Bought, Braved: Brazilian Wax

What: Brazilian Wax

Where: 10spot Beauty Bar

Price: About $60 total, with a nice tip

I've actually had three Brazilians, and from now on will be going about once a month. I like it! I feel a lot fresher and sexier.

It does hurt, but suprisingly the most painful part is the bikini line and the upper area. The - um - more intimate parts hurt quite a bit less. This may be due to the fact that 10spot uses regular wax (with cloth strips) on the bikini line, while they use hard wax on the other areas.

It's best to go to a place that has good reviews and can make you comfortable. 10spot plays episodes of Will and Grace or Arrested Development in the waxing rooms, and the aestheticians are all very sweet and professional. I wouldn't recommend you go to a salon where you can't speak the same language as the person pulling off the wax strips. This isn't like a manicure - you need to be comfortable and not tense, or else the whole process will be more painful.

The positioning is a bit weird. You'll be spread-eagle, one leg up, on your knees, on your side, etc. But it's necessary and yields the best results.

And I do it without drinking half a bottle of Riesling or taking a few Advil, so really, it isn't so bad.

The results are amazing. And if you've never done it before, the man in your life will completely lose his shit when he sees it.

While it does start to grow back about 10 days later, it will grow in less thick and eventually, your waxes will only take a few minutes.

Tip: When the aesthetician hands you a mirror and asks you to check if you're happy with it, don't be shy. Stand up and check it out - ALL of it.

Bought: Garnier Synergie Pure SOS Anti-Blemish Pen

As discussed, I am hosting some pretty nasty blemishes right now. They are angry, specifically angry at the skin just between and above my eyebrows. Now, I don't know what that skin did to these zits to make them so upset, but now they have some beef with my temples, too.

WHO GETS ZITS THERE? Someone smart is going to respond and say: Stop wearing your hair down, or use less product. Yeah, no. My hair is barely cracking "styled" right now and I can't cut back on product. Just can't.

So I bought this.

What: Garnier Synergie Pure SOS Anti-Blemish Pen

Where: Pharma Plus/Rexall

Price: $5.00

It was on sale at Rexall, the gross pharamacy with cheaper prices. I am all for avoiding the crazed Shopper's Drug Mart mark-up, but only if you what you buy at Rexall is sealed.

And so far? I applied it about 6 times last night and I would say there is about a 50% improvement. It feels cool going on and smells nice. But, it does make your skin rather sticky and leaves these...well...shiny-looking spots. Like something dried on your face, which this did.

I'm not sure if it's all that much better than toothpaste, to be honest.

Update, 1 week later:

Worked OK. I would give it a 7/10 for effectiveness. It is better than doing nothing, and has kept my problem areas clear. But the stickiness...that really got to me. My hair stuck to my face, my pillow stuck to my face. Annoying.

Bought: Crest Vivid White Night Toothpaste

What: Crest Vivid White Night Striped Toothpaste, Revitalizing Mint

Price: $3.99 (sale!), regular $5.49

Where: Shoppers Drug Mart

I have a bad habit of swishing my coffee, which leaves my teeth looking gross. I also decided to be European and smoke while I was living there last year, and that did enough damage to still be visible a year later. My boyfriend also mentioned a few weeks ago that he was going to get some teeth whitening done and told me "maybe you should, too." Ouch.

Instead of forking over ~$50 for Whitestrips and the like, I decided to use Crest's Vivid White Night toothpaste. It was on sale, and apparently the increased sensitivity caused by the toothpaste is much less than Whitestrips would cause. Also, I be cheap.

I'll update after two weeks, when I should be seeing some results. Other reviews were all glowing, except this guy:

"Don't be fooled into thinking that this toothpaste works-

it doesn't do anything but make your breath rancid."

I've been looking for a way to ensure rancid breath all through my day.

Update, 2 weeks later:

Crest Vivid White Night Striped Toothpaste: I'm pretty impressed! 8.5/10. My teeth are noticeably whiter, it tastes nice and refreshing. I would say this is worth it even if it isn't on sale.