Mini-masochist: The $10 French Toothpaste

As any reader of Vanity Fair’s “My Stuff” column knows, non-regular people use non-regular toothpaste. (The gorgeously packaged Italian brand Marvis is a favorite among supermodels and socialites.) But ever since Bostonista started buying $90 bras, we have to save money somewhere. And we’d rather sacrifice some style for good old American bleaching power, anyway.

So for years, we’ve used Colgate Total toothpaste. Tartar control plus whitening, and a strong minty taste—done. We buy it in bulk and don’t think twice.

However, as a PR pitch helpfully informed us this week, we really do need to be more discerning when selecting oral care brands. True sophisticates obviously buy French toothpaste. And so we wound up with samples of Gallic bestseller Elgydium.

As we opened the package, we were hoping for a Marvis-esque tube. We fully admit that 75 percent of our beauty product choices are based on packaging, and we thought a lovely, old-fashioned tube would look just right in our medicine cabinet alongside some L’Occitane hand cream.

But despite its promisingly snooty name, Elgydium was packaged…just like Colgate Total. What’s more, Elgydium tasted…just like Colgate Total. And it cost…more than twice as much as Colgate Total.

Consider this Bostonista‘s weekly service announcement: Buy the $90 bra; stick to the CVS toothpaste.

Elgydium toothpaste, $10, Colonial Drug, 49 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617-864-2222.