Toiletries which work for me despite my altered smell due to Long Covid

 I have found that so many of my favourite toiletries now have a bad smell and many of my face washes and creams give me pins and needles in my lips. Here are some toiletries I have found that are either unscented or don't smell too bad for me.

oraNurse toothpaste

Over the past 5 months I have tried so many different toothpastes in an attempt to find one that has no unpleasant taste for me and does not give me pins and needles in my tongue.

So far, oraNurse (which can be bought on Amazon) is the only toothpaste I have found which leaves no bad taste in my mouth 99% of the time and does not give me pins and needles in my tongue.

This toothpaste is unflavoured, however, I have found that very occasionally it does have a slightly strange taste for me but this is a significant improvement from other toothpastes I have tried. 

As oraNurse is not designed specifically for parosmia, it is also non-foaming which is a bit strange at first when you are used to foaming toothpaste. However, oraNurse has made brushing my teeth a much better experience as I no longer have to suffer the side effects of Long Covid every time I brush my teeth.

Lava beads

Since discovering I can tolerate lavender and eucalyptus essential oils and that these scents can mask some unpleasant smells, I have been using these essential oils every day. When I go to the shops I always spray my face mask with a spray I make up from water and essential oil to cover up many food smells. This is not always completely effective but it makes a big difference compared to without the essential oils. 

As I am finding essential oils work for me, I decided to buy some lava beads from Ebay to make bracelets and a necklace (you could also buy them pre-made online) that I can wear in situations when I am unable to wear a face mask such as when I am eating near family or friends who are having hot food. These beads can be soaked in essential oils and then smelt when there is an unpleasant smell. These beads may not work for everyone but they are quite cheap to buy and could be worth investing in. They do not always completely cover up unpleasant smells but they have mostly worked well for me and make eating dinner with family and friends a better experience.

Non-scented sunscreen

I have found that my usual sunscreen smells so bad to me at the moment that I can't use it. Also, since getting Long Covid, I have found that I burn a lot easier even when it is only slightly sunny. 

This is a children's sunscreen from Aldi but it has solved both of my problems. It is unscented and factor 50+ so works very well for me. Unfortunately it is not an all day sunscreen but I have noticed a big difference since I started using it.

Aqueous cream

Many of my favourite moisturisers are scented and I am now no longer able to use them as they smell so bad to me due to my altered sense of smell. This Aqueous moisturising cream is fragrance free and can also be found in most chemists.