Biofreeze Pain-relieving Products Review

I was sent Biofreeze pain-relieving products for review, including the Cool the Pain Cream, Overnight Relief Gel, Overnight Relief Roll-On, Gel, and Dry Stick. It happened to come at the perfect time, as I've just added some major cross-training at the gym in addition to marathon training (which I do all year, to be honest), and a 20-mile run. I'm not exactly good at stopping when I get tired, and I do tend to overdo it. The products all have 4% or 5% menthol, which is the active ingredient, other than the cream, which has 10%, and the Dry Stick, which has 15%. Menthol really, really helps dull pain, and if you're like me and don't like taking pills of any kind, this is a fantastic alternative.

The first thing I tried was the Dry Stick, which looks like a small deodorant stick or anti-chafe stick. It's the perfect size to put in your running belt during races so you can put something on any injuries or sore muscles while on the go. It's also great if you're traveling for your race. Not having a liquid can make things so much easier, and, like the roll-on, it means you don't have to get it on your hands. If you have pets like I do (one of my cats is on my lap as I write this), that makes a difference. It's also good if you're coming home for a post-run snack, and don't want menthol in your food preparation. 

The roll-on I was sent is for overnight, which is also the case for the gel. The added lavender doesn't mask the menthol (which I actually like), but I did notice a calming sensation. (To be fair, I also use lavender on my pillow because I find it comforting in general.) I don't know about you, but I actually love the different scent with the overnight products, because we are very affected by our sense of smell. A shift in that does tend to signal that you're not just post-run, but actually heading to bed. The gel, which comes in the regular formula, and the overnight formula, is one of their new products, and it dries so fast that I didn't have to wait to put my pajamas on. I applied it right before I hit the sack, and instead of flailing and rolling to find a comfortable spot, I didn't really have any muscle pain at all. 

My favorite product, however, is the Cool the Pain Creme, with 10% menthol. (Oddly enough, this one has the least menthol scent.) The reason may be kind of weird, but here we are. I tend to have throbbing feet at night, particularly because I run on the road, and decided to take an eight-mile walk with my husband after my 20-mile run, and then did the same after the next day's eight-mile run. On a whim, I decided to put the creme on the bottom of my feet, just to see what happened. For the first time in forever, my feet didn't throb or keep me awake. I cannot recommend these product highly enough. The second I run out, I'm getting more.