Every spring and fall, I get chronic bloody noses (I know, a very glamorous topic for the blog). Bloody noses aren’t that big of a deal, but they’re a major inconvenience! Last year, I had to run out of a 300 person lecture hall because the bloody nose decided to strike! After the bloody noses started coming back with the weather changing, I decided it was time to make a change.

Lots of people recommended putting oil or vaseline in my nose so I decided to give it a go. I found a nasal oil at Whole Foods that worked pretty well. Even though it helped a lot, I really hated the sensation of oil in my nose. It always tickled and felt uncomfortable. I would avoid using the oil so I knew it wasn’t the solution for me.

I decided to buy a humidifier in hopes that it would soothe my dry nose. I avoided the purchase for awhile because humidifiers can be kind of pricey, but now that I use it regularly, it has completely solved my bloody nose issue! I leave the humidifier on all night while I sleep and I haven’t had a single bloody nose since I started using it. 

Sometimes the best way to know if a product (including beauty products) is working is to stop using it to see what happens. I was house sitting for a week and I didn’t bring my humidifier with me and guess what, I got a bloody nose.

I have also noticed my skin looks very dewy in the mornings when I wake up. Even my pores look smaller, although this is in part to the Laneige Water Bank cream I’ve been using. More on that later. This is a major plus, especially for someone with dry skin like me!

I would recommend using a humidifier if you live in a dry, desert climate and you’re experiencing bloody noses, dry skin, or dry throat when you wake up in the mornings. Winter is also a great time to get a humidifier because heating our homes can really dry out the air. Even if you don’t use a humidifier regularly, it is a great thing to have on hand when you’re sick.

Tips for Shopping for a Humidifier:

Size:

While I was searching for the perfect humidifier, I noticed that humidifiers are created for specific sized rooms. Some are appropriate for a single room and others are meant to humidify an entire home. There are also some that have the settings to do both. Just make sure you read the description so you get the best option for you.

Filter or No Filter:

Filtered humidifiers require the purchase of a new filter regularly while no filter humidifiers don’t need any more equipment once you buy them. If you are very sensitive to allergens, you might want to get a filtered one. I have a no filter humidifier that I really love. The benefit of no filter humidifiers is that they are really quiet compared to the filtered humidifiers. The filtered humidifiers use a fan to expel boiled water which is why they tend to be louder. Since I am not a great sleeper, the quiet no filter option is perfect for me.

*Essential oil diffusers are not humidifiers!

While essential oil diffusers will release a very small amount of water into your environment, they won’t humidify the space. I thought this was necessary to mention because lots of essential oil diffusers came up in my search while shopping. Another thing to note is that you can’t put essential oils in your humidifier.

How to clean your humidifier:

Humidifiers should be cleaned about once a week to prevent gross bacteria and mold from forming. When you buy your humidifier, it should come with directions for cleaning. A little bit of vinegar or hydrogen peroxide should get the job done. Changing the water every day will also help keep your humidifier sanitary to avoid stagnant water.

I know this is such an odd topic to cover on my blog, but I really wanted to share because the humidifier has really helped me! Do you use a humidifier?