There's always a first for everything. Parasite becoming the first non-English film to win Best Picture at the Oscars, Crocs becoming high fashion, and now, a joint-review of teeth-whitening products at Esquire Singapore. Over the past month and a half, my colleague Kyla and I (Elliot here) have put our teeth on the line for some groundbreaking journalism: to determine whether Zenyum's teeth-whitening offerings truly deliver on their promises. Does Zenyum have what it takes to transform my tired chompers and Kyla's smoker veneers (KIDDING.... mostly) from ordinary to terrific?
There’s something deeply unsettling about seeing a writer’s enamels before their face, yet here we are. That’s usually the energy I bring to the club anyway, so you’re getting the full experience here. Speaking of clubs, this is where the party gets started.
Let’s talk about what’s behind the smile. It could just be the Active Whitening Serum working overtime, or perhaps the Night Toothpaste helps trigger something for the serum to fully activate (I’d use both to be safe). Whatever it is, after just a couple weeks of using them simultaneously, I started getting compliments on how my teeth have visibly gotten whiter.
Phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid (say that three times really fast), or simply PAP, is essentially a gentler alternative to hydrogen peroxide. You know, that chemical that gives teeth whitening products a bad rep for causing gum sensitivity. PAP helps to gently oxidise teeth stains by up to two shades. I can verify this, not once did my teeth scream whenever I indulged in iced tea, which was a huge plus considering I've always struggled with sensitive teeth when using teeth-whitening products. It’s also important to note that the serum didn’t taste like acid at all. In fact, it had a rather pleasant mint flavour.
One month in, and my confidence was through the roof. My teeth weren’t just whiter, they were more resilient—these puppies weren’t pushovers anymore. The only question remains, how much whiter can they get?
The answer is, yes.
My teeth took the biggest leap in whiteness here. I never realised how much whiter they had gotten until I got to comparing the before/after pictures. If this were a competition for the best Zenyum teeth-whitening product, the Invisible Whitening Strips would probably win. But, it's not without its flaws.
These strips are peroxide-free, so they are advertised to be gentle on your gums. This is partially true, as I never winced whenever I drank a cold beverage or bit into ice cream. That said, I did feel some discomfort in my gums, which made me brush my teeth a little softer. Nothing serious, the tenderness went away once I was done with the strips—but worth noting nonetheless. Compare this to the intense sensitivity that traditional peroxide strips can cause, though, Zenyum's formula is clearly a gentler alternative, so this is definitely a win for anyone with sensitivity concerns.
I was meant to use these strips once daily for seven days, though I ended up at six and a half. Unlike typical whitening strips, these dissolve in your mouth, so they’re super sensitive to moisture. Any moisture, and they’d end up sticking to my fingertips, making it really messy. I lost a few strips this way, so lesson learned: make sure your hands and teeth are dry before using.
And, no, you can’t use that TikTok trick of cutting the strips in half to extend their use. You can't game the system.
Kyla here and I guess Elliot beat me into announcing my "cool smoker imposter syndrome". Kidding obvs. I mean, we all have our little addictions and mine just happens to be nicotine- again, KIDDING. I used the very enthusiastic-sounding Zenyum's Day! Toothpaste. At first glance, it may look another heavily commercialised toothpaste in an aesthetically pleasing ombre tube, but, man, does its contents work like magic.
It's an eco-friendly toothpaste; which contains polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)—I had to check the spelling about five times. This ingredient tackles common stains caused from your favourite drinks and is water-soluble to help reduce environmental impact. There's also added Vitamin E, natural mint flavours for long-lasting fresh breath.
This is where the product has been a game-changer for me. With a few swipes, this clever little gel neutralises those stubborn yellow tones that can dull even the best smiles. It's like applying a brightening primer. But for teeth.
This has become my go-to for any last minute moments. Whether you're prepping for a big meeting, or for date night, think of your Instant Colour Corrector as your 'just-in-case' smile saver; one that slips easily into your bag and within reach.
You can browse Zenyum's range of teeth-whitening offerings here
