Help me open up my sinuses with a minty explosion

January 27, 2021 10:38 AM

I just found out about Airwaves gum which is primarily sold in the UK and parts of Asia. Apparently it is so powerful that it is almost uncomfortable to use. What are your powerful, minty, affordable recommendations that will wake me up and open my sinuses?

I also was given a bottle of peppermint beadlets from a scammy oils company that dissolve on the tongue and are refreshing and strong but really expensive.

posted by mecran01 to Health & Fitness (18 answers total)

Altoids are probably your first step.
Fisherman’s Friend is not candy but is a sore throat lozenge that I remember being way too potent.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 10:40 AM on January 27, 2021 [2 favorites]

You'd probably like minty eye drops, popularized in Japan. There are a few brands/types, eg here.
posted by SaltySalticid at 10:43 AM on January 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: @Huffy Puffy: I love Altoids, but I want something stronger. Maybe I'll buy peppermint oil and boost them. I also don't want to add too much sugar because it [sorry] increases the likelihood of a UTI flare up.
posted by mecran01 at 10:51 AM on January 27, 2021

Response by poster: note: I realize I am being precious and fussy about this. I have no excuse, other than that I am perhaps fixating on this to avoid thinking about things that actually matter.
posted by mecran01 at 10:59 AM on January 27, 2021 [6 favorites]

Tiger Balm is a classic. Very strong.
posted by amtho at 11:05 AM on January 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

Have you tried Listerine breath strips? (Do they even make those anymore...?) My brother LOVED those things, and I could also see him asking this question. Personally I found them absolutely unpalatable, like eating vicks vapo rub.
posted by phunniemee at 11:06 AM on January 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

My husband is very into this, and lately he's been huffing a Vicks VapoInhaler. He announced to me the other night, "I can use it as often as I want!"
posted by jabes at 11:17 AM on January 27, 2021 [5 favorites]

Euthymol toothpaste

Trebor's Extra Strong mints (much stronger than Altoids)

Already recommended, but yes, Fisherman's Friend (stronger than Trebor's IIRC).
posted by caek at 11:41 AM on January 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

Listerine apparently still makes the breath strips, which were my first thought as well--although Listerine's own website is not currently selling them, I'm finding them in local stores. (I would not buy them from Amazon--along with it just being a bad idea to buy from Amazon, I would definitely not want to risk some kind of toxic counterfeit version).

My caveat on these is that I haven't had any for the past few years. And you know how sometimes they revise/dilute very powerful products over time. But consider giving them a try!
posted by theatro at 11:49 AM on January 27, 2021

You like minty explosions, and you want them in your sinuses? Let me introduce you to Alkalol Mucus Solvent and Cleanser, Since 1896. It certainly is a solvent, and it does go into your sinuses. Whoo.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 11:51 AM on January 27, 2021 [3 favorites]

Sudafed used to make shower tablets that were supposed to have a Vicks-like quality but I found them to smell sort of urine-y in practice. If anyone is looking for "things to make your shower smell like pee that aren't pee", I got you.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 11:57 AM on January 27, 2021 [5 favorites]

If Imps or Meloids are still made — tiny hard licorice tablets with who knows what all in them — they'll clear you right up. Olbas Oil (eucalyptus, tea tree, menthol, etc) is fiercely clearing. Japanese peppermint is sold as a pick-me-up inhaler and does the job.

If your sinuses are routinely cruddy, a neti pot will clear out some vile looking stuff. Don't try to put anything but warm water or the salt/bicarb mix in there: a friend put a couple of drops of Olbas Oil in theirs and … no.
posted by scruss at 12:26 PM on January 27, 2021 [3 favorites]

Japanese peppermint is sold as a pick-me-up inhaler and does the job.

If you can get the straight oil (we like this German brand), it's as powerful as capsaicin. And it will heat the skin and burn your membranes like capsaicin/pepper spray/mace.

A drop or two near your nose will blow it open pronto. Just wash your hands thoroughly.
posted by JoeZydeco at 12:34 PM on January 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

Sudafed used to make shower tablets that were supposed to have a Vicks-like quality but I found them to smell sort of urine-y in practice. If anyone is looking for "things to make your shower smell like pee that aren't pee", I got you.

Vicks makes these (I sound like a shill for Vicks). They're okay but like a LaCroix level of Vicks-ness, not really what I imagine the OP is looking for.
posted by jabes at 12:44 PM on January 27, 2021 [2 favorites]

Trebors are very hard to find in the US, but they're my favorite mints. I've only found them at specialty British import stores, but maybe they're available online.

There are several types of Fishermans Friends, the Extra-Strong version is strong enough to make my tongue hurt. I use the normal-strength ones for sore throat, for which they are magical. They're a lot easier to find in the US than Trebors mints.
posted by BungaDunga at 12:56 PM on January 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Buy peppermint oil and mix it with gum paste, as described here -- but just, you know, over-do it:
https://www.sustainablecooks.com/breathmints-or-suck-it-starbucks/

Should be like $15 for those two ingredients, if memory serves: I tried this a year or two ago and it was dumb-easy and also tasty.
posted by wenestvedt at 1:16 PM on January 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

(I eat Fisherman's Friend lozenges year-round because chewing three Altoids Arctic at a time gets expensive, fast.)
posted by wenestvedt at 1:18 PM on January 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

I like these minty smell things

Also you can definitely find airwaves gum for sale in the US. It’s so good I can’t believe it’s not more popular here.
posted by wowenthusiast at 10:25 AM on January 28, 2021 [1 favorite]