Bzz, Bzz: Afrin PureSea

I was so excited to sign up for this latest Bzz Campaign, because it's something I really need right now. Fortunately, in the midst of this virulent influenza attack I'm having, it showed up on my doorstep today!

Actually, I don't know if you're supposed to use it (for maximum effectiveness) when you're riding the raging snot rocket that I am, but I tried it out anyway.

What is it?

Afrin PureSea, a nasal rinse product.  I have had major post-nasal drip for as long as I can remember, and I recently learned about neti pots, which is another nasal rinse product. I tried to buy one at the drug store recently, but they didn't stock them, so I've semi been on the lookout for one ever since. And then I got this Campaign! Yippee! (And then I got The Sick! Not yippee!) It cleans your nasal and sinus passages of allergens, pollutants, and everything else your nose traps, so you can breathe freely.

How do you use it?

Well... that's the fun part. Heh. For the Afrin PureSea, you put the applicator tip on the bottle, and then get yourself in the shower or over a sink. (I did it over the bathroom sink.) Then you tilt your head all the way to one side, put the applicator up one nostril and press down on it. The 100% natural, purified sea water goes in one nostril and out the other, rinsing everything away. Then you tilt your head the other way and do it on the other side.

I blew my nose afterward to really clear things out (and before), and voila! For a few pleasurable seconds, I could breathe better through my nose than maybe in my whole life (hi, I'm a mouth breather, who's with me?) - certainly better than I could five minutes before! It felt a little like I had dunked my head underwater at the beach for a minute, but it wasn't burny at all like that because the salt concentration is much lower.

What's in it?

Nothing but sea water! It's purified to get rid of pollutants and microorganisms, and it's isotonic so that it matches your own saline concentration, but otherwise, it's straight from the Bay of Saint-Malo in France.

More Fun Facts

• You can find it in the cough & cold aisle
• It has sea water's same trace elements to minimize discomfort and match your body chemistry
• It goes through a sterilizing filtration process
• No drugs or preservatives
• Can be used as often as needed (it says up to four times a day, but personally I don't see why you couldn't use it more often, since it's just sea water)
• There is NO mixing, as with a neti pot
• The contents remain sterile after use
• There are three varieties, the most gentle of which can be used on babies as young as six months old
• MSRP is $14.99, but I have $3 off coupons for anyone who wants 'em!!

My Verdict

Well, I'm glad my bottle was free, because the cost is a little off-putting for me. I couldn't afford to just stock up on it, even with the coupons! So I'd use it with a cold or something, or if I'd been around mold or something else yucky.  Also, unlike the neti pot which you buy once and keep, this is disposable.  It's recyclable, but still, that's a lot more waste.

But I did like the feel of it, and I'm getting ready to go do it again. I'm going to do it every day until it's gone, so I'll be sure and update if my opinion on it changes either way.  It was wonderful to be able to breathe clearly through my nose for the first time maybe ever! Would I buy it again? Yes, definitely. Would I cringe at the environmental impact? Yep.

What do you think? Have you tried anything like this before? Would you want to try this? Would you like a coupon?

Fin.