What Is Actually in Your Pain Relief Balm? A Transparent Ingredient Breakdown

Turn over most jars of muscle rub and you will find a wall of tiny text. Some of it matters a great deal. Some of it is there because it is cheap. Very little of it is explained.

This guide does the opposite. Below is every ingredient in Rematch Balm, what each one does, and the things we chose to leave out. I am Cole Stegman, the founder of Rematch. I have made and refined this formula for 12 years, and transparency has been the rule from the first batch: if it is in the jar, it is on the label, and you should be able to understand why.

How to read a Drug Facts panel in 30 seconds

Camphor and menthol balms are over-the-counter drugs in the United States, so they carry a Drug Facts panel in a standard order. Once you know the order, every brand becomes easy to compare.

1. Active ingredients. The ingredients that do the work, with their exact percentages, and their purpose (for example, "topical analgesic").
2. Uses. What the product is for. For camphor and menthol, it is the temporary relief of minor aches and pains of muscles and joints associated with simple backache, arthritis, strains, bruises and sprains.
3. Warnings. External use only, when to stop, when to ask a doctor.
4. Directions. How much, how often, and the age limits.
5. Inactive ingredients. Everything else: the base that carries the actives.

The actives tell you how strong a product is. The inactive ingredients tell you what it is made of. Read both.

The active ingredients

Camphor 6.5%

Camphor is a counterirritant that produces a slow, spreading warmth on the skin. It is one of the actives named in the FDA external analgesic monograph, and 6.5% is printed on the front of every jar, not just the back.

Menthol 1.75%

Menthol activates the cold-sensing receptors in the skin, which is the clean, deep cool you feel first. It is also a monograph active. Together, menthol and camphor create the cool-then-warm sensation that Rematch is built around.

For more on how these two work together, read Menthol and camphor: how counterirritants work.

The inactive ingredients

Rematch Balm has seven inactive ingredients. Six are certified organic.

Organic beeswax

Beeswax gives the balm its structure. It is why Rematch is a firm balm that melts on contact instead of a runny oil. It also means Rematch is not vegan.

Organic shea butter

Shea adds softness and a cushioned glide, and it leaves hands feeling conditioned rather than greasy.

Organic coconut oil

Coconut oil melts close to skin temperature, which is what lets the balm turn from solid to smooth as you rub it in. It is the main carrier for the actives.

Organic castor seed oil

Castor oil adds slip, so the balm spreads evenly over a knee or an elbow without dragging.

Organic hemp seed oil

A cold-pressed seed oil used for its fatty acids and light feel. It helps the balm absorb without a heavy film.

Organic peppermint oil

Peppermint adds the bright top note to the scent. Menthol is the measured active; peppermint oil is there for aroma.

Vitamin E (tocopherol)

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps protect the oils in the jar so the balm stays fresh through its shelf life.

That is the whole list. Nine ingredients, all of them on the label.

What we leave out

What is not in a product says as much as what is. Rematch contains:

• No petroleum. No petrolatum, mineral oil or paraffin.
• No synthetic fragrance. The scent comes from camphor, menthol and peppermint oil.
• No dyes.
• No lidocaine. Rematch is a camphor and menthol counterirritant, not a numbing product.
• No fillers. Every ingredient has a job.

What about the other Rematch products?

Rematch Travel, 1 oz

The same formula as Rematch Balm in a pocket-size jar.

Rematch Cream, 4 oz

Camphor 6.5% with a stronger menthol at 4%, in a softer, quicker-spreading texture. It has no water and no alcohol. Instead of water, it uses plant butters and oils thickened with arrowroot, along with sunflower seed oil and arnica flower extract. The full list is on the Rematch Cream page.

Rematch Sensitive, 2 oz

A fragrance-free comfort balm for dry, overworked hands and skin. It is a cosmetic, not a topical analgesic, so it has no camphor or menthol and no essential oils. Six plant-based ingredients, listed on the Rematch Sensitive page.

Questions to ask about any balm

Before you buy any pain relief balm, ask:

1. Are the actives and their percentages printed clearly, ideally on the front?
2. What is the base? Petroleum, or plant oils and butters?
3. Is there added fragrance or dye?
4. Where is it made, and is there a lot code on the label?
5. Can you understand every ingredient on the list?

If a brand makes those answers hard to find, that is an answer in itself. For a side-by-side way to compare brands, read the label facts guide to Tiger Balm, Biofreeze, Icy Hot and plant-based balm.

Try it

Rematch Balm is handmade in small batches in Scottsdale, Arizona, made with organic oils and butters, and every jar is lot-coded. Shop Rematch Balm or read the full ingredients page. Every order is covered by our 60-day guarantee.

Use only as directed on the Drug Facts panel. If pain persists for more than 7 days or gets worse, stop use and ask a doctor.

FAQ

What are the active ingredients in Rematch Balm?

Camphor 6.5% and menthol 1.75%. Both are topical analgesic actives under the FDA external analgesic monograph, and both are listed with their percentages on the Drug Facts panel.

What are the inactive ingredients?

Organic beeswax, organic shea butter, organic hemp seed oil, organic coconut oil, organic peppermint oil, organic castor seed oil, and vitamin E.

Does Rematch contain petroleum?

No. There is no petroleum, mineral oil, paraffin or petrolatum in any Rematch product.

Is Rematch vegan?

No. Every Rematch product contains beeswax, which gives the balm its structure.

Why is there peppermint oil if there is already menthol?

Menthol is the measured active ingredient. Peppermint oil is an inactive ingredient that adds aroma and a bright note to the scent.