Brushing your teeth is not the most exiting of tasks, yet probably one of the most important. I definitely don’t like it but it’s something I stick to religiously no matter what. I am a big tea drinker and although I hope it’s not as bad as I think, I’ve always contemplated getting my teeth whitened but have been reluctant to do so and even a tad scared. I’ve tried a few teeth whitening toothpastes here and there but never really stuck to anything long enough. However, recently, Janina sent me their Charcoal & Clay Teeth Whitening Powder * and their Activated Charcoal Toothpaste * to review and I figured it was time I took this seriously.
I have been using the powder in the mornings and the toothpaste in the evenings for just over a month now. Both products contain Activated Charcoal which is not something I had previously associated with teeth whitening products. That said, Activated Charcoal is known to purify the breath and lift surface stains caused by tea, coffee, red wine and the like so its use in toothpastes and teeth whitening products makes sense.
Janina Ultra White Charcoal & Clay Teeth Whitening Powder
As powder is not the norm for me this took a bit of getting used to but apparently powder to clean your teeth has actually been around a lot longer than toothpaste! As well as Activated Charcoal, this 100% natural and fluoride-free formula also contains Natural White Clay which deep cleans and polishes the teeth.
To use it, you take a small pinch of the powder into the palm of your hands and then dip a wet toothbrush into the powder, brush your teeth as normal for at least two minutes and then rinse out. This can be used daily as not only does it help to whiten teeth, but it also helps to prevent decay and control plaque and tartar.
Now, there is no denying that this is messy to use and it’s not as fresh-feeling as I would prefer, but I have noticed that my teeth feel cleaner straight away and the stains are visibly reduced after week three. I was worried that I would have black bits left on my teeth (sounds crazy I know), but this rinses out with ease. I don’t know if I’ll have complete pearly whites but for now anything that is visibly reduced is good for me. It also helps that I use this with an electric toothbrush than a conventional toothbrush.
There’s 40g of product and this costs £13 which I think is good value for money and mess aside, if you have some very stubborn stains it may be an idea to bring this into your routine.
Janina Ultra White Activated Charcoal Toothpaste
You pretty much brush your teeth as normal with this toothpaste but it is recommended that you don’t rinse your mouth with water afterwards as it allows the formulation to work for even longer. Sometimes out of habit I would forget this but overall I don’t think it’s the end of the world if you do.
I use the toothpaste in the evenings and in terms of the results I find the same performance in terms of lifting stains as the powder, but this feels a lot fresher in the mouth and is not as messy. Like the powder, this contains Activated Charcoal but it also has an additional ingredient which is Bromaine Complex. This is a combination of fruit enzymes from Pineapple and Papaya which whiten the teeth without the use of harsh abrasives. This toothpaste costs £11.50 for 75ml of product and what I like is that besides the colour, I feel like I am using any other toothpaste.
You can just as easily stick to one product for use morning and evening and like anything, the results are better with regular use over time. To date I am pleased with the results and can see a positive difference with no feelings of sensitivity or negative after effects. My preference is definitely the toothpaste as I am a creature of habit but what I like about Janina is that there are a number of products available to suit your needs and I will be trying more from their range. If you are interested in checking these out too, their products are available in Boots here.
So have you tried any of these products before and what are your thoughts? x
* Products featured in this post were sent to me for review. Opinions are always my own.
