I Tried Colgate’s Latest Optic White Innovation & It Worked Wonders On My Confidence

No one ever warns you about how much yapping you have to do as an editor. Between the interviews, brainstorms, pitches, drinks meetups, work dinners, and — if you work at NYLON in particular — many parties, that’s a lot of time spent on the receiving end of the Triangle Method.

While I’ve enjoyed enough of the privileges of American orthodontia (thanks, Mom and Dad) to not feel hyper-self-conscious about so much attention being paid to my teeth, there’s still the nagging sense that things could always be a little bit better. (I mostly blame it on my vanity but also the other main requirement of the job, which is zooming in on the details, including those of your own face.) And in an age where there’s a raging online discourse around veneers and whether a celebrity’s incisors should match the whites of her eyes, it’s tough for anyone not to take an extra-long look in the mirror.

That’s why, when Colgate® kindly gifted me their new Optic White® ComfortFit LED Teeth Whitening Kit to test out, I readily accepted the opportunity to lift years of flat-white and rioja stains at home. Ahead, read all my highly specific notes on using the product and its effects on my smile — not to mention my confidence.

How to Use:

The kit contains two pieces that work together to deliver professional-level whitening: the Optic White Overnight Teeth Whitening Pen and the ComfortFit LED light device, which amplifies the effect of the teeth-whitening serum. (You’re meant to use it for 10 minutes a day for 10 days.)

Application is as easy as clicking the pen until the serum flows, drying your teeth with tissue, then painting away — top then bottom. Next, you plug the LED device into your phone and insert the lightweight, flexible mouthpiece, which adjusts for maximum comfort. The Colgate® design team definitely knew what they were doing, because the phone setup is ideal for pre-bedtime scrolling.

Five minutes in, the device very courteously beeps, then again when the full 10-minute curing time is up. You then rinse the mouthpiece, pack it up in its travel-friendly case, leave the serum on overnight, and brush as usual in the morning. (Fully removing the serum remnants can take some work, but I just think of it as a guide to ensure I’m brushing thoroughly.)

First Impressions:

I first tried the kit at home, then on trips to Catalonia and Mykonos — in all three settings, the serum and ComfortLED were painless to use, even while I was struggling to stay upright from jet lag. In fact, it was weirdly fun to paint each tooth and wear the device as another step in my wind-down routine. The 10-minute beep simultaneously signaled that my teeth were done being treated for the day and that it was officially time to close out of my apps and hit the hay. And around the 10-day mark, during which I never experienced any sensitivity, I did notice that my teeth were visibly whiter.

Final Verdict:

Ten days later, the kit has officially become part of my nighttime regimen. The most obvious proof that it works is in my brighter teeth, but the latent effects are significant, too: My sleep hygiene has improved in that the 10-minute timer also serves as a “go to bed tout de suite” cue, and my confidence, though never lacking, has gotten a boost as well. I find myself smiling more and longer, and when I’m having my 100th conversation of the day, all I have to think about now is what to say next.