Idol White is an tooth whitening pen that says you can get fast results that rival those from the dentist. But can it really work that well?
Overview
Whiter teeth top the list of many people all over the globe, and it’s no wonder that there are so many products designed to help us with it. The only problem is that they all provide very mixed results, with some being easier to use than others, and all of them trying to match the methods used by cosmetic dentists.
The Claim
The makers of Idol White say that their pens actually clean your teeth while they’re whitening them, which is something we’ve never seen claimed by a tooth whitener before. They go on to say that it’s safe to use, and easy because it’s a pen, and everyone is familiar with how to use a pen. They say the results you get are professional grade, and that the gel is applied in seconds, unlike other whitening methods that can take several minutes up to a half our or more to wait while they do their thing.
The Hype
Teeth whitening products are riding on the hype caused by celebrities and their pearly whites. It’s amazing how celebrities are able to fuel entire markets and make it the desired ideal to have the whitest smile possible. Of course they are having their teeth professionally whitened by a dentist, since a large part of their income is based on maintaining a certain images. But the rest of us are relegated to trying to get those same results from at-home products, which always leaves something of a gap between dream and reality.
The Cost
Idol White is set up so that if you order a 3 month supply, they give you an additional 3 months free, for a total cost of $118 or roughly $20 a month. This isn’t a bad cost per month when you consider that a simple box of Crest Whitestrips can be $50 or more at your local drug store. It’s interesting to note that if you just want to try it out for one month you’re going to be paying about double to do so, which begs the question of why they don’t let you try it first if it’s so great? Why not sell a trial supply for $20 and get you hooked so you’ll buy the larger 6 month supply. This is clue number one that it might now work as well as they say.
You don’t have to look to far for clue number two, it’s in their return policy which may be for 90 days, but only covers items that you did not open. So for example, if you did go ahead and buy the 6 month supply for $118, tried one pen and decided you didn’t like the results, you’d return 5 pens, and have to pay $30 to restock them, and getting a refund of about $98. Total out of pocket expense would be $60 plus the cost to return the 5 pens, just to try it. Not cool.
The Commitment
Your commitment level will largely depend on what condition your teeth are in before you get started. Those with more severe discoloration will need to stay on it longer than those with more mild staining. It also depends on just how white you’re trying to get them. Some might be happy with a more natural off-white, while others will want the movie star effect of having their teeth whiter than white and will choose to stay on longer until they get their desired shade.
Evaluation
Idol White is unique because it is in pen form, and while they might not be the first or only tooth whitening pen on the market, they are perhaps the most successful one left. Colgate had a whitening pen for awhile, but now it is not as readily available as it once was. The advantages of using a pen is that you have more precision with where you put the whitening agent, and you don’t have to bother with trays or strips.
They say that it’s a natural way to whiten your smile, and one of the ingredients is hydrogen peroxide, making this a peroxide method of teeth whitening, much like many of the whiteners that have been on the market for several years now. The other ingredients all seem to be naturally based.
Final Idol White Review
Idol White is getting our Risky Try rating, based on their unfavorable return policy and an insufficient amount of unbiased, actual user feedback. The fact that it is set up to encourage bulk orders, but then doesn’t allow you to try the product without forfeiting your right to a refund if it doesn’t work, is not consumer friendly. The $6 restocking fee per item returned means that the company is making money on products that did not provide the desired results for the customers. Another big drawback, and reason enough not to risk it when there are so many other products out there with more favorable terms and conditions, and plenty of positive peer evaluations.
Our Recommendation
There are plenty of teeth whiteners out there that have better user feedback, are less expensive, and that allow you to return them if they don’t work, even after you’ve used them. It might not be in pen form, and it might even be an at home lazer unit that lets you whiten your teeth as much as you need to without paying the ongoing expense of having to visit your dentist whenever you need a touch up.
