Estrogen is actually not a single hormone, but a family of hormones with varying chemical strengths. Some are dangerous, others are less so. Estradiol, an aggressive form of estrogen, is one troublemaker. Research shows that some prostate cancers are driven by a chemical called DHT – produced when estradiol attacks the male hormone, testosterone.

Two in three breast cancers are driven by estrogen, specifically estradiol. This troublesome hormone can cause healthy cells to mutate and stem cells to stay in their rapidly dividing state. It can lower oxygen levels in the cell by 40 per cent, cause malfunctioning of the transport systems across the cell membrane, poison the cell and even help the spread of the cancer message. Trouble starts when dangerous forms of estrogen bind to cell receptor sites, feeding the cancer.

When you have an estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) cancer, you need to avoid adding to the estrogen pool in your body. However, we are constantly exposed to chemicals in our environment, personal care products, household products and our foods which act like estrogen in the body. Examples of some external estrogen-like chemicals are pesticides, BPA, phthalates, toluene, perfumes, and parabens. These exogenous estrogens are called xenoestrogens. Some can be just as harmful as the more aggressive natural estrogens like estradiol.

Xenoestrogens are not the same as phytoestrogens, which are natural estrogens or estrogen-mimics derived from plants. Typically, xenoestrogens are far more potent and dangerous. They can wreak havoc on our endocrine system, creating a host of health problems.

What are some sources of xenoestrogens? Here are some bad guys to watch out for:

Nail varnishes and cleaners – these may contain xylene, formaldehyde and toluene, ingredients associated with health risks like damage to DNA and the liver, skin and respiratory irritation, and neurotoxins. Toulene, an estrogen-mimic, also affects the endocrine system.

Perfume and products with synthetic fragrances – these can be a mixture of over 100 different ingredients, and they are not all required to be named on the label. You need to be vigilant, as several are potent endocrine system disrupters and estrogen mimics. Toluene, for instance, is used in the manufacture of many perfumes.

Swedish research shows that 75 per cent of ordinary, everyday perfumed products used on the body produced DEHP – a very powerful estrogen mimic – once in the blood stream. The researchers discovered that that three-quarters of toiletry products tested contained DEHP and phthalates. Synthetic fragrances, perfumed body sprays, hairsprays and hair products were the main culprits. US research with pregnant women found that DEHP was so powerful that 11 per cent of male offspring born to mothers with high DEHP levels had genital defects. Another study concluded that some testicular cancers can start in the womb because of the use of synthetic fragrances or other xenoestrogens on the skin during pregnancy.

Men should not be complacent as DEHP is also found in soaps, shaving foam and aftershave. Practically all these products contain synthetic perfumes.

Cleaning agents, textiles, plastics, cosmetics and some kinds of paper – these are typical sources of a chemical called 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), an endocrine disrupter as well as an estrogen-mimic. 4-nonylphenol has proven to be a breast cancer threat , as reported by the Journal of Applied Toxicology in 2005. It has also been reported to affect semen quality.

Plastics and plastic additives – bisphenol A (BPA) is an ingredient previously used as a fungicide which is now used to manufacture many plastics and plastic additives. It is an endocrine disrupter, mimicking hormones like estrogen. Epoxy resins containing bisphenol A are used as coatings on the inside of almost all food and beverage cans, including bottle caps. Even water supply lines are coated with this chemical.

Bisphenol A is a key component in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic, a clear and nearly shatter-proof plastic used to make a variety of common products including baby and water bottles, sports equipment, medical and dental devices, dental fillings and sealants, eyeglass lenses, CDs and DVDs, and household electronics. Bisphenol A is a popular color developer in thermal paper and in carbonless copy paper.

Flexible plastics, toys, toiletries and other personal care or beauty products – these widely contain phthalates, another endocrine disrupter and estrogen-mimic. Like other endocrine disrupters, phthalates can elevate estradiol production and cause chromosomal damage. Phthalates leach from certain plasticisers used in plastic bottles, used to contain anything from drinking water to hair shampoo and other personal care products.

Cosmetics like face creams, lipsticks etc – many contain estrogen mimics. Dr Ana Soto of Tuft’s experimented with 10 such estrogen mimics, all normal product ingredients designated as safe levels by the US Government. In studies with rats she got a full estrogen response, the sort of effect you might see from the most potent form of estrogen, estradiol. That was just 10 ingredients! How many more estrogen mimics are you exposed to each week in your own home? Probably hundreds.

Finally (for this post any way) sodium lauryl sulphate in soaps, bubble bath, shampoos, dishwashing detergent and so on can increase the permeability of the skin by up to 40 per cent. This just allows more hormone mimics to pass into the blood stream. If you’re still using personal care and household products with sodium lauryl sulphate, for goodness sake WAKE UP! There are alternative, safe toiletry, skin care and household products available today. At least one brand, Neways International, avoids using 3,000 questionable ingredients, including the estrogen-mimics mentioned here.

If you haven’t already done so, switch to using personal care and household care products which are free from questionable ingredients, like xenoestrogens. It could save your life.

I thought it should have been relatively safe, as it was distributed through that particular workshop. Will I never learn? The cream was thick, white and pasty. It left me looking like a ghost and suffocated my skin. It was difficult to clean off thoroughly too. Uggh! What did they put in that stuff? My poor skin!

My True Touch Protect AM (or PM) SPF15 moisturiser is velvety and absorbs super-fast, leaving skin feeling soft and smooth. It has no questionable ingredients and is safety-tested and dermatologist-approved. The fragrance is fresh, natural and EU allergen-friendly. Zinc oxide acts as a sunscreen while liposomes assist with photo protection. Vitamins and antioxidants nourish and protect the skin. Key ingredients include:

Zinc Oxide, a natural mineral which provides SPF15 with complete UVA and UVB protection. This is an ideal sunscreen for sensitive skin.

Photosomes, light-activated enzymes from plankton which support sun-damaged skin’s natural repair and renewal processes.

Jojoba Oil, a natural, non-irritating oil which moisturises and conditions.

Meadoowfoam Seed Oil, an oil from a grassland wildflower which also helps to hydrate and nurture the skin.

Vitamins C & E, powerful antioxidants which defend and protect the skin against the harsh effects of the environment. Vitamin E also helps moisturise the skin.

Pea Extract, a skin conditioner with antioxidant properties that also supports the skin’s firmness and elasticity.

Walnut Seed Extract, an ingredient with antioxidant properties which helps support the skin against environmental stress.

“True Touch” by Neways International is a range of skin care products which avoids using at least 3,000 questionable ingredients, including known carcinogens. What was I thinking of using some other inferior and potentially harmful brand of skin care?

Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics flexible. The specific phthalates found in the toy were dibutyl phthalates (DBP) and diethylhexyl phthalates (DEHP). The US has classified DEHP as a “probable human carcinogen” while the European Chemical Agency calls it a “Substance of Very High Concern”.

Phthalates are widely used. They are in soft PVC products like packaging, flooring, mats, milk bottles, toys, food containers and so on. Soft PVC products contain over 40% of phthalates by weight. The “new car” smell that motorists love comes from phthalates emitting from the dashboards of vehicles that have been in the sun. As the motor vehicle cools downs, the phthalates re-condense as an oily film on the inside of the windscreen. Yet another reason not to buy new cars.

I always avoid heating food up in plastic containers. Plastics with recycling codes 3 and 7, in particular, tend to contain phthalates. I also stay away from personal care products which contain phthalates. Yes, many cosmetics, fragrances, soaps, shampoos, lotions, deodorants and even baby powder contain phthalates. Phthalates are popularly used to enhance fragrances in skin care, hair care and beauty products like perfumes, hair spray, and nail polish. These chemicals are also found in environmental products like wood finishers and lubricants.

Manufacturers are sneaky. Phthalates are rarely listed on the ingredients label. Be smart; look out for proxy ingredients like “fragrance”.

A 2009 survey on phthalate levels in the environment by the US Centre For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that exposure to these chemicals was extremely widespread. Concerned, US authorities warned that DEHP was particularly likely to cause serious development problems in the sexual reproductive systems of young male children. Phthalates act as hormone disrupters. DBP and DEHP, especially, disrupt aromotase, an enzyme crucial to the metabolism of sex hormones. These chemicals cats as anti-androgens, or anti-male hormones.

In 2003, a Boston study discovered that men exposed to phthalates had fewer sperm, which also tended to be weaker and deformed. Statistics shows that male infertility is increasing at an alarming rate in industrialized nations, where exposure to phthalates is high. Two common male birth defects are undescended testes and hypospadias (a penile deformity).

Even more alarmingly, it is women of child-bearing age who have the most exposure to phthalates, very likely because of their heavy usage of personal care products containing harmful ingredients like phthalates. Not only are they in danger of producing male babies with sexual development problems, but they are also at risk of developing cancer. Are you using phthalate-free skin care products?

Safety-conscious company Neways International avoids using at least 3,000 questionable ingredients – including phthalates – in its personal care products, such as skin care, hair care, oral hygiene and beauty products. Instead, it uses safe and gentle ingredients as well as technological processes. What’s in the personal care products you use?

Beauty at any price – is it worth dying for?

My family was well-to-do, so we indulged in anything we liked. The dining table groaned with meat dishes, the larder was well-stocked with snacks, chocolates and other confectionery – you get the picture. As for personal care and household care products, we had all the well-known brands. Nothing but the “best” for us. What ingredients went into those products? Who knew and who cared? We were washed and powdered, and we smelled nice. That’s all that mattered.

From my teens, I bought lots of beauty products. They were a mix of unknown brands as well as famous brands. Skin care, hair products, cosmetics, I had the works. All I cared about was whether they made me look and smell good. In those days, what did anybody know about harmful and even carcinogenic ingredients in personal care products? We believed that well-known brands would only be made of the best ingredients, certainly nothing questionable or damaging to health. We never realised that the personal care and beauty products which we used daily could potentially harm us and make us sick.

We’ve come a long way, baby. Consumers today are better-informed about the dangers of common beauty and personal care ingredients such as:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
Propylene Glycol
Ethanol / alcohol
Fluoride
Mineral Oil
Petrolatum
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA)
Retinoic Acid
Avobenzone
Homosalate
Benzophenone
Formaldehyde
PEGs
Parabens
Ceteareth-20
Diethanolamine (DEA)

There are many more toxic chemicals and harmful ingredients we are exposed to at home which can cause illnesses like cancer, respiratory problems, eye problems like cataracts, liver and kidney ailments, Alzheimer’s Disease, and allergic reactions. Many of these harmful ingredients are in products we love to slather on our skin, apply on our eyes, put in our hair and clean our mouths with.

Had I known years ago what I know today, I probably would have avoided using most kinds of commercial skin care, hair and other beauty products, and gone natural as far as possible (safe personal care products were virtually unheard of until recent years). Had my parents known what many people know today, I’m sure they would have made better dietary choices.

Today, half my siblings – including myself – have been afflicted with cancer. One lost the battle. My other siblings grapple with a variety of health problems. My father spent the last 30 years of his life fighting a host of medical conditions. My mother has been in poor health for many years and her memory comes and goes. Sheer coincidence?

Prevention is obviously better than cure. We cannot undo the damage that has already been done, but we can do our best from now on to protect ourselves and our loved ones. This is particularly essential for those who are already dealing with health conditions like cancer. Boycott personal care and household products which use inferior and potentially harmful ingredients. Choose brands which avoid using questionable ingredients. Safety-conscious Neways International avoids using more than 3,000 questionable ingredients, and counting. What about the brands you use? What poison are you putting on your skin today?

Propylene glycol, parabens, PEGs, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulphate, alcohol, petrolatum and talc are some widely-used ingredients which are potentially harmful and even carcinogenic. These are just a few of thousands of questionable ingredients which are used in bath products, skincare, make-up and other personal care products. You may not know it, but what you apply daily on your face and body may be making you sick and aging you prematurely.

Before I buy any personal care or beauty products, I read the ingredients on the label thoroughly. Nine out of 10 times, I end up putting the item back on the shelf. Even so-called “natural” or “organic” personal care products often contain questionable ingredients. When your family has a history of cancer as bad as mine does, you learn to get picky about what you expose yourself to, whether in food, the environment or personal care and household products. Any guest who stays in my home for a while will probably leave in better health than if they had stayed at a six-star hotel, because my family is so fussy about the safety and quality of the products we use.

This weekend brought happy news to me and many other safety-conscious consumers. My favorite safety-conscious health and wellness company, Neways International, launched a new skincare and beauty line which is comprehensive and effective while avoiding the use of at least 3,000 questionable ingredients, like toxins, dioxins, irritants, carcinogens, and contaminants. Can you think of any brand which has achieved this? Three cheers for Neways!

Ingredients and technologies used by Neways are typically safer and superior in quality than those typically used by many commercial brands. What’s got me even more excited is that Neways’ new True Touch skincare and cosmetics range uses a dizzying array of newly-discovered or little-known botanical ingredients. I pride myself in being well-informed, but Neways is now using healthy ingredients and technologies which are totally new even to me. Neways is also using more environmentally-friendly ingredients, such as bamboo, an environmentally-sustainable agricultural product (it’s the world’s fastest-growing plant) in the True Touch skin exfoliator called Clarifier.

After one beauty workshop yesterday, where I got to try many of the skincare products from Neways’ new True Touch line, my body was left tingling. Not just because the products had refreshed and invigorated my skin, but because I was excited to get the whole range home for my family to use. The products are so good they’re like vitamins and antioxidants for the skin, almost good enough to eat. No wonder they leave the skin looking and feeling great.

If you know of any other beauty brand which avoids using at least 3,000 questionable ingredients, while providing a range of skincare and make-up products as wide, comprehensive, effective and luxurious as Neways’ True Touch line, please write about it here. The more beauty options we have which are safe and healthy– and, preferably, even nourishing and healing – the better. Why put up with inferior and harmful personal care products anymore? Hallelujah!

Commercial hair dyes come in a wide variety of colors and shades these days, but I’ll never allow toxic chemicals to touch me. Traditional chemical-based hair dyes are loaded with cancer-causing agents and other harmful ingredients, so saturating your hair in them is like soaking yourself in poison. Horrors!  Henna has been used for centuries to dye and condition hair safely, and you can achieve quite a nice range of colors if you know what to use. Next time, I plan to add beetroot juice or even hibiscus flowers to see if I can achieve a burgundy tint. I didn’t have any handy this time so I decided to go for coffee. Apparently that will give me chestnut tones.

Oops! Time for me to wash the henna out of my hair. Gotta go!

Lavender seems to be everyone’s favorite scent. Aromatherapy researchers who tested several fragrances came to the conclusion that lavender is the most effective at stress reduction. No wonder some people like to put a drop or two of lavender essential oil on their pillows to help them sleep. A therapeutic massage with lavender essential oil mixed with a carrier oil like Neways Mixing Oil is the ultimate in decadent heaven. Neways Mixing Oil is a superior combination of pure-expelled and cold-pressed oils from grape seed, safflower, primrose, and apricot kernel. Not only is this oh-so-relaxing, but imagine what it will do for your skin as well. An absolutely rejuvenating experience.

Reputed to aid in the healing of skin cells, lavender is popularly used to treat damaged skin like wounds, rashes, burns (including sunburn), eczema, skin inflammation, stretch marks and scarring. When using lavender essential oil for healing or other therapeutic purposes, always go for the best. Neways Lavender Essential Oil is the highest grade available, made from the flowering tips of Lavandula Vera grown in the French Alps. Through a method called steam distillation, the Lavandula Vera flowering tips are coaxed to release their virgin oil. Upon cooling, this virgin lavender oil is then bottled. The purest form of essential oil possible, it is not diluted or adulterated with any harmful chemicals or substances, or cheap additives. That’s why a couple of drops can go a long, long way, and work wonders.

To think I used to buy cheap lavender “essential” oils with inferior ingredients or from dubious sources. How ignorant I was! Every since being diagnosed with cancer, I’ve become very particular about the quality of personal care and household products I use. They must be top-grade, free from known carcinogens and other harmful ingredients. Life is so short and precious. No more cheap crap for me and my loved ones.

Treat yourself to the very best and purest lavender essential oil here.

Amongst safety-conscious consumers, Eliminator is popularly known as an alcohol-free mouthwash which is gentle on sensitive tissue yet tough on bacteria, plague, food film and offensive odors, it really has a host of other uses. I keep discovering new ones all the time. My father-in-law, for instance, is an avid golfer and he keeps Eliminator in a small spray bottle to cool and refresh himself on a hot day, soothe a parched throat, banish offensive body odor as well as treat smelly feet and shoes. My mother-in-law likes to gargle with Eliminator at the first sign of a sore throat. I always use it to treat cuts, bites, stings, sores, wounds and acne. Great stuff!

Here are a few reasons why you should always have Eliminator handy:

1. Dental Health
Ever had bad breath? What about gum problems, plaque, cold sores or ulcers? Eliminator’s minty anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial formula will leave you with a clean, healthy mouth and fresh breath. Gargle with Eliminator after every toothbrushing session. Keep some in a small spray bottle so that you can freshen up wherever you are.

2. Mouth Sores
Mouth sores are caused by many things, including chemotherapy for cancer. Cancer patients undergoing certain types of chemotherapy are advised to use special safe, non-toxic, alcohol-free mouthwashes to prevent mouth sores. Gargling with Eliminator twice a day after brushing with Ultrashine Radiance Toothpaste – another safe and gentle oral hygiene product from Neways – does a great job of keeping mouth sores at bay. Existing mouth sores can also be treated with Eliminator. Stabilized chlorine dioxide, the key ingredient in Eliminator, was actually developed to treat canker sores (also called aphthous ulcers).

3. Sore Throat
Gargle with Eliminator at the first sign of a sore throat. Keep some handy in a small spray bottle so that you can lubricate and treat your sore throat wherever you are.

4. Cuts, Bites, Scratches, Sores, Stings, Burns, Wounds, Exposed Tumors
When treating injuries like these, DON’T use anything harsh, toxic or alcohol-based. Just dab on some gentle, safe, non-toxic and alcohol-free Eliminator. It’s really soothing, and particularly good for treating foul-smelling wounds and even cancerous tumors. Great for debridement (removing dead tissue and other debris) too.

5. Eczema and Rash
Whether it’s for children’s or adult eczema or rash, Eliminator will improve the skin problem. First of all, shower or bathe only with a gentle and safe bath product which is free from any known harmful chemicals and carcinogens, like Neways Refresh bath and shower gel. Towel dry, then spray on or dab Eliminator on the affected areas. Leave it to air-dry for a few minutes. Finish off with Neways Tender Care Lotion. For added healing power, put a few drops of Neways Lavender Essential Oil into the lotion before applying on the skin.

6. Sunburn, Burns and Radiation Burns
Get relief by spraying or dabbing on some soothing and cooling Eliminator on the burnt area. Let it dry for a few minutes. If the skin is not broken, nourish and repair the affected skin with Neways Wrinkle Garde, an Andean rosehip healing oil enriched with Vitamins A, C and E and special essential fatty acids. You’ll be amazed at how well it heals burns and repairs the skin.

7. Acne
Never use anything corrosive or toxic on your skin. Wash your face with a gentle and safe skin cleanser like Neways Extra Gentle cleanser. This effectively removes residue and excess facial oil without harming or irritating your skin. Rinse off and towel dry. Next, dab Eliminator on the acne-prone area. Let it dry naturally for a few minutes. Finally, dab Neways invisible Imperfection Lotion on the acne.

8. Shaving Nicks
Just dab on some cool, soothing, sanitizing Eliminator.

9. After-Shave Lotion
My husband loves to use Eliminator for this purpose, as it’s soothing and feels and smells so fresh.

10. Body Odor
After showering or bathing, spray Eliminator on the armpits and any other areas which you deem necessary. Sportsmen and other people involved in very physical activity should carry Eliminator in a small spray bottle to “touch-up” and refresh themselves when the perspiration gets too offensive.

11. Foot Odor
After washing the feet, towel dry and spray on Eliminator. Let your feet air-dry for a few minutes. Spray Eliminator in your footwear as well, to sanitize them and minimize odors.

12. Head Odor
Some people suffer from smelly scalp, often due to over-perspiration. Children tend to perspire a lot through their heads. Wash the hair with a safe, gentle and non-toxic shampoo like Neways Ultimate or Silken. Towel dry. While hair is still damp, apply Neways Exuberance hair conditioner and massage well through the hair. You can either rinse off Exuberance or leave it on, depending on how dry or frizzy the hair tends to be. Finally, spray Eliminator all over the head, making sure it gets down to the scalp. Comb through the hair.

13. Skin Refresher / Toner
After cleansing your face, wipe with Eliminator for a fresh feeling. Keep a small spray bottle of Eliminator handy when you go out, especially on hot days. A quick mist of Eliminator on the face, neck and arms will cool you down and refresh you.

14. Parched Throats
Besides cooling yourself down with Eliminator on hot days by spraying some on your skin, a couple of squirts of Eliminator into your throat will also help to soothe and relieve parched throats.

15. Sick Bay or Sick Room
Spray or wipe Eliminator on areas like bedding, countertops and other surfaces, or where there have been vomiting or soiling accidents.

16. Refrigerator Odors
After cleaning out the fridge, sanitize and deodorize it by wiping it down inside or spraying with Eliminator.

17. Toys
Keep toys sanitized and smelling clean by spraying Eliminator on them in-between washes.

18. Baby Bottles
Remove sour milk odor and taste by spraying Eliminator inside the bottles after washing. Leave for 10 minutes then rinse out. This is particularly useful when you’re in a strange place and can’t boil the baby bottles to disinfect them, or don’t know for sure how safe the water is.

19. Food and Beverage Containers / Pots
Remove stale odors and tastes by spraying Eliminator inside the containers / jars / bottles / pots after washing. Let dry before storing.

20. Upholstery, Cushions and Bedding
Get rid of odors without using harsh chemicals by spraying with Eliminator. Really handy when travelling or vacationing and staying in strange-smelling places.

21. Outdoor Furniture Cushions
Spraying Eliminator liberally on the cushions helps to prevent mildew and smells.

22. Curtains and Drapes
Remove stale odors by spraying Eliminator liberally.

23. Car Sickness
Eliminator is good for deodorizing areas which have been soiled with vomit, food spills and so on. Clean the area thoroughly first then spray liberally with Eliminator. Gargling with Eliminator will help to freshen the breath of the person who has thrown up and make him / her feel better. Spraying Eliminator on the face and throat will help to make him / her feel fresher and less yuccky. Spraying Eliminator on soiled clothes will also help to remove lingering odors.

24. Air Conditioner Filters
After cleaning the filters, spray liberally with Eliminator to sanitize. Leave to dry before reinstalling.

25. Vaporizers and Mist Units
Add 2-4 tablespoons of Eliminator to the water. Before storing, spray with Eliminator and leave to dry.

26. Cupboards, Luggage and Bags
Get rid of old, stale smells by spraying with Eliminator.

27. Pet Bedding, Cages and Litter Boxes
After cleaning, spray or wipe with Eliminator to sanitize and remove any lingering odors. Eliminator will also help to prevent mildew.

28. Vegetables and Fruits
Stabilized chlorine dioxide, the key ingredient in Eliminator, is used in the food-processing industry for controlling bacteria and mold and sanitizing, so Eliminator is great for keeping your fruits and vegetables fresher for longer. Wash them first, shake or pat dry, then spray with Eliminator. Leave to dry for a few minutes. Wrap with paper towels and store in resealable plastic bags or paper bags before refrigerating.

29. Cutting Boards
Sanitize and remove odors on cutting boards by spraying with Eliminator after washing.

30. Odors on Hands
Eliminate odors on hands, even stinky fish and onion odors, by spraying on Neways Eliminator after washing hands. Leave to dry naturally. No more having to put up with smelly hands after handling seafood and other pungent foods in the kitchen and even the market.

31. Air Freshener
Spray Eliminator liberally into the air to banish smelly odors. Really useful when you’re staying in a strange place.

32. Breath Freshener
Neways Eliminator has so many uses that sometimes people forget that it’s a mouthwash. Keep a small spray bottle of Eliminator handy to keep your breath fresh. Recommended for interviews, important meetings, dates and smoker’s breath.

Buy Neways Eliminator and other safe products at wholesale price here

Strawberry Teeth-Whitening Recipe
Ingredients:
1 ripe strawberry
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

Method:
1) Crush the strawberry to a pulp and mix in the baking soda.
2) Use a soft toothbrush to spread the mixture unto your teeth. Leave on for 5 minutes.
3) Rinse off and brush thoroughly with a safe toothpaste like Neways Ultrashine Radiance to remove the strawberry-baking soda mix.

The active ingredient in strawberries which removes surface discoloration is malic acid, found in sour or tart fruits. Malic acid acts like an astringent. Baking soda combines with the strawberry to produce a natural tooth-cleanser, cleaning away stains from tea, coffee and so on.

The acid can damage the enamel on your teeth if you use this concoction too often, so don’t overdo it.