Let's look at some pretty and completely random green things, shall we?
Because It’s St. Patrick’s Day…
Lifestyle
Wobble Wobble
Let me preface this by saying that I am not one of those people who is unfailingly stiff-upper-lip-y and stoic in the face of challenges, physical or otherwise. If I twist my ankle, I am more than happy to sit down and let you bring me some ice while I watch back-to-back episodes of My So-Called Life. If I'm trying to carry a heavy tote bag that's making me miserable and I am in the presence of a large and/or strong person who is willing to do the job for me, that is wonderful. If I am pregnant and you want to bring me tea while I do an impression of an amoeba: great.
That said, it is very strange feeling to all of a sudden - like, overnight - have my body decide that it is no longer interested in doing certain things that I would reasonably expect it to be able to do. I'm not talking about dead-lifting two-hundred-pound cabinets and running marathons; I'm talking about walking what I consider "normal" distances while carrying what I consider "normal" amounts of things.
I've talked before about how different this pregnancy is from my first, mostly because I honestly keep forgetting that I am. Pregnant. There are a few minutes every evening when I'm quiet and still and lay in bed and feel my daughter kick and think about who she will be, but during the daylight hours there's way too much going on to spend a ton of time reveling in any Miracles Of Life. This is pretty normal, I think.
OK, I’m Officially Fascinated: Oil Pulling
Stunning, I know.
Let me start by saying that I don't really "do" health-type fads, and certainly not cleanses and/or detoxes, for reasons that I've documented extensively here. But I was seeing this "oil pulling" thing everywhere, and finally I had to try it: it sounded so cool, and so satisfying (you can actually see the toxins?!) and didn't involve not eating, and the benefits that people were saying it had for your body were so tempting that I broke. I just kind of love the idea that something so simple and natural (and cheap!) could have such a hugely beneficial effect, and I also love that it's totally natural and non-invasive and (according to all the research that I found; see below) ok for people who can't or don't use more traditional medications for whatever reason.
Because here's the thing: I feel like crap lately. In the first trimester, whenever anyone asked me how I was feeling my response was, "Ehhh, you know", because I was nauseous and tired and all the things you're "supposed" to be, so I felt justified in a little complaining. But now it's the second trimester, and I'm getting bored of my own whining, and so now when people ask me how I'm feeling I say "great!"
Links & Love & Stuff
True, and an excellent thing to remember when big (and potentially scary) changes are on the horizon.
Jessica Lange was named the new face of Marc Jacobs Beauty. I LOVE this.
These nude pumps are PERFECT.
Oh, Brilliant!
I have had my teeth professionally whitened three times in my life. The first time was ten years ago: I splurged on a treatment at a really, really expensive chain, and the results were…pretty good, from what I can remember, although I also remember wishing they had lasted longer given how much I spent. The second time, I got custom trays from my dentist. It cost a fortune, I thought I was going to choke on the cement-y compound that he filled my mouth with to make a mold (seriously, it was claustrophobic and terrifying and horrible), and I hated wearing the trays once they were completed (I don’t think I even finished the treatment). The third time I went to a kind of budget whitening place, and the results weren’t especially dramatic; even though I hadn’t spent that much, I kind of felt like I’d wasted my money.
For tooth-whitening, I really, really prefer at-home solutions. They’re way more affordable, they’re easier (and probably don’t involve contraptions that make you panic), and they produce results that – in my experience – are just as good as what you get at a professional salon.
For the past few weeks I’ve been using the Crest 3D White Brilliance Collection, which is comprised of a toothpaste featuring an illuminating complex and a whitening boost (you can see the video I shot for Walmart featuring the product above), and so far: excellent. I especially like the boost: you brush it on similarly to toothpaste, and the little micro-granules in it polish away surface stains caused by things like coffee, tea, wine and smoking. I love how fast and easy it is to use (no wandering around with things stuck to your teeth), and I love how immediate the results are. Seriously, the first time I used it my teeth felt so clean and sparkly they felt like they were squeaking.
