It’s nearing the end of the year and that means holidays! Holidays can either be planned or spontaneous, either way, they’re something we always look forward to. Some people prefer to stay where they currently are while others love to travel to various places. For those jetsetters, here’s what the web says are the top 10 countries you should visit for the year 2017.

1. Canada Canada has some of the world’s most amazing natural wonders such as mountains, glaciers, lakes, and forests. Some popular tourist attractions are Canadian Rocky Mountains, Dinosaur Provincial Park, and Niagara Falls. It is also a very multicultural country with clean and safe cities, allowing it to be named one of the most liveable countries in the world.

2. France

Two things come to mind when I think of France: fashion and food. But of course, France has so much more to offer. The villages and castles in France are some of the most beautiful, with most still retaining their historic architecture. It also has a mix of both beautiful big cities (Paris!) and quiet countryside.

3. England

England has got some of the most beautiful gardens, namely the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Buckingham Palace Gardens, and the Kensington Palace Gardens. England is also home to many historical landmarks, such as Hadrian’s Wall, which allows visitors to see a piece of England’s history and culture firsthand.

4. Spain

Several architects and artists were born in Spain (Salvador Dali, Antoni Gaudi, Francisco Goya), leaving behind beautiful buildings and artworks which can be viewed in the various museums around Spain. Spain is also famous for their festivals that happen throughout the year. Each one filled with colour, energy and crazy!

5. Denmark

Denmark boasts food, design and culture. Denmark gives visitors the proper taste of local culture through their food which can be tasted in their restaurants or in the street. They’ve also risen on the fashion radar with many of their designs being seen on the catwalk as well as in elegant vintage stores. And, like Canada, Denmark is also named one of the most liveable countries in the world.

6. Portugal

Portugal has some of the most stunning rock formations and volcanic caves along its sands, providing history and culture to its visitors. Like Spain, Portugal boasts its festivals as well as its people. Their festivals allow the community to come together and celebrate their roots.

7. South Africa

When I think of South Africa, I think wildlife and the outdoors. If you love wildlife and animals, then South Africa is the place to go. South Africa offers various safaris that visitors can go on to explore the animals, ranging from the anteater to the leopard, habituated in South Africa. Aside from the safaris, South Africa also has plenty of other outdoor activities for those adventurous types, such as hiking, paragliding, horse-riding and more!

8. Chile

Chile has one of the biggest variety of landscapes to offer, ranging from volcanoes, deserts, glaciers and vineyards. A popular activity to do in Chile is visit their many vineyards and go on biking wine tours where visitors get to indulge in wine tastings and stay at the villas in the vineyards. There is also of course, the famous Easter Island where the Moai statues are situated.

9. Peru

Peru is a country rich in culture and history. The mysterious Machu Pichu can be found within the ancient Inca ruins which you can hike to on their Inca trail. Peru is also well-known for their renowned handicrafts. Their textiles, wood carvings, paintings and more depict Peruvian history in the most intricate ways. But, above their history, Peru also has some of the best surfing spots that can’t be missed.

10. Thailand

I’m pretty sure almost everyone has experienced eating Thai food, but I think we can all agree that it’s always a different feeling eating it in the actual country. I would especially love to try their genuine street food. Aside from food, Thailand is one of the best places to do water activities as they offer stunning beaches, scuba diving, snorkelling and hidden waterfalls. It is also said to be a reasonably affordable place, so your money can go a long way!

There’s the web’s top 10. Which country are you looking forward to visiting?

But before you do, wouldn’t you love a nice bright smile to go with the millions of pictures you’re going to take?

Come on into our Parramatta salon or make a booking with us and get a whiter and brighter smile! We’re located walking distance from the station and Westfield Parramatta, (inside Fitness First) open 7 days a week, and we take after work bookings.

Men this one’s for you. I think by now it’s been established that women can be quite high maintenance when it comes to pampering themselves, so why can’t men be the same?

Look around and you’ll see dozens of services dedicated to the pampering and self-care of oneself. Services ranging from mani/pedis, hairdressers, facials, etc. A lot of these services are targeted at women, but hello! It’s 2017, men need some pampering too. Men need not be shy if some days they feel like they need a facial, a mani/pedi (maybe even just a mani), or a teeth whitening session.

It’s equal, but majority of our clients have been women. Smile Labs Parramatta provides a service to make both men and women feel comfortable. Teeth whitening may not be considered a necessity, but it’s a pretty handy service to have around, especially if there’s a special occasion coming up or you just feel like it. We’ve had various reasons from our clients ranging from weddings/birthdays coming up to wanting to treat themselves because they quit smoking.

Below are some services that are mainly targeted at women, but men can enjoy them too. Stereotype, schmereotype.

Facials

Everyone needs a good facial every now and then. Why? Because they’re actually healthy for us. Facials can improve blood circulation as well as get rid of dead skin cells. We don’t want dead skin cells on our face because they can clog our pores which can cause acne and other blemishes. Along with irritation caused by a shaving routine, men have coarser skin than women and have larger pores. Facials can target specific skin concerns that regular soap and water won’t fix. So, guys, take the image of white robes, face masks and cucumbers on your eyes out of your head, because that’s not what facials are all about…at least not entirely.

Laser Hair Removal

We started with shaving, moved on to waxing, now laser hair removal. Hair, it can be such a hassle! Like with facials, the clientele for laser hair removal initially started with women as they tend to have more concerns regarding this issue (face, underarms, legs, bikini etc). However, men also have concerns when it comes to hair, most commonly the chest and back area. I don’t know about you guys, but you’d have to be flexible to be able to shave your back, and I think we can agree that waxing is just painful, so with advancing technologies, laser hair removal is your next best bet. It’s a simple, easy treatment that will save you money on grooming in the long run.

Mani/Pedi

For a long time (even now), mani/pedis are a woman’s pamper favourite. Us girls love getting our nails done, sometimes because there’s a special occasion, but most of the time because it gives us some ‘me-time’…or we’re just not bothered to do it ourselves. Men can enjoy this too. Guys, there are actual benefits to getting a manicure! Mani/pedis will improve blood flow and shape your nails and treat your cuticles. This will lead to strong and healthy nails. Why do you need this, you ask? Because treated cuticles mean less chances of developing fungi and other infections. Treat those hands and feet, they deserve it!

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening only became popular in the last couple years. Dentists started offering it, but then independent salons started popping up for a fraction of the cost. Eventually home kits became available as well. Teeth whitening isn’t really something you think about until it’s mentioned, and then you’re like “Wow, maybe I should get my teeth whitened”. Now, it’s becoming one of those services that you include when preparing for a special occasion. Other times, it’s because you just want whiter teeth. Compared to facials and mani/pedis, teeth whitening is low key, but we still get some reluctance from the guys that walk past our store. There’s nothing invasive about our treatment and it will last you about 4-6 months, so you don’t have to do it that often (or you can do it as often as you like, it doesn’t harm your teeth anyway). You can get it done alone or with a mate, either way, you get a whiter and brighter smile.

The time has come for men to enjoy the same pampering services offered to women. It could even be a thing you do as a couple, or you could just be a bachelor who likes to look and feel his best.

Either way, come on into our Parramatta salon or make a booking with us and get a whiter and brighter smile! We’re located walking distance from the station and Westfield Parramatta, (inside Fitness First) open 7 days a week, and we take after work bookings.

It’s your turn guys!

After every teeth whitening treatment, no matter how long or short, we always advise clients to stay away from certain food and drinks for the first 24 hours. We advise this because after treatment, the pores in our teeth are still open so they are more susceptible to stains. The next question we get always immediately after saying this is: ‘What can I eat?’ Our answer: ‘White food and drinks, or pretty much anything that won’t stain a white shirt.’ This being self-explanatory, we still like to give some examples as to what white food and drink is okay, as some clients are still a bit unsure.

Here is a general list of what you can and can’t eat/drink after teeth whitening treatment.

Yes

ChickenFishFoods with white saucesMilkPasta with white sauce basePotatoesRiceWaterWhite wine (for the cheeky ones)

No

CoffeeColoured juicesFoods with red saucesFoods with soy sauce baseRed meatRed wineSodaTeaSmoking – This you can’t eat or drink, but still a no-no

This list is basic, but covers most of what people would normally eat. This may seem like a lot to avoid after getting your teeth whitened, but if you think about it, it’s only for the first 24 hours anyway (plus it’s not like you’re going to have all this in one day, right?).

So, don’t fret and come on into our Parramatta salon or make a booking with us and get a whiter and brighter smile! We’re located walking distance from the station and Westfield Parramatta, (inside Fitness First) open 7 days a week, and we take after work bookings.

Selfies as defined in the Urban Dictionary as a style of photography where the photographer’s own face is included in the photograph and held by the photographer.

1. Lighting

Having a solid light source is an essential part of taking any kind of photograph, and selfies are no different. If you try to take a selfie in a dimly-lit room or one with harsh fluorescent lighting, it won't turn out the way you want it to. Natural light is the most flattering kind, so try to take your selfie near a window or outdoors.

2. Know Your Face

Whether it’s angling your camera to one side of your face over the other, duckface pout, extending your neck to hide double chin, or holding the camera a bit higher than face level. Practice and know what position flatters your face the most.

3. Edit, Crop + Filter

Image is not 100% but you want to post it online anyways? All the social platforms have edit functionality and filters – use it. There was bad lighting, change the shadows. You want your face to sit in the middle of the shot, adjust the rotation. Play around with features, download photo editing apps, the options and results are limitless.

4. Get a Selfie Stick

It seems weird to use a selfie stick at first, but there's a reason you see them all over the place–they make the photos look really good! It captures more of you, the background you’re trying to take a photo of and gets rid of the ‘extended arm in the photo’ look.

5. Have Fun With It

Don’t forget to smile, show some expression, grab some props or some people whatever it may be, don’t take yourself too seriously. A great selfie is usually one that’s spontaneous and fun.

With the increase of “selfies” taken it’s no wonder people have become more conscious of how they look in their selfies, particularly their smiles. Who doesn’t want a whiter smile? Take a selfie today for National Selfie Day and see if your smile could do with a little help. If it does why not come into our Parramatta salon and we can give you a brighter smile in just 1 hour. We’re located walking distance from the station and Westfield Parramatta, (inside Fitness First) open 7 days a week, and we take after work bookings. To book click here.

Lipstick has been around for a very long time, you could say it’s a daily essential. It’s only these past couple years that it’s been noticed that certain shades of lipstick help make your teeth look whiter. Sometimes we can’t always afford to get our teeth whitened when we want, so knowing what shades of lipstick to use can be a handy little trick. In this post, we will look at what shades to use and what shades to stay away from.

Pink

Pink is generally a safe colour for those who don’t really like bold-coloured lipsticks. However, there are certain pinks that you should stick to and some you should avoid. You should lean more towards berry pinks than those that are yellow/orange based. Berry pinks help teeth appear slightly whiter while yellow/orange based pinks tend to accentuate the yellow colour in teeth.

Red

Red is the lipstick colour that provides the greatest whitening effect. Most red lipsticks are blue-based which benefits the appearance of your teeth as deep colours reflect off your smile boosting the brightness and whiteness of your teeth. Like pink lipstick, you should stay away from orange-y reds or yellow/orange based.

Nude

Nude coloured lipstick is another safe choice; however, you should try pick pink nudes rather than brown nudes as brown makes your teeth appear slightly more yellow.

Dark

Darker shades of lipstick will generally make your teeth appear slightly yellower, especially if they are brown-hued. It is better to choose dark lipsticks that are either blue-based or berry-hued as like red lipsticks, they reflect off your smile and help your teeth appear whiter. Brown-hued lipsticks highlight the yellow tones in your teeth therefore not being a good colour choice.

Going through these main lipstick colours, you may notice a similarity in all of them: Choose blue-based, avoid yellow/orange based. Would you believe the explanation for this goes back to art? I don’t know if you remember learning about the colour wheel, but that is how we can determine which shades of lipstick to use and which ones to avoid.

Blue and orange sit across from each other on the colour wheel. Blue tends to cancel out orange/yellow tones when they are put together, vice versa. So, blue-based lipsticks will cancel out the yellow undertones in the teeth, hence making them appear whiter. Yellow/orange based lipsticks will cancel out the blue, thus removing the contrast and instead bring out the unwanted yellow appearance in teeth.

Who would’ve thought that certain lipsticks help the appearance of teeth?

Still, it wouldn’t hurt if your teeth were already a little whiter. Come on into our Parramatta salon or make a booking with us and get a whiter and brighter smile! We’re located walking distance from the station and Westfield Parramatta, (inside Fitness First) open 7 days a week, and we take after work bookings.

Have you thought about getting your teeth whitened and wondered if it was for you? Of course everyone who still rocks their own teeth could do with a bit of brightening, but there are particular candidates we think are ideal for getting the treatment.

1. Coffee, Tea, Soda and Wine Drinkers

Think about it if you’re drinking a cup of coffee or tea at least once a day 5-7 days a week, your regular consumption of these teeth stain liquids start to impact your smile. Our teeth is not flat or smooth, the enamel contains microscopic pits and ridges that can get particles of food and drinks stuck in it. Pigments from dark-coloured drinks such as coffee, tea, soda and wine can become embedded in those cracks and ridges and, if the proper steps are not taken, can cause permanent, yellowing stains on your teeth.

2. Past and Present Smokers

Even if you don’t smoke any more your teeth probably still shows signs of your previous lifestyle. One of the effects of smoking is staining on the teeth due to the nicotine and tar in the tobacco and it can make your teeth yellow in a very short time.

3. 30+ Overs

Your teeth can also start to yellow as a natural part of the aging process. Over time the strong, white protective coating on teeth, known as enamel, fades leaving your teeth looking yellow.

4. Something Special

Today teeth whitening aren’t just for the rich and famous anymore. People are getting their teeth whiten for their wedding, graduation, upcoming holidays, job interviews, rewarding themselves for an achievement like losing weight or even reaching age milestones.

If you’ve been looking at your teeth thinking it’s lost its brightness, come see us. Our teeth whitening treatments will get your teeth visibly whitened in an hour. Come to our Parramatta salon where a professional technician will administer your treatment. Our salon is inside Fitness First, which is a walking distance from Parramatta station and Westfield Parramatta. We’re open 7 days a week, and take after work bookings.

This post is about the different methods of teeth whitening, as you’ll be surprised to know that there are quite a few. This post stems from the inquiries we’ve had regarding the actual process of teeth whitening. Most people like to do their own research before deciding if they’re going to use a certain service or not. So, we thought we’d lend a hand and go into the various methods of teeth whitening and hopefully ease a few minds out there who are still unsure about trying our method – in-office light accelerated bleaching.

Here are the various teeth whitening methods:

In-office Light Accelerated Bleaching

This is the method we use and the one we like to recommend. This process is simple and we’re with you every step of the way. We use a retractor to open your mouth, then we apply the gel (dentists can use about 12% or more hydrogen peroxide in their formulas, the legal limit for non-dentists in Australia is %6, we only use %5). The gel then reacts to our LED light which accelerates the bleaching process as the gel becomes activated and breaks down the stains on the teeth, not hurting the enamel.

In-office means you physically come in and we do the process for you. The biggest benefit of this is that we can explain everything to you and can answer any questions you have throughout the whole session. We’re also careful enough to make sure you experience as little discomfort and irritation to your teeth and gums as possible.

Internal Bleaching

This type of teeth whitening is directed more towards teeth that have internal staining of blood or other leaked fluids, mostly due to root canal procedures performed on the tooth in the past. This method is also in-office and only performed by dentists due to the intricate nature of the procedure. To put as simply as possible, a small access hole is drilled into the back of the affected tooth which then allows for the removal of the internal stains. This is then replaced with a bleaching agent and temporarily sealed, hence the term “internal bleaching”. After a few days and another visit to the dentist, the tooth should be the desired shade and the hole is permanently closed.

Home Kits

Home kits were mentioned in a previous post which you can view here. There are so many types of products included in home kits such as gels, mouthguards, whitening strips, and toothpastes. Home kits are convenient for those who don’t have time to go to the dentist or a salon, however they may not always produce the best results. Instructions can get confusing, especially if you’re doing it yourself and sometimes several treatments are required before you reach the shade you want. At Smile Labs, most clients are happy after just one session and only come back for touch-ups.

Whitening Toothpastes

Whitening toothpastes are well and good; however, they only contain a small amount of hydrogen peroxide (which is the main ingredient in most teeth whitening formulas as it is used as a bleaching agent). Many people also seem to think that the harder you brush, the cleaner your teeth will be. This is not the case and doing that with whitening toothpastes can cause tooth abrasion. This could long-term thin the enamel of our teeth. A suggestion we’d recommend is to use whitening toothpastes as maintenance after getting your teeth professionally whitened (without brushing too hard).

Natural

Not too many people may have known about natural methods before, but currently, almost everyone is health conscious and looking more at natural alternatives to everyday things, even teeth whitening. A natural method coming to light is the use of malic acid. Malic acid can be found mainly in green apples as well as strawberries, nectarines, cherries and lychees, to name a few. Malic acid can remove the surface stains on our teeth, however over-consumption of malic acid can damage the enamel of our teeth. Another suggestion is to eat these fruits in moderation to maintain a white smile without damaging our enamel.

Hopefully this answered some questions and lessened the research for some of you. If you have any more inquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

If this post has helped ease your worries, then come on into our Parramatta salon or make a booking with us and get a whiter and brighter smile! We’re located walking distance from the station and Westfield Parramatta, (inside Fitness First) open 7 days a week, and we take after work bookings.

Teeth discolouration and staining is common especially as you get older in age and depending on your lifestyle.

We at Smile Labs Parramatta aim to give you a brighter smile in just 1 hour. Using light to whiten your teeth, we apply a photosensitive and specifically formulated gel on your teeth, then using mouth retractors expose teeth to our Blue Infinity™ Pro SL whitening light. With our teeth whitening process expect to see immediate results after your treatment.

Our customers often ask us how they can help maintain their brighter smiles post treatment? How long your results lasts depends on your maintenance, so here are a few of our top tips* to help maintain your results:

1. Avoid Foods That Causes Teeth Staining

Try and minimise the consumption of or exposure to products that stain your teeth, such as coffee, tea, and red wine, as well as smoking.

2. Always Rinse Your Mouth After You Eat

Try and rinse your mouth after you eat, especially if you’ve eaten teeth staining foods. Also brush your teeth twice a day, floss at least twice a week to remove plaque, rinse with antiseptic mouthwash to kill bacteria that causes plaque.

3. Drink Through A Straw

Drinking from a straw can help keep stains away from the surface of your teeth. Use a straw next time you have soda, juice, even with your tea and coffee.

4. Eat Strawberries

Believe it or not eating strawberries can help whiten your teeth. Strawberries contain malic acid which helps increase salvia (your mouth’s own self-cleaning facility) which helps clean your teeth and removing stains.

5. Touch Up Treatments

Whitening treatments don't permanently whiten teeth. Returning to Smile Labs for touch up treatments can help maintain your brighter smile. We offer shorter sessions for customers who would like to maintain their brighter smile, or if you’re after very noticeable results consider getting treatments every 6-12 months.

*Following tips are for maintaining your brighter smile post treatment not tips for general teeth hygiene.

This is a common question we get asked. People want whiter teeth but are worried about the effects of bleaching may have on their teeth.

Hydrogen Peroxide is the active ingredient, which helps in whitening teeth and is both very effective and safe and has been used by the dental industry for years. It is the same ingredient we used in whitening toothpastes, mouth washes, and in our specifically created gel. It does not change or damage the structure of teeth, there is no harm done to the enamel, dentine or the teeth at all; it merely makes teeth whiter and brighter.

While whitening products have a very good safety record, it is possible to injure your teeth if you use them incorrectly, overuse them or use one of poor quality. Some people may experience irritation or sensitivity on gums due to the hydrogen peroxide.

This is why at Smile Labs one of our professional technicians we assist in administering the whitening gel, avoiding gums. We explain the process pre treatment, monitor you during your treatment and provide post care information.

We apply a photosensitive and specifically formulated gel on your teeth, then using mouth retractors expose teeth to our Blue Infinity™ Pro SL whitening light. With our teeth whitening process expect to see immediate results after your treatment. Our process has proven to provide 30% better results than home whitening products, and depending on your lifestyle should last 6-12 months, longer if you monitor your teeth hygiene frequently.

If you have any more queries about teeth whitening or about our process contact us and we’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.

To get your teeth visibly whitened in an hour why not come into our Parramatta salon. We’re located walking distance from the station and Westfield Parramatta, (inside Fitness First) open 7 days a week, and we take after work bookings.

There are many affordable teeth whitening products on the market today, particularly home kits. With so many different brands all offering similar kits, it’s understandable why purchasing one would be a confusing decision. But before you buy one, we’ve identified four main reasons why a home kit might not be the best option.

1. Professional technician completes the process

The main obvious difference between a salon teeth whitening treatment versus a home kit is that a professional technician completes the whole process for you. Your technician will be able to explain the whole procedure, answer all your concerns, administer the treatment, monitor you throughout your session to ensure no pain or discomfort and will provide you post care information.

With home kits you are sent instructions to follow, and they assume you’ve understood them clearly and followed them correctly.

2. Higher grade of hydro peroxide than take home kits

Although not as high as dentist grade, salons are able to stock higher grades of hydro peroxide than home kits because treatment is administered by a technician. Hydro peroxide is the active ingredient that helps in the teeth whitening process.

3. One Treatment

Most take home kits have several treatments included with the pack for multiple treatments. You are instructed to complete a few treatments when you first get your pack to see results.

Our salon treatment only need one treatment to see visible results and lasts around 6-12 months depending on the person’s health and lifestyle.

4. No Teeth Guard or Tray Moulding Required

Some take home kits require you to create a plastic mould of your teeth first before you can even start the teeth whitening process. Creating teeth moulds can be tricky and whilst there are instructions included with most kits, a misread or interpreted step may result in ruined moulds. In addition, moulds and trays press the whitening solution on your gums for an extended period which may cause irritation.

At Smile Labs, we don’t need to create teeth moulds or trays. We administer the gel solution directly onto your teeth and with the use of mouth retractors, keeping your mouth open and exposed to our blue Infinity™ Pro SL whitening light.

To get your teeth visibly whitened in an hour and performed by a professional technician, why not come into our Parramatta salon. We’re located walking distance from the station and Westfield Parramatta, (inside Fitness First) open 7 days a week, and we take after work bookings.