Ultrablast Tooth Powder

On paper, this product sounds like something you really don't want to be using to brush your teeth with. While I'm all for trying out and experimenting with different flavours and formats of 'toothpaste', the very thought of scrubbing my teeth with what is essentially the garnish to a sandwich, sounds like something I'd want to avoid at all costs.

However, having already tried the solid tab version of this flavour, I was a little more open-minded about cleaning my teeth with what is ultimately dried horseradish. For this reason, Ultrablast Powdered Toothpaste didn't seem so intimidating to me as I can imagine it being for others who're discovering them for the first time. 

So why have Lush decided to take a popular product, break it down into a powdered form and sell it as a new product? This was probably the first question that came to my mind when I noticed the stack of tooth powder by the checkouts in the Oxford Street store. 

When comparing the ingredients list between the tab format and the powder, there's actually no different in ingredients aside from the lack of Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous in the latter - a food additive that is commonly used to help create the tableting format in medicine. This explains why the new design is a powdered format but not why Lush have felt the need to update the design and turn it into a powder to begin with!

Featuring organic watercress powder, wasabi powder and various different mint oils, these tabs have a very distinctive smell and taste - one that will definitely divide fans when they first take a sniff. In the tub, Ultrablast smells has a strong note of both wasabi and mint - a combination that would expect to clash but actually compliment each other. 

At first I was worried because I know what it's like to 'overdose' on wasabi, and the idea of experiencing that type of burning sensation first thing in the morning was not at the top of my agenda. However, while both elements are still very much present in the taste, it's not as strong as you would expect, and I actually grew to enjoy the very unique tasting toothpaste. 

The inclusion of the mint allows the powder to leave your mouth looking and feeling sparkling clean, while the wasabi stimulates the mouth and nasal passage and helps to clear out cavities - ridding the mouth of unwanted bacteria. 

Unfortunately, it does have its faults - the first issue when trying to keep the product as dry as possible during and after uses. You have to wet the toothbrush before you dip it into Ultrablast as I found trying to sprinkle some of the powder onto the brush was near-on impossible and I ended up spilling most of it on the floor or on myself. However, once the brush has made contact with the powder, it tends to leave droplets of liquid in the tub, which causes the powder to clump up over time. 

Furthermore, the very idea of constantly dipping a used toothbrush into the powder (even if it's been rinsed beforehand), means that it doesn't seem as clean and clinical practice as it would be if you were using either a toothpaste or a packet of toothy tabs. 

While the powder does seem stronger in taste - meaning it does make my mouth feel a little cleaner than the toothy tabs version, it's definitely not one of my favourite flavours and would not be something I buy regularly. I'd also be a little worried about taking these with me for trips - as while a box of toothy tabs are small, light and a breeze to carry around, I'd always be worried that the tooth powder would leak and leave me smelling like a sushi garnish.

Quantitative Ingredients: Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sorbitol, Lauroyl Sarcosine, Garden Pea Powder, Kaolin, Organic Watercress Powder, Peppermint Oil, Spearmint Oil, French Organic Lavender Oil, Wasabi Powder, Fair Trade Organic Dried Spearmint, Coarse Sea Salt, Sodium Saccharin, Limonene, Linalool, Flavour.

Vegan?: Yes

2015 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

Scent Family:

Ultrablast Tooth Powder

Ultrablast Toothy Tabs