Every travel holiday needs preparation, from the basic necessities of transportation, places to stay, and itineraries to my favorite part: packing. I love planning my outfits and mixing and matching my handbags, shoes, and accessories. Everything is thought-out so as not to over-pack (which I do regardless). I happily organize my toiletries, make-up, haircare, skincare, and teeth-care. Yes, you read it correctly: teeth-care. Have you ever seen a picture of yourself — perfectly dressed, hair styled, nails manicured, make-up done, and your smile is absolutely less than dull?! I mean just lackluster dull. I spend so much time and energy styling myself, and then I forget all about styling my teeth. Of course I brush my teeth at least twice a day, but there is no amount of brushing my teeth with whitening toothpaste or charcoal that leaves me satisfied with my teeth — hygiene, yes — smile, no. So after many holidays abroad regretting a dull smile, I made sure I was prepared for my recent trip to Capri, Italy, with Smile Brilliant. As the holiday season is upon us, and the designers are making their Cruise 2019/20 collections available for jet setters off to amazing places and for everyone celebrating this holiday season, I’m sharing my teeth whitening experience in four easy steps with Smile Brilliant, so everyone can smile brightly this holiday season!
Step 1: Prepare
A month before I left for Capri, Italy, in late October, I had ordered and received my Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening System. It included an organized box of two impression trays with three sets of impression materials that would eventually be sent to the Smile Brilliant Lab to create my own custom-fitted teeth whitening trays. Also in my box was a prepaid postage envelope to return my impressions to the lab to create my customized trays, four sets of teeth whitening gel, four sets of teeth desensitizing gel, and multiple card instructions graphically designed for easy following at every stage of the whitening process: making my impressions; sending them back to the lab; whitening my teeth; and desensitizing freshly whitened teeth. I was incredibly impressed by the beautiful packaging (I’m such a sucker for good packaging!) and the efficiency of how the teeth whitening system was planned to perfection. As someone who’s gotten her teeth professionally whitened by her dentist on multiple occasions over the years (it had been a while because I dread it every time), I was excited yet worried about trying a new whitening method. I had mixed expectations for an at-home (or travel-abroad, in my case) whitening kit that markets itself as “Teeth whitening trays backed by science. From dental lab to your door.” I asked myself: Would my teeth be as white as after a whitening visit with my dentist? Would the whitening process be more difficult and uncomfortable? Was the Smile Brilliant box worth it? Nevertheless, at this point of receiving my Smile Brilliant box, I was genuinely impressed. Step 1 accomplished — I was ready.
Step 2: Make Impressions
Now that I had my Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening System, I was ready to make my impressions for custom-fitted teeth whitening trays. I wanted to give myself ample time to make the impressions and return them to the Smile Brilliant Lab in order to receive my trays and begin whitening before and during my trip. Surprisingly, creating my impressions was more fun than I had anticipated. I expected it to be horribly uncomfortable like getting teeth x–rays. In fact, it was simply mixing two shades of impression paste into a blue putty-like material that molded into two impression trays: one for the top row of teeth and a second for the bottom row. It was so easy! I let my “artfully” molded teeth impressions dry overnight, sealed them in a prepaid USPS package, and off they went to the Smile Brilliant Lab. I received a courtesy email that I wasn’t expecting notifying me that my impressions had been received by the lab and my custom-fitted trays were already being manufactured. I couldn’t have been more relieved and happier with the process so far. I was feeling more confident with my choice to try Smile Brilliant after making my impressions that I couldn’t wait to receive my new teeth whitening trays. Let the whitening begin!
Step 3: Whiten & Desensitize
In less than a week, I received another courtesy email that my custom-fitted teeth whitening trays were produced and being sent to me. The process so far was professional, easy, and convenient. Totally beats a visit to the dentist. When I saw my custom-fitted whitening trays for the first time, I was delighted by their size and feel. I already had custom whitening trays from my dentist. By comparison, these Smile Brilliant trays were less bulky and more flexible (sorry dentist!). My original box came with individually packaged syringes of 4 teeth whitening gels paired with 4 desensitizing gels for a total of 12 teeth whitening sessions. Whoa! At this point, I had two weeks to whiten before leaving for Capri, and then some to pack with me for the next two weeks on holiday. Each syringe containing teeth whitening gel and desensitizing gel could be used for 3 sessions by using 1/3 of its content for a single session. Depending on the sensitivity of my teeth after each session, I budgeted 2 syringes for 6 sessions of whitening before my trip and then 2 syringes for another 6 sessions while I was in Italy.
My first whitening session far exceeded my expectations, even after having higher hopes based on the beautiful packaging and fun experience of making my impressions. Smile Brilliant recommended that each whitening session be from 45 minutes up to 3 hours based on tolerance level. My first session lasted 2 hours! Unlike whitening at my dentist’s office where I sit uncomfortably idle in a dentist chair with a constant suctioning of my saliva (gross!), with my Smile Brilliant whitening trays, I was free to move around, do some work on my laptop, watch some Netflix in the background, check my emails, answer the phone with a slight yet unnoticeable lisp, and FaceTime with my mom and Matthew. Two hours went by so quickly, and I felt so productive and comfortable while whitening my teeth.
Once the whitening session finished, I then moved onto the desensitizing gel, which served to eliminate any teeth sensitivity caused by the whitening session and to prevent re-staining in the future. Just as I had 4 syringes of teeth whitening gel, I also had 4 syringes of desensitizing gel to pair after each whitening. My dentist had never provided desensitizing gel! (I love my dentist, but teeth whitening just got better.) I learned from Smile Brilliant that during the whitening process, the teeth can become dehydrated, reducing insulation and allowing the nerve to be more susceptible to temperature changes. Have you ever drunk something ice-cold and your teeth hurt a little? Desensitizing gel counteracts such issues by allowing your teeth the opportunity to re-hydrate. You all know that I’m obsessed with skincare, and where skincare is concerned, hydration is key. Discovering that our teeth also need hydration was enlightening. It was so innovative that Smile Brilliant had re-hydration after whitening available. Similar to the whitening gel, desensitizing gel was incredibly easy to use. I just popped open a syringe, applied 1/3 of its content into my trays, and inserted the trays into my mouth for 15 minutes. Done!
Step 4: Smile Bright
While I had ambitiously planned to whiten my teeth three times a week for 4 weeks to complete my 12 sessions, I actually averaged whitening sessions twice weekly over 6 weeks, and couldn’t be more happy with the results. See below! I was so satisfied from the first time I had whitened and desensitized my teeth that the urgency I felt to brighten my smile at the start of this process gradually wore off after each Smile Brilliant whitening session, so that I eventually whitened my teeth at a leisurely pace that was personal to my needs and circumstance, whether at home or in a hotel room. My goal was to arrive in Capri with a radiant smile and sparkly teeth, and it was completely accomplished within just two weeks of whitening! While in Capri, I enjoyed an aperitivo every evening, drank prosecco and nero d’avola (red wine!!), ate amazing spaghetti pomodoro e basilico (red sauce!!) almost at every meal, and was unabashed to smile and shoot content for IG. I took my Smile Brilliant teeth whitening kit with me to Capri, and I never had a chance to let my teeth grow dull.
BEFORE AFTER 6 Weeks
Having discovered Smile Brilliant, which made whitening my teeth approachable, effective, affordable, and convenient for when at home or while travelling, I can enjoy a brighter and brighter smile every day!
Teethcare is just as important as Skincare! Hydration is key for both Skincare and Teethcare!
For your very own Smile Brilliant, enter to win a free teeth whitening system from start to finish by clicking the below giveaway link or use 15% discount code store wide: bonnybunson15!
Giveaway link: www.smilebrilliant.com/g/bonnybunson
15% off store wide code: bonnybunson15
Post sponsored by Smile Brilliant. Teeth Whitening System gifted.
