RE: this Drugstore Diva thing. You NEEEEEED me as I am the original Chanel jacket with jeans and pearls girl as well as the WET & Wild 666 lipliner with Sisley foundation woman--honey, this was in the 80's. Teeth--well, if you want your teeth to look like Chiclets then I am NOT the chick to give you advice. If you want them to have the patina of pearls, well here is the drugstore plan:Rembrant toothpaste for intense stainsRembrandt Stain Therapy Mouth Rinse (keep a little bottle in your purse and rinse rinse rinse after coffee, blueberries, red vino)Crest White Teeth Strips every 3-4 monthsElectic toothbrush--a MUSTArm and Hammer mixed with your Rembrandt paste once a week. Brush that two minutes!! Not one second less!!Crest makes a Night Effects Toothpaste that I used to alternate with Rembrandt--R in the a.m., Crest in the p.m. but my local drugstores seem to not be stocking it anymore.Sally Hansen has some glosses that seem to make your smile whiter and glossier but just a temporary solution, ladies.This plan works and it is not an expensive one--why spend tons of GoSmile and Supersmile when it could be spent at Sephora in much better ways??Every day has a miracle to make you smile--smile brightly--smile whitely--and smile less expensively--BUT SMILE, honey lamb delights, SMILE!!!

Okay. So a few months ago all of coffee-which I consume at an alarming rate-and wine-equally alarming-finally caught up with me and I was forced to go out and buy a whitening product. Now, there are plenty of products that claim to have omnipotent whitening power but, honestly, I don’t want to hassle with trays, gel, or foul-tasting whitening toothpaste. So I ended up with Listerine Whitening Quick Dissolving Strips. We’ve all seen the commercials of the lovely ladies walking around at a party schmoozing while all the while they-gasp!-whitening their teeth. Just take the strip out of the wrapper, align it on your teeth, fold it over, and go. Sounds easy enough. Because I am just pessimistic enough not to believe that I can go to parties with my Whitening Strips I thought that I had better try mine at home first. Getting these strips to line up and fold over without bunching is nearly impossible so I am not sure that you would want to wear these in public but they actually do work! After several days’ use there was a noticeable difference and most of my coffee and wine stains were gone. After a week and half my teeth were back to a healthy shade of white. For the price and convenience these can’t be beat plus, because they whitening is more gradual than a visit to the dentist, you don’t have to explain why you suddenly have glaringly white teeth that blind everyone within 50 yards. Thumbs up here!

I have a confession to make--I'm addicted to Coke-a-cola that is (really did you think I was going to admit to THAT is this post? Totally off topic, plus I think that stuff is pricey, sooo not a DD). However, sipping on cola all day tends to leave a stain on your teeth. I have tried many tooth whiteners, when I first started out there really wasn't anything in stores that worked, maybe Rembrant toothpaste but that was about it. I got "professional" tooth whitening for Christmas (and it was on sale) where they make trays for your teeth and give you tubes of goo. Put the goo in the trays stick on and wear over night. It work well but left my teeth very sensitive, I mean if I inhaled too quickly through my mouth in an air conditioned room it would hurt. Then the whitening boom hit!!! Jackpot all kinds of products showing up in stores. I have tried the strips which I find to work well, you just have to have a 30 min window to leave them on. I find plastering them on before jumping in the shower at night to eat up much of the time. But beware they have this quality that causes "stuff" to happen in that 30 min that would require your attention and cause embarrassment due to strips stuck on your teeth. I have also tried the painted on stuff and the dissolving strips which I don't think work as well, plus they generally taste gross. I ended up making a face that kind of looks like when you feed a dog peanut butter --not that you would or if you did you were really young--that weird screwed up licking thing. I have bought refill goo for my professional trays and find that it now only has to sit for 30 min and I think works much like the whitening strips. So go for the strips! Do not that I still had some sensitivity to my teeth with these too, if so just skip a night before going back (per my dentist's recommendation). OK so now to just say that while I am definitely not a DD more like a BB, I am a poor grad student so I do much shopping for drug store deals! I find when I am having a bad day I tend to walk around the beauty isles of CVS or Target or whatever is closest and try to find a little something to pick me up. Plus I could put on my resume the extra writing practice, ok not really but I can always come up with random marine fisheries related stories, I know they won't involve the rich and famous but could involve ways to use diaper rash cream to keep barnacles off your research equipment. A big plus is that I am usually socially awkward and generally tell people what I think without censoring myself. Thats about it, good luck to all!

Wow Meg - what a great opportunity you're offering to everyone! I am not throwing my hat in the ring, b/c as soon as June 12 hits and my teaching responsibilities are over, I become a lazy bump on a log and want nothing to do with deadlines. Also, all my past rips on drugstore products would make me too much of a hypocrite..but if you ever need a new Fabulous Friday reviewer, hmm...! I'm with Katerock and torn too on all the fabulous ladies. Many of these ladies have been posting great reviews for at least as long as the 6 months I've been on this site, and are funny and helpful writers. I'm really liking the passion for DDs that champ3377 shows - and if you look at her profile you see she's mostly written on the good DDs - plus she's a fellow teacher, so I"m a bit partial! I gotta say though that the couple/few months that katehrm has been on this site, I"ve been really really impressed with her humor and excellent recs...she even kinda puts me in mind of my makeup hero and friend, Desertdoll! In fact in the first comment I ever wrote to kate, I complimented her on her recs on her profile page b/c she made me want to run out and buy everything she suggested, just from her short blurbs. So, I don't know Meg - you've got a tough job ahead picking one of these lovelies! Anyways, and finally - I hate Crest whitestrips. They're messy, they slide around and fall off if you don't have a perfectly dry mouth when you start, and they made my gums sensitive for months, b/c they're not contoured to your mouth. I would much rather spend the money at the dentist getting trays made specifically for my jaw and then put the dentist grade peroxide (or w/e) in there. You only need to touch up a few times after the bi annual cleaning, and it's not that terribly expensive. Sorry for throwing my reviewer opinion in if you really didn't want it, but there ya go and good luck!

I remember, at the ripe old age of thirteen or fourteen, when teethwhiteners began to hit the market. Now, I've never had perfectly whiteteeth- my teeth are naturally mottled in color and the years of bracesjust made it worse. Still, it seemed gimmicky- I mean, come on. Afterall the products claiming to give you perfect skin or a smaller waistthat just don't work- even back ten I knew all about that - how was Isupposed to believe in these little pieces of plastic filled withgod-knows-what, or mouth-guards that looked like they were from some Bhorror film titled "Revenge of the Softballers"?Then junior prom rolled around. I had the perfect dress, the perfecthair, the perfect makeup... so what was the problem? For reasonsunknown, the colors in the dress and the makeup seemed to make myteeth seem like little kernels of corn sitting in my mouth, if you'llpardon the disgusting exaggeration. After spending hours with my prompictures trying to photoshop my teeth into a whiter, brighter versionof their disgusting selves, I vowed to change my teeth. I would brushmore, I would use mouthwash, anything it took to not look like I hadjust drank thirty cups of coffee for my senior prom pictures. It wassupposed to be a happy memory, not one marred by the Children of theCorn-Teeth.Still, when THE MONTH rolled around - you girls know what I'm talkingabout, with the dress-buying and the primping and the prepping and thehair-dyeing and the finding a date (which I did not, unfortunately.I'm sure they were all just intimidated by my uber-chicness) - myteeth were not of a satisfactory coloring for my prom-inent glamour!So I started doing my panicky internet research and was disappointedwhen my budget would not allow me to pay eighty dollars for awhitening system (I think it was GoSmile) that I wanted. Disheartened,I relegated myself to having crappy teeth for the big night.Enter my mom. My wonderful, fabulous, drugstore-shoppin' mom.After a day of consoling a tearful daughter about how her prom wasruined - over the phone, no less - SuperMom herself came home with apackage: the Rembrandt 2-Hour Whitening Kit. I resisted at first,saying they wouldn't make a difference, that I was just ugly, and allthe other dramatic things that go along with being eighteen (shhh... Ilike to pretend that WASN'T me a year ago). My mother told me I hadnothing to lose by trying this kit - it was two hours that could bespent doing "homework" (read: fooling around on the internet) - and ifit didn't work, no harm done. It wasn't a major investmentfinancially, either- a whopping twelve dollars- so I should shut upand try it.Thank goodness for moms! My teeth weren't perfectly white, but theycame out a lot less nasty than before - a quick-fix lifesaver indeed.It stung my gums a little, but that's to be expected with an intensivetreatment. The stinging and sensitivity faded very quickly for me, butI couldn't consume anything extremely hot or extremely cold. Softeningand forming the tray to my mouth was a little clunky and I felt like areject football player - all I was missing was the backwards helmet.But now they've even done away with that little setback, too. Now whatyou get with the Rembrandt kit is a little pen-like thing with a nicelittle sponge tip. All you have to do is click the pen, paint on yourteeth, and you're set. I'm assuming the formulation remained roughlythe same; it's still marketed as a two-hour whitening experience. (Andif Meg's wants me to run out and spend the last scraps of my salary onthis stuff to re-test it, gosh darnit I will!)How about you all? Did any of you experience the last-minute savingpowers of the Rembrandt 2-hour Whitening Kit?PS: For a reference, this is me and my fab mom before junior prom(note the gross teeth- this is not 'shopped!):http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/Puckeh/640872719_l.jpgAnd this is me before my senior prom!:http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/Puckeh/IMG_0035.jpg---------------------On a more personal note, I'd like to introduce myself for the MMstaff's consideration. My name is Ellen and I'm a nineteen-year-oldcollege student. Yeah, yeah, I know that rules me out for the cocktailthing, but come on- I can still be a party animal without my alcohol!But seriously, I've been involved with cosmetics since my mom firsttaught me how to do stage makeup at five years old and I've spent myteenaged years learning and reading about cosmetics tips, tricks,formulations, and the like. I've even considered going to beautyschool at night when I can afford to do so. I'm entirely devoted tothe cosmetics world- my poor RSS feed suffers from beauty overloadsometimes from the amount of feeds I keep up with. This is what I loveand want to do, and an opportunity to work with the amazing gals atMeg's is the chance of a lifetime.I can't tell you how many products I've bought- and loved- from thereviews of this site, and if I can help others make the samedecisions- especially with saving some money on DD Thursdays- it'd bea wonderful experience. I saw this opportunity and I took it, notbecause I want free stuff or because I want the renown that goes withMM, but because I want to help ladies like myself who get confusedabout what to buy from time to time. This website has been immenselyhelpful to me and my makeup bag, so now I want to give back.Right now I am not-so-blissfully employed: my job is very, very parttime (but it's better than the unemployment I faced earlier thisyear!). This means a lot of free time and not a lot of cash, which, inturn, means that my hauls are mostly of the DD type. I love my priceystuff, yes I do, but my drugstore products are my lifesavers, my corefoundation (har har) of my makeup bag. If I run out of my expensiveMUFE foundation, where do I go? Not to Sephora to pick up anotherbottle, but to the drugstore to find a new product to use (this weekit was Covergirl Clean Makeup).I'm responsible with deadlines- I'm a voice performance major, so Iknow that things need to be ready by showtime. As for laughing inuncomfortable situations- always. Laughter has a tendency to dissolveawkward situations. I swear by it. Stalking? Yep, done that too. Dogs?I love my dogs, but not as much as I love my makeup. I'm diligent inmy search for the best cosmetics products I can find. I love the MMladies, I love writing, and I love this beauty world we live in, soplease, please, please! Pick me. (Okay, I must admit I was tempted towrite "Choose me. Love me." after that in an obvious Grey's Anatomyreference, but I restrained myself- just for you, Meg.) Much love to you all! -Ellen

Travel back in time with me to 1992....I was in middle school, rockin' my ZCavarichi jeans (tight-rolled, of course) layered t-shirts with the sleeves rolled up and braces. Yes, the lovely torture that is braces!!! I had some SERIOUS issues going on in the tooth department and wore them for three years. But, all of the torture paid off and I was left with a beautiful smile!!! Flash forward now to 2008.....a stressful job and not enough sleep leaves me grabbing for a morning and afternoon pick-me-up! Where most grab coffee, I reach for the Dr. Pepper (it’s a southern thing!) I LOVE Dr. Pepper, but it does not love my teeth. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the worst things for your teeth (nice, huh?) I started to notice about 6 months ago that it was taking a toll on my smile. I tried brushing with baking soda alone (yuck!!!!) and various whitening toothpastes but wasn’t getting the results I wanted. Then decided to try Crest White Strips. They seemed like an inexpensive way to brighten my smile a little at a time and guess what, it worked!!! No, it’s not going erase everything in one week but if you have the patience to wait a week and then try it again, your teeth get brighter and brighter each time! So, until you can afford to have professional whitening done, try the Crest White Strips! And call your mom and thank her for making sure you to have a beautiful smile!!!!!

If I had to choose one thing that really chaps my hide, it would have to be beauty products that do not deliver! I am not talking about the kind of products that work for some but not other's. You know the kind, all sexy on the outside and total crap on the inside. Oh yes, they are seductive aren't they? With their beautiful websites, gorgeous packaging, and promises of the kind of beauty that you WEREN'T born with. Lucky for me, and the rest of us that dance the beauty dance, every now and then we come across a bonny item that actually delivers. It is in these moments that I find true bliss and the courage to continue to feed my ravenous addiction to all things beauty. Crest White Strips are, among many things, extremely effective and affordable. However, they are not without flaws which of course just makes me drawn to them even more. You will find that that if you follow the instructions you will have whiter teeth. I found that I needed to cut mine down a bit because it was a little big for my big mouth. I have this one tooth way in the back that is just too sensitive to tolerate any type of bleaching product. Of course, that particular tooth hardly ever condones much of anything like food, cold water or sweets. Yeah she's a bitch that is for sure! It is not difficult to trim the excess strip down if you too find it necessary to do so. The most important thing to keep in mind with these strips is that you can only get as white as your individual teeth will get. Some people will achieve results that are so bright, she will decrease her carbon footprint. She will simply need to remember to open her mouth when reading at night. As my Momma always said, "it's not good for your eyes to read in the dark!" Other's will find that while their teeth are definitely lighter the most attention they will get is, "Did you do something different to your hair?" It is as if we all possess a certain bleaching potential, and nothing will change that. If you are going to experience any sensitivity it will most likely occur on the bottom teeth. For some reason, my lower teeth are most affected by sensitivity regardless of the type of bleaching system I select. The nice thing about Crest White Strips is that if your teeth are really stained you can afford to purchase a second kit. After you complete the first round if you are still not satisfied, use about half of your second kit and save the remainder for maintenance. You will find this system does require touch ups. ( Expect to bleach 2-4 times per year depending on lifestyle.) Just remember, once you have finished your second kit, this is probably as white as you are going to get using the Crest White Strips system. So don't waste your time and money buying a third kit. As long as you go into your purchase and bleaching process with these tips and this mind set you are certain to find success! You will also walk away armed with the knowledge, that you in fact DID get what you paid for. You can embark in your beauty investment with confidence, truth and realistic expectations. Whiter teeth are just a few slimy bleach strips away! Now, if you are interested in serious, long term, knock your socks off (and then they come back to you whiter because your teeth are so darn white) white; you will have to have your teeth checked by a seasoned tooth picker, your dentist. You will of course invest some serious coin on your smile, but you will get what you paid for. For me, white teeth are pretty important. With out em' you just can't get away with certain shades of lipstick. I refuse to let ANYTHING stand in my way of a perfectly painted pout! I have used both the custom trays and gel system and the Crest White Strips, the custom tray gave me somewhat better results. I did experience more sensitivity but it was worth it because the results lasted a few years as opposes to several months, without needing maintenance. I drink major coffee bean and Snapple; I pushed this product as far as it could go. I have a girlfriend that went straight to her dentist for 'in-office bleaching'. This involves ultra bright teeth and spending a decent amount of time at your dentist's office. She was very impressed with the results. At the time (almost seven years ago) this was the most expensive way to whiten teeth. Her teeth are still whiter than mine! She did experience more sensitivity than me, so I would not recommend this to anyone who has to microwave her ice cream. Overall......GOOD: Crest White Strips; economical and delivers on it's promiseBETTER: Custom tray and gel system from the dentist; larger investment, increased sensitivity and longer lasting resultsBEST: Serious beauty investment; increased sensitivity for some coupled with the whitest and longest lasting results. If your spirit needs lifting or it has been a while since you brought home a beauty boon, GO WHITEN YOUR TEETH! We all feel a little better when our teeth don't look like corn husks. If you choose the the most expensive method and you can't afford your Sephora addiction, you wont regret it. Your teeth will look so comely, all you'll need is a tube of chap stick and a smile to look your best. As for me, It Crest Baby! I will use the money I saved to finally throw myself at this great little high definition foundation I've been flirting with!

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I have tried Crest Whitening strips. Why ashamed, you may ask? Because I tried them, but it was hard to remember to use them every day for more than a week. They're not hard to use, they do work if you use them as direction. They'll lighten your teeth somewhat. However, I'm not a coffee drinker, nor a smoker, only a moderate soda drinker, so I only had a slight darkening of my teeth that I wanted brightened up. These things do make you drool a bit at first, and you have to leave them on for about a half hour. The easiest thing to do is to surf the web while you wait for the strips to work their magic. Then voila! Remove the strips, and brush your teeth. These are definitely worth trying, especially if you can remember better than I do about using them every day.

Have you ever looked at someone that you see on a daily basis, and realized that something is different about them? This person seems to radiate a certain energy, confidence, or attractiveness that you can’t seem to figure out what is different? Is it a new eyebrow wax? Maybe a recent botox injection between the eyes? Or perhaps just the after-glow of last night’s one night stand? Whatever it is, you just can’t seem to put your finger on it. Crest Whitestrips Ultimate will give you that indescribable extra glow that makes everyone around you wonder what that “something different” is about you that makes you shine above the rest. This little box comes with 28 little strips, infused with ingredients like hydrogen peroxide to whiten your teeth, brighten your smile, and give you that extra boost of confidence every time you open your mouth. The strips inside are very thin, and almost imperceptible, so much so that you could venture to wear them in public, granted you do not plan to speak. I would not recommend wearing them in someplace you might run into someone you know, or might need to talk, because what will result is a lisping, buzzing, and possible misplacement of the magic little strip that will erase years of early morning lattes, afternoon diet sodas, late night red wines, and general yellowing brought on by age! So that said, it is probably best to do your whitening when you are at home, alone, or in an environment you know you will not need to open your mouth. Each strip is adhered to a tiny piece of harder plastic, and you need to be very careful when pulling the strip off the plastic, as it might fold over, get the magic gel on your fingers rather than your teeth, where you hopefully want it to be. Just peel off the strip, slap it on your soon to be pearly whites, wait 30 minutes, peel off, and brush away any left over gel, and TA-DA! There you have it—your teeth will be at least one shade lighter than before you put on the strip! The trick is to do it twice a day for at least 7 days, and you are guaranteed whiter teeth for one year! I highly recommend that you refrain from any coffee, tea, colas, red wines, or other dark foods known to discolor your teeth during and immediately after treatment, because then your whiter than white teeth will last longer and preserve your glow, you know... the one that keeps those around you wonder what you had done, for much longer. I also suggest not consuming anything too hot or too cold during your whitening process, as these strips made my teeth especially sensitive to hot and cold, and we all want to avoid that uncomfortable feeling of tooth sensitivity! These strips worked really well for me, but again, I did have to exercise some will power and shun cigarettes, coffee, diet sodas, red wine, and tea! It is nice to know that you can spend around $35 on a box of Crest Whitestrips, and have a whiter, brighter smile. However, let’s be realistic, you will not get the same results as a $300 dental office whitening job, but you will only spend a fraction of the money, and get some amazing results!

Well, you don't have anything on me, I'm 50+, and know just about everything about doing whatever I have to do to get my teeth white (and to keep them too) I have smoked for many years, coffee, wine the whole nine yards, and I have tried everything out there to whiten, clean, brighten, get rid of stains there is, Once I even thought about using the stuff to clean dentures, but I don't have dentures, and the stuff did not taste good as a mouthwash !! The Crest Whitening Strips worked better than even the denture cleaner ! Honest it really did, I do use it every week ( I need all the help I can get) My teeth mean everything to me, most people my age either don't have there own teeth, or have had so many dental procedures on there teeth, that they really don't have any real teeth left, and to me, nothing make a woman look older that ugly stained, dingy - from the word Dingetta ! And you can always find good $$ off coupouns for Crest Whitening Strips !!!

I missed this contest, not because I was out having fun, even if that is how it all started. Now that I am 52 years young, my skin changes by the day. I long for the days of oily skin, wild color eye shadow and not being scared to sleep in your makeup if that is what happened (booty call). I try products, waste money, try again, waste more and then found this site. This site is wonderful, however, there doesn't seem to be many reviewers over 50. Supposedly, we are the age group that spends the most money on beauty products. I would love to hear what someone my age has to say about a product. I also think this would be helpful for younger women, to learn that what they do now effects you down the road. We could tell them what we did and how it affected us years later. I also suffered from several bouts of chemical poisoning when I was younger, first farm chemicals when I was a child and then ammonia (from blueprint machines) for years working as an engineer. Growing up on a farm also entitled a lot of sun damage. No one ever heard of sun screen back when I was working in the fields on the tractor. Because of these incidents, my skin is extremely sensitive and has sun damage. It also makes me very conscience of what my products are made out of. I read every label, look up all those words (Suki site is wonderful for explaining) and then waste money buying more products. I have found some that are good, very good even, but is there something better? It seems like my life's quest to find out.Back to how I missed this contest. My girlfriend, who is 57, and I are tired of wasting money on products, so we decided to follow what Meg and the girls did at South Coast Plaza. I had emailed Meg about this and she was all for it. So armed with knowledge, daring, bravado and our plain good looks, makeup free, we headed to Origins for our first mini facial and makeup session. We both wanted natural products, wanted to try them first, and see what the pro's suggest. Origins suggested the Andrew Weil line for both of us, though different products in the line. We had our facial and makeup and went outside to take a look. We looked like two cadavers, the makeup was way too light and the wrong color. Not to let that ruin our day, we laughed at ourselves and went shopping at all the luxe shops at the Shoppes of Briargate. All was well, until two to three days later. I started having sores show up on my face, neck and mostly my chin. The next day they were painful and I was feverish. Finally I decided to go to the doctor and he told me I had a staff like infection called Cellulitus, not cellulite. He figured what happened is that someone had staff on their fingers while using the testers at the store. Even though the employee's were careful, using pads, sticks and other disposable items, it didn't mean someone else was careful. They had exfolliated me and that could have opened me up for the bacteria. Now I am scared to even go try testers. As I was recovering, I was trying to think of what to write on this site so I could enter the contest to be a tester, and when I finally crawled up to the computer the contest was over.Congratulations to all the women who are going to be the new testers. I have written to many of them before and know they will be wonderful and truthful. Though Meg, if you ever need a fill in or want someone to be an over 50 tester, I raise my hand.

It just so happens that I have tried the Crest White Strips, and every other thing you could possibly use to whiten your teeth. I am happy to say they do work. Don't expect a miracle but your teeth will be whiter, if you want drastic results you will have to get the professional gel and have a tray made, but if you just need a little whitening and don't want all the mess they are great.I recommend trying them at home though, because , as with all whiteners you never know what they are going to whiten first and you could look like you have polka dot teeth at first. This goes away in a day or so and you are left with teeth that are a few shades lighter. I found the best use for them to be when you have a special event coming up and need that extra boost of confidence. Start using them a few days before and by the time you are ready to be seen your teeth will be too.The only real problem I had with them was getting them peeled off to use them, the little buggers can be hard to see and I did have one that I never did manage to peel off, I don't think it was on there, I ended up throwing that one away, what a waste but once you get the hang of it its not so bad. Also be careful when sticking them on. I had the kind that dissolve and they feel really weird and start to dissolve right away leaving you feeling like you just ate a jelly bean. I always had to brush my teeth after I used them (maybe thats why they got whiter)over all they are pretty good but not totally portable, unless you want to walk around with little bits of sticky stuff in your teeth.

Rechecking my writing, can't spell, staff should be staph. Sorry for the confusion.

This is crazy kool! Look how many people are now participating. How much do we love, love, love hearing how others have found awesome products and have actually helped us pass on products we were considering?Where to start on teeth whitening and products? There is now no excuse for less then smile. Sure everyone is busy, professional whitening is an investment in time and money and if we continue to enjoy our coffee, tea, colas, wine and juices (whew spend the rest of your life using a huge straw) Stains will return. Crest white strips do help keep up the look, but they are not easy to get off and in to your mouth. Don't even ask how many have ended up on my dog's teeth! Try Rembrandt, it works and you will still have money left for lunch. Seriously, put the gel in the trays and you can wear them on the ride to pick up kids (or grandkids) or just running errands. Usually, it is no one but me and my cranked up tunes in the car, so cares if my lips look extra lucious because I have 2 trays in my mouth? When you get where you are going, take them out, use a napkin that you have left from your breakfast order to wipe the gel residue from your teeth and presto, you whitened!! Oh, learn from my error, don't put the trays in the napkin........fishing through the trash, not so much. If this is too much time, hit the cleaning products aisle, pick up a box of baking soda, open up, stick in finger and rub on your teeth. Freshens breath AND whitens. Leaving the baking soda in your car to use for emergencies also makes the car smell better and know one will know you had onions on that burger. Having discovered the joys of DD finds has me rethinking the major brands. Hubby said I am saving him so much money by "visiting" my friends at Walgreen's and CVS that he is going to have to take out a second mortgage!

I am at the age when I really, really , REALLY need the big guns but unfortunately can only afford a pea shooter. So I hang out at CVS across the street from my house and look for miracles. And I am happy to report that sometimes that miracle is actually there! Unfortunately, in my experience, Crest Whitening strips is not one of them. Following directions I was disappointed that I am not dazzeling anyone. I am also disappointed to report extreme tooth sensitivity. My dentist informed me that using these harsh products will dissolve the enamel on my teeth and that I needed to stop immediately. He suggested another drug store deal in it's place. Good old baking soda applied with a soft brush and a very light hand. It will take a bit longer to produce results, but at least you will still have teeth and at my age that is a real plus!

OK, here goes...Crest White Strips. Do they work? Definitely! Do they whiten to the point of beauty pageant teeth shellacked in vaseline? Probably not, but for the price who could complain? After two kids and a gazillion cups of coffee later, I looked in the mirror one day and thought, "Who is that troll looking back at me?". What made matters worse was only the teeth to the right of my two front teeth were yellow! This only accentuated the problem! Buttercup is pretty on a Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore paint chip. It is not however, pretty on one's teeth! Fastfoward to day seven of the Crest White Strips, and I am no longer afraid of smiling out of that side of my mouth! Said goodbye to the lop-sided grin and have not looked back since! I also received a free-trial sz. of Rembrandt Whitening paste, but I find that the Colgate Total plus Whitening has the same texture, tastes better, and works just as good! Use this daily and the strips every 6 months or so and your chompers should be up to par with the best of them! Speaking of the best of them, Meg this opportunity you are giving is outstanding! What a girly-girl's dream come true and you are the best for offering it! I was ecstatic when I found this site and learned that I was not the only Wet 'n Wild 666 girl out there! I have not been able to find this in stores for quite some time now and have been ordering it on-line. Having always been on a budget, I have always been a DD from the beginning! Don't get me wrong, I too love the "high-end buzz" I get from walking into my local Sephora, but the drugstore is my own private little mecca. I can walk the aisles up and down unabashedly, mesmerized all the way from the cosmetics to every "As Seen On TV" gadget! Yes, I admit I have it bad! Is there a "Twelve Step Program" for this? Never mind, I'm a drugstore addict, and proud to be one! Besides, rehab is for quitters! Through trial and error, I have found many diamonds in the rough at my drugstore and aren't diamonds a girl's best friend? I have yet to find a "rock" that gives my lips the most universally flattering shade of berry for a mere 99 cents! So, I'll take that DD over any precious stone any day! (Honey if you happen to be reading this, just strike that last remark, ok?) Burt's Bees, Physician's Formula, Neutrogena,these are only a few of the best and the list goes on. I will only be too happy and willing to be your guinea pig! The perfect lipliner-only 99centsThe perfect conditioner, (DD) $5.99The perfect blow-out- $45.00Scoring free Meg's Makeup products for only one weekly review, PRICELESS!Good luck to all and may the best Drugstore Diva win. No matter the outcome I know I can always count on Meg's Make-up to bring me the best unbiased reviews! Meg, Desert Doll, Kate2004rock, and mel9 you all are crazazy cool and ROCK! Now if you'll excuse me I have some FarmHouse Fresh to buy!

What incredible entries you are getting?! No, I am not signing up (like I could even try to compete with this group of Olympic DD reviewers). I'm not worthy! Personally, I have had too many disappointments at the DD, and have loved and benefited from the "I tried it so you don't have to" appeal of the DD column. Many thanks to Rachael for some excellent recommendations and for your delightful reviews. I am feeling a little partial to CHAMP3377's style, but xstatic817 is absolutely brilliant. Good gracious Meg, how are you ever going to choose someone? How exciting! Crest Whitestrips drive me crazy, they frequently slide off my teeth (especially the bottom strip), cause my teeth to ache, and heaven help you if the gel gets on your lips. C'est la vie, you get what you pay for. If used consistently work quite well to whiten my teeth a few shades brighter.

Oh teeth whiteners...how do I love thee...let me count the ways! In the Spring in theFall, in the bathroom and to the mall. In the car when it's light out, in the bedroom when it's night out. At my desk and to the gym, before a date or on a whim. I love thee here, I love thee there...I'll love thee just about anywhere! You've guessed it, I'm a self-professed teeth whitening junkie and DD lover of anything I can buy at CVS for a quick self esteem pick-me-up! Seriously, at any crisispoint in my life you can find me holed up in the cosmetics aisle spritzing on Obsession(you know you wore it too!), stocking up on my 347th tube of lip gloss and ponderingthe notion that THIS bottle of Nair may ACTUALLY help with my rainforest of a bikiniline. And at that moment I believe it will. It just so happens that I AM one of those CRAZY women who truly believes that hope in a jar exists...and if I can buy it for an Andrew Jackson or less then I'm one HAPPY impulse buying dime store shopper. So, it was basically inevitable that me and a do-it-yourself home whitening kit wouldeventually find each other. Kismet actually, as I had spent years abusing my pearlywhites with such brutal offenses as non-fat mocha's and many a cranberry and vodkainfused cocktail accompanied perfectly by a clove cigarette. Hey, I was young, single,and invincible...right?!? Um, YEAH...so I thought. I hadn't really noticed how badmy teeth had gotten until the guy I was dating very sweetly and cautiously (I seem to remember him protecting his manhood during the conversation) mentioned to me that my teeth were beginning to resemble a certain yellow toothed shag-a-delic British Super Agent. Cut to me RACING to the drugstore at midnight for a quick fix.It just so happens that at this moment I captured "lite-ening" (get it) in a bottle, or in this case a gooey strip, when I first popped in a pair of seven day Crest White Strips. I wore them religiously, morning and night, for the prescribed seven days. I actually found this easy to do as I had a half hour commute to work each day and a half hour of uninterrupted time each night while I watched re-runs of my belovedWill and Grace. Hey, if Karen can swill booze and suck a ciggy now and then and stillmaintain a gleaming white smile then so can I! And I'm happy to report that after seven full days of sporting my Crest White Strips I did indeed have a smile that eventhe shiniest, biggest smile beaming Miss America contestant would envy.Seven years (and several seven day treatments later) I am still a fan of the CrestWhite Strip. I don't need them as often as I used to thanks to the fact that I'm nowpredominately a green tea drinker, I stick to straight vodka and the closest I get toa clove nowadays comes when I'm cooking ham, but I still use them occasionally to maintain my choppers. So thank you Doug for bravely pointing out my dental faux pas(at the risk of permanent scrotal damage), to Rite Aid for staying open 24 hours, and to Mr. Powers for inspiring me to "Get with it BABY" and join the 21st century of dental cosmetology!GLAM ON megsmakeup gals!

Hello, my fellow beauty mavens! I too lust after products that make me look and feel better. This of course includes the search for a product to make my smile brighter. Unfortunately, my graduate student lifestyle makes this difficult because of my penchant for caffeine and an ever shrinking budget. Let me first give you my opinion of Crest White Teeth Strips. I must admit that I have seen them successfully work for friends. But I do not feel that they are the definition of a drugstore deal for me. I am a part of that small percentage of people who really can not use them. They are more convenient then the tray teeth whiteners on the market. But they cause extreme stinging of my gums and excessively uncomfortable tooth sensitivity. I also feel that while they are significantly cheaper than professional teeth whitening, these strips can be too pricey for some budgets. So I would like to offer two fun and viable alternatives. First , with summer firmly upon us we often find ourselves surrounded by fresh fruit, particularly strawberries. If you find that your teeth are not looking so great while you are out on the town, look for a strawberry on your plate or in your drink. If no one is around discreetly rub it on your teeth. It is an instant teeth brightener. I swear! Just don't get caught. Second, Try CoverGirl Wetslicks in AmazeMint. It contains Crest peppermint oil which truly gives you a minty and fresh taste. Even better, three of the thirteen shades feature blue undertones which enhance the whiteness of your teeth. The three shades are Plum Crazy, Un-Wined, and Toasted. I tried Plum Crazy. It is a little sheer. But it really does make your teeth look whiter and your breath fresher. The gloss is not sticky and is very moisturizing. I highly recommend these two alternatives for those who can't indulge in the White Strips. Enjoy your fabulously improved smiles beauty mavens and remember, whether you are a high-end honey or a drug-store diva everyone can appreciate a good deal!

I'm pale. Whiter than white. I tend to blame some miscellaneous Irish lass for the genetic contribution. Thanks to her (and my obsession with the beauty vs. aging debate), I tend to look in the mirror and speculate over the color of my skin versus the color of my teeth. Which is whiter?I brush, I floss, I see my dentist twice annually...and I live in an area that may not fluoridate its water supply. And my dentist likes to get preachy about tooth decay. I get a mouthful of information from him (yes, punny!) about the health of my teeth. When Crest first came out with whitening strips, I tried them and proceeded to get a cavity. Now, I ask my dentist first.According to the ADA, OTC whitening agents can cause tooth sensitivity and can make teeth more prone to decay. My dentist recommends whitening teeth no more than one session every year. If you do it right, you’ll get the white teeth you long for and the strength and health your teeth need. Cosmetic dentists offer tooth whitening services in house, but if you’re thrifty and patient, Crest Whitening strips can do the job.I tried the Crest Whitestrips Premium Plus because that was recommended over every other whitening product. Used on both lower and upper teeth at the same time, twice daily, dramatic results can be seen in 10 days.After just 2 days of whitening, I already noticed remarkable results. Not only had my teeth become whiter (two days!), they were also extremely sensitive. With a constant throbbing ache, I decided that I needed to space out the whitening over a month instead of a little over a week. I applied the strips to both lower and upper teeth once every other day. Before I finished whitening, I made an appointment with my dentist for a fluoride painting treatment (similar to a normal fluoride treatment but stronger for the best accurate protection).If you’ve ever had a cavity, you know that fluoridated toothpastes and rinses are strongly recommended by the ADA to stop tooth decay. Because the enamel of your teeth is permeated by peroxide bleaching agents in tooth whitening products, decay becomes more likely.The “Daily Whitening” strips made by Crest are meant to remain on teeth for 5 minutes. Consumers are to use them daily. Most dentists agree that little to no bleaching effects can be seen with such limited exposure. Seems to me that it ends up costing more yet leaves your dingy teeth with pathetic results. The strips are all the same concept for Crest: put them on and don’t talk too much because they’ll wiggle more (and you’ll sound ridiculous). Easy, not too complicated and we all can find a spare half hour in a day (in the office, commuting, etc., reading before bed) where we don’t need to communicate too freely). They beat the trays (too bulky and uncomfortable) from Rembrandt and Aquafresh. And despite Listerine having dissolving sheets that “disappear”, I just can’t trust swallowing peroxide (Peroxide makes my dog throw up—that’s what Veterinarians give dogs that ate chocolate!). Eww. The Crest Whitestrips work. In summation: Crest Whitestrips Premium (or Premium Plus) gets a thumbs up. I say hit the drugstore and buy them now. Then buy them again in a year. Visit your dentist and floss. You will have an ageless smile and people will notice that (as opposed to your 5 cups of coffee per day addiction).Stay glam for now and I’ll find another gorgeous product that won’t dent your wallet next week!*For more information on Crest Whitestrips, check out their comparison chart and homepage at http://www.whitestrips.com

I am a firm believer in the beauty mantra "no pain, no gain." Excepting of course, when it comes to exercise in which case it should involve laying down, minimal effort, no shortness of breath or sweating and should cause me to lose 10 pounds a week or so. But for all other forms of beauty management, a little pain is often necessary. Much like Rachael Robbins, I paint bleach on my scalp every 3-4 weeks and sit and squirm in agony as my sensitive scalp skin burns off. I wax and epilate all sorts of horrifying and excruciating parts of my body. I paint black eyeliner inside of my eye, I use peels that make my skin burn and flake, and I have been known to get fake nails which often involves scraping several layers of fingernail and sometimes cuticle off with a machine that looks disturbingly like the machine they use at the dentist to hollow out your teeth for fillings. Which brings me to Crest Whitestrips. My affair with Crest Whitestrips began my sophomore year of high school when after getting my braces off I found no one was impressed with my sparkling new smile due to the fact that it was dark yellow. Since then I have probably used Crest Whitestrips 25 times. They work, and they work exceptionally well to the point where people have asked me what I use on my teeth to keep them so white. But the trick is this. You have to get the Crest Whitestrips premium (the dark blue box)as the other ones (light blue and seven day) do not work nearly as well. But you have to be prepared for a lot of pain. They will cause a lot of tooth sensitivity, and the occasional extreme toothache while you are wearing them that makes you want to sell your car to have Dr. Dorfman give you daVinci porcelain veneers so you never have to feel such pain again. So in sum, you will love your smile as long as you can handle the pain. In regards to the "drugstore deal position" I would just like the say that not only have I stalked a man, but he was my college professor and has now been my boyfriend for 2 years (stalking works! I'm serious, everyone I know who has stalked has had successful results). Additionally, I used to get in trouble when I worked at Ulta for recommending to customers comparable "drugstore" products to the more expensive lines we also sold there (not to imply that I am a bad employee...I am an excellent employee! I just care passionately about saving beauty lovers money). So in conclusion, I am responsible and could easily meet deadlines, I am addicted to cosmetics on a limited budget which leads to drugstore deal expertise, and I live in Newport Beach so I can come to Megsmakeup parties and you won't even have to mail me the cosmetics! So pick me!

My Dearest Meg,Unfortunately, compliance is what prevents most of us from suffering through any beauty regimen.  Seven days of Crest Whitestrip treatment is more of a commitment than most of us realize.  Do the Whitestrips work?  Yes, if you use them consistently and correctly.  Do condoms and birth control pills work? Yes if you use them consistently and correctly, but we all know what happens when you don't ("Mama!"). If you have the commitment to place the Whitestrips on your teeth for an hour a day- a week later your teeth will be blingin'.  But be forewarned- you will drool bubbly gook, talk with a lisp when you answer the phone, and be slightly irritated by their hourly presence.  Beauty does have a price.  A better solution?  Instant whitening at your dentist's office at ten times the cost.  However, at this price point, Crest Whitestrips lead the pack in delivering excellent results if you are willing to endure their irritating presence.  Of course, you've endured your in-laws, the old fart with money, and laughed at your bosses lame-ass jokes.  Most of us hot chicks can probably endure these little strips for only an hour a day.  $27 dollars for a week's treatment is a small investment to look ten years younger.  If you can stay away from chocolate, wine, coffee and sex (just making sure your paying attention), the results from the Whitestrips will last for months.                                                  -end-Meg, I may keep it short and simple, but too much information is overkill.  I am available and completely committed to delivering a DD forum that is informative, innovative and contains the 5 W's and H (who,when, where, why, what and how).  A degree in Journalism doesn't hurt either.  Hope to hear from you by Sunday.

Hey,meg here's the proper address for janina http://www.thewhiteningtoothpaste.eu/

What an awesome oppurtunity you're putting out there! Too bad my writing skills arent up to par, or else Id contribute!

The crest whitestripes work pretty well, but if you go back for round two (and you will, oh trust me you will) get the advanced seal ones. You stick them on and i swear you could have a three course dinner with those puppies on, (although they only state that you can drink water... so humble.) They have the whitening power that you like with the staying power so you aren't pushing your gums against your teeth to let out the air bubbles every three minutes... or am I the only one who does that? All-in-all, the advanced seal is better, but stick with the crest that you have. (: