When you live in Asia, there is no escaping the whitening phenomenon. The most popular skin care ranges from many brands tend to be the whitening, or the more politically correct “brightening”, skincare ranges. Companies and brands in fact places a lot of focus on these ranges because of the ingrained philosophy that fairer = better.
Fact is though, few whitening or brightening skincare ranges actually work. If they do, they don’t work over the long term and from personal experience, I find them too drying to my skin. In fact, I have not used a whitening/brightening skincare product for months. Hang the freckles and spots. Creams do too little for them anyway!
So when I tell you I found a whitening product that actually works, its like “Hallelujah!” 😀
Here is a product that promises to whiten within 14 days. Lovely! So, I put it to the test and what d’ya know? It did do a fairly good job in the whitening department. I’ve been using this for about a month now and am quite happy to continue to. What is this marvellous product that actually works then?
Toothpaste 😀 😀
Haha… did you guess right? 😀
This is quite an unconventional beauty product but I have to say I was quite impressed with the Colgate Advanced White toothpaste because it did do what it set out to do i.e. make my teeth look whiter. I’m not quite sure about the 14 day claim, because I wasn’t monitoring it.
I picked it up from the pharmacy about a month back when I’d run out of my regular toothpaste and wanted to try something new. I have a strange brand loyalty to Colgate toothpaste – I know a friend who may not be reading this right now, but who I know will snigger and go Yay! If she does 😛
I do have a bit of a problem with stained teeth and yellow teeth. I asked my dentist once and he told me that yellow teeth was quite normal, but mine sometimes looks worse for wear because I take coffee and don’t brush my teeth immediately after that. Let’s face it, who really does? I sit there after my morning coffee, enjoying the taste and aroma. I don’t really want to brush my teeth and spoil the effect with a minty after taste. Plus, face it again. How often would anyone carry their toothbrush and toothpaste to work? The last time I kept a set at work, it was because I used to regularly pull overnighters and needed to freshen up in the mornings!
I didn’t pay much attention to my teeth after using this, until after about 3 weeks. I looked in the mirror one morning and noticed that my teeth didn’t look as yellow or as stained as they normally do. In fact, I might be inclined to say that they looked whiter.
I might add though, that it doesn’t make your teeth look blindingly white like you just had veneers put on, or if you had your teeth professionally whitened. Its not like that. You would only notice it if you already have stained or yellow teeth to start with and you may notice that your teeth looks whiter with regular use of the toothpaste.
I tried some other brands of whitening toothpaste before this, but I never really saw the results. I asked my dentist about getting my teeth whitened professionally but he told me not to bother because if I were to continue drinking coffee, they would just stain again, and besides, it was an expensive procedure. I like honest dentists 😉
I reckon that if you do have a problem with stained or yellow teeth the way I do, then this is worth a try. It worked for my teeth at least and it doesn’t cost very much. Importantly, it gives me whiter teeth, not white teeth – there’s a difference 🙂
In a nutshell
The Colgate Advanced White toothpaste promises whiter teeth in 14 days. I did not pay much attention initially, thinking it was just a regular toothpaste, since I’d tried a whitening toothpaste before that did not work. I was quite happy to see that after about a month, despite regular mugs of coffee, my teeth do look whiter and cleaner, in general. It will not make it look white or as if you’ve had it professionally whitened. But it does make it look cleaner and just better so its much easier to put on a smile now than before 🙂
Pros: Affordable, Does make my teeth look whiter and cleaner with regular use
Cons: None I found
Who will like this: Anyone who has stained teeth and who wants their teeth to look whiter and cleaner
I’ve always been sort of jealous of people who have lovely dazzling white teeth. I’ve never had that, with my permanent teeth already coming out with a yellow tint that is emphasized by some shades of lipstick. Pink lipsticks do that to me in particular, as do orange based lipsticks so I try to stay away from those. Blue based reds however, give a much better illusion of white teeth and happily, suit my skin tone too so I gravitate towards those.
Do you have a problem with stained or yellow teeth? Have you tried whitening toothpastes?
I noticed that previously, there were some brands of whitening toothpastes but they were targeted at smokers and tended to be pricey. I tried a different brand that didn’t work (I can’t for the life of me remember which now! Darlie maybe?!) This Colgate one is relatively affordably priced at about RM8 or less a tube and works fine for me. Fine enough to merit a place on my blog, at least! 😀
Paris B
Colgate Advanced White toothpaste Price: RM8 or less/160g Availability: All pharmacies, supermarkets etc
Juan says
Potong stim. Haha. Ohkaayy… I shall try this definitely. So much cheaper than all your other recommended products.
Paris B says
Haha sorry 😉 Can’t say I don’t recommend cheap things also right? 😉
Lily says
Hahahahah! I totally fell for it. I knew Dior didn’t work for you, but you mentioned Shiseido before… so I was waiting for a serum you haven’t written about. Awesome 🙂 A dentist friend told me before that some people are born with “off white” teeth. Not everyone has sparkling white teeth, no matter what you do. That said, I don’t drink coffee much… AND I still use whitening toothpaste. I guess my teeth are as white as they can be 🙂
Paris B says
😀 Actually Shiseido isn’t too bad but definitely not as effective as this toothpaste with its whitening power LOL! 😀 I was told that my yellow teeth were genetic too so that wasn’t much of a consolation but coffee does most certainly make it worse >.<
Marla says
Ha! Too funny. I had to give up all tooth whitening products years ago due to sensitivity. Bummer 🙁
Paris B says
I have heard some tooth whitening products lead to sensitivity. Its why I’m so scared of actually undergoing the process. At least the toothpaste didn’t make my sensitive teeth worse 😉
Julia says
Was I the only one who expected you to use it on your skin? XD
Maybe I should try it, too. My teeth are a little sensitive, though…
They’re not really stained or yellow, I guess the colour is fine, it’s just that they look dark compared to my skin…
Paris B says
LOL! I think there were a couple others who thought so too 😉 I have slightly sensitive teeth too but this was fine for me.
Becca says
LOL that was a good one, Paris–I never would have guessed 😛
As for yellow teeth, I have them too. I used to drink tons of coffee but eventually made the switch to tea, which I now guzzle all day long 😛 I never brush right after drinking tea either because like you, I like to savor the taste and moment of relaxation afterwards instead of rushing to the sink. I probably should though because there IS one more bad habit that contributes to my yellowing teeth…and that’s smoking. :/ yes, unfortunately I smoke. I have been steadily cutting down over the last year though and my New Year’s resolution was to finally just do it. I haven’t had a single one all day, so we’ll so how this goes. Fingers crossed!! 😀
Anyway, I don’t normally like Colgate for some reason–I feel like it leaves more residue behind than other brands no matter how well I rinse. I do need to find a better whitening toothpaste though so maybe I’ll give this one a shot just for the heck of it. Thanks for the suggestion, Paris! Hope you had a lovely New Year! <3
Paris B says
Haha I’m so happy no one guessed 😀 I didn’t notice the residue of Colgate. Or maybe its all that lovely mintiness that I like LOL! Good to know you’re cutting back on smoking, Becca. Hoping 2013 is the year you kick it! 😀
Tammy says
Cheeky post!!! 😉
Paris B says
Teehee, what a way to kickstart the year eh? 😉
dom says
Thanks for the post PB. Might try this one day. I use the Crest whitening strips from the US (which we can get via sgdrugstore). It’s the best I’ve used so far, but the toothache after that (due to the hydrogen peroxide) makes me wonder if it’s worth it. IT BETTER BE.
Paris B says
I’d heard a lot about the Crest whitening strips but I was afraid to try, mainly because of the sensitive teeth side effects. I already have slightly sensitive teeth so I can’t imagine it getting worse!
Apple says
haha. When i see the Colgate i laugh from my heart..tot what whitening product so powerful and wish to give a try. I am slo the one who like to drink coffee so much, no wonder how hard i brush at night, my teeth seem never look brighter.
Think you are right, we should brush our teeth after taking coffee or better after meal for healthy teeth maintenance.
Paris B says
Haha if anything was so powerful on skin I’d be really scared! 😀 I do think brushing teeth after meals will help keep teeth healthy but then over brushing will weaken them too. I think I’ll just stick to the twice a day thing 🙂
Ting says
Oooohhh lots of Colgate fans here. I haven’t used Colgate for ages since THE dentist who scolded me for being over-enthusiastic recommended Emofoam or Paradontax toothpaste. :p
Well, these are not the whitening toothpaste… they are just really great for sensitive teeth. I used to have that awful nerve wrecking pain that went straight to the ear when I drank iced cold drinks or ate ice cream. But nowadays I don’t anymore as I have been using Emofoam (the boring dark blue tube that sounds like Ar-Mah sort of product). I think it helps in a way, and also I try not to “scrub the floor” these days. Ha ha ha
However, I would absolutely love to try the Colgate ones to alternate with my Emofoam! 🙂
Paris B says
I had sensitive teeth for a spell and I tried the Colgate toothpaste for sensitive teeth and I found it worked quite well. It was a sample tube though but very helpful 🙂 I haven’t come across the ones you mentioned but if it works, it works!
Jel says
I was thinking, oh, finally, something whitening that works! Meh :p
I have been using Colgate Whitening Baking Soda & Peroxide Whitening Fluoride Toothpaste for months now and my colleagues noticed my teeth got whiter. I was not even expecting it to work at all, since I has been let down by a lot of whitening toothpaste years back, but this one I got on sale for 50% off so I say why not? Not even infamous Crest got my teeth noticed. This one did so YAY! 🙂
http://www.drugstore.com/colgate-whitening-baking-soda-and-peroxide-whitening-fluoride-toothpaste/qxp28051
Paris B says
Haha well this is something whitening that does work! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your fave – I haven’t come across this one I think but it sounds good!
cutiepiggie says
Hi Paris, would love if you could do a review on CC Cream by the famous brand double Cs
Paris B says
Hi there, it will be in the works 🙂 I managed to snag a sample at the counter so it will only be a sample based review.
anusha says
ha ha ..i got excited but then i came to know its a toothpaste
Paris B says
Haha it would be worrying if it was a skincare that worked so quickly! 😉
Isabel says
Self-confessed coffee lover/addict here so I’m going to give this a shot for sure!
Paris B says
Hope it’ll work for you! Us coffee lovers just have to find that trade off for our fave brew, don’t we? 😉
Connie De Alwis says
I do have a set of toothbrush and toothpaste at work… For times when I ate too much garlic!
I use colgate and usually just go for the jumbo pack. Will pick this up next time!
Paris B says
LOL Garlic 😀 Thats true too – I do try to avoid eating garlic in the day coz I hate having the smell linger all day long! 😛
plue says
i’m using this one too, I haven’t noticed my teeth being whiter or anything (genetics issue), but I like the slightly scrubby feel of it. It feels like it’s really cleaning my teeth 😉
Paris B says
Hmm… I didn’t notice the scrubby feel, but I’ll take your word for it! 😉