Even before the pandemic made masks a necessary accessory, Dr. Mark Pizzini, a Fox Chase Cancer Center anesthesiologist and University of Pennsylvania professor, was working on a way to remove some of the unpleasant odors that can arise from using face covering, writes Lynne Adkins for KYW Newsradio.

“There can be lots of challenging scents in the operating room,” Pizzini said. “I thought it would be great to have some way to cover up those scents.”

At the time, some of the nurses in the recovery area were helping patients deal with nausea and anxiety using aromatherapies, “and I thought this would be a great pairing of the ideas,” he said.

So five years ago, he designed ScentClip, a small clip that can be attached to the mask and filled with a scented gel.

“It’s a small recyclable plastic device that has a clip on it that fits into nearly any mask,” said Pizzini.

His company, Aroxel Corp, makes the clips in purple and red and each pod lasts for up to three weeks. The available scents are apple orchard and periwinkle lavender.

Read more about the invention at KYW Newsradio by clicking here.