Bad breath in the masked era

What’s a routine? What’s normal? 

It seems like every day, we’re all discovering new meanings for those words. If you’re a person whose life has been tragically impacted by COVID-19, those words might mean something entirely different. Whether you contracted the virus, lost a loved one to it, had to close your business or find a new job because of it, the idea of “normal” may be a distant concept.

And in times like these, the last thing that’s probably on your mind is your breath. Your “routine” of looking for a quick breath-fix after your morning coffee or before your next meeting has no doubt been altered. Even if you haven’t felt some of the more life-changing effects of this global lockdown, we pray you’re still following the guidance of health leaders - staying safe at home, and wearing a mask should you decide to venture out. There’s nothing more important that you could be doing now - and we owe the essential workers in the world the biggest debt of gratitude for the risks they are taking to save lives in the face of danger.

The reality is, social distancing is hard. It doesn’t come naturally to our generation, or species for the matter. We love. We hug. We take bites off of each other’s plates. We laugh and cry with our faces squished together. And we get it - we’re a company that usually tells you to get closer and breathe on one another after you use our products! No doubt we’ve felt the effects. This recent article from Ad Week helped to lay out the facts: “With more people staying at home, communicating through digital channels and aiming to maintain at least six feet of distance from others at all times, fresh breath has declined in importance.” This isn’t the first time either - a similar drop in gum and mint sales happened during the Great Recession. But in life, we have to play with the hand we’re dealt - there are simply bigger things at play.

So here’s our take on it all. Can you still get bad breath in the masked era? Absolutely. Some of our customers, new and old, have even reached out to thank us - Zelmin’s is helping keep their breath fresh under their masks. And for your unmasked moments at home, we’re here for you too. Maybe you’re getting more adventurous in the kitchen, cooking with a new array of flavors that are leaving your breath a little “hotter” than usual. If it’s just you at home, that might not be a huge concern for you right now (although we still like to get rid of garlic breath even if there’s no one around for miles). If you’re lucky to be locked down with family, friends or loved ones, maybe pop some Zelmin’s for their sake (and light a candle too, because you might have gone nose-blind to your own powerful musk).

That being said, there is nothing more important than public health and safety. No matter what, we’ll still be here when the world goes back to “normal”. Of course, we want to be there to make moments fresh and keep you confident when you get bad breath during quarantine, but we would trade everything if it meant bringing an end to this pandemic sooner. So keep your masks on, stay safe, and as always, try to keep things fresh.