I tried Amazon’s best-selling teeth whitening products — and they “didn’t disappoint”
I’M never filled with much confidence when a beauty product can only be bought from Amazon.
Sure, Lumineux Dental is one of Amazon’s bestselling oral care brands, having clocked up thousands of impressive reviews, but I was still hesitant to give the brand a go.
Billing itself as a natural, at-home whitening brand, has built up a huge fan base in the United States and beyond.
It’s not the cheapest whitening brand on the market, nor are the formulas the most pleasant to use, but will it deliver whitening results?
Let’s put it to the test – here are my honest thoughts on Amazon’s bestselling teeth whitening brand.
Pros
- Enamel-safe formulas
- Suitable for sensitive teeth
- Naturally-based ingredients
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Cons
- Formulas do not incorporate fluoride, which tackles tooth decay
- You have to wait 30 mins after application before eating or drinking
- Much pricier than competitors
Rating: 3.5/5
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Lumineux review: quick summary
12 years ago, Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, a California-based dentist, created a small batch of mouthwashes aimed at promoting oral health without relying on harsh chemicals.
Fast forward to 2024, and has grown into one of the internet’s most-desired oral care brands, boasting an impressive product line-up including , and .
The products are designed to tackle the dilemmas that Dr Maddahi most commonly sees in his patients: sensitivity, dryness, gum disease and staining.
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Most at-home whitening products are powered by hydrogen peroxide, a bleaching agent used in professional teeth whitening, or PAP, which breaks down surface stains by oxidising them.
Lumineux, however, uses neither.
Instead, the brand prides itself on enamel-safe formulas incorporating natural ingredients and essential oils, such as lemon peel oil and aloe vera.
With origins spanning several millennia, essential oils are thought to have anti-microbial properties that tackle bacteria and inflammation in the mouth, but studies are limited.
Some natural ingredients, such as coconut oil, are also said to have whitening properties, posing a natural, non-invasive alternative to chemical teeth whitening.
Whether this is out of habit or precaution, I’ve never tiptoed into the realm of natural toothpaste but, thanks to all of its online hype, I’m curious to try Lumineux — so here goes.
Lumineux review: full review
First impressions
They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but I couldn’t help but prejudge .
Whether it’s the clinical blue packaging or flashy name (pronounced ‘Loo-Ma-Noo’), Lumineux didn’t strike me as an alternative toothpaste brand.
Usually, natural oral care brands arrive in cardboard packaging and have names that sound like noises, so you can imagine my surprise when I first held Lumineux in my hands.
Speaking of which, actually getting my hands on the products was pretty tough; if you’re UK-based, you’ll need to head over to the Amazon website to place your order.
While you’re on the website, you’ll notice that several shop fronts are selling Lumineux, so ensure you shop around for the best deal.
Performance
Most of Lumineux’s products contain Dead Sea salt, coconut oil and aloe vera, which are thought to benefit your mouth’s microbiome.
Dead Sea Salt contains calcium and magnesium for optimising gum health, aloe vera tackles bad breath, and coconut oil can gradually whiten teeth – supposedly.
I’m yet to experience whitening results from the or , but both formulas are gentle on the mouth and gums and leave my mouth feeling fresh.
Lumineux’s bestselling impressed me the most, by subtly improving the luminosity of my smile – but they’re not the cheapest option out there.
Overall, I was most surprised by how pleasant the formulas are (a rarity among natural toothpaste) - but do remember, this is the least important quality for an oral care product to possess.
Lumineux Whitening Strips review
Lumineux Whitening Strips (21 pcs), £39.99 £36
Rating: 4/5
They’ve racked up a whopping 22,300 ratings, been sold to over 500 shoppers in the past month alone, and collected a four-star rating – so it’s little wonder the Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips have been awarded the ‘Amazon Choice’ badge (given to products offering best results, value and ratings).
As one of Amazon’s most successful oral care products, I’ve been looking forward to trialling the Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips for a while, and they didn’t disappoint.
Usually, whitening strips feature ingredient lists the size of shopping lists, often incorporating chemical names you’re unable to pronounce.
So, I was surprised to read that the Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips only comprise a few ingredients – including coconut and lemon peel oil.
Coconut oil has been used to brighten teeth and promote oral health for years, and lemon peel oil is thought to help tackle stains, but studies are limited and often inconclusive.
Lumineux Whitening Strips (21 pcs), £39.99 £36
There’s nothing special about the appearance of these whitening strips — they resemble any other strip I’ve tried — but they have a pleasant coconut scent rather than the chemical smell I’m used to.
I applied one strip to my bottom row of teeth, so that I could compare results with the top, but found that it was tricky to stick down, meaning it felt uncomfortable for the whole 30 minutes I wore it.
Unlike other strips, no unpleasant flavours crept out from beneath it, but it did leave a thick, jelly-like substance on my teeth when I peeled it away.
Fortunately, it only took a bit of brushing and swilling to remove the formula, and I was surprised to find that my teeth actually looked brighter afterwards.
The areas of build-up between my bottom teeth also appeared whiter, but this was a less desirable result, as it’s the last place I want to draw attention to.
With continued use, across one week, I didn’t experience any additional results, but my teeth remained bright and clean.
Lumineux Whitening Toothpaste review
Lumineux Teeth Whitening Toothpaste, £15.72 £13.54 from Amazon
Rating: 3/5
As a loyal AquaFresh user, Lumineux toothpaste — powered by aloe vera, salt and coconut oil — was a little out of my comfort zone.
Designed to ‘whiten without sensitivity’, the toothpaste relies on the powers of natural ingredients, rather than PAP or Hydrogen Peroxide, to brighten your smile.
First of all, £19.99 for a toothpaste tube is very steep, but this could be explained by the incorporation of oils and natural ingredients, which tend to be pricey.
Straight out of the tube, its white formula looks like nothing out of the ordinary but I immediately noticed its difference in taste.
Unlike the synthetic spearmint flavours I’m used to, Lumineux has a subtle, slightly herbal, peppermint taste — it's one of the best-tasting toothpastes I’ve ever tried.
Lumineux has a subtle, slightly herbal, peppermint taste — it's one of the best-tasting toothpastes I’ve ever tried.
Lumineux Teeth Whitening Toothpaste, £15.72 £13.54 from Amazon
I used the toothpaste alongside my electric toothbrush (I’m currently wedded to the ) and was surprised by how little it lathers up, making distributing the formula across my teeth and mouth rather tricky.
Each time I’ve used the toothpaste, my teeth have been left with a slightly rough, powdery finish which is initially unpleasant but quickly dissipates.
Thanks to its subtle flavour, the toothpaste also lacks breath control (a pattern I’ve recently seen emerging among whitening toothpastes) meaning chasing with mouthwash is a must.
As far as natural-based toothpastes go, though, this is one of the most pleasant I’ve tried — and actually left my mouth feeling much cleaner than expected — but I’m yet to notice any whitening results.
Lumineux Whitening Mouthwash
Lumineux Whitening Mouthwash, £14.84 £13.52 from Amazon
Rating: 3.5/5
I’m not a huge fan of mouthwash.
Whether it’s the messy formulas or the burning sensation they leave behind, I’ve never been able to get behind them, despite being constantly encouraged by my dentist.
However, I was intrigued by the promise of a gentle, alcohol-free mouthwash à la Lumineux, which powers its formula with the likes of sage, spearmint and basil.
As soon as I unscrewed the cap, the formula looked unlike any other mouthwash I’ve tried.
Dappled with blobs of essential oils, its clear formula has a potent, minty scent but a surprisingly subtle herbal taste.
Often, I’ll purge mouthwash after just a few seconds thanks to the sharp, burning taste, but Lumineux’s formula is one of the most gentle I’ve tried.
The formula claims to have gradual whitening properties, thanks to its incorporation of coconut oil, but I’m yet to experience results.
Lumineux Whitening Mouthwash, £14.84 £13.52 from Amazon
However, the mouthwash did keep my mouth and breath fresh for about an hour afterwards — which is pretty good going for a mouthwash that’s effectively powered by plants.
I was surprised to read a caveat in the instructions advising me against eating or drinking (including water) for 30 minutes afterwards.
This could be explained by the formula’s incorporation of essential oils, as one of the risks associated with oil pulling (swilling your mouth with essential oil or applying it to your toothpaste) is swallowing, as this can cause stomach upsets.
Is Lumineux safe?
It’s always a vote of confidence when a dentist establishes an oral care brand, but you should still dig a little deeper when buying products online.
Founded by dentist Dr Maddahi, Lumineux bills itself as an enamel-safe, non-toxic alternative to traditional whitening products which typically contain bleaching agents.
Most oral care brands focus on eliminating oral bacteria, but Lumineux believes that 98% of oral bacteria is beneficial for keeping your mouth and gums healthy and strong.
Its formulas are designed to clean and whiten teeth without stripping the mouth of ‘good’ bacteria. They use natural ingredients, like coconut oil and aloe vera, to do this.
While studies are limited, some of these ingredients can carry oral care benefits. For example, coconut oil is said to naturally improve the luminosity of teeth.
However, it’s worth noting that Lumineux products also do not contain fluoride, a mineral found in most toothpastes which helps protect teeth against tooth decay.
Lumineux review: the verdict
I began this review unconvinced by natural toothpastes, and I’m still sitting in the same boat.
While I believe that Lumineux has some great merits – its commitment to enamel-safe formulas being one of them – I’m not ready to wave goodbye to my favourite fluoride-based toothpaste.
However, as far as natural-based oral care brands go, this is one of the smartest, most pleasant brands I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing – and I’m impressed with the transparency of its ingredient lists.
Unfortunately, I didn’t experience any whitening results with the or , whereas I have with other whitening products that contain hydrogen peroxide or PAP.
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The do deserve a golden star, though, as their gentle, sensitive-safe formula not only delivers results but does so without relying on pages full of chemicals.
The Lumineux Whitening Strips do deserve a golden star, though, as their gentle, sensitive-safe formula not only delivers results but does so without relying on pages full of chemicals.
So, I think I’ll continue using my trusty AquaFresh alongside the Lumineux Whitening Strips, balancing oral health with reliable whitening.