Woman-Owned Business Debuts Product At Dana Point Wine Festival

DANA POINT, CA — A new product is on the market for people interested in cleaning their teeth on-the-go without the hassle of toothbrush and paste, and the two women behind the idea are ready to take the world by storm. The product, appropriately named "FunkkOFF! TeethRefreshers" made its debut at the California Wine Festival in Dana Point Saturday Aug. 28.

Founder and CEO of FunkkOFF! Inc. Joelle Flynn returned to her town of residence to give community members a first-hand look at the product. It was a fitting debut, as Flynn said she developed the idea for the all-in-one teeth cleaner while she was living near the wineries in Napa Valley in 2010.

"I was on one of my many weekend trips when I realized my white teeth were turning a 'Funkky' shade of purple," Flynn said. She said that to solve this problem, she would often carry a toothpaste tube and full-sized toothbrush in her purse so she could freshen up her teeth in between selfies and wine tastings. "One of these times, I reached into my purse and pulled out my lipstick, looked at it in the palm of my hand and thought, 'Why isn't there a product as compact and reusable as my lipstick — but for my teeth?"

Flynn and her Co-Founder and COO Sonia Hounsell developed and patented FunkkOFF! TeethRefreshers with wine in mind, but now that the duo is receiving feedback from the community, they said that their unique product is for anyone who wants a fresh smile on-the-go without any of the hassle.

"People are just constantly coming up for new ways to use it," Hounsell said. "My son is 17 and he said he is addicted to it, it's so easy and convenient for young people to carry around."

The product resembles a tube of chapstick in appearance and size and is filled with an all-natural tooth gel. FunkkOFF! TeethRefreshers can be reused up to 30 times, and the founders said the product is not only environmentally friendly, but the first of its kind.

According to Flynn, the fact that the company has nine U.S. patents and one international patent is a big deal for a women-fronted business. Flynn said that only 12 percent of patent holders in the country are women. Despite being a minority in the business world, Flynn and Hounsell both agree that the support they've received from the community so far is extraordinary.

Flynn and Hounsell have known each other since they met in 7th grade in their home state of Maryland, and now they jokingly refer to one another as "work wives." They've been working on patenting their product for years, and now that they have the patents and trademarks they need to move forward, the duo said they aren't stopping at FunkkOFF! TeethRefreshers.

They plan on releasing a whole line of on-the-go beauty, personal and oral care products for women and men. For more information about the all-in-one product (or if you want to buy one for yourself), visit Flynn and Hounsell's website or purchase on Amazon.