Amoy matanda – and proud of it!
I recently heard a bizarre story from my daughter and her friend. On their way home, just when the P2P bus’s A/C conked out, one of the passengers had a panic attack, demanding that the driver stop the bus in the middle of the southbound lane of the Skyway and screaming that she was about to die.
In what appeared to be a moment of nausea (or insanity), the Filipino bayanihan spirit kicked into high gear: the driver opened the bus door (which I suppose carries a lower fine than stopping along the highway) for some fresh air, and passengers offered barf bags and caring words. Others had their phones on standby, just in case Ate did decide to jump off the bus.
Kids today are totally unashamed of smelling like grandma, which is a good thing.
One particularly concerned Tita offered her nose inhaler—but only after she had tested if it was still potent.
That got me thinking. A lot of people, especially girls and women, seem to carry an inhaler or liniment of some kind along with their anik-anik. WTF (What’s the fuss)? We’re not talking about mental health, responsible driving, or social conscience here, folks, but balms, liniments, and nasal inhalers.
These humble yet potent concoctions have long been both mocked and revered, transcending generational gaps and cultural boundaries. It’s fascinating that, just a few decades ago, during my time, smelling of Tiger Balm or White Flower was practically a badge of shame. To be told, “Amoy matanda ka” (“You smell old”), was a recognition of any pungent traditional herbal fog you carried. It was often uttered (whispered?) half in jest, half in olfactory self-defense.
Back in the day, you wouldn’t catch a teen dead with a bottle of liniment or a nasal inhaler hanging alongside keychains and ID cards. Friends might suspect some kind of contagious disease, or worse, that their smelly pal is turning into an adult. Yet, fast forward to today, and here they are, millennials and Gen Zs whipping out a Poy-Sian or Green Herb inhaler at every opportunity like it’s part of their daily beauty ritual. It’s less “Ew, what’s that smell?” and more “Can I have one?” The answer would most likely be “yes,” especially if you’re someone like the helpful Ate in the opening P2P bus tale.
The origins of these venerable products stretch across continents and timelines. Vicks, for instance, came into the world in 1896. Despite being American, it’s an iconic brand in Asian households. Some people go as far as ingesting Vicks Vaporub, while others swear by applying it on insect bites or on the soles of their feet covered with socks overnight to fight colds. Whether or not these unconventional applications work is debatable, but Vicks’ ubiquity is undeniable. And who can forget the bizarre 1980s rumor linking Procter & Gamble, Vicks’ parent company, to Satanism? In a bit of cultural sensitivity, Vicks had been rebranded as “Wick” in Germany to avoid the awkward pronunciation where “Ficks” is non-PC.
As some kind of alternative, herb-based remedy, most balms and liniments are inextricably linked to oriental medicine. Tiger Balm pre-dates Vicks by over two decades, starting in colonial Rangoon in the 1870s and later popularized by two flamboyant Chinese brothers in Singapore.
White Flower Embrocation, commonly known as Pak Fah Yeow, was developed in Malaysia in 1927. Starting out as a personal balm before becoming a commercial success, White Flower’s scent used to be synonymous with old age, but it still conjures memories of old-fashioned remedies, passed down from one generation to the next. Kids today are totally unashamed of smelling like grandma, which is a good thing.
In Thailand, nasal inhalers known as ya dom, have long been a cultural staple; it’s common to see drivers, office workers, and everyday people using them to stay alert and refreshed. Brands like Poy-Sian, Siang Pure, and Peppermint Fields dominate the market, with their dual-function designs: one end for inhaling and the other containing oils to relieve headaches, dizziness, or even mosquito bites.
While eco-friendly Herbiness has given this tradition a modern twist with natural ingredients and chic packaging, brands like BoomBoom and My Zero Degree have introduced inhalers to music festival-goers and party enthusiasts, offering fruity scents and innovative designs that appeal to younger audiences. Another brand making waves is Hong Thai, whose compound herb inhaler, packaged like potpourri in a plastic jar that can accommodate the entire nose, has gained international fame. Celebrities like Chris Hemsworth and BLACKPINK’s Lisa have been spotted using it, further elevating its global appeal.
Similarly, Efficascent Oil, produced by the Wong brothers in Cebu, and Katinko, which originated in Hong Kong in 1980, are everyday products in Filipino households. They have become cultural icons—Katinko even had boxed gift packages a few Christmases back – so much so that Filipino migrants request them as pasalubong from home. Like Jollibee’s Langhap Sarap, there’s a kind of comfort in the familiar smell of home or family, not so different from the scent of Salonpas you sometimes smell in a crowd (but medical patches are an entirely different genre best reserved for another discussion).
It’s no wonder travelers now pick up these nasal inhalers alongside traditional souvenirs like keychains and magnets, spreading the wellness trend around the world.
While these products all have loyal followers in the Philippines, often starting with Lola or Lolo but quickly trickling down to the grandkids, they have also managed to foster a kind of silent camaraderie. When someone pops open a jar of Katinko, rubs some Tiger Balm on their aching muscles, or whips out a Hong Thai inhaler for a quick pick-me-up, there’s often a shared nod, a subtle acknowledgment: I smell you; I get you. It’s as if you’ve just joined a secret club, or passed a rite of passage as part of an ever-growing tribe that understands the mystical healing powers of these aromatic elixirs.
Interestingly, women have become some of the most fervent users of these products. It makes sense; after all, women tend to be more sensitive to smells. In a world where bad odors, toilet stench, or even pungent crime scenes (as anyone who’s watched CSI or other procedural crime shows will tell you) can be overwhelming, having a trusty inhaler or balm on hand could be a lifesaver. Men are often the unwitting culprits behind many unpleasant smells, so it’s understandable for women to arm themselves with fragrant shields whenever around them.
I’ve seen millennials and Gen Zs discreetly pulling out a Poy-Sian 2in1 Inhaler and Liniment Mark 2 or dabbing a bit of Katinko Ointment Stick on their temples to stave off a headache, or beneath their noses to avoid the halitosis of a dinner date.
So while Boomers and Gen Xers might still feel a tinge of embarrassment over their reliance on these products, our kids have fully embraced the balm life. It’s no longer a sign of aging to reek of eucalyptus and menthol; instead, it signals that you’re part of a growing collective of smart individuals who know that these remedies aren’t just for fevers and aches but for a host of life’s petty annoyances.
It might even save a life during a crisis on a moving P2P bus.