A nasal spray combining organic Brazilian green propolis with organic lavender hydrosol, for gently cleansing the nose. Registered as a medical device, which means it is regulated by its physical action rather than sold as a medicine.
Two things to know before you buy
1. It contains propolis, which is a bee product. That means it is not vegan, and it belongs on the label, not in the small print.
2. Propolis is a genuine and well-documented contact allergen. This is not a theoretical caution — propolis is one of the more frequent causes of allergic contact reactions among natural ingredients, and it appears on standard dermatology patch-test panels for exactly that reason. Reactions can include swelling, burning and irritation of the mucous membrane, which is uncomfortable anywhere and particularly so inside a nose.
Do not use it if you are allergic to bees, bee stings, honey, beeswax or royal jelly. Be cautious if you react to poplar or balsam of Peru, since propolis shares constituents with both — bees make it from poplar and other tree resins. If you have any doubt, try a very small amount on the skin of your inner forearm first and wait 24 hours.
What green propolis is
Propolis is the resinous material bees collect from tree buds and use to seal and defend the hive. Its composition depends entirely on what grows nearby, which is why propolis from different regions is genuinely different stuff. Brazilian green propolis is the most distinctive type in the world: bees in southeastern Brazil gather resin principally from Baccharis dracunculifolia, a shrub known locally as alecrim do campo, and the resulting propolis is green and unusually rich in a compound called artepillin C. It is the most researched propolis there is, and the most expensive.
The lavender hydrosol is the water that condenses during the steam distillation of lavender — gentle, mildly aromatic and far less concentrated than lavender essential oil, which would have no business inside a nose.
What it is for — stated honestly
It is a saline-type spray for physically cleaning and moistening the nasal passages. That is what the medical device classification covers: a mechanical action, not a pharmacological one. It rinses, moistens and helps clear the nose.
It is not a treatment for a cold, an infection, sinusitis or allergy, and we are not going to imply otherwise. If you have persistent congestion, facial pain, coloured discharge that will not clear, a fever, or symptoms lasting more than about ten days, that is a matter for a doctor or pharmacist, not a spray.
How to use it
- Blow your nose gently first.
- Tilt your head slightly forward, not back. Insert the nozzle just inside one nostril and aim it outwards, towards the ear on that side — not up the middle towards the septum, which is what causes irritation and nosebleeds.
- Spray while breathing in gently through that nostril. Repeat on the other side.
- Wipe the nozzle after use and keep the cap on. One bottle, one person — never share a nasal spray.
- Follow the frequency on the package leaflet, and stop if it stings, burns or makes things worse.
Who should not use it
- Anyone with a known allergy to propolis, bees, honey, beeswax or royal jelly.
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Infants and young children, unless a doctor or pharmacist has specifically advised it — check the leaflet for the manufacturer's minimum age.
- Anyone with a recent nasal injury or nasal surgery, without medical advice.
- In pregnancy or breastfeeding, ask a pharmacist first.
Read the manufacturer's leaflet in the box. It carries the age limits, the dosing and the expiry after opening, and it takes precedence over anything on this page.
treatfuls
treatfuls
Sophie m
