Homegrown toothpaste brand Flavrs makes brushing fun again

Flavrs aims to redefine Malaysian oral care with uniquely flavoured toothpastes. (Flavrs pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Every morning, Stephy Sam would drag herself out of bed, half-awake, brushing her teeth on autopilot. One day, she paused mid-routine and thought: “Why does this have to be so dull?”

“I remember thinking, how come we have skincare products for every mood and occasion, but toothpaste is mostly just… mint?” she recalled.

That sleepy moment became the seed of an idea. Five years and over 100 flavour tests later, Sam launched Flavrs – a proudly Malaysian, halal-certified toothpaste brand that’s rejuvenating the oral-care scene with unexpected local flavours and some serious style.

Forget icy-blue tubes and harsh chemical aftertastes: Flavrs makes brushing feel like a mini celebration.

The brand’s debut range includes four delightful picks: Tropical Pandan, Coconut Breeze, Rosy Glow, and Lavender Smile – each designed to match your mood, not just clean your teeth.

Flavrs founder Stephy Sam wants consumers to have more exciting options when it comes to toothpaste. (Flavrs pic)

“Tropical Pandan is my personal favourite,” Sam shared. “It’s sweet, fragrant, and still has that refreshing mint finish. When you think of pandan, you think of Malaysia, right?”

Sam isn’t new to flavour innovation: she’d previously worked in a durian-export startup, selling Musang King to China. “It was my first job. I was involved in everything – branding, operations, shipping. That experience really taught me how to build something from scratch.”

So, why toothpaste? “I like to add excitement to life. I switch out my skincare routine and products quite often, and there are so many types of products in skincare. I wondered why this was not the case with the oral-care industry.”

With a clear goal to shake up the simple act of toothbrushing while celebrating our culture, Flavrs was born.

Each paste is made with over 94% natural ingredients, and is fluoride-, SLS- and cruelty-free – powered instead by nano-hydroxyapatite, a safe, enamel-strengthening alternative popular in Japan and Europe.

Even the recyclable pump packaging is designed with care – making it travel-friendly, refillable, and mess-free.

The Coconut Breeze is reminiscent of coconut candy, while the Lavender Smile is like a spa in your mouth. (Flavrs pics)

Customers are loving the experience. “Many people say they are surprised by how good the toothpaste tastes, and that it still feels fresh and effective,” said Sam.

“We’ve had feedback from people saying brushing used to be boring, but now it’s something they actually look forward to. Some tell me they use Coconut Breeze in the morning and switch to Lavender Smile at night.”

After trying all four, FMT Lifestyle can confirm that Flavrs lives up to the hype! Tropical Pandan is bright and very minty, with a light pandan note that doesn’t overwhelm. It’s fresh and familiar, without being too sweet.

Coconut Breeze is where nostalgia kicks in – the flavour brings back memories of old-school coconut candy, while still finishing with a clean, minty feel.

Rosy Glow is reminiscent of fragrant sirap bandung, while Tropical Pandan is subtle yet comfortingly familiar. (Flavrs pics)

Rosy Glow is bold, floral and fun – a strong nod to sirap bandung with its syrupy rose notes, making it ideal for those who enjoy sweet, romantic flavours.

And then there’s Lavender Smile, the most luxurious of the lot. It tastes like a spa in your mouth: soft, calming, and elegant, perfect for unwinding before bed.

Not sure which to try? Flavrs makes it easy with its starter kit, which includes samples of all four. Inspired by fragrance websites, each paste also comes with “tasting notes” to help you out.

So, what’s next? “More flavours, including some inspired by local teas and foods,” Sam teased, “as well as fun collaborations with other brands that are also big on taste.”

Having experimented with bold flavours such as nasi lemak and chicken rendang during the testing process, time will tell what fresh surprises Flavrs will bring!