By far the most worth-it mouthwash on our list Aesop’s Baine de Bouche.

Flavor:

The aesop mouthwash tastes like a delicious absinthe-based cocktail, but if you’re not a fan of black-licorice this isn’t going to be a flavor you want start your morning out with each day.

Bottle:

Pretty, but nothing too fancy, it’s a large apothecary-style brown glass bottle. It’s a bit chunky and will take up some space either on your counter or in your cupboard.

Formula:

It’s an alcohol-free mouthwash that uses anise, clove bud, and spearmint leaf to provide a more botanical-based clean feeling. It’s not harsh, drying, or overwhelming, it’s just a nice way to freshen up.

Ingredients:

Water , Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit/Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Oil, d-Limonene, Eugenol, Linalool.

The Flavor:

Floris London’s rose mouthwash REALLY tastes like roses. If you’re ok with a strong floral flavored mouthwash that verges on gargling perfume, then it’s honestly pretty lovely, but my guess is that most people don’t love the taste of rose quite as much as I do.

The Bottle:

The most beautiful bottle on our list. This frosted glass bottle with golden accents and a delicate pink mouthwash inside reminds us of antique victorian perfume bottles, and it’s no surprise since Floris is a perfumer founded in 1730!

The Formula:

Natural rosewater is the foundation of this mouthwash, which gives it that strong natural rose flavor. You only need 6 drops of concentrate per glass of water, but we found it a bit tricky to measure precisely, so just eyeball it.

The Flavor:

The quintissential mouthwash flavor: a super strong (as the name suggests) mint. Ironically enough, it reminds me of the listerine strips that were really popular back when I was in junior high. You get a strong intense hit of peppermint that really wakes you up, but doesn’t taste all that pleasant.

The Bottle:

A small clear bottle with portraits printed on it, this feels like the most “commercial” bottle out of the bunch. Not bad, but nothing special.

The Formula:

You dilute this alcohol-free formula with 4 parts of water to 1 part of concentrate. For me, this meant that either I have to prepare batches of mouthwash in advance, or waste a fair amount of product for a single use.

Ingredients:

Water, Glycerin, Poloxamer 407, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Aroma (Flavor), Propolis Extract, Sodium Saccharin, Xylitol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Limonene, CI 42090(FD&C Blue no. 1), CL19140 (FD&C Yellow No.5).

The Flavor:

Buly’s mouthwash really nails the taste of a high-end mint tea , but for me, that’s where the pros end.

The Bottle:

For $44 a bottle, you expect a luxury experience, but the bottle is a cheap soft plastic, the cap is plastic, and the paper label, although beautifully designed, is coming off the bottle. I was pretty disappointed with the packaging, especially since their toothpaste packaging is so high end.

The formula:

The claim to fame (and the exorbanant cost) for this mouthwash is that the water used comes from the Castéra-Verduzan spring. This spring has been scientifically backed as a source of sulfates, calcium, and magnesium which can assist in fighting tooth decay by reducing the acid PH of the mouth.

But magic water or not, the formula is so shockingly sweet that it feels like you swished and spit a sugary drink. Becasue of this, there’s no real fresh clean feeling.

Several of the mouthwashes on our list are actually concentrates, meaning that in order to actually use them, they have to be mixed with water. Depending on what your mornings look like, this may be a deal-breaker or a welcome addition to your rituals. Here are the pros and cons of using a concentrate.

• Significantly more cost-effective
• Can be a fun ritual in the morning
• Takes up less space

• It’s honestly a bit of a hassle
• It requires you to have a cup on hand
• It’s easy to get the ratio wrong
• Unless you’re using distilled water, any “flavor” from your tap water may affect the final product