Flare Calmer Mini – Small Ear Plugs Alternative – Reduce Annoying Noises Without Blocking Sound – Soft Reusable Silicone - Purple

I wear these very regularly as of a couple years ago, and would definitely reccomend them - I get stressed/overstimulated/distracted by noise and these were a massive game changer, allowing me to be present in public spaces with some control over how they affected me. They mute noises a little bit, not as much as, say, foam earplugs, but enough to notice, and especially with sounds that are more echoey or fuzzy, if that makes sense. The best I can explain it is, without them, it feels like every sound is coming 'at' me and pushing me around in a hundred little ways, like getting caught in a river current, and my brain can't keep up. But with them in, I can create some separation between me and the noise, like I'm here and it's over there, it's not in my face, and I can process it from a respectable distance without feeling swamped by it. Granted, there are times (like loud concerts or busy streets) that that isn't enough, so i just use foam earplugs. But these allow me to have a conversation, interact with my environment, and feel at ease (not constantly in alert mode). It's a great middle ground between blocking out noise and still being aware of your surroundings.And unlike some other earplugs for this purpose eg Loops (nothing against them, just don't work for me) they don't block the ear canal (which would give a stuffy feeling and amplify the sounds inside my head such as chewing or breathing - the 'occlusion effect'). The shape also fits my absurdly small/narrow ear canals (I ordered the minis) while the earbud-style tips never fit and always fall out of my ears. And they are much less conspicuous by comparison as well, nor easily mistaken for earbuds - people usually assume I have hearing difficulties (not exactly wrong, but not in the way they think) or just ask what they are, instead of assuming I am listening to music (which could get me in trouble at work - but these have never given me that problem.) I got the purple so there's like two little antenna protruding from my ears, which aren't that noticeable from a distance, and I think are kinda cute. But last I checked they also sell a clear pair which would fly even further under the radar.Anyway, I debated buying these for a while, arguing with myself that my sensitivity to sound wasn't that bad, until I finally got them on a whim, and they were absolutely worth it. I didn't realize how much I had needed them. If that is you, my advice would be to try them, the worst that can happen is they don't fit or don't give you the degree of effect you were hoping for.A couple of tips tho - wash them regularly, as earwax buildup tends to make them prone to slip out (I just use warm water and dish soap). And dry out your ears if you shower before wearing them, as moisture makes them slippery too, as does chewing gum or food (which is a bit annoying when wearing them in restaurants.) I do find myself checking from time to time and discreetly poking them back in, since i've almost lost them a few times from sliding out, but it definitely doesn't outweigh the immense benefit, and my earholes are finicky anyway as I said before. I do reccommend putting some thought into how you carry them since they're so small; the basic bag is fine with me (although I lost it and replaced it with something similar long ago) and I like being able to squish it and make sure they are both in there. Some people opt for the hard case but I don't really care; the bag is easier to stuff in a pocket but I suppose a hard case might be harder to lose.Lastly since amazon is bugging me about durability, I can honestly say that after a few years of near-daily use they still look and fit as good as new. Honestly, the more surprising thing is that I haven't lost them. 😄

They do not work. I put them in, they fit well, but I can still hear normally. It does not reduce the sound at all. Regret buying these.

These are the Mini size Flare Audio Calmer. So I want to call them earplugs, but technically they aren't that. They are made to reduce frequencies, basically take the sharpness off everyday noises. My reason for purchase is that I get frequent migraines and have become sensitive to sound because of this (even on pain-free days). That being said, I've tried all kinds of ear devices, since many are even marketed to migraineurs to reduce pain caused by changes in air pressure while still being able to hear. I've tried all those different brands. My issue has been that I have one ear canal that is much much smaller than the other making all the different types of ear devices very uncomfortable. So because of this, I tend to buy the smallest available, and in this case the mini. Let me tell you how tiny these are. Tiny. But it does fit my small ear, so yay! My other ear, well, I'm honestly scared I'm going to loose it. So, I'm at a crossroads. Do I order another set, in the standard size to fit my larger ear? Gosh, if I could have all the money back I've already spend trying to find the right size in all the other ear devices, well, then I could afford another set of these! Speaking of cost- could Flare have splurged a little on the carrying bag? I mean, this looks like it was made from leftover swim-shorts' crotch material. For $30, it would just be nice to have, I dunno, maybe a capsule? Oh, wait, they do have a capsule! For an extra $8! haha. So if you see me at the crossroads, just know I still haven't made my mind up yet if Flare deserves another 30 of my Washingtons.

I have recently discovered I have autism as an adult, and have been learning about my sensory issues, which I realized a lot is from over stimulation from loud sounds or multiple sounds at once. I initially looked at the Loop Engage Plus earplugs but I saw lots of reviews that mention it does have an isolation effect just like regular ear plugs and I knew I needed something different as I was wanting something I can wear to work. I have to deal with people in a quiet setting so I knew the loops would make it difficult to hear. I saw a lot of other things online about these and decided to give them a shot. I got the Minis. My first impression was that I was honestly confused on if I just need to push them straight into my ear, or push upwards etc. I know there are instructions but to me it was just lacking a little detail. I got them in and initially my ears were sooo itchy and they just felt loose. I really couldn’t tell if they were too big or too small. I have a sinus infection and it has affected my ears so I think that was part of the itchiness. I kept them in until I went to bed and I still could notice them way more than I should have. This morning, day 2 I put them in at more of an angle pushing them up slightly and they went right into place and my ears are less itchy. They feel a lot more comfortable. Now onto the sound control: I do think they work really well! It has taken the edge off with my child’s crying/ loud voice, riding in the car has became less stressful as the loud pickup trucks (live in southern USA) sound less loud. I also have them in with my Beats Solo pros on top and I have a few songs that I enjoy, but the high notes/repetitive lyrics at louder volumes bother me. I tried those songs while I have these in and it really did take the edge off and I was able to enjoy those songs. They do exactly what they said they’ll do. You can still hear everything around you just at a slightly lower volume. I say the way you hear sound is less muffled version of when you wear the 1st gen AirPods. I will say I take them out while eating as I feel it still makes chewing louder just like earphones or earplugs but besides that there is no muting or blocking of anything. If you’re looking for something you can go between just lowering the volume to completely blocking out sound you should get something else. I’m considering getting loops engage plus or a similar product in addition to these to have the option to completely muffle or block the sound if needed. Im not sure how these would help with anyone’s ear conditions or anything like that as it is just to help lessen the preexisting sound but I plan on bringing these everywhere with me from now on. Also the little metal keychain is definitely better to keep up with than the black mesh bag it comes with, in my opinion. Only caveat is if you do have very sensitive ears or sensory issues to metal scraping, the lid to the metal keychain screws on and off, and makes a small scraping noise that is a little unpleasant. I also chose the minis because anytime I’ve worn earplugs on an airplane I always have them falling out because they’re too big. I think the calmers fit well in my ears. One did fall out while I was sleeping but I think that could be because I didn’t have them in right. I have had them in about 8 hours now on and off when needed, I have them on right now, and I really do feel like I’ve been so relaxed today and the only thing that’s changed about my routine is these calmer minis! I will update if my opinions changes. 4 stars is because I feel like the instructions or use of the product need a little more in depth description however I do like all the other information the paper given with the product. Hope this helps!