Smiling Celebrities Have Worn Them---Would You Invisalign?

Is it just us, or have you, too, noticed a lot of adults suddenly getting 'invisible' braces?!

Most of the time, you can't even see the braces, and that's the beauty of Invisalign. Many smiling celebrities have hit the red carpet wearing these clear plastic aligners to straighten their pearly whites---people like: Katherine Heigl, Justin Beiber, Elin Woods, Zac Efron, and Tom Cruise.

The plastic braces are worn 24/7, except at mealtimes. Full treatment takes about 1 year, with office visits every 6 weeks or so.

The cost of Invisalign kind of blew us away-----From $3,500 - $8,000. Wow! We were not expecting such a steep price. Then again, we've had root canals that resulted in a couple of thousand dollars each, when all was said and done. Yeah, dental work isn't cheap.

So, metal braces versus clear, plastic ones. Look at the photo depicting both. It's a no-brainer, cosmetically-speaking. Who wouldn't want an almost invisible dental makeover?

Would you Invisalign? And is this clear plastic system just as effective as wearing a set of unattractive, old-fashioned metal braces?

From the results we've seen of relatives and friends wearing Invisalign, this is a brilliant concept. Their teeth look amazing. But Invisalign does have its critics. Read on from Boston orthodontist Mouhab Rizkallah, DDS:

1. Invisalign cannot predictably control any changes in back tooth bite relationships. In fact, it can really cause back tooth bite problems if you try to move the back teeth and fall short of your goals. Braces can control back tooth bite relationships readily.

2. Invisalign cannot predictably rotate cylindrical teeth (such as canines and premolars) because it lacks predictable "friction grip", but invisalign can readily rotate angular teeth, such as incisors, because this does not require grip....it only requires point force at a distance away from the center of the tooth. Example: USING 1 finger from EACH hand, try to turn a drinking glass that is cylindrical versus one that has 4 sides. With the cylindrical glass, you will need to try to squeeze your fingers toward each other (producing friction grip) to rotate the cylindrical glass. With the 4 sided glass, you only need to apply forces in opposite directions at the square corners of the glass....no friction grip needed. That is why Invisalign cannot rotate cylindrical objects predictably. Braces, on the other hand, are glued to teeth, and therefore have absolute friction, and can thereby rotate any tooth. Voila!

3. Invisalign cannot predictably accomplish uprighting root movements: I don't know how to effectively communicate that in text. It would require a picture. Braces accomplish this readily.

4. Invisalign cannot predictably accomplish vertical movements, as the aligner is designed to release in the vertical plane of space. Braces accomplish this readily.

Bottom Line: I love invisalign for patients that do not need Bite correction, rotation of cylindrical teeth, root uprighting, or vertical tooth movements.

Well, we would still LOVE to Invisalign for absolutely perfectly straight teeth. We would do it, if our smile doesn't require all that other stuff.
How about you?

All Thumbs Applying Foundation? Try Romi Beauty Gadget For Perfection

In our humble opinion, foundation or base is a daily makeup essential. It evens out skin tone, hides minor imperfections, protects the skin, and lets you look alive.


But applying foundation seamlessly is a challenge for most of us. We use our fingers to first blend our liquid base onto our face. Then we quickly use a makeup sponge to 'pat it in.'

Perfect?

Certainly not, but, we do the best we can.

Now there's Digital Foundation by Roma Beauty ($109.95, at haantherapeutics).

The cute, little battery-operated beauty gadget helps you master the art of the seamless foundation finish by imitating the stippling technique of quick, short pats that makeup artists use to achieve that flawless appearance.

Romi Beauty Digital Foundation features a vibrating sponge pad that dispenses foundation at a stippling rate of 5,000 times per minute. You don't have to use your fingers or a brush or a sponge to blend it in. The beauty machine does all the work, and quite beautifully.

You can select from 1 of 3 foundation shades to get that airbrushed finish.

Spending more than $100 for a beauty gadget might sound a bit silly, but the Romi Beauty device is a well-made makeup aid that saves you time and money in the long run.

Mama Mariah: Marvelous May Cover Of Shape 1 Year After Twins

It's almost ALL about the food you choose, so says Mariah Carey.

Check out the May cover of Shape magazine!

The mom-of-twins just 1-year later, is showing off a FLAT tummy that she credits with a structured eating plan.

"I used to be able to slim down just by exercising more, but that’s changed. Since having the babies, I realize that 90 percent of losing weight is my diet,".

And the 43-year-old singing sensation had shed 30 lbs. on the Jenny Craig plan in 3 months. It appears that Mama Mariah has maintained her svelteness and is still going strong 365 days later.

We would have to agree, that it's mainly about the diet, but let's not dismiss old-fashioned exercise. You NEED to get the body moving to tone up and burn calories.

So, the critics are already screaming, "Photoshop," about the Mariah May Shape cover. Big deal---aren't most, if not ALL people featured on magazine covers airbrushed to some degree?!

We think the superstar looks pretty darn amazing after giving birth to a set of twins.

And if you're looking for a flat tummy like Mariah's, here's a super exercise from Andie Hecker, the New York ballerina turned Hollywood trainer:

"This is the BEST way to work your abs without putting stress on your lower back," says Andie.

Lie down flat on your back with one leg resting on the floor and the other crossed over it. Lift the top leg to 90 degrees and slowly lower it. Repeat 40 times, alternating legs."

Repeat 40 times? Are you crazy?

That's a killer exercise, but like we have learned, nothing good comes easy.

Visit balletbodies for more information.

Hey, Sunscreen Brand Snob: Walgreens Scores High On Safe Tanning

According to one survey we found:

31% of Americans NEVER use sunscreen.

Actually, we don't find those statistics unbelievable. Yesterday, our temps reached an unusual for April high of 91 degrees. That had folks running to the beaches. You couldn't get a parking spot.

And lots of those sun-seekers DON'T slap on the sunscreen.

But for those of you intelligent tanners who DO wear sunscreen, do you really want to spend $30 for an expensive brand that claims to do this and that without getting a sunburn?

How do you know your small, pricey tube of sun protection is really protecting you?

Think Walgreens. That's right. The drugstore chain sells effective sunscreens under the Walgreens label, and are rated highly by ConsumerReports.org and EnvironmentalWorkingGroup.org.

Plus---Walgreens sunscreens WON'T bust your budget!

When Consumer Reports has conducted sunscreen testing, all of them come back effective for UVB protection, but products vary widely in the amount of UVA protection they provide. The following ingredients need to be present in a sunscreen for it to provide adequate UVA protection: avobenzone, mexoryl, zinc oxide, or combo of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Walgreens sunscreen lotions contains avobenzone. Most of the snob brand sunscreens don't contain any of those on the list.

Walgreens Sport Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 50 ($7.79). Recommended by Consumer Reports.

What's even nicer----Walgreens is selling their sunscreen brand at a super deal----Buy 1 Get 1 50% Off!

Restylane To The Rescue For Sagging Damaged Earlobe

This morning on GMA there was a segment on earlobe repair and how plastic surgeons can restore a sagging, damaged earlobe.

Maybe some of you have been there. We have. Twice now---we've had our pierced earlobes 'surgically repaired.' On both occasions, the pierced holes had become long and split right down the earlobe. Not attractive.

Before the earlobe splits, however, you CAN do something to fix the cosmetic situation. Look at the photos. You can see the vertical tearing to the lobe in the BEFORE photo. And then the normal-sized pierced hole in the AFTER shot.

Instead of costly and time-consuming surgery, a dermatologist or plastic surgeon can quickly plump up your earlobes with a couple of shots of Restylane---the same popular injectable used to add volume to sagging facial features.

Wearing heavy, long earrings can often lead to sagging, torn earlobes. And when we age, our earlobes do, too, because they do not have the firm tissue found on other parts of the body. So, even creases can form on the earlobes with time. That's why a filler like Restylane can add a fullness to the lobe so that earrings sit high and pretty, instead of drooping downward.

Allan E. Wulc, a suburban Philadelphia plastic surgeon, appears to be the first cosmetic expert to have invented earlobe restoration by Restalyne. He's been injecting lobes with the dermal filler since 2006. And his careful injections do not disrupt the pierced hole. In fact, the vertical elongation of a pierced ear can be improved.

"I do think we will get results up to a year, but would hope that it would be longer," says Dr. Wulc."In general, I add Restylane everywhere I feel it is needed in the face. The earlobes are injected at the end of the procedure, when most of the other areas have been rejuvenated. In general, we send patients home immediately after the injection with their earrings on. We clean them first and place antibiotic ointment on the earlobe.".

Before you submit to earlobe surgery, ask around for a doctor who is familiar with earlobe restoration by Restylane. It's quick and painless. NO downtime. We wish we had known about it BEFORE our lobes had split down the middle.

Selena Gomez' Favorite Sheer Chanel Lipstick Shade

Selena Gomez is a teen superstar. At age 19, she knows a thing or two about looking great, and not just for the red carpet.

Selena has a crew of makeup, hair and fashion stylists always ready to glam her up for public appearances, but the young celebrity has also strong opinions about what cosmetics make her most beautiful.

She tells the May issue of Teen Vogue that her go-to lipstick is none other than Chanel Rouge Coco Shine ($32.50, at Chanel.com. Selena's fave shade is Rebelle, a nice, coral color.

Don't let the super bright Rebelle hue fool you. It glides on sheerly and looks pretty against most skin tones.

Selena Gomez has quite a sophisticated makeup eye at just 19. That does not mean she doesn't also wear cheaper cosmetics. It would appear that being in Hollywood for a number of years now, has made the teen mogul a polished star with good taste.

Goody Heat Wave Creator For Easy Breezy Beach Hair

Talk about a hot rod!

If you're looking to create that Gisele Bundchen easy breezy beach hair, then you've got to arm yourself with this little styling gadget by Goody---the Heat Wave Creator ($29.99, at Target).

It's a curling rod with a most unique twist featuring a barrel with a wavy shape. You can achieve that sexy bed-head look in just a few minutes, without having to fight with your hair like you do, forcing strands to wrap around standard curling irons or spinning irons.

The Goody Heat Wave Creator makes it simple. Just take some strands and wrap them around the 'bumpy' barrel and clamp them in. The wavy-shaped rod ensures that some pieces will be more tightly wound and others more loosely held. Together, you create that trendy Mermaid beach hair tons of celebrities show off. Plus, this hairstyling tool has a 30-second heat-up and 10 heat settings to play around with.

The Target customer reviews gave the Goody hair gadget some very high marks---4.5 stars out of 5! And women say the Heat Wave Creator gives long-lasting waves. The only problem is getting used to the clamp and the method of wrapping the hair. Other than working out those little kinks, this is a MUST buy.