Hismile Reviews: Effective whitening for sensitive teeth?

If you’ve heard about Hismile, it was likely about the company’s “purple serum” that recently went viral on social media. That serum is actually called the V34 Colour Correcting Serum, and it’s one of many dental hygiene products that Hismile offers. While the company may be most well-known for this purported “instant whitener,” its claim to fame is actually the development of PAP+, a novel form of the peroxide-free whitener PAP.1

But can this relatively new whitening agent perform nearly as well as traditional whitening products? And does the purple V34 Colour Correcting Serum really work as an instant whitener? In our review of Hismile, we’ll deliver answers to all your questions and more, including details on product efficacy, cost, and safety to help you determine if they’re right for your smile.

Hismile offers a nice collection of dental hygiene products at relatively cost-effective prices, including a variety of peroxide-free, PAP+ whitening items. Research indicates that PAP products appear to be a safer whitening alternative that’s just as effective as peroxide-based whitening agents in removing enamel staining. However, if you want to go deeper and lighten the color of your natural enamel, then sticking with hydrogen peroxide products may be your best bet. Additionally, the purple V34 Colour Correcting Serum for “instant whitening” acts more like a temporary concealer of yellow staining. It’s effective for a brief time if your teeth have the yellow tones necessary for color theory to take effect.

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions involving staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles.

For this review of Hismile, we thoroughly examined the research behind the company’s oral health and whitening products, particularly the star ingredients (such as PAP+). This included reading and comparing the results and information of over two dozen scientific studies and journals. Our testing team also got hands-on with Hismile products by purchasing and trying them out in order to judge factors like the customer experience, ease of use, convenience, and the taste of various toothpastes.

Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this review was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy.

To evaluate Hismile, we focused on five criteria that we felt best encompassed what a consumer would care about these products: their effectiveness, cost, safety, convenience, and flavor.

In this case, we considered effectiveness the top priority, followed closely by cost. These criteria frequently go hand-in-hand — are the prices reasonable when considering the products’ efficacy?

Safety, while always important, was less so in this case because several of Hismile’s offerings, like electric toothbrushes and flavored toothpaste, have been used safely for decades. Our safety inquiries mainly focused on PAP+ whitening and the V34 purple serum.

Convenience and flavor round out the end of our evaluation criteria. These two factors are still very important in their own ways, but not as much as the others due to their subjective or personalized nature. For instance, you may love some of the flavors our testers didn’t, or your experience with Hismile may be more convenient than ours in one way or another.

Effectiveness

Hismile’s basic oral care products, electric toothbrushes and flavored toothpaste with fluoride, each have a fair amount of evidence supporting their effectiveness in boosting dental health. In one study, electric (or “powered”) toothbrushes performed better than manual toothbrushes in removing plaque and improving gum health.2 And fluoride toothpaste has been long known to improve dental health and prevent cavities — as stated in a 2019 systematic review of 96 studies on fluoride, “The stronger the fluoride concentration, the more decay is prevented.”3

Hismile’s whitening products utilize PAP+, which is a relative newcomer to the whitening scene. Phthalimido peroxy caproic acid (PAP) has been investigated a bit and shows a lot of potential as a safe and effective alternative to peroxide-based whitening, but Hismile’s PAP+, originally created by the company, only has one study.1

Studies on PAP have found promising results, including:

• “...significant whitening effects immediately and 24h after a single-use treatment.”4
• A reduction in enamel stains without causing “any surface alterations…”5
• Compared to hydrogen peroxide whitening gels, PAP gels performed just as well without harming tooth enamel.6

Now, the V34 Colour Correcting Serum is where effectiveness becomes a little more uncertain. Unlike PAP and its research studies, V34 relies on the basics of color theory, using purple to cancel out any yellow staining on teeth. It’s a temporary concealer and not quite the “instant whitener” that Hismile claims. Without yellow staining, you really won’t see much of a difference, if anything at all — when there’s no yellow for purple to oppose, then your teeth may just look a bit blue.

When our testers tried it, the V34 serum did give the appearance of whiter teeth. The effect lasts a couple of hours, based on our testing. So, even though V34 isn’t necessarily an effective whitener in the traditional sense, it is an effective concealer for things like getting your picture taken or having a video call.

Cost

One of the concepts Hismile often employs is “limited time” — limited time toothpaste flavors, limited time products, and limited time sales. Because of this, the cost of Hismile fluctuates frequently (perhaps a little too frequently). Sales are always something we can appreciate, but it can feel frustrating trying to keep up with the price of an item when it changes multiple times within the span of a few weeks.

Compared to competitors, Hismile’s products are still generally a good deal, but they can be an excellent one if you get lucky and your timing is just right (we managed to get the PAP+ Whitening Strips for $8). The following table breaks down the current prices of some similar products from Hismile and its closest competitors. If a spot on the table is blank, that company doesn’t carry the corresponding item.

Additionally, Hismile regularly has cost-saving bundles available, and the company offers a 30% discount to people in certain groups, such as students, healthcare workers, military personnel, and those with low income.

Where the cost-saving potential of Hismile can get iffy, however, is its shipping. The company is based in Australia and doesn’t appear to have a distribution center in the U.S. This means that shipping can get a bit expensive (and take longer than you might expect unless you use the express option). Thankfully, Hismile has a page dedicated to looking up shipping information so you can determine your cost beforehand.

Shipping costs from Hismile vary by state for delivery in the U.S., but standard shipping is $7 on average, while express shipping is between $10 and $17. In comparison, standard shipping from Smile Therapy and MySweetSmile is free, and PurelyWhite Deluxe charges $6.95.

Safety

If there’s one thing that Hismile gets stellar marks for, it’s the general safety of its products. Many similar oral care items have been used safely by consumers for decades. For instance, fluoride toothpaste was introduced in 1956.7 As long as these products are used as directed (such as by not moving around when brushing using an electric toothbrush or swallowing too much toothpaste), they should be safe for most people.8 9

But the newer products — PAP+ items and V34 Colour Correcting Serum — are the main focus of this criterion. They don’t benefit from a lengthy history of use and can only be judged based on recent scientific research.

We’ll delve further into this topic in the section dedicated to Hismile’s safety, but phthalimido peroxy caproic acid (PAP) is a generally safe whitening ingredient that does not contain peroxide, making it safer for your enamel and a potential whitening alternative for those with sensitive teeth.1

The V34 Colour Correcting Serum also has mostly safe ingredients; a majority of the inclusions can be found in dozens, if not hundreds, of similar oral care products. Tetrasodium pyrophosphate, for example, is a generally safe ingredient found in many toothpastes that can help reduce plaque.10 11 The only potential risk of V34 is for those who are particularly sensitive to artificial dyes. This isn’t only a risk with Hismile, though. Other purple serums, like the one from Smile Therapy, use the same dyes.

Convenience

For the most part, Hismile is convenient. Its products are easy enough to use, and certain items — like the many forms of PAP+ products or the individual toothpaste packets — are seemingly designed to be more flexible for consumers. Our testers had no problem figuring out how to use Hismile’s oral health or whitening items.

The inconvenient part of Hismile comes from a few factors on the business side of things:

• A lack of subscription or autoship options
• The return policy isn’t the most customer-friendly
• No upfront information about where the products are shipping from

The lack of subscriptions and a less-than-stellar return policy are also issues seen in each of our mentioned Hismile competitors: Smile Therapy, PurelyWhite Deluxe, and MySweetSmile. In Hismile’s case, we feel like at least having an autoship option for the oral care essentials, like the flavored toothpaste or replacement toothbrush heads, would be nice.

For returns, Hismile’s policy is 30 days (like Smile Therapy and MySweetSmile), and you’ll need to send pictures of your unopened, unused products to customer service. If your return is approved, then you’ll have to send it back using “a trackable, insured service” that you cover the cost of. Competitors’ return policies are similar, but PurelyWhite Deluxe only gives you 12 days to initiate a return, and Smile Therapy requires that your purchase’s “packaging and documentation” also be in original condition.

The final point is unique to Hismile. The company is based in Australia, and there doesn’t seem to be a North American distribution location. This isn’t a problem in itself, but we feel that it needs to be made clear to customers before checkout, with adjustments made to the estimated shipping times. Standard shipping is listed as 3-6 days, but from purchase to delivery, our order took 12 days total — double what it was estimated to be at its longest.

Taste

While taste can be an essential factor when choosing a product, we considered it to be the least important criterion in the case of Hismile due to it being highly subjective. It was also a bit difficult to give the entire product line a single rating for taste because the company offers so many different flavors of toothpaste.

In addition to the dozen or so staples in the flavored toothpaste lineup, Hismile frequently has limited-edition or seasonal toothpaste varieties. For example, while most of the flavors our testers tried were standard options of the Hismile catalog, two of the 12 — the Wonka chocolate and cotton candy varieties — were limited edition flavors. And the company added another handful of limited flavors only about a week after we purchased ours (including pickle, butter, mustard, and ketchup). With so many options, including a basic mint, you’re likely to find something that suits your taste.

Only one of the competitors we mention in this review, Smile Therapy, sells similar toothpaste flavors, though it doesn’t have nearly as many options as Hismile (six versus 17 at the time of this writing).

We’ll delve into further detail about each of the 12 Hismile flavors we tried later on, but, ultimately, they’re passable for what flavor they’re supposed to be. On a scale of 1-10, most ended up getting a four or six from our testers, with the coffee, grape bubblegum, and cinnamon donut being the top three flavors. A few are a bit overly sweet, though, and upset some of our testers’ stomachs from the taste alone.

Regarding other products, the PAP+ Toothpaste and V34 Colour Correcting Serum don’t have flavors that are really anything special or noteworthy. The former is basically flavorless (but smells a bit minty), and the latter has a faint peppermint flavor; both are very mild and inoffensive.

Founded in 2014 and based in Queensland, Australia, Hismile (formerly stylized as “HiSmile”) is an oral care company with a focus on peroxide-free (or bleach-free) whitening products. The company’s initial product, which is no longer available, was a teeth-whitening mouthpiece that used “VIO405” violet light to activate the included PAP+ Primer. This product gained a decent amount of attention due to endorsements from celebrity spokespeople like Kim Kardashian.

Most recently, Hismile’s V34 Colour Correcting Serum skyrocketed in popularity on TikTok, and it became known as “the viral purple serum” due to influencers and the company itself claiming that this product is a peroxide-free “instant whitener.”

Besides V34 and PAP+ whitening products in various forms (strips, a pen, toothpaste, fizzy tablets, and powder), Hismile also offers basic oral care products like toothbrushes and various toothpastes. We delve further into all the available products later in this review, including their prices.

Hismile online reviews

On the Hismile Better Business Bureau (BBB) page, the company is not accredited, has a 1 out of 5-star review score, and currently has an “NR” rating. NR or “No Rating” is given to businesses that either haven’t provided enough information to the BBB or have an ongoing file review or update.

There have been 91 complaints on the BBB page closed in the last three years (with the same number listed for the past 12 months, indicating that all of the complaints were likely within the past year or so). Interestingly, none of the complaints are available to read. The page text notes that “some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.” One of these reasons may be why there aren’t any complaints to read, but it feels odd to have not a single complaint posted out of a possible 91.

Every review on the BBB page is available, though, and all 19 are 1-star. The majority of customers who left reviews noted a long shipping time, which is what we experienced, as well. Hismile doesn’t make it abundantly clear that items are shipping from Australia during the purchasing process — and this could certainly be one of the causes of this frustration for customers.

On Trustpilot, there’s significantly more activity, with nearly 20,000 reviews at the time of this writing. The star rating is 2.9 out of 5, or “Average,” and the main complaints from customers include long shipping times, return difficulties, and frustration with the purple toothpaste not working as expected.

Overall, the biggest issue customers appear to have with Hismile is its lengthy shipping times, which we feel could be remedied by at least making it clear to consumers that the items aren’t shipping from the U.S. or North America.

Hismile could really be for any adult (who’s not pregnant or breastfeeding) who wants to use its products; there aren’t too many populations for which Hismile’s products wouldn’t be suitable to try.

PAP+ (phthalimido peroxy caproic acid) whitening is a generally safe and effective way to whiten teeth without the use of bleaching agents like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide.1 Researchers note that the lack of peroxide also means PAP products don’t result in the dental hypersensitivity or gum irritation that’s often reported from traditional dental bleaching.4 This means Hismile’s PAP+ whitening products may be an ideal alternative for adults with sensitive teeth when used as directed.

The V34 Colour Corrector Serum and Glostik Tooth Gloss could be good options for anyone who just wants a quick, easily reversible way to brighten their smile. Our testing team felt that these products are best for brief situations, like getting your picture taken or a job interview.

The remaining Hismile basic oral health offerings are the most inclusive; if you want to try these products, they’re for you. The electric toothbrushes have soft bristles (as recommended by the American Dental Association),12 and the flavored toothpaste contains fluoride to prevent tooth decay.9 When used as directed, these should be safe for most adults and children over six.

Hismile’s toothpaste also comes in over a dozen flavor varieties, meaning it could be a good alternative if you’re not a fan of the stereotypical mint toothpaste. If the taste of your toothpaste is a major concern, you’re not alone; a 2017 study with 202 participants found that roughly 50% were heavily influenced by taste when choosing a toothpaste.13 And preferred flavors appear to increase brushing time in children, according to a 2013 article in the International Dental Journal.14

Who should look elsewhere?

While there aren’t too many restrictions on who Hismile may be for, there are a couple of cases in which you may want to reconsider.

• If you’re pregnant, it’s recommended that all chemical whitening be postponed until after the birth, even the peroxide-free PAP+ products from Hismile.15
• While there isn’t any research on children or adolescents using PAP whitening products, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that young people who want whiter teeth wait until all their permanent teeth are in and then speak with a dentist for guidance.16
• Only natural teeth can be whitened by whitening products. Neither peroxide products nor PAP+ can whiten crowns, veneers, fillings, implants, or dentures. For those cases, you’ll have to speak with your dentist about available options.17

Hismile products should be safe for most people when used as directed. Regarding its flavored toothpaste, there’s a large amount of evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of fluoride (particularly in toothpaste).3 18 19 You’d have to consume a high dose of fluoride for it to become toxic, but the Cleveland Clinic notes that this is a difficult threshold to reach due to how low the levels are in over-the-counter products.9 The amounts you’d potentially consume from Hismile would most likely not cause you any harm.

Switching focus to Hismile’s whitening products, phthalimido peroxy caproic acid (PAP) is a generally safe whitening agent that works without the use of peroxide or other harsh bleaching ingredients.1 According to one study, when compared to peroxide treatments, PAP doesn’t appear to cause “any surface alterations” to tooth enamel.5 And a separate 2019 study notes, “The microhardness measurements and the volunteers' reports both indicated PAP to be much safer and more reliable than [hydrogen peroxide].”6

PAP+ (specifically with the “+”), as created by Hismile, contains the additional ingredients potassium citrate and nano-hydroxyapatite, which may reduce existing dentin hypersensitivity and work better than fluoride in preventing dental decay, respectively.20 21

Finally, V34 Colour Correcting Serum should also be generally safe for most people, but the potential risk of this product comes from the artificial colors used: D&C Red No. 33 and FD&C Blue No.1.

Some research suggests that certain red (Citrus Red, Red No. 3, and Red No. 40) and blue (Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2) artificial colors may contribute to hyperactivity,22 worsen ADHD symptoms in those who have it,23 or potentially trigger an allergic reaction.24

Blue No. 1 (or, more specifically, its structural analog Brilliant Blue G) is the only artificial food coloring that is known to be able to cross the blood-brain barrier. Interestingly, the study detailing this is about how the dye may actually have neuroprotective potential and could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease (in a cell model).25 More research is necessary, but all of this points to the fact that we don’t know very much about these dyes — the good or the bad.

Both colors are cleared by the FDA for use in this type of product, and the amounts are so small that you’re most likely not at risk from temporarily having V34 serum on your teeth.26 If you experience sensitivities to artificial food coloring, then you may want to steer clear of this product. Otherwise, though, the risk appears to be minimal.

Putting aside the more widely-known mechanics behind many Hismile products, like how fluoride toothpaste and electric toothbrushes can benefit oral health, the question of how the company’s offerings work becomes about its whitening items — PAP+ products and V34 Colour Corrector Serum.

In the following sections, we break down the basics behind these whitening products and their star ingredients.

PAP+ products

PAP is an acronym for phthalimido peroxy caproic acid, which is a generally safe teeth-whitening agent that, unlike traditional peroxide-based whitening products, doesn’t come with the same risk of harming your enamel or irritating delicate oral tissue (like your gums).1 6

Studies suggest that, for the most part, you won’t be sacrificing effectiveness for safety with PAP — at least when it comes to surface (extrinsic) stains.4 Some research found that while PAP performed well in removing surface stains, only hydrogen peroxide could further whiten natural enamel beyond just stain removal.5 However, more research is needed, pitting the two ingredients against each other for the purpose of enamel whitening.

It’s worth noting that most of the research on phthalimido peroxy caproic acid is on PAP, not PAP+, Hismile’s novel formulation that includes the ingredients potassium citrate and nano-hydroxyapatite. The “plus” variety is also used by PurelyWhite Deluxe and Smile Therapy. And you can find the three ingredients that make up this novel formulation in all of Hismile’s PAP+ whitening products, such as the toothpaste.

Whether alongside PAP or on their own, potassium citrate and nano-hydroxyapatite each come with their own set of potential benefits.

Even though a majority of the research on PAP, and the small amount that exists on PAP+, seems very promising, we’d still like to see more studies done specifically on PAP+ and its components, including long-term effects.

V34 Colour Corrector Serum

While there are several chemicals working hand-in-hand with one another to make PAP+ work, the science behind Hismile’s V34 Colour Corrector Serum is much more basic — it’s simply color theory.

A majority of the ingredients in V34 are what combine to give it a specific texture (glycerin), scent (peppermint oil), and flavor (sucralose), while some others can improve oral health, like tetrasodium pyrophosphate for reducing tartar.11 However, the only two components that are part of the “whitening” illusion of V34 are the dyes that make up the purple coloring: Red No. 33 and Blue No. 1.

Similar to how purple shampoo can reduce brassiness in your hair, this purple serum effectively “cancels out” any yellow staining on your teeth. That’s a vital part of this product working, however — yellow staining is necessary for any apparent whitening to occur. Without any yellow to conceal, you’ll just end up with slightly purple teeth.

Ultimately, V34 and any other purple serum for brightening teeth aren’t true “instant whiteners” like Hismile or other companies may claim. It’s a temporary concealer that washes off after a couple of hours. It does work, effectively creating the appearance of whiter teeth for a period of time if your teeth were yellow-stained, but it’s important to keep your expectations tempered before buying the product.

As we touched on earlier, Hismile has frequent, fleeting sales, which can lead to products’ prices quickly changing over a short amount of time. For example, the PAP+ Whitening Strips were the item we saw this happen to the most during our product research — we purchased them for $8, then they became $10 shortly after that, and they’re now $29 as of this review.

Also, it’s worth clarifying that Hismile’s electric toothbrushes aren’t sonic (or ultrasonic) ones. Both types performed about equally in a 2021 narrative review of research on their effectiveness fighting plaque accumulation and gum inflammation. And even though researchers note that sonic toothbrushes appeared to have better long-term outcomes, there’s a “shortage of investigations” currently available.32 This means that there isn’t enough evidence to claim one is superior to another at this point in time — and it also means that Hismile’s electric toothbrush should help you just as much as a sonic toothbrush from a competitor, like Smile Therapy.

Here’s a quick breakdown of Hismile’s current products and prices (which are subject to fluctuations and changes):

Hismile also has an Amazon store. We found this shopping experience to be hit and miss. The store can sometimes lack products (due to stocking issues) or product options (like the full spectrum of flavor options for toothpastes). At one point during our testing, the Amazon store presented only two flavored toothpastes available (red velvet and coconut), the PAP+ Whitening Pen, and the V34 purple serum. The flavored toothpaste on Amazon costs about the same as buying directly from Hismile, but the PAP+ Whitening Pen and V34 appear to be a few dollars less. Of course, similar to Hismile, Amazon’s prices fluctuate fairly often, so this may not always be the case.

With so few products (some of which are actually sold from third-party resellers and not Hismile itself), we recommend sticking with purchasing directly from Hismile’s website. The sales are so frequent that you’re likely to snag a better deal from the company, anyway.

If you’d rather not wait for just the right sale, there are bundles available under the Hismile website’s “Bundle & Save” category. These bundles can be a good option if you’re interested in purchasing multiple items at a discount. One of the most cost-effective options is the “Maximum Whitening Bundle” for $31.60. This bundle includes PAP+ Whitening Strips, the PAP+ Whitening Pen, and a tube of Glostik Tooth Gloss — normally around $70 total if purchased individually at regular price.

MySweetSmile and PurelyWhite Deluxe have a few cost-saving bundles, too. The former sells various combinations of its four products for 20% off, and the latter offers a PAP+ Whitening Bundle with whitening strips, powder, and mouthwash for 40% off. All of these bundles are more expensive than the Hismile one mentioned above, however.

Shipping costs

At checkout, it’s worth remembering that these products are coming from Australia; the tracked standard shipping 3-6 day estimation is quite a bit off. Our order took 12 days from purchase to arrival. If you don’t mind the wait, then sticking with standard shipping should suit you just fine — and it’ll cost less. Standard shipping to most of the U.S. is about $7 on average. This is only a few cents more than standard shipping from PurelyWhite Deluxe, but shipping from Smile Therapy and MySweetSmile is free.

If you’re looking to brush or whiten your teeth as soon as possible with your new products, then express shipping (1-3 days) can cost you anywhere from $10-$17, depending on the state you reside in. But, unfortunately, this expedited option isn’t available for those living in:

• Kansas
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Alaska
• Hawaii

Exclusive discounts

If you scroll down to the very bottom of the Hismile website, you’ll find a dropdown menu titled “Exclusive Discounts.” This 30% off discount is available only to those who fall into certain categories or demographics, split into three groups:

• Students & Graduates: Current students and those who have graduated within the last five years.
• Key Workers: Healthcare workers, military personnel, teachers, first responders, and charity workers.
• Social Impact: Those who are parents, have a disability, or have low income.

Additionally, none of Hismile’s close competitors have any similar discount programs, making it a fairly unique offering in the oral care landscape.

Return policy

Hismile’s return policy isn’t anything special — and the same can be said for its close competitors. All of the companies require products to be unopened and in their original condition; Hismile and MySweetSmile both have a step in the policy where you need to submit a photo of the products you wish to return; and Hismile, MySweetSmile, and Smile Therapy all have a 30-day policy length. Additionally, Hismile requests that your return (once approved) be sent using an insured service with tracking, and you’ll be wholly responsible for the cost of return shipping.

Shopping from Hismile was pretty straightforward; it’s similar to purchasing from any other online store. The only frustration we encountered was the lengthy shipping time (12 days), which was about double the estimated time (3-6 days), but it wasn’t a horrendous wait by any means. Our only hope is that, someday, Hismile will either update its estimated shipping lengths or inform customers that it may take longer due to being an international shipment.

PAP+ whitening strips and toothpaste

Between the whitening strips and the toothpaste, the latter was the easiest of the two for our testers to work into their routines. It’s difficult to tell if you’re seeing results or not when you check every day, but over time, using the toothpaste twice daily did appear to remove surface stains. One of our testers did experience a very mild increase in tooth sensitivity, but this went away when they chose instead to use the PAP+ toothpaste once per day, cycling it with one for sensitive teeth.

Now, the whitening strips definitely require a bit more patience than something as quick as brushing your teeth. There are certain steps you’ll need to follow in order to make sure the treatment is successful:

• As Hismile instructs, making sure your teeth are completely dry beforehand is important. The strips won’t stick properly to wet teeth.
• Both the top and bottom strips have enough material to fold over behind your teeth to keep them secure. Try to avoid talking or opening your mouth after these are in place; you want to try to keep as little saliva as possible from reaching the strips.
• And, finally, you wait for 30 minutes. Once that time is up, your treatment is complete, and you can remove the strips.

The PAP+ strips may be a good idea if you have half an hour to spare, but the other options — such as the toothpaste, pen, and fizzy tablets — are likely more convenient for most people.

V34 Color Correcting Serum

Even though some may call this product a “purple toothpaste,” it’s technically not a toothpaste. The texture is a bit closer to a liquid than a paste, hence the “serum” part of the name. As our testers learned, this texture means that V34 brings with it the potential for some mess. While you’re not likely to get it all over your face or bathroom, it can stain your lips purple if you aren’t extremely careful when applying it.

Hismile’s instructions say you should apply it with a soft-bristled toothbrush, brushing it on for 30 seconds as though you’re polishing your teeth. But this is quite difficult to do without the aforementioned side-effect of purple lips.

Interestingly, the instructions on the Hismile website are different. The V34 product description reads, “The best results are achieved with direct application of the V34 serum through a tool such as a cotton swab.” This is 100% the way to use it; our testers found the cotton swab method to be far more effective (and far less messy) than using a toothbrush. The results also seemed more obvious when applied this way. Perhaps the cotton swab allowed for better product distribution over their teeth, while the toothbrush was almost wiping it off.

Hismile flavored toothpaste

To try as many flavors of Hismile toothpaste as possible, we purchased 12 varieties of the flavor sachets. And even though some new limited edition flavors came out almost immediately after we bought them, our testers were quite grateful not to have to try pickle toothpaste.

Even though taste is highly subjective, our testers ranked each of these flavors we purchased on a scale of 1-10 and provided some notes on their experience. Don’t let any negative comments about a flavor discourage you from trying it if you want to, though; there were instances where our testers thought something sounded horrible, but it ended up being delicious.

While Hismile may be the most popular company to offer PAP+ products and V34 purple toothpaste, it’s not the only one. Maybe the Hismile product you want is currently sold out, or perhaps you’re curious if there’s a better deal for a similar item out there — no matter the reason you may be seeking an alternative, we’ve compiled details on some of Hismile’s closest competitors below.

Smile Therapy

Smile Therapy offers a few products identical to those from Hismile and at similar or more expensive prices, including:

• PAP+ Whitening Powder ($19.99)
• Flavored toothpaste ($14.99)
• V34 Colour Correcting Serum ($29.99)
• Electric toothbrush ($69.99)

It’s worth noting that Smile Therapy’s toothpaste only comes in six flavors (watermelon, mango, peach, coconut, red velvet, and mint), while Hismile offers over a dozen, with new limited edition options regularly being added to the lineup.

Smile Therapy also has a PAP+ Whitening Kit ($65) reminiscent of Hismile’s original whitening kit from 2014, but it doesn’t appear to use the same VIO405 violet light. There are also whitening strips and pens available from Smile Therapy, but they don’t use PAP; the strips use sodium phytate, and the pen uses urea peroxide (also known as carbamide peroxide, which breaks down to release hydrogen peroxide).27 28

When it comes to shipping, Smile Therapy offers a free, non-tracked shipping option or an $8.99 one with tracking; both have 1-3 day shipping times. Hismile’s shipping rates, on the other hand, vary widely depending on where you live and which option you choose (ranging from $5.99 to $16.99 in the U.S.), and there are no free options.

Both Hismile and Smile Therapy have a 30-day return policy that requires the products to remain unused and in their original, unopened condition. However, only Smile Therapy goes even further to state that the packaging and documentation also need to be in original condition.

PurelyWhite Deluxe

Perhaps obviously, based on the company’s name, PurelyWhite Deluxe is a brand focused mainly on teeth whitening products. Like SmileTherapy, PurelyWhite Deluxe has multiple products similar to those from Hismile for the same or more expensive prices.

• Ultra Series Electric Toothbrush ($59)
• Purple Advanced Brightening Serum ($35)
• PAP+ Whitening Strips ($39 for 14 treatments)
• PAP+ Whitening Powder ($29.99)

PurelyWhite Deluxe also has an LED Teeth Whitening Kit ($49) and a PAP+ Whitening Bundle ($89) that includes the whitening strips, powder, and a PAP+ mouthwash.

Something to be mindful of with PurelyWhite, however, is that the reviews on the website are quite obviously being monitored and tailored to appear overwhelmingly positive. Several of the products mentioned above don’t have a single review lower than five stars, which seems rather suspicious to us. For example, PurelyWhite’s version of the purple toothpaste, the Advanced Brightening Serum, has 138 5-star reviews (and only 5-star reviews) raving about how amazing and life-changing the product is; there’s not a single bit of criticism, even minor, to be found.

Shipping from PurelyWhite Deluxe is $6.95 for standard (4-5 days) shipping or $9.95 for express (2-3 days). If you spend over $80, then shipping is free. This company’s return policy is much shorter than competitors — only 12 days — and all items need to be unused and in their original condition.

MySweetSmile

Out of all the brands mentioned in this review, MySweetSmile has the smallest lineup of products. There are only four currently available, and two are similar to those from Hismile:

• PAP Whitening Pen ($25)
• PAP Teeth Whitening Strips ($25 for ten treatments)

Interestingly, MySweetSmile also sells a Whitening Powder ($30), but it doesn’t include PAP. This powder uses one of the same stain removers found in Colgate Optic White, pentasodium triphosphate, along with the abrasive ingredient calcium carbonate for removing surface (or extrinsic) staining.29 30

The final product available is nHA+ Enamel Care Serum ($30). This serum contains nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) to repair and strengthen tooth enamel.31 All of Hismile’s PAP+ products contain nHA for enamel protection, while only MySweetSmile’s whitening pen and the nHA+ serum do.

Standard delivery (3-5) days from MySweetSmile is free and includes tracking. Faster shipping options, like expedited ($1.99) and priority ($3.99), are also available for a small fee. And, like Hismile, the company’s return policy is 30 days, requires the items to be unopened, and entails emailing photos of the products you’d like to send back before your return is approved.