We're sorry you're having this experience, Josh, since our Whitestrips do go through many quality checks to ensure that you can use them with ease. We'll be sure to pass your comments along to our team, and we'd like to share some tips with you: -Wear the upper and lower strips at separate times. -Use a mirror when applying the strips: press the sticky gel side against the front of your teeth, with the strip along the gum line. Then gently tuck the strip in the spaces between your teeth with your fingernail, and fold the excess behind your teeth. -Try to avoid touching the strip excessively with your tongue. -If the strip begins to slip, close your mouth, and create suction to tighten the strip to your teeth again. We hope this helps, and please give us a call at (800) 395-8423 if you'd like any further assistance.