Tuesday, September 18, 2012

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!

A Post Where I Say I'm Sorry, and You Forgive Me! ;)

So, I have this awesome thing...it's called a life and a job. I think you have one too, and if you don't, it's probably because of our horrible economy. But, seeing as how I can't control that, all I have to say is...I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT POSTING! Over the weekend I wasn't feeling well, and yesterday and today have just been stressful with my job (I take care of my grandma..it's basically like taking care of a big, talking, newborn baby). All that to say is, I'm back on my feet and ready to start posting for you! I have several cool things in the works for this week! Eye liners for Fall, Autumn fashion, and how to make your own scarf! Plus, "What Were You Thinking?" Wednesday's are back! YAY! So look for my new post tomorrow on my final thoughts on my teeth whitening, and "What Were You Thinking?". 

I hope you all have been having much less stressful weeks than I have, and that you're enjoying your September! Also, a shout out to my sweet and cuddly Knox! Happy Birthday Knoxy!! Auntie loves you so much and can't wait to see you soon! Have fun getting ice cream! 

Just to prove how cute he really is! Knox is on the right, my oldest nephew, Owen is on the left (He's pretty cute too!) 


~Brighton (Auntie) ;)

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Tutorial Time

Nailed It!

It's Fall! Which makes me really happy...no I mean REALLY happy! So happy, that I have to use bold and italics and underline and CAPS! 

Whenever this wonderful season comes around I for some reason become obsessed with nail and lipstick colors. Don't get me wrong, I love bright corals and fresh pinks, but there is just something about rich Burgundy's and warm browns that just tip me overboard! That being said, I have a nail tutorial that not only will get this hands pampered, but will also leave you ready for Fall! So light your Salt City Autumn Cottage candle, turn on New England Sunrise, grab your favorite hot tea or cider, and let's get cuddly! 


Things you'll need: 
Hand towel
Clippers
Nail file (optional: one for filing nails down and one to get rid of ridges)
Nail polish remover (if you have your nails already painted)
Cotton swabs and pads
Orange stick
Small bowl
Nail brush
Honey (It exfoliates off the dead skin)
Base coat
Top coat
Polish color of your choice (I prefer deeper and richer colors)
Nail oil
Lotion
Rubbing Alcohol 

Prep: Make sure all polish is off your nails and well taking off any jewelry that could get damaged by the remover. (I kept my rings on because I didn't use remover.)

Step 1) Trim nails with clippers 

Step 2) File nails. Popular shapes right now are square and pointed oval. I prefer to stick with the classic shape of square with rounded edges. Make sure you only go one direction will filing your nails. NEVER go backwards and forwards in a "sawing" motion. This will cause your nails to become fragile and more likely to tear.

Step 3) Put about 1 tsp of honey in the bowl and add warm water to dissolve the honey. Place hands in the honey and water mixture and let sit for 5-10 minutes. (This is wear I try and relax! Sit back and just enjoy not having to do anything while your hands are soaking.)

Step 4) Take your hands out of the water and pat them dry on a hand towel. Then, push your cuticles back/nip them off with clippers. Make sure and do this when your finger and nails are soft from the water. Clipping them dry could lead to torn and irritated skin. Then, pat them dry with the hand towel.
Step 5) This would be the time to put lotion on, nail oil, ect. 
Step 6)Take a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol and wipe each nail off (this is important if you want your nail polish to last long and keep from chipping) 
7) Paint a thin layer of base coat

8) Paint your nails with a thin layer of polish (don't ever glob your your nail polish on! It will lead to chipping, and it just ends up looking like your junior high babysitters did when you were five). Start at the base of your nail and go down the middle, and then two sides.

9)Wait fifteen seconds and paint a second thin layer of polish (some shades need three coats. Judge for yourself if you need another layer to make it opaque.)




10) Wait fifteen seconds and paint your nails with a fast drying top coat.


11) Immediately stick your hands in a ice water bath. It hurts really bad, but it's worth it! It will seal in your polish, make it last longer, and gets rid of extra polish around your fingers. You can also put Vaseline or Aquaphor around each nail, but this is too time consuming for me, and it just led to me getting it everywhere!
12) After about thirty seconds, remove your nails from the ice bath and let them air dry. 


And you're done! You can add nail oil every day and reply a top coat every other day for a manicure that should last about 5-10 days, depending on your nails. 


Tips: 
1) Drink water! It makes your hair, skin, and nails healthy! 
2) Take daily vitamins, this keeps your body healthy and strong.
3) Take 5,000-10,000 mcg (not to be confused with mg) of biotin a day. This promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails. Some have reported it makes you break out, but I have severe acne and haven't seen any negative changes or effects since taking it three months ago. 
4) Take Omega 3 pills or eat a lot of fish and eggs!

I hope this tutorial has inspired you, and helped you get into the Fall season! If it didn't, don't worry! I have a few other fun Fall posts planned that are sure to get you in the spirit! Don't forget to subscribe and let me know in the comments if there is anything you would like to see me review or give a tutorial on! 

~Brighton

Side Note: I do a lot of side note's huh? ;) Anyway, when I was doing this tutorial, I realized that some of you might be wondering what to do if you have Club Thumb. Well, I can help you out there, because yes, I have Club Thumb, on both of my hands. Club Thumb (pictured below) is a genetic disorder that happens when your thumbs are stunted and grow shorter and stubbier than the average thumb. Some refer to this as "Toe Thumb"...I despise when people call it that. Not only is it embarrassing, it's hurtful and mean. But back to how to shape that lovely square thumb! I find that a lot of people with Club Thumb try to over compensate and shape their nail rounded, but this actually makes your thumb look bulbous and sometimes even stubbier. Instead, shape it as naturally as you can. I keep it square, short, and with soft rounded edges. This seems to draw the least amount of attention to my thumb. I hope this little note helped you out, and remember, embrace your Club Thumb! God made it that way for a reason! :)

Chompers Challenge

Day 6

Only a day left! I don't see any real improvement since yesterday, but you be the judge! I'm keeping my post short today! So take a look at my progress pictures and then head over to my manicure tutorial! 

These close up pictures make me over critical of my smile...it's crooked...

 You should so see the rest of my face when I do this with my lips! 

Keep smiling!
~Brighton

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Chompers Challenge

Day 5

We're on the home stretch now. I did see a slight difference today in my teeth! My bottom teeth appeared whiter, and the yellow was getting lighter in certain areas near the back of my mouth. I'm happy to finally see some change! Here's hoping the next two days I see even more improvement! 


Anyone getting tired of my mouth? :)

 I really see improvement in the front and sides of my bottom teeth


Side Note: I will be posting more than once! So look for my manicure tutorial tomorrow along with the Chompers Challenge update! 

~Brighton

Monday, September 10, 2012

Chompers Challenge

Days 3 and 4

Okay, so as of today (day 4), I'm still not seeing much of a difference in my teeth. I can tell that in the very front of my bottom teeth, they are a bit whiter, but overall my teeth just seem..cleaner. Which is great! I'm satisfied that my mouth seems healthier and my plaque is gone. I guess only time will tell if this does anymore for my teeth! 

Here are some more lovely pictures of my teeth..don't be fooled, these are different pictures from before! 



Anyone else notice my lips are uneven? Now it's driving me crazy! haha!


They do seem maybe a bit whiter...

Catch ya tomorrow for a new post! :)

~Brighton

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Read Me!

Sunday Announcement


As I sit in front of my computer, hot tea in hand, lounge clothes in full use, I begin my short post for the day. Realizing that Sunday's are usually a very nice day spent by going to church and then resting all day with my family, it became clear that the chances of me making a post here on Sunday's would be slim and none. That's why I have made the choice to make Sunday's a "no blog day". Whatever series I'm doing (ex. Chompers Challenge) will be updated the following Monday. I'm taking the time out this Sunday, just let you know that I haven't forgotten about my challenge, and that I'm still eager to tell you how the process is going! Further more, I have some really cool tutorials coming for Fall, along with some fun posts on fashion! 

So enjoy your Sunday! See you all back here tomorrow!

Side note: if there are any looks you'd like me to do, or beauty items you'd like me to review, please leave it in the comments below! Or email me! At beautybybrighton@gmail.com

~Brighton

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Chompers Challenge

Chompers Challenge 
DAY 2

As you know from my previous post two days ago (which you can visit here) I'm doing a teeth whitening experiment! Today is day 2! So far, I haven't seen much improvement...it's also only the second day so I didn't expect to wake up and exclaim as I posed in front of the mirror, "My teeth! They sparkle like diamond in sky!" Write a comment below if you know where my reference is from! :) I did however see improvement with plaque build up, and my teeth seemed brighter...if that makes sense. 


Here are some updated pictures of my teeth...I know.... don't be shocked at the AMAZING difference ;) 




I think the bottom might be a tad whiter

I also forgot to say that my lip balm is from Tokyo Milk Bon Bon Lip Balm in Sweet Cream...this stuff is amazing...my lips feel so silky after I use it! 

Stay tuned tomorrow for Day 3! 

~Brighton

Friday, September 7, 2012

I Went To The Circus!

Guest Post! 

A dear friend, and experience blogger asked me to guest post on her blog for tips on date night beauty! It was so much fun working for her, and I had a great time putting the looks together! Be sure to go over and check out her fun blog about family, food, and fun! It's really an awesome blog, and she is an awesome person! So, go over there now! :) Just click here or here! And make sure to read my post, comment, and follow her! 

~Brighton

Thursday, September 6, 2012


Chompers Challenge

White teeth are something that most women and men alike desire. They make a person more attractive, approachable, and friendly. A smile can either light up a room, or make people cringe. Everyone wants white, healthy teeth! But in an economy like ours, it's hard to find the money for whitening products that can set you back as much as $200 or more! So, I decided to research and put effort into finding cheap, but effective ways to whiten teeth. After about a month of research, I decided on the one I thought to be most effective. Hydrogen Peroxide. Not only does this stuff clean bacteria out of your mouth (fresher breath!), it also cleans wounds, and reportedly whitens teeth! And for only a few bucks for a lot of product, you'll possibly have whiter teeth, better breath, clean boo boo's, and a happy wallet! 


The program I'm going to be doing (which seems the most effective in my opinion) involves dipping a Q-Tip into a cap full of Peroxide, rubbing said Q-Tip onto your teeth, letting it sit for thirty seconds and then brushing your teeth with regular toothpaste. Do this morning and night for one week and then every few days after that. I'll be blogging every day with updated photos of my teeth and how I think it's working. I will take my pictures in the same room, around the same time of day (for lighting purposes), and will wear the same lip balm. 

DISCLAIMER: On my camera my top teeth don't seem very stained. Although they aren't terrible, they aren't as white as I'd like them to be. However, my bottom teeth are all together yellow, and I'm hoping I'll see the most improvement on them. 

Get ready for silly pictures of my teeth in 3....2....1

You can barely see my teeth when I smile so on to the silly picture...



Also, some of you might ask, so I'll just tell you. I use a Crest Spinbrush and Plus White Xtra Whitening toothpaste, and floss with the little floss picks from Crest. Links are down below. Just click on the picture and it will take you directly to the Amazon product! Side note: the best price I have found for the toothpaste and the tooth brush is Amazon. The toothbrush is usually $8 and the toothpaste $4.

Spinbrush



Toothpaste



Hydrogen Peroxide


Check back Saturday for an update and new post! 
~Brighton