How-to: Get a Hollywood smile

A whiter, brighter smile doesn’t mean expensive trips to the dentist, painful surgery or yucky-tasting pastes. You can make your teeth paparazzi ready by just choosing the right type of lippie.

To magically make your pearly-whites appear whiter, choose a lip colour that will neutralize the yellow stains left by coffee, wine or smoking. Look for colours that have a blue, mauve or purple undertone to balance the colour of the teeth.

A blue-based red creates a dramatic look and virtually erases yellow teeth stains. A strong lip colour looks best with a light eye make-up, subtle blush and can be worn day or night. Try MAC Ruby Woo for a smooth, velvety texture and a strong, bright look.

If you prefer a more subtle look, a berry glaze suits most complexions and the mauve pigments will cancel out the yellow look of teeth.  Berry is the look of the season, with many brands offering great berry, plum and wine colours. To achieve a stain, apply lip balm to condition and hydrate, then press the lipstick into the middle of the lips only. This is a great look for dry, chapped lips and the colour makes your teeth appear brighter.

Make sure you avoid colours that have a strong yellow base, like orange, peach, coral and tomato red. These will make teeth stains and yellowing more obvious. To get an idea if your lipstick is helping or hindering, paint a few stripes on the back of your hand and hold up to your mouth when smiling. The right colour will make your teeth look a clear, cool white.

If you’re not a lipstick person, but still want to achieve whiter teeth, Pearl Drops have created Instant White  - a tooth make-up that instantly whitens your smile. Simply paint on, wait a moment for the gel to dry and you’ve got Hollywood teeth. Great for special occasions like weddings, job interviews or that hot date!

What makes you smile?