Months ago, I gave a beauty product talk to a nice group of women at a Palm Harbor synagogue, where I extolled the virtues of Crest Whitestrips. The best beauty invention since Egyptians smeared soot and lead around their eyes, I say. The strips work and I can't understanding why anyone would go around with dull-colored teeth when it's so easy to whiten! Only, like, $35 for a box of pretty smiles! What a bargain!

But Whitestrips aren't without flaws. For starters, they're kind of a mess to handle, and sometimes get all twisted up like Cling Wrap when you're trying to pull out the sticky little strips. Then there's the time commitment, usually 30 minutes, in which you can't speak to anyone, drink anything or otherwise live a normal life. I can't use Whitestrips more than a couple days at a time without getting extreme, tortuous tooth sensitivity, and as one smart lady at the synagogue pointed out, what about the side or back teeth that aren't covered by the strips?

Because modern science is so great, there's now a new alternative called Love That White Smile, which claims to cause no tooth sensitivity and is takes 60 seconds, twice a day after brushing. You basically pump two kinds of foam onto a toothbrush and brush it all over your teeth, then spit out the foam and don't drink or eat for 15 minutes afterward. It has a very slight mint flavor and supposedly is made with "safe, food-grade ingredients."

I began using LTWS tooth whitening last Wednesday and it is now Tuesday and I do notice a slight difference. (Sorry, no pics ... I tried and  they looked scary.) Granted, my teeth were fairly white to begin with, but it's still nice to see some brightening. I'm an insufferable coffee drinker so I need all the help I can get, and I need it to be cheap, fast and convenient. My one small complaint is that the two-step foam process seems like a waste when half the foam falls off the tiny head of my electric toothbrush when I'm doing the second pump.

I wish I could tell you where to buy LTWS and how much it costs (I got a free sample in the mail), but I can't seem to get any answers from the product website. Some quick Google research seems to suggest the system costs between $40-60 and is available at Target, though Target's website says it's out of stock and lists no price. There's also a "maintenance foam" which I haven't tried yet, but it's supposed to preserve the whitening you built up with the original system.

I'll keep everyone updated! I'm either top candidate for Smile of the Year or I'm slowly poisioning myself ... just like the Egyptians.

Deal Diva Emily

IMPORTANT UPDATE: A Love That White Smile representative has just informed me that the system retails at half of all Targets nationwide for $39.99, and $29.99 for the maintenance foam. She also suggested a solution to the foam-falling-off-the-brush problem: Just pump the foam directly into your mouth!

Photos: AP, iStockphoto