After six years of drinking coffee every single day, I noticed that my teeth were starting to look stained. It’s definitely not cute. Despite investing in a hardcore electric toothbrush, the stains were stubbornly staying put, so I decided to try teeth whitening at home.
Stained teeth can be frustrating, especially in the age of Instagram where everyone has brilliantly white teeth. I mean, how do those influencers still have enamel on their teeth? I’d love to know.
I didn’t want to throw down a ton of cash on an expensive treatment at the dentist. Luckily, DIY teeth whitening kits are having a moment. Now that everyone is basically at home 24/7, there’s more time to do a 30-minute LED whitening kit while watching TV. Or, if you’re a little lazy like me, you can do some quick swipes with a whitening pen before bed and let the gel work its magic while you sleep. Plus, many of the teeth whitening kits are under $50.
In the quest for whiter teeth, I did some research and rounded up the best at-home teeth whitening kits, including whitening strips, LED whitening systems, whitening gels and whitening pens. Some are intense and time-consuming—they’ll remind you of a trip to the dentist. Then, there are other treatments that are super gentle on your teeth and perfect for on-the-go touch-ups. There’s something for everyone—even us lazy folks.
I’m getting my teeth whitening routine down now because I don’t want to bring my coffee-stained teeth into post-quarantine life. If your plan is the same as mine, browse these 10 kits below.
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Courtesy of Crest.
Crest Whitestrips
These low-maintenance strips from Crest are super popular for a reason. You just place the strips over your teeth, sit and let them work their magic for 30 minutes. You can talk and drink water while lounging with these, and they won’t slip.
Buy: Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips $47.59
Courtesy of AuraGlow.
AuraGlow Whitening System
You’ll feel like your own dentist after using this comprehensive kit. You use the whitening gel in the tray, pop it in your mouth, turn on the LED light and wait for 30 minutes. The LED light speeds up the whitening process. Just make sure you don’t eat or drink an hour after using. AuraGlow claims that you’ll see some results after one use.
Buy: AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Kit $48.95
Courtesy of Colgate.
Colgate Whitening Pen
This overnight whitening pen is super easy to use. After brushing your teeth, you press the button on the bottom to activate the serum and then gentle brush it over each tooth with the pen. When you wake up in the morning, you brush the serum off your teeth. It boasts results in one week. You can pop this pen in your purse or carry-on for travel without a second thought.
Buy: Colgate Optic White Overnight Teeth Whitening Pen $29.99
Courtesy of Crest.
Crest Whitening Emulsions
This kit is great for people with sensitive teeth. You just squeeze the whitening emulsions onto the wand and apply. It’s that easy. Plus, this formula contains hydrogen peroxide droplets, which are hydrating. If you want some extra power, you can opt for a set that comes with an LED light.
Buy: Crest Whitening Emulsions Leave-on Teeth Whitening Kit $49.97
Courtesy of GLO.
GLO Teeth Whitening Kit
If you’re a little impatient when it comes to results, you should try this kit. After applying the whitening gel to your teeth, you use the GLO heated mouthpiece to supercharge your whitening experience. It’ll turn off automatically after eight minutes and then you’ll repeat the process three more times. Some reviewers saw a difference in just five days.
Buy: GLO Brilliant Deluxe Teeth Whitening Device Kit $199.99
Courtesy of Moon.
Jenner-Approved Whitening Pen
If you’ve wanted pearly whites like Kendall Jenner, check out this whitening pen. Where most whitening pens smell like a dentist’s office, this one contains lavender oil, strawberry fruit extract and honeysuckle flower extract. It’ll certainly be more pleasant to apply.
Courtesy of iSmile.
iSmile Whitening Pack
If you aren’t thrilled at the prospect of using one of the LED-lit mouth trays for 30 mins, iSmile’s version is much quicker. You only need to use this whitening kit for 10 minutes a day to remove unwanted stains. iSmile boasts that your teeth will be eight shades whiter after a week’s use.
Buy: iSmile Teeth Whitening Kit $48
Courtesy of Tarte.
Tarte Vegan Pen
You just apply the whitening brush to each tooth and let it do the hard work. The whitening gel won’t harm your enamel, and it works instantly. This pen is perfect for on-to-go. You can touch up your teeth before happy hour. Plus, it’s vegan.
Courtesy of GO Smile.
GO Smile Whitening Gel
This highly-rated whitening gel can make a noticeable difference in just two days, according to GO Smile. Unlike other whitening gels, you brush this gel directly onto your teeth like you would toothpaste. If you’ve got stubborn stains along your gum lines, you’ll want to try this one.
Courtesy of zimba.
Flavored Teeth Whitening Strips
Like fun flavored toothpaste, you won’t mind wearing Zimba’s whitening strips for 30 minutes. These enamel-safe whitening strips come in a variety of fun flavors, like classic mint, peach, cinnamon and more. The strips will remove stains without causing discomfort.
Buy: Zimba Teeth Whitening Strips $24.99
