RodneyDickson
Member Since: August 14, 2012Reviews
Olay Fresh Effects Shine Minimizing Cleanser
Olay Fresh Effects {Shine, Shine Go Away!} Shine Minimizing Cleanser claims to provide a "deep-down to the pores clean" that "lathers and rinses like a daily cleanser to remove 2X more dirt, oil and make-up than basic cleansing". Being a guy, I... +
Olay Fresh Effects {Shine, Shine Go Away!} Shine Minimizing Cleanser claims to provide a "deep-down to the pores clean" that "lathers and rinses like a daily cleanser to remove 2X more dirt, oil and make-up than basic cleansing". Being a guy, I cannot attest to its ability to remove make-up, however, I do have oily skin and can comment to its effectiveness in addressing that issue.
The product emits from its stand-up tube as a silver cream (oh, we're talking beauty products here...I meant "creme"). The "creme" is silver: in fact, it shines like silver would, which in itself is 'unconventional'. Add to this the fact that the product is made in China, and all of a sudden this is seeming less like a face cleanser and more like a health hazard. Appearance (and unfair prejudgment based on the country of origin) aside, let's move on to effectiveness. Lathering one's face with the product does not provide a rich, frothy lather as soap would, but rather creates a thin layer of slick product across the face. One good benefit of the product is that it takes very little product to create such a lather: perhaps but a 1 cm line of product. The product applies fine, and rinsing it away is fairly easy as well. The odour, once rinsed off, is stronger than soap, but nonetheless pleasant and fades away with time. Unfortunately, the product does not give the 'clean' sensation as soap does, in that, after washing your face with this product, your face emits a pleasant smell and the presence of facial oil is diminished, however, instead of your skin feeling tight and clean as it does after washing your face with soap, your face still feels oily, as if you had simply splashed water on your face in the morning without actually cleaning your face in any manner. So although appearance and odour-wise the product works as advertised, after-wash sensation-wise the product leaves this tester's face feeling unclean and oily. It would also seem that oil buildup on the face returns quicker after washing one's face with this product than when washing one's face with soap.
For 150 ml of product, Olay Fresh Effects {Shine, Shine Go Away!} Shine Minimizing Cleanser retails at Wal-Mart Canada for $7.97, and although it takes very little of this product to build up a lather and wash one's face, the price is still much higher than that of conventional soap, which not only leaves the user's skin feeling much cleaner, but also serves more than one purpose: such as the ability to also wash one's hands and body with.
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Quaker Harvest Crunch Quinoa Bar
This product was provided to me at no cost through the Chick Advisor Review Club. Quaker Harvest Crunch Quinoa Bars - Chocolate Nut Medley, come in a retail box containing 5 granola bars, with each granola bar weighing in at 35 g (the retail box... +
This product was provided to me at no cost through the Chick Advisor Review Club.
Quaker Harvest Crunch Quinoa Bars - Chocolate Nut Medley, come in a retail box containing 5 granola bars, with each granola bar weighing in at 35 g (the retail box contains 175 g of product in total). The dimensions of each bar are roughly 9.5 cm by 2.25 cm by 2 cm (with wrapping, the length of each bar is 15 cm).
I myself purchase granola bars regularly. I often favour store brands over name brands, given the similar taste and product quality, all at a lower price than the name brands. However, it would seem that Quaker is offering a product that is unique in its own regard: a granola bar that makes use of the Quinoa grain. Perhaps those who believe ancient grains to contain health benefits long forgotten by a society that seem to prefer synthetic foods 'on the cheap' will be sold by the presence of quinoa, however I myself base my purchasing decision on three main factors: 1) value for my money, 2) taste, and 3) nutritional information. That being said, let's begin with nutritional information. Seeing as Quaker Harvest Crunch Quinoa Bars - Chocolate Nut Medley is a unique product in its own right, let's compare it to 4 other types of varying granola bar and one type of muffin bar, listed in order from similarity to the host's product (I told you I consume a lot of granola bars : )
Quaker Harvest Crunch Quinoa Bars - Chocolate Nut Medley, for 1 bar (35g) contains 160 calories, 6 g of fat (2g of which is saturated), 95mg of sodium, 24g of carbs, 1g of fibre, 9g of sugars, and 2g of protein.
Fibre 1 Oats and Chocolate Chewy Bars, for 1 bar (35g - same) contains 140 calories (20 less), 3.5g of fat (2.5 less), of which 1.5g is saturated fats (0.5g less), 80mg of sodium (15mg less), 26 g of carbs (2g more), 5g of fibre (4g more), 13g of sugars (4g more) and 2g of protein (same)
President's Choice Blue Menu Low Fat Chewy Cranberry Apple Granola Bars, for 1 bar (26g - down 9 g) contains 100 calories (60 less), 1.5 g of fat (4.5 less), 0 saturated fats (down 2g), 55mg of sodium (40g less), 21g of carbs (3g less), 1g of fibre (same), 9g of sugars (same), and 1g of protein (a loss of 1g)
Leclerc Choco Max Caramel Coated Chewy Bars, for 1 bar (32g - down 3g) contains 140 calories (20 less), 4.5g of fat (1.5g less), of which 2g is saturated fats (same), 55mg of sodium (40g lower), 23g of carbs (down 1g), 1g of fibre (same), 14g of sugars (5g higher), and 2g of protein (same)
Selection Milk Chocolate Coated Caramel & Nut Granola Chewy Bars, for 1 bar (34g - down 1g) contains 140 calories (20 less), 4.5g of fat (1.5g less), of which 2g is saturated fat (same), 50mg of sodium (45mg lower), 24g of carbs (same), 1g of fibre (same), 13g of sugars (4g higher), and 2g of protein (same)
Leclerc Essensia Carrot Muffin Bars, for 1 bar (38g - up 3g) contains 160 calories (same), 7g of fat (1g higher), of which 0.5g is saturated fat (down 1.5g), 5mg of cholesterol (not seen in any other product listed), 140mg of sodium (45mg higher), 22g of carbs (down 2g), 3g of fibre (up 2g), 8g of sugars (down 1g) and 2g of protein (same)
Given this rundown, it is clear that selling Quaker Harvest Crunch Quinoa Bars - Chocolate Nut Medley as a 'healthy alternative' is 'reaching' at best. Of the 5 other products compared (only ONE of which claimed to be a 'healthy alternative') all four granola bars had less calories (the muffin bar had the same amount). All four granola bars had less fat (the muffin bar had more). All four granola bars had less sodium (the muffin bar had more). Two granola bars and the muffin bar had less carbs, with one remaining granola bar having the same amount and the other remaining granola bar having slightly more. Three out of the five products had the same amount of fibre, with the muffin bar and the Fibre 1 granola bar having more fibre. Three of the granola bars DID have more sugar however, with one remaining granola bar having the same amount of sugar, and the muffin bar having less sugar. All bars, save for the President's Choice Blue Menu bar, all had the same amount of protein, with the President's Choice bar having less.
TASTE: Despite its 'health factor' shortcomings (despite being branded as a healthy alternative), the Quaker Harvest Crunch Quinoa Bars - Chocolate Nut Medley do not taste as you would expect a 'healthy alternative' would. The granola reminds me of puffed rice cereal in its texture and taste, and the juxtaposition of the sweet 30mm thick layer of milk chocolate at the bottom of the bar combined with the salty peanuts, sunflower kernels and almonds really make for a pleasant taste. However, the main selling point: the quinoa grains (which do not look like what you would find on a 'conventional' granola bar to say the least), have a taste that is similar to other grain cereal one would buy at a grocery store (in that it tastes a little bitter and the taste remains in your mouth long after the other tastes from the granola bar have dissipated).
The final criteria I use to evaluate what makes a good product is price, or value for money. Given the manufacturer's suggested retail price of $3.49 for 5 bars and 175g of product, this is sadly not a competitive price in my opinion. For example, 630 g of President's Choice Blue Menu Low Fat Chewy Cranberry Apple Granola Bars costs me under $6, and that is for 24 bars. Generally, Choco Max Caramel Coated Chewy Bars sell for 2 boxes for $5, and each box contains 256g of product (8 bars). It's understandable that Quaker Harvest Crunch Quinoa Bars - Chocolate Nut Medley represents a product that is unique to the market, but when the 'healthy alternative' sales pitch isn't significant, and the taste is at best 'pleasant' (I would not choose Quaker Harvest Crunch Quinoa Bars - Chocolate Nut Medley over any of the other 5 products I had mentioned prior based on taste alone), sadly you do not have much of a sales pitch to go on. Worth mentioning before I end this review: the Quaker Harvest Crunch Quinoa Bars DO stay together in one piece when bit into (there is no crumbs or other sort of 'falling to pieces' that takes place), however, the bar wrapper tears FAR too easy once opened (once a rip is created, the wrapping has the structural integrity of aluminum foil - ripping with even the slightest gesture.)
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Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse
Note that this item was provided to this tester at no cost through the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse ($4.49 at Wal-Mart Canada) claims to provide the user with 6 oral care benefits, 2 of which could not... +
Note that this item was provided to this tester at no cost through the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse ($4.49 at Wal-Mart Canada) claims to provide the user with 6 oral care benefits, 2 of which could not be confirmed without before-and-after visits to a dental practitioner (helps prevent plaque, helps prevent gingivitis). As there is no evidence supporting the contrary, I will believe these claims to be true.
I can comment on the remaining four claims however: Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse claims to 'kill germs' and 'freshens breath', which I do believe is the case given the fresh sensation in my mouth following use of the rinse. Crest claims that the rinse 'keeps teeth cleaner* ' (note the asterisk, which on the back of the bottle indicates ' *vs. brushing alone' which once again I believe to be true (as the application of a rinse has a far-greater coverage than what can be had with but a toothbrush, however, a rinse obviously can not scrub away tartar, plaque, bacteria and food residue from teeth as a toothbrush with toothpaste can, thus the necessity to use both products.) Crest also claims that the rinse does all this 'without the burning sensation of alcohol' which again is accurate (the rinse is alcohol-free).
The lack of alcohol in the rinse is evident. The mouth sensation experienced when using the rinse is extremely mild (I myself am accustomed to using Cool Mint Listerine, which is far more 'hardcore' than this mild rinse.) As well as the sensation itself being mild, so is the taste. The mint-taste of the Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse reminds me very much of the taste found in much cheaper store brand mouthwashes (such as Wal-Mart's Equate brand) and given this mild sensation combined with the mild taste, Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse does not seem nearly as potent as Cool Mint Listerine. Also worth noting is that the after-taste after spitting the rinse is extremely similar to flat Root Beer (such as the small remaining amount at the bottom of a 2 litre A&W;or Barq's brand bottle) which does not associate with 'freshness' to me.
The application of the rinse itself was fairly easy: after brushing and flossing, ensure to rinse one's mouth out with water, and then rinse with 20 ml of Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse for 30 seconds. Once spat, the Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse seems to generate a foaming sensation in one's mouth, however this foam dissipates once outside of the user's mouth.
The product itself is a light aqua-blue colour, contained in a clear plastic bottle with a diamond or gem-cut theme, and the cap is large, fairly easy to grip and extremely easy to open and then re-screw shut (note that there is no child-lock-protection on this cap, so best to keep this product away from children).
Overall, at $4.46 for 500 ml, Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse is a more expensive-priced product (for a name brand) that boasts an impressive list of benefit claims, however, the lack of sensation, strength and confidence that this rinse exudes is not enough to convince me to give up my Cool Mint Listerine, which is not only more potent but also a much better value, at $5.79 for a full 1 litre of product.
Editor's Note: this member received a free product as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
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Crest Pro-Health ProFresh Toothpaste
Note that this item was provided to this tester at no cost through the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. NOTE: the descriptions used in this review may be disturbing to some readers; reader discretion is advised. Crest Pro-Health ProFresh... +
Note that this item was provided to this tester at no cost through the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
NOTE: the descriptions used in this review may be disturbing to some readers; reader discretion is advised.
Crest Pro-Health ProFresh Toothpaste makes many claims whose effectiveness can only be truly confirmed through before-and-after visits to a dental practitioner (such as 'fights cavities, fights plaque, fights gingivitis, fights tartar, and whitens teeth (by removing surface stains)). After using the product exclusively for a week, it would seem that there is no evidence that would prove to be contrary to these claims, and therefore, I am going to claim that the toothpaste functioned as intended in all of these respects.
There remains two claims that I can speak on. The first is the claim that Crest Pro-Health ProFresh Toothpaste 'builds increasing protection against painful sensitivity.' I myself have mild to moderate tooth sensitivity, and throughout the week, I have not noticed a difference between the beginning of the test cycle and the end of the test cycle. Extremely hot and extremely cold foods still bother my teeth, and unless this buildup of 'increasing protection against painful sensitivity' takes multiple weeks to develop, I am not convinced that this toothpaste would function any better or at the same level as a toothpaste intended primarily to combat tooth sensitivity.
Of the remaining claim 'freshens breath', I can say that the toothpaste itself (with every opening of the tube) has a bacteria-like odour to it (not terribly inviting). Furthermore, use of the toothpaste leaves a tart acidic taste in one's mouth, similar to the tart acidic taste that is created after one vomits. It should be noted that both the odour and taste are faint and therefore still bearable, however, I fail to see how either would contribute to fresh breath.
Physically, the tube's flip-cap is brilliant, clicking open and shut with a certainty that leads to believe that the cap is on tight. Furthermore, the cap seems to reduce toothpaste buildup around the tube's opening and the wide, flat dimensions of the cap surface allows the toothpaste tube to stand upright on this cap.
The toothpaste product itself is a light aqua-blue colour with dark-blue specks contained within. It takes more toothpaste than most other products in order to build up a workable lather in one's mouth when brushing, and the toothpaste itself (unused portions) seems to leave a runny discolouration on the tube's opening, complete with an aqua-blue tint speckled with the aforementioned dark-blue specks.
Given that this toothpaste is priced higher than entry-level toothpastes on the market, I would only recommend it when on sale or when offered on promotion. Sadly, in most cases we have to take the manufacturer's word in substantiating their benefit claims. With this in mind, Crest Pro-Health ProFresh Toothpaste boasts an impressive list of benefit claims, yet not enough to convince me to switch from my regular Colgate Total Toothpaste.
Editor's Note: this member received a free product as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
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Oral-B CrossAction Pro-Health Toothbrush
Note that this item was provided to this tester at no cost through the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. The Oral-B CrossAction Pro-Health ($3.99 at FutureShop Online) claims to provide the user with 7 oral care benefits in one brush. Of course... +
Note that this item was provided to this tester at no cost through the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
The Oral-B CrossAction Pro-Health ($3.99 at FutureShop Online) claims to provide the user with 7 oral care benefits in one brush. Of course, one would have to have before-and-after visits to a dental practitioner in order to measure the effectiveness of one of these claims (removes hard to reach plaque) whereas the other 6 claims can be confirmed or denied with some level of accuracy on one's own. I myself have been an Oral-B CrossAction toothbrush user for many years now, and therefore I feel qualified to compare the two: both feature the same handle length (approximately 18 cm from end to end, including brush head) along with the same contoured-grip dimensions (the rubberized applications on the standard CrossAction felt a little more soft and gummy than did the CrossAction Pro-Health), nonetheless, both toothbrushes provided excellent grip, even when used with wet hands or hands covered in toothpaste-drippings. Visual finish of the brush handles are of a different pattern, with the standard CrossAction brush featuring a solid white plastic handle, and with the CrossAction Pro-Health showing a transparent-blue finish with sparkle-or-glitter-like specks embedded within (the pattern resembles the Crest Pro-Health line of toothpaste). Where both brushes differ significantly is in the dimensions of the brush head: the CrossAction Pro-Health is 13 mm wide at its widest point, which is 3 mm up from the standard CrossAction (10 mm). In addition, the bristles are taller (once again, 13 mm tall at its highest point (including brush head), which is 3 mm up from the standard CrossAction (10 mm)). The added length of the bristles did not bother me too badly (yes, getting the toothbrush between the upper and lower back-teeth required more effort to open one's jaw wider) however the contoured grip ensured that the brush would not slip and torque out of the way when doing so. Where my harshest critique comes into play is in the use of rubberized applications on the brush head: on each side of the brush head are four rubberized rods of 2 mm each in width and 9 mm each in length. These rods are intended to support the claim 'stimulates gums', however, I would never normally want my gums 'stimulated' nor do a see a benefit in doing so. The same thing goes for 5 small dimple pockets under these rubberized rods on each side of the brush head towards the edge: instead of stimulating gums, the edges in the rubberized plastic created by these dimple pockets actually irritated the inside of my mouth considerably when brushing, which I consider far from 'stimulating'. Add to this a thin patterned rubberized tongue-scraper at the back of the brush head intended to support the claim 'removes odor-causing tongue germs', which worked fine during brushing, however, all of these rubberized applications often rub up against my teeth when brushing, causing a squeaking sensation which is FAR from pleasant.
The layout and pattern of the multi-length bristles does in fact support the claim 'cleans along the gum line' which would in-turn support the claim 'reduces gingivitis', however, those rubberized applications once again get in the way of the brush excelling in this department (my standard CrossAction does not have rubberized applications, and hence provides better access to my gum line).
The bristles, even though in the 'soft' variety, were in fact firmer than those of the standard CrossAction, which would lead me to believe that the brush probably 'polishes away surface stains' as the claim states just as well as other toothbrushes in its category, all while being soft enough to support the claim 'gentle on enamel'.
Throughout the test, already being a fan of the Oral-B CrossAction line of toothbrushes, my reoccurring thought was to take a pair of needle-nose pliers to the Oral-B CrossAction Pro-Health and remove all applications of rubberized plastic, creating a firmer-bristle version of the standard Oral-B CrossAction (if I were to do so, this would be done after this test cycle.)
At $3.99, the Oral-B CrossAction Pro-Health toothbrush is in my opinion not worth the added dollar for the rubberized plastic applications which do nothing but hinder the tooth brushing process.
Editor's Note: this member received a free product as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
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Oral-B CrossAction Toothbrush
I am a longtime user of the Oral-B CrossAction Toothbrush line, and am happy to see that they have now become very competitive price wise, selling at around $3 at Wal-Mart Canada. On launch, I remember paying $13 for this toothbrush as Zellers (it... +
I am a longtime user of the Oral-B CrossAction Toothbrush line, and am happy to see that they have now become very competitive price wise, selling at around $3 at Wal-Mart Canada. On launch, I remember paying $13 for this toothbrush as Zellers (it was the most expensive toothbrush I had ever purchased, but for some reason the marketing campaign sold me on it...then again, so did the marketing strategy behind that silly Gillette M3 Power (vibrating) Men's Razor, which coincidentally also cost me $13, but that's another story : )
The Oral-B CrossAction Toothbrush features a thick contoured rubberized handle (2 cm at its girth-iest point, 1 cm at the pinch or choke point) which fits nicely into the palm of the hand, and due to its rubberized contoured shape, seldomly slips or shifts out-of-place, providing a sure-footed (or, 'sure-handed' I should say) grip throughout.
The brush head design is multi-layered, with firm, short, narrow bristles lining the middle of the brush head and running horizontally across, facilitating the brushing between teeth or otherwise in those hard to reach places. The outer bristles, which are longer and softer, reach outward to ensure that areas of teeth around and next to the gum line are properly brushed.
Of course, with the price of these toothbrushes coming down considerably over the years, so I have noticed has quality. The criss-cross pattern of brush bristles (hence the trade name 'CrossAction' tends to level out (un-cross) with but a few weeks of brushing. Bristles now disconnect from the brush head and find their way into your toothpaste runnings during teeth brushing (this does not happen consistently, but rather, perhaps one bristle every couple of brushes).
Regardless, the comfort, design, and ease of use all make this toothbrush my number one choice for manual toothbrushes.
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Reach Access Flosser
The Reach Access Flosser is a handle that is not unlike that of a standard toothbrush, with a rubberized grip (once again like a standard toothbrush) however in the place of a toothbrush head is a snap-on two-prong fork with a 2 cm piece of thin... +
The Reach Access Flosser is a handle that is not unlike that of a standard toothbrush, with a rubberized grip (once again like a standard toothbrush) however in the place of a toothbrush head is a snap-on two-prong fork with a 2 cm piece of thin floss binded between the prongs. Given the long handle and angle of the flosser head, flossing one's dentifrice takes a maximum of two minutes (where manual flossing or using those small floss-picks may take much longer). My salivary glands tend to overreact when manually flossing, making holding on to the floss string extremely difficult, even when coiling it many times around my ring fingers. I've found floss picks such as the Ez-Thru (or Easy Through) flossers to be not durable enough to get through a single flossing session. Even 'inspired' products such as the Oral-B Hummingbird do not have the 'Reach' (no pun intended) and versatility of the Reach Access Flosser.
Reach Access Flossers can be considered to be on the pricey side, costing around $6 for one Reach Access Flosser with 8 snap-on heads, but to me, the time and effort saved is well worth the extra money. It's a shame that this product is no longer easily found in stores. That, combined with what I assume to be a patent on the design ensures that no other company can produce similar products. Still, I plan to continue to use Reach Access Flossers as long as I can find them (I'll even order them online if I have to).
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Crest 3D White Multi-Care Whitening Rinse
This product was provided to me at no cost through the Chick Advisor Review Club. It should be noted that the reviewer used this product in conjunction with Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Fluoride Toothpaste (Vibrant Mint). Being a regular... +
This product was provided to me at no cost through the Chick Advisor Review Club.
It should be noted that the reviewer used this product in conjunction with Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Fluoride Toothpaste (Vibrant Mint).
Being a regular consumer of Cool Mint Listerine, I found the price point of Crest 3D White Multi-Care Whitening Oral Rinse (Glamorous White) to be rather on the pricey side for 473 ml of product ($5.97 at Wal-Mart Canada, as I usually pay this same price for 1 full litre of Listerine). However, it should be noted that this product makes a product claim that Listerine does not: the whitening of teeth and protection against stains. Both products, of course, claim to kill bad breath bacteria.
First thing that one notices with Crest 3D White Multi-Care Whitening Oral Rinse is its prism-diamond shaped bottle (most likely designed as such to create an association with the notion of sparkle and shine). NEVER have I experienced a bottle cap on a product that opened so smoothly and effortlessly, and closed with the same facility and ease (due to this, this product should definitely be kept out of reach of children).
The product itself is clear, with a pleasant taste and pleasant odour, with the taste and odour not dissimilar from that of Cool Mint Listerine.
As mentioned on the back of the bottle, the product has a foaming sensation when rinsed in one's mouth, and this is made evident when expelling the product from one's mouth (additional spitting is required to expel all foam, whereas a traditional mouthwash like Listerine can be expelled more easily in its liquid format.)
I have noted that the product does leave the reviewer with long lasting fresh breath, as indicated in the product's benefits/claims.
Now here's where reviewing this product becomes difficult. As mentioned in my review of Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Fluoride Toothpaste (Vibrant Mint), after comparing before-and-after pictures of my teeth side by side, my teeth are noticeably whiter than before. So where lies the problem you ask? In using this product (and given the inner-mouth coverage of this product versus toothpaste, I tend to lean on this product being the source of my problems over the toothpaste) my gums have become excessively sensitive using this product. Now keep in mind, I regularly rinse with Listerine, a product that can arguably be considered to be much more harsh in its antiseptic properties than Crest 3D White Multi-Care Whitening Oral Rinse, and prior to this I have not had irritable gums in years (there was a time where I did not floss as often as I should have, and thus, flossing would cause gum irritation) but now, I both floss and brush my teeth regularly, and once again, I have not experienced sensitive gums in the longest time. I used this product for a week, and as the week progressed, my gums became more and more sensitive (skip this next sentence and immediately to the next paragraph if you find gruesome descriptions disturbing: at the height of my gum sensitivity issues, my gums were bleeding so much, that the white toothpaste that was leaking from my mouth while brushing my teeth was so laden with blood, it resembled stirred strawberry yogurt.)
Needless to say, through the sensitivity, I have developed a much slower, much more careful method of brushing my teeth, brushing extremely slowly and carefully not to touch my gums very much during brushing. After brushing, use of the Crest 3D White Multi-Care Whitening Oral Rinse only irritated my gums further, causing discomfort and slight pain until the required 60 seconds of rinsing was complete.
So with this, can I recommend this product to others? Well, my teeth are whiter, and after reading reviews from other ChickAdvisor reviewers, it would seem that I was the only one who suffered from this gum irritation and sensitivity. So basically, if the product does not cause you and gum irritation and sensitivity, then please go ahead and try it. If it does however, you still have little to lose by trying it out, as with its 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Fluoride Toothpaste product, Crest will refund your purchase price when you return the package UPC and cash register receipt within 60 days of purchase should you not be satisfied with your purchase.
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Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste
It should be noted that the reviewer used this product in conjunction with Crest 3D White Multi-Care Whitening Oral Rinse (Glamorous White). I was never very proud of the colour of my teeth. Being a regular consumer of meal replacement powdered... +
It should be noted that the reviewer used this product in conjunction with Crest 3D White Multi-Care Whitening Oral Rinse (Glamorous White).
I was never very proud of the colour of my teeth. Being a regular consumer of meal replacement powdered drinks, to call my teeth anywhere near white would be so overly kind that frankly it would be downright lying. Over the years I've tried many products to whiten my teeth, such as various toothpastes, chewing gums, and most recently, a gel pen with a blue LED light device, however none of these products ever really produced any results worth talking about.
In comes Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Fluoride Toothpaste (Vibrant Mint). Being a regular consumer of Colgate Total toothpaste, I found the price point ($5.99 at Well.ca) to be rather on the pricey side, especially for 85 ml worth of toothpaste, however, the facility of whitening my teeth while doing something I would be doing anyway (brushing my teeth) was too good to pass up. First thing that one notices with the wide tube is it's unique flip cap. Not only can the tube be stood-up on this flat cap in order to save shelf space, but the cap itself flips open and snaps shut with ease. The product emits from the inner channeling spout with ease, and retracts back into the tube once pressure on the tube is released (avoiding any messy buildup around the tube's spout).
The product itself is white with light blue stripes embedded within it, and within these light blue stripes can be found darker blue crystals. The design is reminiscent of Aquafresh toothpaste, albeit with a different colour scheme.
The taste of the toothpaste is good. A fresh mint taste that reminds me of many mint chewing gums, especially those designed to whiten teeth.
The product DOES liquify in one's mouth much quicker than other toothpastes however, creating quite the mess rather quickly as the product leaks out of the user's mouth when brushing.
Not only does the product leave the user with fresh breath, but the user's teeth after brushing feel smooth and clean, very similar to the feeling when using other brands of whitening toothpaste with baking soda.
Originally, my intention was to give this product a rather average review, especially considering its higher price point, HOWEVER, like any good reviewer, I insisted on taking before-and-after pictures of my teeth in the mirror using my smartphone, ensuring to use the highest settings of my smartphone's camera, ensuring to use the SAME mirror with SAME lighting on both occasions to avoid any error in judgement. I imported the images to my computer, compared both side by side, and much to my surprise: my teeth are whiter! Noticeably whiter! Any discolouration or staining can no longer be seen, leaving an even tone throughout, and even though my teeth are not superstar-white, I can honestly say that I do not remember my teeth looking this white before! Given this concrete evidence, I cannot help but recommend this product. It worked for me (a guy who has tried many products before with no luck) so it should work for others too. Come to think about it, the price point is lower than what I paid for that gel pen with the blue LED light gimmick, so why not take a chance on the product and try it out for yourself? Crest even offers a whiter-smile guarantee (if you do not notice a whiter smile, you can return the package UPC and cash register receipt to Crest for a refund) so aside from postage and effort, there is little risk involved.
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Oral-B 3D White Vivid Toothbrush
I've been a fan of Oral-B CrossAction manual toothbrushes for years, so this review uses the Oral-B CrossAction as a reference point to what a good toothbrush should be. First thing that is noticeable about the Oral-B 3D White Vivid Toothbrush is... +
I've been a fan of Oral-B CrossAction manual toothbrushes for years, so this review uses the Oral-B CrossAction as a reference point to what a good toothbrush should be.
First thing that is noticeable about the Oral-B 3D White Vivid Toothbrush is its rather odd dimensions. Although lengthwise it measures a similar length to an Oral-B CrossAction, the Oral-B 3D White Vivid Toothbrush's handle is noticeably thinner than the Oral-B CrossAction (1 cm at its thickest point versus the 2 cm diameter of the Oral-B CrossAction toothbrush handle). The overall rounded shape of the Oral-B 3D White Vivid Toothbrush's handle all around (including the rubberized grip, whose lateral grip lines also contour around the handle) causes much slippage and unwanted toothbrush turning when trying to brush one's teeth (especially if the toothpaste leaks down to the handle during brushing, creating a slippery situation). The bristle quality is questionable, as throughout my week trial with it, bristles continually detached from the brush head and have been protruding upward from the center of the brush head (mind you, none have outright detached). Bristle placement is satisfactory, and Oral-B's claim that the bristle-cup-design adequately cups toothpaste to the brush head when brushing teeth is accurate, however, the sheer length of the bristles are MUCH too long. Despite writing this review on a site called ChickAdvisor.com, I am a 5 foot 8, 170 pound man, and I can tell you that even with my average man-sized mouth (with even more mouth space since my wisdom teeth were removed), the bristles of the Oral-B 3D White Vivid Toothbrush, measuring on average 1 cm in length, are far longer than the bristles of the Oral-B CrossAction (with the Oral-B CrossAction's bristles measuring on average 70 mm in length). What this does is cause the Oral-B 3D White Vivid Toothbrush to often torque out of place when brushing. With the sheer size of the bristles (combined with the overall rounded handle) the bristles can not comfortably enter the mouth and still accommodate the back of the brush head entering the mouth when brushing the three sides of the back teeth (where entering the mouth with the toothbrush head is necessary to reach these back-teeth) and thus, the toothbrush has to be constantly adjusted and gripped VERY firmly in order to not slip out of place, causing both irritation in the mouth and irritation on the hand once brushing is completed.
The added rubberized tongue-cleaner on the back of the brush head actually feels nice and can be used WHILE brushing teeth through tongue placement during brushing, however, said tongue scraper actually irritates the inner-lips when brushing the outer-facing surface of teeth (unless the lower and upper lips are strained out of the way when brushing, something that is not easily accomplished either just having woken up in the morning or just before bedtime after a long day).
The price point ($3.99 at FutureShop...yes, I said FutureShop : ) is on par with what is offered from other manual toothbrushes, however, I cannot help but feel that better products can be had at similar prices (such as the Oral-B CrossAction at the same price.)
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