorite things.<br /><br />The shopping, well, it didn't stop there. Unfortunately, I get emails from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ShoeDazzle</span>.com, and I saw a pair that caught my eye since I was looking for a good pair of <a href="http://www.shoedazzle.com/products/maureen">beige shoes</a>. This one had a 2.75" heel that was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">faux</span>-python. I was in love...so I just had to get it. After telling a few people about it, they warned me - "Don't buy shoes now, you're feet are going to swell and you may even grow a size" Eek! I sorta knew that in the back of my mind but wanted to ignore it. If I ignore that once fact, maybe it won't happen to me! I'm already a size 9 for goodness sake, I can't imagine even getting bigger! If I have to resort to wrapping my foot like the Asians did in the past, I'll do it! Let me search for "foot wrapping" on YouTube, I'm sure <span style="font-style: italic;">someone </span>has a video out there!<br /><br />I think I awakened the beast. Instead of buying a few items to feed this little critter, I'm looking for more opportunities to buy! <span style="font-style: italic;">"I haven't bought a nice pair of designer sunglasses in a while"</span> I thought to myself. NO NO NO! Bad! I'm just simply going to have to be patient, wait for my packages arrive and enjoy each of the 3 things I bought. I'm going to be good until January...hopefully!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-73130859031874258112010-12-06T18:09:00.003-05:002010-12-06T18:16:07.268-05:00It's Been 7 Hours and 15 Days...Well, not really. It's actually been 1 year, 4 months and 2 days since my last blog post. Talk about a leave of absence! Lately I've felt the urge to write...but instead of writing of recent travels or experiences, I'll write about something near and dear to my heart: Shopping!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12286486.post-36765672355534799972009-08-04T00:48:00.003-04:002009-08-04T00:55:19.647-04:00Bittersweet Month of AugustWe are in the month of August. My cousin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Saskia</span> turned 16 the other day...16! Can you believe it? That means my cat Kira (who resides with an Aunt) has also recently turned 16. Makes sense that she would live long, she was pretty evil in her younger years...ha. The middle of the month is a good time, it's Anniversary time. But what makes August bittersweet is another anniversary, not the good kind. It marks 16 years since my uncle's death. 16 years! What the heck?? It's so weird how after <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">someone's</span> passing, time and LIFE just goes on. Before you know it, you look back and like a blink, all those years were so long ago even though the feelings of loss and pain can still hurt like yesterday...<br /><br />Well we all know time is moving and we can't do anything to stop it...but every once in a while, we can stop and remember with love, those who live in our memories.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6