When you think of retro what do you think of? I think of leg warmers, acid-washed jeans, and Flock of Seagulls hairstyles. But, one thing that I don’t think of is toothpaste. Until about a month ago that is.
It was about that time that I received a sample of Couto, a toothpaste from Portugal. When I learned that the toothpaste was from Europe I jumped at the chance to try it. Me, pass up a European beauty product? Nunca!
A little investigative work…
Before trying it, I wondered…if Couto was a brand of Portugal, did Brazilians use it too? After all, they speak Portuguese. I asked my American-based Brazil blogger, Gigi, if she knew anything about this couture brand. She reported back that none of her Brazil-born friends had ever heard of the brand. I guess that answers THAT question.
But, Gigi also brought up a very interesting point. She asked why this toothpaste was considered retro or couture. I emailed the company asking MANY questions about the product. Here’s the scoop..
The Couto story…
Couto toothpaste was created by a pharmacy manager in Portugal in the early 1930s. Back then, this toothpaste delivered the Portuguese from all things dentally evil. It is still quite the standard in Portuguese homes today and its use can be compared to Crest or Colgate in the US. It is also used in Spain but more as a specialty toothpaste. But still, what makes it vintage? The classic taste and cool packaging of course!!
Because I am a journalist at heart, after trying the toothpaste, I asked myself 3 questions.
What do I really like about the toothpaste?
- It has a very clean, fresh taste. Think of a mix of black liquorice and green Double Mint gum. My mouth was singing praises to me for hours!
- It has a very smooth, nongritty texture.
- The paste is NOT made with any animal products which of course I LOVE.
- The very chic packaging. It would definitely be a conversation piece.
- It is from Europe. Nuff said.
What don’t I like about the toothpaste?
- It is rather expensive compared to standard US brands.
- Although the Couto folks say that it will keep gums and teeth, I still wonder if it will keep them as healthy as US brands. After all, it’s not approved by the ADA.
- It only comes in one flavor/type, but I guess that’s the beauty of being vintage.
Would I buy it?
- YES – I would definitely buy it if I saw it in a European store or as a novelty gift for a person who loves Euro products, AND
- NO – I don’t think I would by this on a regular basis, mainly because of the caveats I mentioned above.
If you are interested in buying this couture Portuguese brand of toothpaste here is the US, you can find it at Fred Segal, Gus Mayer, and Bigelow Chemists.
Happy (Retro) Brushing Everyone!
