These Teeth Whitening Strips Left My Smile So Bright (2024)

Growing up with a dentist for an uncle, proper dental care has pretty much been instilled in me since birth. I brush twice daily with an electric toothbrush at a minimum and have a pretty intense love affair with my Waterpik. Still, as an adult caffeine enthusiast who can’t function without at least three cups of black coffee each morning (and as someone who prefers red wine over white), my teeth have definitely lost their luster over the years. And I’m sure that many of you reading this can relate.

Needless to say, I was excited to test out Crest’s OG whitening system, the Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Whitestrips—a product beloved by Byrdie HQ that promises to remove up to 10 years’ worth of stains in just two weeks. I mean, when it comes to teeth whitening products, is there really a brand more respected than Crest? I took these strips for a spin to see if they were really worth all the hype. Ahead, check out my full review.

About My Teeth: Slight staining

Having tested Byrdie’s pick for the best overall teeth whitening product, Crest’s 3D White Whitestrips with Light, about a year and a half ago, my teeth are still in relatively decent shape. However, still being the avid coffee drinker I was back in 2020, some of the yellowing has returned to my teeth and in the crevices between them. That said, I was excited to give whitening another go, especially with a product that’s much quicker and easier to use each day.

Over the course of about two weeks, I applied the strips to my top and bottom teeth, leaving them on for 30 minutes before peeling off and brushing. The 14 treatments are meant to be used every day consecutively, but since I experienced a little bit of sensitivity, I did take a one-day break during my testing period—but more on that later.

Ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide whitens and brightens

Crest's 3D White Whitestrips are powered by hydrogen peroxide to brighten the teeth and weaken stains, the same ingredient used in most professional treatments. While the exact concentration isn’t listed, most traditional over-the-counter whiteners use about 10% hydrogen peroxide, while professional treatments typically use about 35%. So, no, these won’t yield as powerful results as visiting your dentist, but they’re still proven to be quite effective. In fact, this is the only at-home kit to earn The American Dental Association's official seal of approval. Pretty impressive!

The Feel and Taste: Comfortable, but experienced slight tingling

Straight out of the package, the Whitestrips are dry to the touch. A gel-like substance forms around the teeth after they’re applied, but the no-slip grip technology pretty effectively keeps them in place. In my opinion, these are super comfortable to wear—relatively unnoticeable, even. Sure, you can tell you have a sticky film stuck to your teeth, but you can easily talk, smile, and go about your day with ease. Once you remove them, there will be some gunky residue left behind, which can easily be removed by brushing.

While I didn’t notice any of the formula leak from the strip while wearing them, my tongue did slightly tingle during each session, which I can only imagine was from some of the product seeping out from the back of the strip. My advice would be to try your best not to play with the strips with your tongue while you wear them to avoid this.

The Whitestrips are unflavored, and subtle tingling aside, I didn’t notice any unpleasant taste while wearing them. The other strips I’ve used in the past tasted a tad gross, so I’m definitely pleased with these.

Brushing: Brush after treating, rather than before

While you might think it would be best to brush your teeth before applying the strips, Crest doesn’t recommend it because the treatment can cause gum irritation once the strips are on. However, you will want to gently brush your teeth post-treatment in order to remove any leftover gunk and residue. Because you’ll be removing any remaining treatment left on your teeth, this can also help decrease sensitivity.

Side Effects: Slight tooth sensitivity

Now, teeth whitening products are notorious for leaving your teeth sensitive to cold and hot, even slightly sore, and I definitely experienced that with this product. By day two, I began to notice some slight sensitivity. It wasn’t unbearable by any means, but throughout the testing period, I did notice slight aches here and there. After about seven or eight days, the sensitivity increased, and I decided to take a one-day break in order for it to calm down a bit. Again, it’s not awful, but it’s not the most pleasant feeling. Still, the promise of a refreshed, whitened smile was all the incentive I needed to keep going.

The Results: A much brighter, whiter smile

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t notice your not-so-pearly whites looking whiter after just one or two uses. In fact, it wasn’t until about a week into testing that I started to notice any changes taking place. My smile looked slightly brighter and continued to brighten more over the remaining week. By the end of the testing period, my smile was noticeably whiter. Now, I wouldn’t say my teeth are now shockingly white, but there’s a pretty huge difference from when I first began. The only caveat with strips is that the formula doesn’t really get into the deeper crevices of your teeth, so I still noticed slight yellowing in between my teeth (thanks, coffee). However, it was still a pretty noteworthy improvement overall.

Also, the sensitivity thing is real, and even two days after finishing my final treatment, I’m still noticing some sensitivity to hot and cold—but like the last time I whitened my teeth, I don’t expect this to last for more than a couple of days.

The Value: Totally worth it!

At less than $50 a box, these are so, so worth it. In terms of other at-home teeth whitening kits, these are considered to be moderately priced but considering that a professional teeth whitening session can set you back anywhere from $600 to upwards of a grand, these are definitely a much more wallet-friendly option. Do they yield as dramatic results? No, but I’m still pretty pleased with my newly whitened smile. They’re effective, they’re affordable, and trust, they’re way stronger than the average whitening toothpaste.

Similar Products: You’ve got options

Crest 3D White Whitestrips with Light: My first and only other experience with at-home whitening strips was testing the Crest 3D White Whitestrips with Light ($101). They work similarly to the Glamorous White Whitestrips but have the added benefit of blue light technology to amp up the whitening effects. Each session takes a little over an hour, as opposed to the regular Whitestrip’s 30 minutes, and also requires holding the blue light device to your mouth for ten minutes (meaning you can’t really multitask during that time). However, the full treatment only takes ten days as opposed to 14. Overall, I had better results with this kit, but it costs more—around $100.

AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Pen: While I haven’t had the chance to test the AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Pen ($26) out myself, it’s earned the title of the best whitening pen by Byrdie editors. It’s a simple and easy carbamide peroxide-powered option that can be used on the go and only takes a quick 60 seconds to work. The fact that it’s in pen form with a flexible brush tip is a plus, meaning it can get into those crevices that strips just can’t reach. Plus, ringing in at just over $20, it’s a total steal, especially considering you get more than 20 applications out of it.