Before Eight Toothy Tabs

When my rather intimidating order of toothy and mouthwash tabs first arrived, I was surprised to find a number of different mint flavoured variations. While I completely understand that for some consumers, the transition between paste and tab may be too much to deal with if the flavour goes completely off the scale as well. However, there was a part of me that was genuinely intrigued to see how each release was different enough to be given its own identity. 

Before Eight was actually one of the first bottles I gravitated towards, simply because at the time I had a large hankering for chocolate, and my mind quickly gravitated towards the idea of After Eight mints, which is obviously what these Liverpool exclusives are inspired by.

Containing both peppermint oil and cocoa absolute, the idea behind these limited editions is that they replicate a refreshing yet mildly foody minty smell, with a rich and delicate chocolate aftertaste to seal the deal. However, what I found was that the chocolate element of these are nowhere to be tasted. There is definitely something about these tabs that make them very reminiscent of the famous confectionary but I personally couldn't detect anything that even mildly resembled chocolate: it was straight forward peppermint to my tastebuds.

While some people may suggest that toothy tabs are supposed to be an alternative to mint tooth paste, I happen to think that these are another great starting point for those unsure whether or not to make that leap, and try something more adventurous. Furthermore, they're also far more natural than a lot of the tubed varieties currently available in other shops and are much easier to take with you when travelling: two aspects that make these more appealing than another brand. 

As with all of Lush's new toothy tabs, these particular tabs feature a number of ingredients that I was unsure about and had to research before trying them out for myself - not only to understand how and why Before Eight work, but also to educate others about the benefits they possess. Firstly, these tabs feature  dicalcium phosphate anhydrous - the main component used to help supplement the body's calcium intake, not to mention preventing the build up of tartar in the mouth. Sorbitol is also used - a natural alternative to sugar which allows Lush to add flavour to this product without adding anything that'll rot your teeth; Lauroyl Sarcosine not only helps the product to foam up in the mouth, but is also used to remove unwanted bacteria that may cause problems in the future.

When I popped one of these in my mouth for the first time, there was a part of me that wondered just how potent the peppermint was going to be. However, I found out very quickly that the mint is nowhere near as potent as you would expect it to be, and I do think it is the inclusion of the cocoa absolute that makes it so. However, the latter ingredient works more at blending and smoothing out the minty aroma as opposed to offering anything particularly chocolately to the experience. While some peppermint toothpastes can burn your tongue if you put too much on your brush, you won't get this with these tabs. 

What is great about Before Eight is that the peppermint does clean out your mouth very effectively, leaving you with fresh breath and a set of teeth that feel really squeaky-clean. However, the mint isn't overly strong that it rips the tastebuds right out of your mouth: a positive attribute that makes these little tablets stand above most of the toothpastes that I've tried over the years.

If you're looking for something to replace your late night snacking, you're probably going to be sorely disappointed...and I would also find it a little strange that you'd try to look for it in a toothpaste anyway. However, as an alternative to brush your teeth with, these Liverpool exclusives are definitely a good variation to try out for size.

Quantitative Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sorbitol, Lauroyl Sarcosine, Xylitol, Flavour, Peppermint Oil, Cocoa Absolute, Stevia, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Limonene, Colour 77491, Colour 19140:1, Colour 42090:2.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.