My husband has got a knack of going to the shop with a list of stuff and coming back with something completely different. While this used to be a bit irritating, since I have joined dooyoo I have found it quite beneficial, as it gives me more products to review!


I sent him out the other day to get a bottle of either Listerene or Aquafresh, which, in my opinion are the only mouthwashes on the market that are actually any good. He came back with a bottle of Colgate Plax Alcohol Free Mouthwash. I'm sure he does this kind of thing so I won't send him shopping again, but I still do!


I have tried Plax before, and wasn't overly impressed with it, but this is a new product, so I tried not to prejudge it. The product comes in a pale blue transparent bottle, which contains 500ml of liquid. It does not specify on the bottle what flavour it is, so I guess I'm in for a surprise. The big selling point, according to the front of the bottle, is that it does not burn you like some mouthwashes. I actually like the burn you get from Listerene (I hope that doesn't make me a sadist!), so again, I didn't hold out much hope of liking this product.


The mouthwash is designed to be used twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, before bed. it claims to keep the mouth fresh for up to 12 hours, protecting against bacteria and plaque, strengthening gums, strengthening enamel and fighting cavities.


To use, you fill the cap to the line (20ml), rinse for 30 seconds and spit out. The product is not for use in kids under the age of 6.


I opened the bottle and took a sniff. It was a lovely fresh minty smell. If anyone knows what Piriton smells like, it is the same smell, a bit like mint sweets. I was surprised that the liquid was clear when I poured it into the cap, as I expected it to be the same colour as the bottle, pale blue. As I rinsed, I couldn't really taste much, the flavour seemed very mild, and I was missing the "burn". It was a bit like rinsing with mint flavoured water.


The big surprise though, was after I had used the mouthwash. As soon as I spat it out, my mouth was filled with a strong, fresh mint flavour, which made my whole mouth feel relly clean. I hadn't really expected this, and it came as a genuine surprise. I could finally feel the product working! My mouth felt fresh for several hours and my tongue felt clean too. I was suddenly very impressed with the product.


Colgate Plax Alcohol Free Mouthwash has exceeded expectations. It is like a little bomb of freshness! As the product is new, it is on offer in most supermarkets, but will retail normally for just under the £3 mark. A bottle this size would last our family a couple of weeks.


The bottle and the lid are recycleable.