Fashionably Afflicted - Facing Swine Flu with Style
Filed under: Style in the News, Cosmetics, Beauty Tips
The entire world is in a frenzy with the recent outbreak of swine flu.
With the number of confirmed cases steadily rising, drugstore sales of hand sanitizers and masks have rapidly increased (and has even resulted in shortages). No doubt this maelstrom of germs has thrown HSOCD's (that's people who suffer from Hand Sanitizer Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) like me into a panic (for more hysteria inducing sanitation situations, click here). No place is safe! I confess that today, after hearing that a coworker went home with the sniffles, I wasted an ENTIRE BOTTLE of coveted hand sanitizer mopping down my desk.
But H1N1 influenza has also created an emerging market for fashionable flu-fighting accessories. From eco-friendly hand sanitizers to cuter-than-thou face masks, style-conscious hypochondriacs have plenty to pick from. A few of my fave finds are below.
Irina Blok's Fashion Surgical Masks (pictured above)- For $10, you can dress up your face with a pop-culture inspired mask. Even better, proceeds will be donated to Children International to help Mexico fight the swine flu epidemic.
Frais Hand Sanitizer - Hand sanitizer that actually moisturizes (really!), this good for your skin formula is entirely plant-based and infused with essential oils -- not chemicals -- to strangle those evil germs.
Crafty Masks - for you DIY-ers, take a cue from Crafster.org and get creative with these ideas to spruce up old skool surgical masks, and make fabric versions of your own.
If you've got HSOCD (that's Hand Sanitizer Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), the symptoms are clear: After a long subway ride, using a restroom, signing the check at a restaurant, or even, ahem, a handshake, you find yourself desperately digging through your purse for a mini bottle of hand sanitizer to wash away the Dirty. Evil. Germs. 
