Whitening strips are highly portable, less obtrusive than whitening trays, and easy to use. But there is one feature not everyone loves: they almost always use peroxide.
Peroxide is highly effective at removing stains, but it can also taste bad and cause tooth sensitivity. That’s why Lumineux created a peroxide-free whitening strip. But how effective can these strips be without the power of peroxide? We’ve got the answer right here, along with everything you need to know about Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips.
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Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips at a Glance
At-home oral healthcare has long focused on harsh chemicals to eradicate bacteria in the mouth. But ever since the all-natural movement has gone mainstream, more companies are offering alternatives to the usual products — and Lumineux is leading the way.
As their motto states: “You shouldn’t have to choose between a product that is good for you and a product that actually works.”
All Lumineux products, including their whitening strips, are designed to help restore balance to your mouth’s microbiome. Your mouth contains over 700 species of bacteria, and many of them are beneficial. Killing off all that good bacteria throws your oral health out of balance. So, they set out to prove that plant and mineral-based oral healthcare products can match the results of leading brands without sacrificing effectiveness or happiness.
Lumineux says their products are enamel-safe, dentist formulated, clinically tested, and certified non-toxic. And since they are widely available, you can find them both online and in person.
Pros & Cons
Lumineux is known for using plant-rich formulas that deliver excellent results, and their whitening strips are no exception. Though not every aspect is something to rave about. Here are the biggest pros and cons of Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips.
Pros of Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips:
- Uses oils instead of peroxide to break up stains in the enamel.
- Designed to protect tooth and gum health.
- Gentle enough for daily use.
- Does not cause tooth sensitivity.
Cons of Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips:
- Some customers find the bottom strip is a little too small for their teeth.
- The whitening results aren’t as significant as with more traditional formulas.
Are Lumineux Whitening Strips a Good Choice?
For anyone looking for an effective, peroxide-free whitening strip — yes, Lumineux is an excellent choice. They’re not quite as powerful as other strips, but they’re affordable and gentle on sensitive teeth.
Effectiveness
You want your whitening strips to be affordable, easy to use, and pretty comfortable to wear. But above all else, you want them to be effective. After all, what use are whitening strips if they don’t brighten your smile?
Truth be told, Lumineux’s results fall short of more traditional formulas that use hydrogen or carbamide peroxide — which are proven whitening agents — but not by much. According to customers who have used both Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips and more traditional options, it seems that there’s a 1-2-shade difference. However, results vary, depending on the customer.
That is a very small difference, and for most customers, it’s a solid trade-off for being able to use plant-based ingredients instead of peroxide. Plus, the results are still noticeable; they often just look more like a natural white than a Hollywood white.
The timeline for results with Lumineux Whitening Strips is pretty typical for the at-home teeth whitening industry. You wear them for 30 minutes once a day, and a full course of treatment takes 14 days, but some people notice a change in their smile after just one use. However, since the formula is so gentle, you can continue whitening for as long as you like. Quite a few customers report that they use them every day or every other day as part of their standard oral hygiene routine.
Lumineux has posted scientific studies performed with their products on their website. One study showed that their whitening strips could consistently whiten teeth with various levels of staining, while another showed that they can rival other brands in effectiveness. The company doesn’t appear to have funded these studies, so they seem unbiased.
There are still plenty of reviews from satisfied customers, so the strips certainly work. They just might not be quite as effective on real teeth as Lumineux claims.
Affordability
Often, products with a focus on natural ingredients are considered niche or luxury items — and they carry premium prices. But not everyone looking to whiten their teeth without harsh chemicals has a ton of money to drop on treatment.
It might shock you, but Lumineux Whitening Strips offer a solid value. Even though they’re not the cheapest whitening option out there, they fall on the more affordable end of the whitening strip price spectrum.
If you opt for a one-time purchase on the Lumineux website, you’ll pay $40 for 14 sets of strips. However, you have the option to bring that price down even lower with Lumineux’s subscription feature. By signing up to have Lumineux Whitening Strips delivered at a frequency of your choosing, you can save over 15% on your product. This could be a great way to decrease your costs if you’re looking to continue your whitening routine in the long term.
Of course, Lumineux whitening strips can’t touch the results of professional treatment, but they do offer incredible savings. A single whitening session with your dentist will cost anywhere from $300 to over $1,000. So any at-home whitening method you choose will save you quite a bit of money.
Quality of Ingredients
It is important to know the ingredients of any whitening product you use. However, an enamel-safe, peroxide-free product presents an even greater need for information. You want to be assured that the ingredients will really work, and that the formula is as plant-rich as the company claims it is.
Here’s what Lumineux Whitening Strips contain:
- Vegetable Glycerol
- Deionized Water
- Carbomer
- Carboxymethyl
- Dead Sea Salt
- Coconut Oil
- Sage Oil
- Lemon Peel Oil
On the whole, these sound like pretty natural ingredients — though a few have some less familiar names. Let’s break down each one and see what they do to make Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips work.
Vegetable Glycerol
The gel on Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips — and gel on whitening strips in general — is always at risk of drying out, so most products use vegetable glycerin to keep it moist. Lumineux uses vegetable glycerol instead since it is less likely to cause digestive problems if swallowed.
Deionized Water
Water is a crucial component of any gel. Lumineux chooses to use deionized water, which has had a majority of its minerals removed, making it very clean and pure.
Carbomer
This is an adhesive agent that helps the strips stay in place. However, it’s not an all-natural ingredient. It was synthesized in a lab specifically for use in cosmetic products and treatments.
Carboxymethyl
Carboxymethyl (cellulose) is a water-soluble fiber that can be derived from cotton, wood pulp, and other natural sources. It can also be synthesized in a lab. It isn’t clear which type of carboxymethyl Lumineux uses. However, its function in the product is to create the strip itself.
Dead Sea Salt
According to Lumineux, this is what truly sets them apart from many other brands. Dead sea salt is rich in minerals but low in sodium compared to other salts. We couldn’t find scientific evidence that sea salt helps whiten teeth, but this 1999 study suggests that it has remineralizing properties — which can reduce sensitivity — and a study from 2017 showed that sea-salt rinses can help control plaque.
Coconut Oil
This is the primary whitening agent in Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips. According to proponents of oil pulling, coconut oil whitens teeth by attracting the bacteria around stains and plaque. Studies have shown that oil pulling also has other oral health benefits, like a reduction of plaque-induced gingivitis.
Sage Oil and Lemon Peel Oil
These oils don’t whiten the teeth. Instead, they enhance the flavor of the whitening strips and fight bad breath. So while they aren’t essential, they enhance the experience.
According to Lumineux, all of these ingredients are certified as non-toxic. They are also SLS-free, preservative-free, sugar-free, and vegan.
Convenience
Whitening your smile means taking time out of your busy schedule. Luckily, whitening strips typically take less time and effort than other forms of teeth whitening. There are no trays to clean, no gels to measure, and you can talk or go about your life while wearing them. Lumineux Whitening Strips are no exception.
They don’t have a light to wear, you don’t need to add anything to the gums to protect them, and the strips go on pretty easily. The only minor inconvenience is that you wear them for 30 minutes per whitening session, while some competitors only require 15 minutes of wear.
Each Lumineux whitening session starts with your typical oral hygiene routine, brushing and flossing to get your teeth as clean as possible. If you use fluoride-free toothpaste, you can just rinse and then get ready to apply the strips. However, if you use fluoride toothpaste, you’ll need to wait about 30 minutes, allowing the film on your teeth to dissolve so the strips can work properly.
When you’re ready to apply the strips, dry your teeth using a washcloth or just by sucking in air through your teeth. In the packet, you’ll find a longer strip for your top teeth and a shorter one for the bottom.
Make sure your hands are dry, peel the top strip off the backing and press the gel side against your teeth. Use your fingernails to push it into the crevices between the teeth for the evenest results and fold the extra over the backs of the teeth. Then, do the same with the lower strip.
You need to leave the strips in place for 30 minutes. Some customers report they leave them in all night — however, we suggest you stick to the directions. Peroxide-free doesn’t mean you should just be swallowing the ingredients all night as you sleep. When it’s time to take them out, toss the strip, rinse your mouth with water, and if you’d like, brush your teeth. For best results, you should avoid eating or drinking for about 30 minutes after your whitening session.
Comfort
Here’s a hard truth: whitening your teeth is always going to be a little uncomfortable. So, when it comes to evaluating the comfort of a whitening strip, we have to start with the understanding that having a foreign object in your mouth feels a little weird. But Lumineux does a fantastic job mitigating any discomfort.
Most whitening strips run the risk of causing teeth sensitivity. But this isn’t the case with Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips. Since they don’t have peroxide, they lack the ingredient that typically causes tooth and gum irritation. Unless you have an allergy to one of the ingredients, you shouldn’t experience any sensitivity from these strips.
A common criticism of any whitening strip is that it can slip and slide around the teeth. Fortunately, aside from a few outliers, Lumineux customers have found that the strips stay in place quite well. This might be because it relies heavily on oils to whiten the teeth, so the gel is less thick than those that use peroxide.
Most people also note that the strips are pretty easy to apply. While the bottom strip seems to cause more issues than the top one, both are very flexible and easy to wrap around the teeth and push into the crevices between them.
Finally, there is the flavor. Your average whitening strip isn’t exactly tasty. Peroxide has a distinct flavor, and even sugars and other ingredients can’t completely cover up the taste. Since Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips have no peroxide, you don’t get that undesirable aftertaste.
So, do Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips offer perfect comfort? We found a few complaints about the texture of the strips becoming a little too jelly-like, likely due to the natural cellulose fibers in them. However, these complaints were rare enough that we are still giving these strips top marks.
What Are Customers Saying?
Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips are a unique and surprisingly effective product. And, overall, customers are thrilled with their experiences using them. Easily, the top “brag” on this product is the fact that the strips cause zero sensitivity no matter how often you use them. We found people who could barely eat after just 2-3 days using Crest Whitestrips who used these daily with zero discomfort.
Many customers also appreciate that Lumineux’s strips are all-natural — or as close as it gets. All of the ingredients work for most people, including people with sensitive teeth.
As a bonus, they taste better than most other whitening strips. While most taste heavily of peroxide, it’s all coconut and essential oils with Luminex Teeth Whitening Strips. Many customers love that they don’t rely on the typical mint to keep things fresh, opting for refreshing lemon peel instead.
Not every customer was happy with their results, and the most common complaints relate to reduced whitening power and the strip being difficult to remove from the packaging. However, these complaints were fairly infrequent. Most people who use Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips seem to be loyal customers.
Final Thoughts
If a brighter smile is your goal but you’d rather not use peroxide, Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips provide one of the best alternatives on the market. Effective, gentle, and surprisingly fresh-tasting, these strips can help you get the dazzling smile you’re after.
Still, there are other options to look into. Visit our review of the 6 best whitening strips to compare the best products available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to use Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips on cosmetic or restorative dentistry?
Yes, but it won’t whiten them. It can remove surface stains, but if you are unhappy with the original color of your caps or veneers, you’ll need to fully replace them to see a difference.
Should I use Lumineux strips before or after my six-month dental cleaning?
Ideally, you should use them after. Your dentist will remove plaque and tartar, making it easier to whiten the teeth evenly. However, this is a matter of personal preference, especially since Lumineux strips are known for their ability to remove plaque and tartar.
Can Lumineux strips damage my enamel?
There are no ingredients in Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips that will damage your enamel.
Do Lumineux strips lighten all types of teeth stains?
No, but no product can. There are three types of teeth stains: external, internal, and age-related. External stains are on the outside of the teeth, which Lumineux can eliminate. Internal stains are within the enamel, which Lumineux Whitening Strips can lighten to a degree. Age-related stains aren’t authentically stains. Rather, the enamel thins over time, revealing the yellow color of the dentin underneath. There are no whitening products that can improve this.
Can I use Lumineux Whitening Strips with braces?
It shouldn’t hurt your braces, but it might leave you with shadows on your teeth in the shape of your brackets since the strips cannot whiten beneath them. While it is essentially a matter of personal preference, we would suggest that you wait until your braces are removed.
Do Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips cause white spots on the teeth?
No. Other whitening strips do because they use peroxide, which dehydrates the teeth, creating white spots.
My strip feels gooey after 10-15 minutes of wear. Is this normal?
Yes, Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips use a natural cellulose fiber in their strips, which can feel soggy as it gets wet in your mouth.
Are there things I can do to keep my teeth white after using Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips?
The number-one thing you can do is use the strips regularly. Unlike formulas with peroxide, they say their strips are safe to use 365 days a year. You can also:
- Use straws to drink beverages that stain.
- Eat teeth-staining foods less often.
- Rinse your mouth after each meal.
- Brush twice a day and floss once a day.
- Use a whitening toothpaste.
- Quit smoking.
What is the best time of day to whiten my teeth?
Assuming you aren’t a late-night snacker, before bed. This gives you the maximum possible number of hours between whitening your teeth and eating and drinking again.
