What Afrin does

Afrin is a consumer health brand owned by Bayer AG through its US distribution entity, Bayer HealthCare LLC (Whippany, NJ), that markets an over-the-counter portfolio of nasal decongestants and saline nasal care products. The brand's medicated SKUs use oxymetazoline hydrochloride (0.05% for adults, 0.025% for children ages 2-6) to deliver rapid decongestion (seconds of onset, 12-hour duration) for cold, allergy, and sinus-related nasal congestion. Product differentiation rests on packaging and delivery technology: the proprietary No Drip Pump Mist mechanism, dual nozzle designs (gentle mist vs. power jet) on Saline Burst SKUs, one-way flow valves on Saline Daily Care, and a soft tip nozzle for infant/children's application. Drug-free saline mists and a menthol/eucalyptol Vapor Burst nasal inhaler round out the line, targeting daily-use and on-the-go segments beyond the labeled 3-day-use constraint on medicated sprays.

Afrin sells through two primary channels: (1) wide retail distribution in pharmacies, drugstores, and mass-market retailers globally, and (2) direct-to-consumer e-commerce via afrin.com. The brand is positioned as the #1 doctor and pharmacist recommended nasal spray for sinus and nasal congestion per IQVIA ProVoice and Pharmacy Times surveys, and its marketing is anchored on speed of onset relative to steroid nasal sprays and oral decongestants. Children's Afrin, the saline portfolio, and the Vapor Burst inhaler extend the brand across age (infants 6 months+ through adults) and use-case (acute congestion, daily hygiene, on-the-go relief) segments. Marketing mix is content-led (Afrinpedia educational hub) plus Instagram organic social and direct product comparison content; no paid media channels, enterprise sales motion, or AI-driven personalization are evidenced.

Commercially, Afrin operates as a wholly-owned brand within Bayer's Consumer Health division and does not publish brand-level financials. Its headcount is reported as 11–50, reflecting the brand marketing and product team rather than Bayer's full commercial and supply chain overlay. No independent fundraising, M&A, or strategic restructuring is associated with the brand itself; strategic activity in 2025 has centered on the launch of four drug-free saline SKUs and the management of a safety recall on Afrin Original Spray.

Name

Afrin

Legal name

Bayer HealthCare LLC

Website

https://afrin.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Afrin is a Bayer-owned OTC nasal decongestant and saline nasal care brand selling medicated oxymetazoline sprays, drug-free saline mists, and a vapor inhaler through retail pharmacies and DTC e-commerce, serving adults and children with cold, allergy, and sinus congestion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

OTC Nasal Decongestants

NAICS

Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (32562)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Nasal Drug Delivery Devices (Sprays/Powder Devices) (HLAHAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Allergy, Sinus & Respiratory (Non-Asthma) (HLAIADAC), Cold, Flu & Cough Remedies (HLAIADAB)

Keywords

• OTC nasal sprays
• Nasal decongestants
• Saline nasal care
• Allergy relief products
• Cold congestion remedies

Headquarters

HQ city

Boca Raton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel

Revenue model

1. OTC Nasal Decongestant Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of branded nasal spray and nasal mist products through retail stores (pharmacies, drugstores, mass-market retailers) and direct-to-consumer online sales through the official website. Products are sold as one-time purchases at retail price points typical of OTC pharmaceutical products.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Afrin is an over-the-counter pharmaceutical brand that sells nasal decongestant sprays and saline nasal care products. The portfolio includes medicated nasal pump mists and sprays containing oxymetazoline hydrochloride that relieve nasal congestion in seconds for up to 12 hours, as well as drug-free saline mists and vapor inhalers for daily nasal hygiene. Products are sold for adults and children under sub-brands including No Drip, Original, Children's, and Drug Free.

Product overview

Afrin® is a portfolio of nasal decongestant and saline care products owned by Bayer. The product line consists of two main categories: (1) Medicated nasal sprays and pump mists containing oxymetazoline hydrochloride (0.05% for adults, 0.025% for children) that provide rapid nasal congestion relief in seconds lasting 12 hours for colds and allergies, including No Drip Pump Mists (Original, Allergy Sinus, Severe Congestion, Extra Moisturizing, Night) and Original Nasal Sprays (Original, Allergy Sinus, Severe Congestion); and (2) Drug-Free saline solutions including Saline Daily Care Nasal Mist, Saline Burst Extra Strength and Moisturizing Daily Nasal Mists with dual nozzle technology, Children's Saline Moisturizing Daily Nasal Mist with soft tip, and Vapor Burst™ Nasal Inhaler with natural essential oils. Children's products are formulated for ages 2-6 years and 6+ years with appropriate dosing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Afrin® No Drip: Nasal pump mist formulas that won't drip down nose or throat, including Original, Allergy Sinus, Severe Congestion, Extra Moisturizing, and Night variants.
• Afrin® Original Nasal Sprays
• Children's Afrin®
• Afrin® Drug Free

Products and services

• Afrin No Drip Original Nasal Pump Mist Nasal decongestant spray with oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.05% that provides relief from nasal congestion due to colds or allergies in seconds, lasting 12 hours. Features no-drip pump technology. For adults and children 6 years and older.
• Afrin No Drip Allergy Sinus Nasal Pump Mist Nasal decongestant pump mist with cooling menthol that relieves sinus congestion and pressure for 12 hours due to colds or allergies. Features no-drip pump technology.
• Afrin No Drip Severe Congestion Nasal Pump Mist Maximum strength nasal decongestant spray with cooling menthol that shrinks swollen nasal membranes and provides long-lasting relief from severe congestion for 12 hours.
• Afrin No Drip Extra Moisturizing Nasal Pump Mist Nasal decongestant spray with glycerin that moisturizes dry, irritated nasal passages while providing fast congestion relief that lasts 12 hours.
• Afrin No Drip Night Nasal Pump Mist Nighttime nasal decongestant spray with soothing chamomile scent that provides 12-hour congestion relief to help users rest better.
• Afrin Original Nasal Spray Original maximum strength nasal spray with oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.05% providing instant nasal congestion relief from colds and allergies, lasting up to 12 hours. #1 doctor and pharmacist recommended brand.
• Afrin Allergy Sinus Nasal Spray Nasal spray with menthol that provides sinus pressure relief and cools sinuses for nasal congestion due to allergies.
• Afrin Severe Congestion Nasal Spray Maximum strength nasal spray with menthol providing instant relief from severe nasal congestion due to colds or allergies, lasting 12 hours.
• Children's Afrin Extra Moisturizing Stuffy Nose Pump Mist Children's nasal decongestant for ages 2 to under 6 years with half the adult oxymetazoline concentration (0.025%), providing 12-hour relief with glycerin for moisturizing.
• Children's Afrin No Drip Extra Moisturizing Stuffy Nose Pump Mist Children's nasal decongestant for ages 6+ with no-drip pump technology and glycerin that moisturizes dry, irritated nasal passages while providing 12-hour congestion relief.
• Afrin Saline Daily Care Nasal Mist 100% drug-free isotonic saline solution with one-way flow technology that instantly clears everyday congestion and hydrates nasal passages. Suitable for daily use and non-habit forming.
• Afrin Saline Burst Extra Strength Daily Nasal Mist Drug-free concentrated hypertonic seawater saline solution (2.2% NaCl) with innovative dual nozzle technology offering gentle mist or power jet to flush out mucus and allergens.
• Afrin Saline Burst Moisturizing Daily Nasal Mist Drug-free isotonic seawater saline solution with dual nozzle technology that moisturizes and hydrates dry nasal passages while clearing out mucus and allergens.
• Children's Afrin Saline Moisturizing Daily Nasal Mist Drug-free isotonic seawater saline solution with innovative soft tip nozzle designed for gentle application in infants and children 6 months and older to clear congestion.
• Afrin Vapor Burst Nasal Inhaler Drug-free on-the-go daily vapor inhaler infused with natural Eucalyptol, Rosemary Oil, and Menthol for refreshing nasal relief throughout the day. For adults and children 12 years and older.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Flonase: Flonase (owned by Haleon) is the leading intranasal corticosteroid spray for allergy-related congestion. It directly competes with Afrin in nasal spray shelf space and competes for the same consumer congestion-relief occasions, though differentiated by daily-use steroid formulation versus Afrin's fast-acting decongestant.
• Nasacort: Nasacort (Sanofi) is a once-daily intranasal corticosteroid spray for nasal allergy symptoms. It competes directly with Afrin's allergy-sinus SKUs and targets the same OTC shelf set, with the structural advantage of daily-use labeling versus Afrin's short-term decongestant positioning.
• Sudafed: Sudafed (Kenvue / Johnson & Johnson) is a leading OTC nasal decongestant brand using pseudoephedrine/phenylephrine. It competes with Afrin across the same cold, flu, and sinus congestion occasions, and is one of the primary substitutes for consumers seeking congestion relief.
• Mucinex: Mucinex (Reckitt Benckiser) is a leading cold, flu, and sinus care brand covering decongestants, expectorants, and nasal sprays. It overlaps with Afrin in sinus and congestion SKUs and competes for the same cold-season consumer occasions and shelf placement.
• Vicks: Vicks (Procter & Gamble) offers Vicks Sinex nasal spray and a broader respiratory portfolio (VapoRub, inhalers). It is a direct substitute for Afrin in nasal decongestion and shares the same retail pharmacy distribution and seasonal demand patterns.
• NeilMed: NeilMed is a leading saline nasal rinse and spray brand (neti pot, Sinus Rinse, nasal mists). It is a direct peer to Afrin's expanding drug-free saline product line and competes for the daily-use nasal hygiene consumer.

Emerging players

• Zyrtec: Zyrtec (Kenvue) is a leading OTC oral antihistamine for allergies that addresses nasal congestion systemically. It is a substitute for Afrin in allergy-driven congestion and competes for the same consumer mindshare in cold and allergy season.
• Claritin: Claritin is Bayer's own OTC oral antihistamine for allergies. As a sister Bayer brand, it competes with Afrin in allergy-driven nasal congestion and is often cross-promoted within Bayer's consumer health portfolio.
• Xlear: Xlear is a niche saline/xylitol nasal spray brand focused on natural drug-free nasal care. It is an emerging peer to Afrin's new Saline Burst line, competing for health-conscious daily nasal hygiene consumers.
• Simply Saline: Simply Saline (Church & Dwight) is a drug-free saline nasal mist brand sold in mass retail. It is a direct competitor to Afrin's new Saline Daily Care and Saline Burst SKUs in the growing drug-free nasal care segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/p/CkgZad-N4Ez
• Xx.com/Afrin_us
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afrin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Afrin