I Love Black Tea and Red Wine, but You'd Never Know Thanks to This Now-$9 Whitening Toothpaste

Being a shopping editor has its perks. I've tested tons of great workout clothes and fell in love with my fitness routine thanks to my Fitbit, but one of my favorite products to date is the Cali White Activated Charcoal Toothpaste (Buy It, $9, amazon.com).

What makes this particular whitening toothpaste so special isn't just that it's formulated with activated charcoal, which is known for its whitening properties; it's the coconut oil and baking soda that work double time to brighten smiles without harsh chemicals. As someone with sensitive teeth and gums who's never been able to use whitening products without pain, this was a huge draw for me. By now, I've been using this toothpaste for over two months and haven't had a single moment of discomfort from using it. Plus, it's made my teeth several shades whiter. (

Typically, the toothpaste sells for $20 at Amazon but it's currently 50 percent off. Better yet: Using the code 10C8SZM2 knocks an extra dollar off the price, bringing it down to just $9.

Buy It: Cali White Activated Charcoal Toothpaste, $9 with code, was $20, amazon.com

The first time I used the toothpaste, it was almost comical how black my mouth and sink were, but this wasn't a permanent effect (the charcoal hasn't stained anything I own), and in just a few days, I started seeing results. The experience of brushing my teeth with a charcoal toothpaste was a little different from a traditional toothpaste in the sense that it didn't foam up as much. At first, I wasn't sure if I used enough, but I quickly realized that the dark charcoal coloring showed that it made its way between each and every tooth. Plus, the additions of peppermint oil and tea tree oil left my mouth feeling refreshed.

The charcoal toothpaste has over 23,000 five-star ratings from shoppers who had similarly fantastic experiences. One reviewer wrote that they "noticed a change after the first use" and they're "excited when it's time to brush my teeth." They added that they were unsure how often to use the charcoal toothpaste (Cali White says twice per day), so they brushed with it in the morning and used a regular brand at night — and "it's working fabulously!"

Give yourself the gift of a whiter, brighter smile without chemicals or sensitivity and order the Cali White Activated Charcoal Toothpaste from Amazon today while it's still 50 percent off (and don't forget to add code 10C8SZM2 at checkout for an extra discount).