Small Talk: unpa’s Oral Care Range

switch things up, our editors tried K-Beauty brand unpa’s dental care range, which includes charcoal-infused toothpastes for cleansing and whitening teeth, and eliminating bad breath! The toothpastes also come with toothbrushes in color-matching packaging to suit different bathroom aesthetics!

From the sleek designs to the charcoal-infused formulas, our editors share what they love about these products.

Melanie: We constantly review skin care products, but it’s rare to see people reviewing oral care products. Oral health is so underrated in my opinion. I was just wondering… how would you guys rate your dental health routine (with 10 being the highest and 1 being the lowest)?

Agnes: Reviewing oral care is defo a breath of fresh air ? When it comes to my personal routine, I’d give myself a 6.

Sarah: I honestly don’t give my oral care routine that much thought. I brush twice a day and floss once a day, so I guess I’d give myself a 7 or 8.

Michelle: I’m a solid 6 − I brush and floss every day, but I honestly don’t really care what type of toothpaste or toothbrush I use, lol.

Maureen: It’s a 6 for me. I brush twice daily and use mouthwash at night. I floss only when needed?

Zoe: Having been stuck with braces for the majority of my teenage years, I was basically forced to abide by a strict dental routine? Though I’m lazier now, I think I’m around an 8?

Maureen: I use an electric brush.

Sarah: I do too!

Zoe: Same.

Agnes: Okay, can I bump mine up to a 7? ? I use an electric water floss!

Maureen: Sounds so high-tech!

Michelle: I know, I feel so old-school now.

Sarah: Agnes, sounds like you can bump yourself to a 10, LOL.

Zoe: The fact that you use an electric water floss bumps you to a 9 at least. ?

Agnes: Gets the job done fast and efficiently!

Melanie: Nice! I guess most of us are on the same page?

Sarah: Is there anything else we can add to our routine apart from brushing and flossing?

Zoe: Like seeing the dentist regularly? ?

Melanie: Have any of you guys tried charcoal toothpaste before tho? It’s the new trending ingredient?

Zoe: I’ve tried charcoal masks but never charcoal toothpaste! ?

Agnes: Same here.

Sarah: I’ve been using the same basic toothpaste since forever, haha! I haven’t even heard of charcoal toothpaste! ?

Maureen: I have! I reviewed a Japanese charcoal toothpaste several years ago?

Melanie:Maureen, how was that? Did you get pearly white teeth after using it?

Maureen: I switched to using charcoal toothpaste from then on and it made my teeth whiter!

Michelle: I keep seeing it around town but I’ve never tried!

Melanie: I heard unpa released a whole oral care line and I wanted to give charcoal-infused toothpaste a try! I got the brand’s Cha Cha Toothpaste Charming Charcoal. ? How ’bout you guys? Which one did you get?

Zoe: I was feeling experimental, so I opted for the Aroma Ritual Edition’s Dancing In The Sun option, which has a grapefruit scent. ???

Michelle: I got the other one in the same edition, Lying On The Rooftop! It’s jasmine-scented?

Sarah:I got the Cha Cha Whitening Toothpaste, with 35% hydrogen peroxide in the formula to brighten your teeth✨

Agnes: I got the Cha Cha Give Good Vibes Only Toothpaste purely for its super cute pink packaging?

Maureen:My Cha Cha’s Energy Toothpaste has fluorine and xylitol to polish teeth and detoxify and rebalance pH levels in your mouth.

Zoe:Though I knew the formula contains charcoal, I was super shocked to see the toothpaste’s pitch black color ? especially when the packaging is orange!

Agnes: It was cool to see the charcoal black color rather than the white toothpaste I always use. I wasn’t sure what to expect, including how it tastes, haha.

Melanie:My Cha Cha Toothpaste Charming Charcoal is black too! ?For some reason I find it cool, but I know Sarah’s Cha Cha Whitening Toothpaste comes in a transparent color?

Sarah: Yeah, my toothpaste comes in a transparent color! Now I’m bummed that I missed out on black toothpaste?

Melanie: Sarah, you’re the unique one tho as only your whitening toothpaste is transparent.

Zoe:I find the blackish grayish foam hilarious while brushing teeth? I thought of walking out the door with the dark foam in my mouth to scare my neighbors during Halloween. It isn’t pretty brushing your teeth with black toothpaste, haha.

Agnes: HAHA, that’s actually a great idea?

Melanie: Zoe and Michelle, both of your toothpastes have charcoal ingredients, right?

Maureen: I think all six toothpastes from this range contain activated charcoal.

Melanie:Yep, you’re right, Maureen! I was actually expecting whiter teeth after using the Charming Charcoal version for a few weeks, but I don’t really see a difference?

Maureen: I’ve been a fan of charcoal for cleansing. I heard that activated charcoal is superb at absorbing dirt because of the highly porous material. Just 3g of activated carbon can have more surface area than a football field, so this ingredient has a lot of surface area that enhances its absorption capabilities.

Agnes: Same here, I didn’t see whiter teeth after using the Give Good Vibes Only Toothpaste for a few weeks. Maureen, how long did you have to wait before noticing a difference?

Maureen: It took a month for me. Maybe my teeth were too stained before XD as they used to be yellower with some stubborn plaque.

Sarah: Yeah, I have to agree − I don’t think I noticed significantly brighter teeth, but maybe it takes a bit longer to see results.

Melanie: For coffee and tea lovers like me, we should prolly stop drinking teeth-staining beverages for a while to get quicker results?

Michelle: Same tbh, I haven’t noticed anything different about my teeth after this trial… Guess I’ll just have to be patient!

Zoe: Me neither!

Sarah: My toothpaste also came with organic eucalyptus, chamomile, sage, aloe and green tea extracts. Thankfully I didn’t find the formula too artificial or overwhelming, and it smelled quite nice?

Melanie: The charcoal left my teeth clean, but I was disappointed that the toothpaste wasn’t as refreshing as the usual toothpaste I use?

Sarah: Oh yeah, I also noticed that unpa’s toothpaste didn’t leave the same minty fresh feeling as my usual toothpaste.

Maureen:It may not be as minty as the others, but it worked for me?

Michelle:Ohhh, I find my Lying On The Roof Top version super minty, maybe because of the peppermint oil infused in the formula. But I wasn’t a fan of the slightly artificial jasmine flavor.

Melanie: I should give your toothpaste a try, Michelle! My Charming Charcoal version was not refreshing enough?

Agnes: Yea, I was hoping for a strong minty feeling. Idk about you guys but the mintier it is, the cleaner I feel?

Sarah: I read that toothpaste companies add that minty fresh flavor to foster the clean feeling after brushing, but it actually doesn’t make a difference in terms of dental health.

Agnes: That’s good to know! I realized my Give Good Vibes Only Toothpaste has a natural surfactant extracted from coconut. That might be what downplays the expected minty feeling.

Michelle: Ohhh, I didn’t know that! Sarah, I guess you’re getting a little bit of that charcoal action after all, lol.

Zoe: I like my Dancing In The Sun version! Since I’m not a big fan of minty flavors, the touch of grapefruit was quite refreshing! The citrus and peppermint scents blended quite well together! ?

Agnes: I guess thanks to the botanical ingredients, the toothpaste didn’t feel so harsh against my teeth and gum. In fact, it kinda felt soothing. Did any of you notice that?

Zoe: I thought it was because of the toothbrush. ? The bristles were soft and flexible!

Sarah: I think slim bristles are supposed to be good for sensitive gums! Sometimes a new toothbrush takes some getting used to, but I found unpa’s version super gentle?

Michelle: I love the brush! It’s so compact and slender − great for cleaning all those hard-to-reach places at the back of my mouth! Plus, the bristles are super gentle, maybe more so than my regular brush!

Melanie: The brush is also colored with bamboo charcoal powder for effective oral cleansing and deodorizing✨

Maureen: ?

Maureen: I prefer harder bristles but I love that there’s charcoal in them!

Agnes: I like the soft bristles! The bamboo charcoal powder caught my attention when I saw the toothbrush!

Melanie:I agree that the bristles in the brush aren’t as hard as other toothbrushes in the market ? I’ve tried a hard-type toothbrush before and my gums bled… traumatizing. Anyway, I love that unpa’s toothbrush comes with a cover too!

Maureen: Yes, great for traveling!

Michelle:Hahahaha, saving it for a vacation.

Melanie: Apart from the bristles, I think the square head design also helps target the inner corners of the mouth.

Agnes:It for sure fit into the hard-to-reach corners of my teeth. The only thing I had a little hurdle with was the grip − it kept slipping as I was brushing.

Michelle: Ahhh, I know what you mean! I wished the handle came padded like some toothbrushes in the market.

Sarah: I like the sleek and simple design of the toothbrush! It fit quite comfortably into my hands.

Melanie: I have to say I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how the color of the brush matches the toothpaste packaging?

Michelle: I know, the packaging was defo a highlight for me?

Agnes: They nailed the packaging?

Melanie: The packaging is just…???

Maureen:Do you all know the brand name’s meaning?

Melanie:Is it “unpackaging”?

Maureen: YES!!!

Michelle: Ahhh, I seem to rmb… older sister’s makeup pouch right? (or am I wrong lol)

Maureen: It’s unni’s pouch. XD

Agnes: Ahh, makes sense! “Sister” in Korean is “unni” right?

Zoe: I thought it was a take on the oompah loompahs tbh?

Sarah: HAHA same! In my head, I was reading the brand name kind of like ‘oompah.’

Zoe: I’m glad I’m not the only one ?

Sarah: Unni’s pouch is such a cute concept and name?

Melanie: But what does it mean?

Sarah:I guess it’s like you’re stealing beauty goodies from your cool older sister? LOL

Melanie:Okay, I see! Sarah, these are def cool goodies ??

Zoe: I guess there’s always this illusion that older sisters have better stuff ?I used to always borrow things from my sister’s makeup bag or wardrobe.

Agnes: HAHA and the older sisters are always the guinea pigs?

Maureen: I’m not gonna share the same toothbrush tho…

Zoe: Defo not ?

Melanie: Will you guys continue using unpa’s oral care products?

Agnes:For me, the packaging and design gave “Good Vibes.” Other than that, I have a neutral take on the toothbrush and toothpaste. I’ll still use them every now and then, but I’ll most likely stick to my usual ways. ?

Melanie: I might try out the other oral care products from the brand, maybe unpa’s mouthwash and breath mist next?

Maureen: I’ll keep using them! I wish that the toothpaste came in a flip cap instead of a screw cap coz I always drop it.

Sarah: I’m pretty attached to my usual routine, but I love the cute and compact packaging and gentle care unpa’s products offer! I’m gonna save the set for staycations and (eventual) vacations.

Zoe: Yeah, I think so! I might try other flavors, like Michelle’s jasmine-flavored one? I actually like the screw cap; since the toothpaste is always facing down I don’t need to worry about squeezing it so hard when it’s nearly empty?

Maureen: Maybe I should store it upright! Thanks for the tip?

Michelle: I’ll probably use the Lying On The Rooftop toothpaste a while longer to see if the whitening effect will materialize. As for the brush, I’ll happily stick to it, and it’s in my favorite color purple!

Melanie: Oh Maureen… you mentioned earlier that it’s great for traveling, right? Did you know there are mini-sized versions?

Maureen:Oh yes, I can get the mini versions! ⭐