Why did you start L.A. PACIFIC?
My journey to entrepreneurship was a gradual journey not this one “aha” moment. When I was 15, I vividly remember noticing my friend’s bright smile and all the compliments she was getting. I started using the same whitening strips that contained harsh ingredients and completely overlooked any pain or sensitivity as I was aligned with the mentality of “no pain no gain”. Fast forward 5 years and shortly after an inspiring trip to L.A. where I was blown away by their celebration and embrace of health and wellness as lifestyle and the importance placed on fresh ingredients.
I feel my degree in psychology and career in consulting also greatly prepared me for entrepreneurship as I got an insight into human behaviour, so many different businesses with a variety of different challenges that we had to solve. I also grew up surrounded by entrepreneurship and resilience as my mum was a single-mum and started her own Montessori nursery school…which so happened to be a great way to educate me and my 3 siblings!
What has made you so focussed on ingredients?
I was 20, very impressionable and had just started my masters in London when I got diagnosed with auto-immune disease, I was told by the Dr I would be on 12 tablets a day for the rest of my life and handed me a brochure for colostomy bags. Prior to this I thought I could get by, by living this fast-paced life where I thought I was in control of everything. I finished school at 17, my degree by 20 and on track to have an MSc by 21. My whole being rejected this diagnosis. I went through a phase of frustration not being able to do the things I wanted, resentment at my body for not being able to perform basic functions before I realised that this was a message from my body to slow down and invite in acceptance.
I decided to overhaul my entire life – before I found the path that would lead me back to health I couldn’t keep anything down, I was experiencing extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, fever, joint aches – sometimes it would last for days and other times a few hours at a time. I was desperate – I was on the max dosage of tablets and my Dr said the next step was steroids (which a quick Google of side effects would make you do a sharp 180).
I was willing to try ANYTHING. I went to reiki, crystal healers, you name it I did it. Until one day I stumbled across this anecdotal story of a woman the same age as me that had gone through the same thing and responded to it with a special diet. This meant I had to eat baby food for 3 weeks (everything was mush and was limited to 5 different foods). I treated my intestines as though they were that of a baby; keeping the food as mush meant that my digestive system had one less step to put energy into and instead put all the energy into absorbing the nutrients I so desperately needed. Following that 3 weeks it was a process of re-introduction I could chose 1 food and had to wait 3 days before I could introduce a new one…But if I reacted to that food it meant I was still on that list of 5 different foods. I stayed with those 5 foods for just over 4 weeks as the next 3 foods I tried to re-introduce were not working. Luckily overtime I slowly rebuilt my diet back to something with variety but this meant no alcohol for a year and reading the back of food packaging became a big part of my day.
I started to become conscious of the ingredients, products I was using on my body and now I have been medicine-free for 6 years. For my mind and being, I discovered mindfulness and yoga. For my body, I got into weightlifting (if I didn’t feel mentally strong I thought I could gain this through making my body physically strong). As this new journey began, I realised that I still wanted white teeth but I was no longer willing to compromise on my oral health. Now I understood that the semi translucent appearance of my front teeth was due to enamel loss from the whitening products I had used when I was younger. After researching I found there was nothing on the market that was aligned with my ingredient philosophy or if it did it was simply not effective in getting me the results I wanted. I was finally introduced to my dental formulator and when we met it was clear we had a shared vision – create the most effective and safe method to whiten your teeth.
What makes L.A. PACIFIC so special?
Our enzyme is at the heart of our brand – our enzyme interacts with the natural sugars in your mouth and transforms it into a natural hydrogen peroxide that is enamel-safe and zero sensitivity method of whitening your teeth instantly! No other product has a claim that can whiten teeth instantly in 60 seconds, no one is talking about enzymes in the way we are…and that is so exciting!
Most people don’t realise that our teeth, much like our skin, are porous. This means that the ingredients that you use matter because some ingredients are corrosive and can seep past the surface layers of your tooth to the pulp layer. Always check the RDA or relative dentin abrasivity of your toothpaste to ensure you have no sensitivity from your at-home teeth whitening. Our formula has an RDA of 82 and is classed as “low abrasion”; it’s gentle and effective as per our clinical proof.
Finally, the way we communicate – L.A. PACIFIC is not just a whitening toothpaste it’s about a lifestyle choice to have great oral health and beauty, the knowing that you are making a positive environmental contribution through your choices and…there’s this indescribable community of people who through our online community help each other to learn and experience the L.A. PACIFIC feeling.
Why Enzymes?
Enzymes are very interesting and pioneering in the oral care space – most people are scared to work with because they very difficult to work with, they are delicate they can take a formula that works and destabilise completely. Luckily for us, the L.A. PACIFIC dental formulator is an expert in it. The other side of enzymes is that they get to work straight away offering instant results...Actually, on reflection these qualities sound very much like they are describing me!!
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone trying L.A. PACIFIC?
My main recommendation to get the whitest possible teeth is to practice dry brushing. We recommend dry brushing (or as I like to call it "Dry Clean Only") this means no water on your brush or the formula (however, please clean your brush with water after use!). The reasons are:
- Adding water dilutes the effectiveness of our formula which already includes water. Our product has been formulated with the right balance of surfactants, the enzyme etc to achieve our unique stain removal process.
- Additionally, water reduces the viscosity of the toothpaste (i.e., less sticky). This is needed to ensure our formula has the most concentrated interaction with your teeth and so the formula can adhere to your teeth (whereas when water is added the formula slips / slides across your teeth).
I know it might seem like a strange concept but I always liken it to the fact that you wouldn’t apply your most expensive serum to your face if your face was wet with water because the formula would slip and slide all over your face rather than being absorbed into your skin.
With that we also recommend not rinsing after you brush your teeth – rinsing immediately after brushing washes away the important ingredients that we have in our toothpaste like our enzyme and fluoride. Fluoride is definitely not something to wash away – this ingredient is a naturally occurring mineral that is so effective at protecting your teeth from decay / cavities that the government actually mandate for our water to have fluoride added to it!
What’s the most consistent bestseller and why do you think that is?
Without a doubt our “4 in 1 Action Enzyme Whitening” toothpaste. It’s the world’s FIRST whitening toothpaste to use enzymes for whitening. I feel our community loves our product because it's something that we can Integrate Into our existing routines, It's safe to use everyday and with our clinical data It is the most effective and safe whitening toothpaste for your teeth.
Our claims are also proven by independent clinical testing conducted by the University of Indiana in the USA to support our promise of “Whiter Teeth in 60 Seconds” or 82% stain removal in 2 minutes*. I think this assurance of a powerful stain removal formula grounded in science gives the power back to customers. It’s wild that an analysis of one of the largest national pharmacies revealed that only 20% of products (from a sample of 48) were backed by clinically proven results!
Irish consumers love to educate ourselves about formulas and we have a policy of complete transparency on ingredients. I believe that people respond to a trustworthy brand.
What is the difference between the 4 in 1 and the Extra Sensitive Enzyme Whitening Toothpaste?
The only difference between these two sisters is that the Extra Sensitive whitening toothpaste has Potassium Citrate included in it. This is a clinically proven ingredient that seeps down into the pulp (the lower layer) of your tooth interrupting nerve signals to alleviate any tooth pain or discomfort from sensitivity.
And yes! It has the same instant teeth whitening super powers as our 4 in 1.
What is your favourite product?
This should be a really hard question (and I do love all my toothpaste children)…but I feel that the Gum Health Enzyme Whitening Toothpaste is the luxury that my mouth has been waiting all its life for! This toothpaste has all the whitening efficacy of our original formula plus overall mouth and gum health benefits.
As a massive fan of CBD myself I started to research and explore the research in the oral care space…There are a growing number of patents and the research is undeniable in terms of the healing power of this ingredient. As part of the development we decided to create a unique blend of Californian Cannabidiol (CBD), Aloe Vera and Vitamin E with our superhero Enzyme complex to help anyone trying to look after their gums AND whiten their teeth at the same time. Why can’t we do both!?
Why did you choose these ingredients?
Each ingredient has its own benefits and together they create the perfect platform to improve overall gum health. I have even had a few customers tell me that after using the formula their gums stopped bleeding! The reasons behind these three ingredients are below:
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CBD: Nourishing and non-intoxicating ingredient, rich in essential omega-6 & omega-3 acids. CBD is renowned for treating concerns like inflammation and visible irritation.
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ALOE VERA: Bursting with vitamins A, C and E. Adored by beauty fans for the antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Aloe Vera contains compounds that actively heal and reduce pain through natural anti-inflammatory effects.
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VITAMIN E: The BFF to the salivary antioxidants that help to neutralize free radicals in your mouth. Vitamin E soothes and invigorate gum tissue.
Shop the L.A. Pacific range here.
