So I was pretty intrigued when NasalGuard sent me some of their Cold&FluBLOCK. Unlike other products designed for cold and flu season, the Cold&FluBLOCK is a preventative measure - aiming to stop you catching a virus in the first place. That makes great sense because, as we all know, prevention is better than cure.
What makes Cold&FluBLOCK so interesting to me is that it is suitable for everyone - babies, children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and the elderly. This means I can use it on myself and Isabelle safely. As it is an external treatment, it can also be used with 'traditional' products which you may be using, unlike some tablets and nasal sprays.
Cold&FluBLOCK comes in a 3g tube, costing £11.99 from Boots stores, and at Boots.com. That little tube can be used for up to 150 applications, which is pretty incredible, and tells you how little of the product you actually need to use each time.
Without being too scientific, Cold&FluBLOCK is a positively charged gel which attracts the negative charge in cold and flu viruses. It is applied around your nose and above your lips, and is there to catch viruses, and stop them before they enter your body to make you unwell.I found this so easy to use - just a little drop on my finger covered a huge area, and I almost always squeezed out too much as it spreads so well. The Cold&FluBLOCK can be used under or over make-up and, I have to say, I was a bit sceptical about that. In the past, gels I've applied under/over make-up have ended up 'peeling' or 'rolling' into little chunks so I assumed this would do the same, but it absolutely didn't. I would personally prefer to use it under my make up, but when I did put it on over the top, it dried totally clear and couldn't be seen at all. The instructions say to put it on first thing, any time your face gets wet (e.g. after swimming or showering) and every 4-6 hours. I think that I would find it hard to remember to do that to be honest, but I left it with my normal face lotions and potions and got into the habit of applying it every morning, so I think it's just about adapting your habits to include the Cold&FluBLOCK.
So, does it work? Well, I used it on Isabelle once or twice but, since she is teething and continually slobbery, I knew it was all getting rubbed off and couldn't keep up with putting it on all the time, and she has since caught a cold. Despite being in such close proximity to her all day, and being constantly sneezed and slobbered on, I haven't caught the same cold. As this is a preventative product we'll never know for sure, but that seems pretty promising to me!
If you'd rather not spend a few days snotty and miserable this autumn/winter, I suggest you get your own tube of Cold&FluBLOCK from Boots and give it a whirl!
