I’ve always wanted whiter teeth (who doesn’t?) but my fears of sensitivity and the substantial cost have always put an end to the idea of professional treatment.

In the past, I’d never really given at-home teeth whitening a proper chance either. I would try a product once or twice, expect to see results, and then give up.

But I was determined this time to give the Colgate Optic White Pro Series a committed effort. No quitting for two weeks, at least. After all, I wouldn’t judge skin care or hair products as quickly — good things take time.

And I’ll tell you what, it wasn’t as hard to tweak my routine as I’d initially thought…

The product

In order to try and achieve the best results possible, I used a few products in tandem: the Colgate Optic White Pro Series Teeth Whitening LED Kit and Colgate Optic White Pro Series Teeth Whitening Toothpaste.

The whitening toothpaste contains Colgate’s highest level of hydrogen peroxide in a toothpaste yet, at 5 per cent, and is designed to remove 15 years of stains^. And if you thought that was impressive, the LED kit is designed for professional whitening in just 10 minutes a day*. 

Yet, despite the impressive strength of the products, the range has been formulated for no tooth sensitivity and is enamel safe. Phew, music to my ears.

Colgate Optic White Pro Series review

To help keep myself accountable, I made sure to place the Colgate products in full view next to my skin care products. That way, I could complete my teeth whitening steps at the same time as my morning and evening skin care routines. Genius, right?

In the evenings, I’d do a double cleanse, apply my serums and night cream, and use the toothpaste and LED device. Then in the mornings (when I was often rushing to get out the door), I’d apply my daily moisturiser, SPF and use the toothpaste.

The key is to find what works for your routine and because I always had more time at night, this is when I would use the full kit. Making the whitening steps part of my rituals really helped to stick to the recommended daily use.

The LED kit comes with the Colgate Optic White Pro Series Overnight Teeth Whitening Treatment Pen, which is applied directly to each tooth. For optimal whitening results, it is best to dab your teeth with a tissue before use as this allows the hydrogen peroxide serum to stick to your teeth.

After I applied the serum, I popped the LED device in my mouth. The LED device is powered by hundreds of tiny LED lights that supercharge the hydrogen peroxide serum in the pen for better and faster whitening.

I would then keep the device in for the 10-minute treatment while I read my book in bed. Once it automatically shut off, I’d head to the bathroom to rinse the waterproof device (and for my final toilet trip) before hitting the hay. 

There were a couple of times when I used the LED kit in the morning (usually if I was tired or forgot the night before). I’d pop it in while I did my makeup and by the time I finished my face it would be done! As far as LED kits go, I found the Colgate option to be one of the more convenient kinds. The precision application pen was much easier to use than having to fill a tray with a gel solution — and a lot less messy!

The toothpaste was just as easy to slot into my routine, replacing my regular one for twice-a-day brushing. I did take extra care to ensure I was brushing for the full two minutes to really get the most out of it — it’s amazing the difference paying attention makes! When you brush, you feel a warming sensation; that means the hydrogen peroxide is working. The texture of the toothpaste is a little grittier than my regular toothpaste and I found it foamed a lot more too. I liked that it still provided daily oral hygiene benefits, as well as its whitening effects.

Final verdict

After two weeks, the Colgate Optic White Pro Series products have become a standard part of my routine. I barely have to think about it anymore, which is great! 

In terms of results, I started noticing a brighter smile myself after about three days, which gave me the boost I needed to keep going. It was around day 10 that my partner picked up on my whiter teeth. I’m excited to see how things keep progressing with continued use and hopefully I stay committed!

^With brushing twice daily for 2 weeks. Individual results may vary.

*10 minutes a day for 10 days. Use as directed. Individual results may vary.

Main image credit: Supplied

You know what else you could do during a 10-minute teeth whitening sesh? Pop on one of the best sheet masks in Australia.