The power of a smile with Amber and Bombshell OC

On Aug 1st, 2020, the right side of her face unexpectedly went completely numb. After getting an MRI, she got the call from the doctor we all dread: she had a brain tumor. 

This is the start of the story of my friend Amber. We met wayyyy back when in the hair and makeup world. She was looking for a second stylist and found me on Facebook. We quickly became good friends and have supported each other through different seasons of life. She went from hair stylist to beauty product developer, with her world-class products landing in places like Fab Fit Fun, Boxycharm, and on Daytime TV like Rachel Ray.

But this season was different. 

October 6th, 2020, she underwent brain surgery where she had her tumor removed. The repercussions of her brain tumor and surgery were many: the right side of her face was paralyzed, she lost complete hearing in one ear, struggles with balance, extreme nausea, and ringing in her ears.

Amber had to learn how to do things we take for granted like eating and talking. She continues to work relentlessly in therapy to get back the function of the right side of her face so she can  close her right eye and lift the right side of her lips to even out her smile. 

When I was chatting with Amber this past weekend, she was telling me how the past 18 years she was always conscious about what she was using on her daughter but being in the hair industry she had this idea that for her personal use she didn’t care “what was in it” she just cared about the performance of the products she used. 

When she was diagnosed with her brain tumor—before the age of 40— her mindset changed. She became extremely conscious of what was going on and in her body. She has since switched over all her personal care products  to products that don’t contain ingredients that will compromise her health (yep, she is a huge Beautycounter fan!). 

Amber says, “When going through really tough times, it’s so important to find reasons to smile. You will go through mountains and valleys in life and it’s up to you to find joy and not let it consume you.”

With her background in the product industry and her newfound commitment to products that encourage you to smile, I want to share a few products with you. I’m proud of her as a friend, inspired by her as an entrepreneur, and excited to share not just her products but an AMAZING discount code. 

The Toothfairy is not just your average ultrasonic toothbrush, it’s way cuter and comes with a brush holder to attach to your bathroom vanity mirror. I personally appreciate this so my 2 year old cannot get ahold of my toothbrush and use it as a hairbrush. 

The Pearly Pen is a teeth whitening pen that I use on the go. When I need something quick to whiten my teeth before an event or Saturday wedding gig. It’s a quick, easy option that gives you instant results. Win, win!

You can snag both of these items for you or for a Christmas gift and save 50% off your first order with code Barton50

Get on it, girl!

Amber’s inspiration behind the oral care products? The power of a smile. It’s a daily reminder for her to keep going, to choose positivity, to push on in her physical therapy. 

I hope you are inspired by Amber’s story, and I hope the oral care products she dreamed up are the perfect addition to your oral care routine and your day. 

xoxo,

Emily