I tested Spotlight Oral Care teeth whitening — it’s 40% off and you really will see results
I LOVE my sister, but I'm not sure I'd go into business with her.
However, this isn't the case for Dr. Lisa and Dr. Vanessa Creaven; sisters, dentists, and founders of Spotlight Oral Care.
As a Beauty writer, I test thousands of beauty products but I'm still conscientious about what I apply to my skin or spritz into my hair.
This prudence dials up a notch when it comes to oral care because, as someone who spent four years dragging parents to orthodontist appointments, I don't mess with my teeth.
On the surface, looks good, thanks to its dentist-approved formulas, reems of loyal customers, and slick messaging.
The fact that the brand is running a 40% off sale for Black Friday also adds to the temptation.
READ MORE IN REVIEWS
But does it cut the mustard?
I've put five Spotlight Oral Care products to the test — here are my honest thoughts.
Pros
- Pleasant, gentle formulas
- Gradual results
- Sleek packaging
- Packed with whitening ingredients
Cons
- Requires patience
- Pricier than some competitors
Most read in Product Reviews
Rating: 4.5/5
Spotlight review: quick summary
There are a lot of questionable oral care brands out there.
I'm not necessarily talking about the brands you'll find down Tesco aisles, but rather the products you'll find online with bold claims and hidden ingredient lists.
Spotlight Oral Care is not one of these brands.
Now eight years old, the brand was founded by sister dentists who share the belief that 95% of your oral health goals can be achieved at home.
This mantra has been channelled into Spotlight Oral Care, whose impressive range spans from mouthwashes and toothpaste to whitening gels and pens.
Boasting formulas that are both paraben-free and PETA-approved, they’re supercharged with active whitening ingredients like PAP+ and hydrogen peroxide.
The latter ingredient has earned itself a bit of a reputation, as it can cause sensitivity and enamel damage if used incorrectly or in large quantities.
Whilst some of Spotlight Oral Care’s products contain hydrogen peroxide, the concentrations are considered small enough (e.g. less than 0.01% in the whitening strips) to optimise whitening results without putting teeth at risk.
Spotlight Oral Care review: full review
First impressions
Thanks to its slick packaging and aesthetic branding, Spotlight Oral Care feels like the Apple of oral care brands.
Most of its products feature lightweight, transportable designs, meaning they can be packed into a suitcase or tossed into a bag.
However, it takes a lot more than pretty packaging to win me over, because a nice box should be a whitening brand's least important asset.
Fortunately, Spotlight products are also pleasant and faff-free to use, never a given when it comes to oral care products.
Performance
I wish I could say that at-home whitening product will change your life.
While many brands will claim that they do, safe at-home whitening products do not contain the actives to deliver dramatic results after one use.
It's important to remember this when purchasing whitening products to avoid disappointment and the temptation to overuse them.
products won’t transform your teeth in one application, but they will gradually improve their appearance, and optimise oral health over time.
So, read the instructions properly, employ a bit of consistency and — like me — you'll start to slowly notice an improvement.
Spotlight Oral Care Sonic Pro Toothbrush review
Sonic Pro Toothbrush, £149.95 £89.97 from Spotlight Oral Care
Rating: 4.5/5
A toothbrush has got to be pretty special to be worth nearly £150.
However, Spotlight Oral Care spent nearly three years developing this toothbrush, and the proof is in the pudding.
A smarter, more intelligent upgrade of the OG , the stars several impressive features you’ll struggle to find elsewhere.
This toothbrush features four brushing modes — Gentle, Clean, Whiten, and Polish — with the latter oscillating at 50,000 reps per minute, making it the most powerful toothbrush on the market.
Initially, I was expecting this ultra-speedy setting to whisk away dirt and take my teeth and gums with it, but it’s very gentle (albeit a little noisy).
Sonic Pro Toothbrush, £149.95 £89.97 from Spotlight Oral Care
While having four settings to choose from is a great feature, it’s also very overwhelming, meaning I’ll probably never use them all.
Instead, I’ve been using ‘Gentle’, which (as the name suggests) is calmer and quieter than the other settings.
However, the brush head doesn’t always reach all of the nooks and crannies in my mouth, and I’ve occasionally noticed food stuck in my teeth post-brushing, meaning my dental floss has had its work cut out.
A feature I love is its built-in glow timer, which fully illuminates once brushing time is complete and glows red when too much pressure is applied.
In the box, you’ll also find a charger and additional toothbrush heads as well as a toothbrush holder, which will come in handy when taking it on the go.
Spotlight Oral Care Whitening Strips review
Ultra Teeth Whitening Strips (14-Day), £44.95 £33.71 from Spotlight Oral Care
Rating: 4/5
I’ve always found whitening strips a little strange.
Applying a plastic sticker onto my teeth in the hopes it’ll whiten them has never appealed to me, and I haven't experienced many results when I have tried them.
However, when Spotlight dropped its new formula, I got very excited.
With its OG whitening strips already a bestseller, this new, upgraded version promised the world – and it's delivered.
With its OG whitening strips already a bestseller, this new, upgraded version promised the world – and it's delivered.
The strips arrive individually packaged meaning they’re hygienic and transportable, though I’m less of a fan of the plastic packaging.
Ultra Teeth Whitening Strips (14-Day), £44.95 £33.71 from Spotlight Oral Care
To apply, you stick one strip each on your top and bottom rows of teeth, smoothing down the edges for comfort.
I found the strips very sticky, meaning they tacked onto the side of my mouth during application and didn't budge once applied.
Thank goodness, as you need to wear the strips for a full hour, which is much longer than competitors.
This makes incorporating them into your routine tricky, as you’ll have to kiss goodbye to smiling, eating and drinking for 60 minutes every time you apply them.
The stars both PAP+, which gently tackles stains, and hydrogen peroxide, for reducing discolouration, alongside hydroxyapatite which optimises enamel health.
You’ll need to brush your teeth after peeling the strips away, as they’ll be left coated in a sticky serum, but this only took me a few seconds to remove.
The first time I tried the strips, I only applied one to my bottom row so that I could compare the results.
While the world wouldn’t notice, I was impressed by how clean my teeth looked.
You can use these strips daily but due to the cost of these strips (and my laziness), I think I’ll only use them as a quick whitening top-up before heading out the door.
Spotlight Oral Care Whitening Mouthwash review
Fresh Breath Whitening Mouthwash, £9.95 £7.46 from Spotlight Oral Care
Rating: 4/5
Despite being repeatedly reminded by my dentist, I’ve never bothered with mouthwash.
However, since using , I’ve been converted and now use it daily.
Initially, £9.95 for a bottle of liquid that you effectively throw down the sink seemed expensive, but I was surprised when its large 500ml bottle arrived in the post, as it should last me a couple of months.
Unscrewing the cap, I noticed that the bottle's neck was covered in a mucky, brown liquid which must have been caused by the product leaking.
Fresh Breath Whitening Mouthwash, £9.95 £7.46 from Spotlight Oral Care
Inside the cap, you'll find a 10ml measure for pouring out the correct dosage, but this is messy and tricky to use, meaning I’ve just been eyeballing it.
The formula itself has a green appearance and powerful spearmint scent, and features "Evercool 180" Technology for keeping your mouth and breath fresher for longer.
As per the instructions, I tried swilling the formula for one minute, but its taste was so strong and peppery that I couldn’t bear it for any longer than 10 seconds.
However, the formula does leave my mouth and teeth feeling clean and fresh for up to about two hours afterwards.
That's pretty good going for a mouthwash that costs less than a tenner.
Spotlight Oral Care Teeth Whitening Pen review
Teeth Whitening Pen, £14.99 £8.99 from Spotlight Oral Care
Rating: 4.5/5
The first time I used a teeth whitening pen, I was very excited.
Sadly, I quickly learnt that whitening pens tend to promise the world and deliver nothing but a sticky residue that has zero effect on your teeth.
With that in mind, you can forgive me for being initially unsure of the .
Packaged in a sleek, brushed-metal tube, this is one of the chicest teeth-whitening pens I’ve tried — but not the most expensive.
With a few clicks, the pen dispenses a lightweight serum-like gel, which can be painted directly onto stains or entire teeth.
Teeth Whitening Pen, £14.99 £8.99 from Spotlight Oral Care
Of all the whitening pens I’ve tried, Spotlight’s formula is the least sticky and feels nearly undetectable once applied to teeth.
Formulated with hydrogen peroxide, a whitening oxidizing agent, it works by breaking down and fading stains rather than just covering them – meaning you can expect to see results over time.
I’ve been applying the pen to the gaps in my front teeth for over a week and, while it took a couple of days to notice any difference, the area now appears brighter and less yellow.
Like most whitening products, you’ll need to exercise a bit of patience and allocate some time for it in your routine — I apply the serum after brushing my teeth in the morning.
Spotlight Oral Care Whitening Toothpaste review
Ultra Teeth Whitening Professional Toothpaste (3 Pack), £28.50 £21.37 from Spotlight Oral Care
Rating: 4.5/5
Whitening toothpastes are always hit or miss.
Some have hideous flavours and burn your mouth, while others taste like soft mints and leave your teeth sparkling.
I’ve tried more whitening toothpastes than I’d care to admit, but the is one of the most expensive (working out at £9.50 per tube), so I had high expectations.
Powered by Sodium Fluoride for preventing tooth decay and Hydrogen Peroxide for tackling discolouration, it lifts away surface stains, gradually improving the luminosity of your gnashers.
Ultra Teeth Whitening Professional Toothpaste (3 Pack), £28.50 £21.37 from Spotlight Oral Care
Suitable for twice-daily use, it’s one of the most pleasant toothpastes I’ve tried and has a soft, subtle spearmint flavour, which is a nice change from the bitter, irritating whitening toothpastes I’ve become accustomed to.
Its formula lathers into a satisfying froth which left my teeth, tongue and gums feeling deeply cleaned.
After one use, my teeth appeared brighter and these results didn’t budge (but admittedly) didn’t improve after a week of twice-daily use.
It’s slightly annoying that this toothpaste can only be bought in a set of three, as this makes for a big commitment, but I suppose it is a good way to stock up.
My only gripe is its lack of bad breath control, as it leaves a bitter taste behind – so pack those breath mints!
Is Spotlight Oral Care safe?
When a brand is founded by industry experts, you tend to be in good hands.
Fortunately, this is the case with Spotlight Oral Care, which is an Irish teeth whitening brand founded by dentists Dr Lisa and Dr Vanessa Creaven.
Many brands will claim they’re ‘loved’ or ‘approved’ by dentists, but Spotlight Oral Care’s products have actually been formulated alongside its expert founders.
While this is a seal of approval, you should still exercise caution when using whitening products, as improper use can lead to issues like sensitivity and receding gums.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll feel the temptation to use these products again and again, but ensure you always follow instructions and use them as advised.
The verdict: does Spotlight Oral Care work?
Sadly, I can’t provide you with a yes or no answer.
This isn’t because I think products don’t work — I’ve seen some great results — but it all depends on your teeth whitening ambitions.
If you’re looking for sparkling, Simon-Cowell-style white teeth then Spotlight Oral Care won’t provide you with the results you desire.
I equally wouldn’t advise this brand to anyone looking for a speedy whitening fix – instead, I'd direct you towards HiSmile.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
However, I would recommend Spotlight Oral Care to anyone who’s looking to balance safe, gentle whitening with overall oral care.
If you’re interested in gradually whitening your teeth over a few weeks while keeping your gums and teeth happy, Spotlight is a great option — and you really will see results.