Review · Joint and muscle comfort

ArcticBlast review: a menthol rub in a dropper bottle, judged on the evidence

ArcticBlast is sold as a cooling liquid for occasional aches. Its registered label tells a plainer story than its sales letter. We compared the two and checked what topical research supports.

By Grant Whitaker, Editor · Updated October 23, 2026 · 18 studies checked on PubMed

What ArcticBlast is

ArcticBlast is a liquid applied to the skin from a 1 fl oz (30 mL) dropper bottle. It is sold by Nutriomo Labs Pte Ltd, which lists a mailing address in Camas, Washington, through a ClickBank checkout. The company says one bottle is typically a 30-day supply, though it notes that liquid use varies.

Unlike most products we review, ArcticBlast is registered as an over-the-counter drug. Its label is listed on DailyMed, the National Library of Medicine's drug label database, under the labeler Nutriomo Labs. The Drug Facts panel there names the purpose as "topical analgesic" and the use as temporary relief of minor aches and pains of muscles and joints, with a list of common causes such as strains, sprains, bruises and simple backache. That is the standard wording for this class of product, and it is the claim we judge it on.

For comparison, we recently reviewed Balmorex Pro, a rub-in cream for the same audience. Balmorex Pro is sold as a cosmetic-style cream with no concentrations on its ingredient list. ArcticBlast is the more transparent of the two on what matters most for a topical analgesic: which ingredients are active, and at what strength.

The Drug Facts panel, in words

The vendor's site terms do not allow reuse of its images, so we describe the label rather than show it.

• Active ingredients: menthol 10.00% and camphor 3.00%.
• Inactive ingredients: aloe vera leaf juice, water, arnica flower extract, calendula extract, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), emu oil, ethylhexylglycerin, glycerin, St. John's wort, isopropyl alcohol, methyl salicylate, olive oil, phenoxyethanol, polysorbate 20, propylene glycol and SD alcohol 40B.
• Directions: adults, apply to the affected area no more than 3 to 4 times daily.
• Warnings: external use only; flammable, so keep away from flame and heated surfaces; avoid the eyes; do not apply to wounds or damaged skin; do not bandage tightly; stop and ask a doctor if the condition worsens or lasts more than 7 days.

Two items on that list deserve attention. DMSO and methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen) are both listed as inactive, with no amounts. Methyl salicylate is itself an approved pain-relief active in other OTC products, so its place in the inactive list suggests a small amount here. And DMSO, as we explain below, is the centerpiece of the long-form sales letter.

The formula next to the research

For each ingredient that could matter for muscle and joint comfort, we looked for human trials of the ingredient applied to the skin. Studies of pills or injections do not tell us much about a rub.

Menthol: the ingredient doing most of the work

Menthol activates TRPM8, the receptor that senses cold. Applied to the skin it acts as a counterirritant: it creates a cooling sensation, first stimulates pain-sensing nerves and then dampens them ^[1]. That is the mechanism the sales page describes, and it is well documented.

The human trials are small and short. In 20 people with knee osteoarthritis, 5 mL of a 3.5% menthol gel reduced pain during some functional tasks compared with the same visit's baseline, but the study found no significant difference between menthol and a placebo gel ^[3]. In 16 people with exercise-induced muscle soreness, a 3.5% menthol gel reduced perceived discomfort more than ice ^[4]. In a crossover trial of 10 slaughterhouse workers with carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic arm or hand pain, a menthol gel lowered pain by about 1.2 points on a 10-point scale compared with a menthol-scented placebo over three hours ^[5]. The strongest trial we found tested a patch with 3% menthol and 10% methyl salicylate in 208 adults with mild to moderate muscle strain; over eight hours it gave significantly more relief than a placebo patch, with similar side effect rates ^[6].

ArcticBlast uses 10% menthol, about three times what those studies used. A 2022 review from Tianjin Medical University, the one the sales page appears to point to, notes that low to moderate menthol concentrations produce cooling, while higher concentrations can cause irritation and heightened cold sensitivity ^[2]. We found no trial showing that 10% menthol gives more comfort than 3.5%.

Camphor: long use, little trial data

Camphor has been used in balms and liniments for generations. Laboratory work shows it activates and then strongly desensitizes heat-sensing nerve channels, which may explain a soothing effect ^[7]. We did not find a placebo-controlled human trial of camphor on its own for muscle or joint discomfort, so its contribution in ArcticBlast is plausible but unmeasured.

Methyl salicylate: a weak case for salicylate rubs

Oil of wintergreen is a familiar ingredient in sports rubs. The Cochrane review of salicylate-containing rubs found that any benefit came from older, smaller studies, while the larger, more recent trials showed no effect. Its authors concluded that the evidence does not support these rubs for acute injuries or chronic conditions ^[8]. In ArcticBlast the amount is not stated and the ingredient is not even listed as active.

DMSO: the headline of the sales letter, a footnote on the label

DMSO is a solvent that helps other substances pass through the skin. It is used for exactly that purpose in a prescription topical diclofenac solution ^[11]. That trial program gives us the best test of DMSO itself: in a 12-week study of 775 people with knee osteoarthritis, one group applied the DMSO-containing vehicle with no drug in it. The DMSO vehicle was no more effective than placebo ^[9]. An earlier systematic review of DMSO trials in knee osteoarthritis found mixed results and called the methods poor, with possible unblinding and questionable dosing ^[10].

In ArcticBlast, DMSO may help carry menthol and camphor into the skin. We cannot tell how much is present, and the label does not credit it with any effect.

Arnica and the other botanicals

Arnica has one well-run topical trial: in 204 people with hand osteoarthritis, a gel made with 50 g of arnica tincture per 100 g performed about as well as a 5% ibuprofen gel over 21 days ^[13]. The Cochrane review of topical herbal products rated that finding as moderate evidence from a single study and noted slightly more side effects with arnica ^[14]. ArcticBlast lists arnica as an inactive ingredient, after DMSO and before emu oil, so it is very unlikely to be present at anything near that strength. We found no topical trials for muscle or joint comfort on the aloe, calendula, St. John's wort or emu oil in the base.

What the marketing claims vs. what we could verify

The ClickBank landing page is fairly restrained. It describes temporary relief of occasional aches, credits menthol, and points to a 2022 Tianjin Medical University review. That review exists and supports the cooling mechanism ^[2]. It is a mechanism review, though, not a trial of ArcticBlast.

The long-form sales letter on the same domain goes much further. It builds the product around DMSO, promises relief within 54 seconds that lasts for days, and says the product beats any pain reliever you have taken. We could not trace any of those claims to a published study, and the letter's promises go far beyond the Drug Facts indication, so we do not repeat them here. The letter also leans on an FDA approval for DMSO. The approved medical uses we could trace are a solution placed in the bladder for a urological condition ^[12] and a carrier in a prescription diclofenac solution ^[11]. Neither is a menthol and camphor rub, and neither approval transfers to ArcticBlast.

Price, packages and refund policy

Prices on the official ClickBank page when we checked, all with free US shipping and three digital guides:

• 6 bottles: $199.95 total, about $33.33 a bottle.
• 3 bottles: $139.95 total, about $46.65 a bottle.
• 1 bottle: $59.95.

Each order is a one-time payment. Each bottle holds one fluid ounce, which makes ArcticBlast expensive by volume for a menthol and camphor product; the large pack is the only one that brings it down to a more ordinary range. The company offers a 365-day refund: according to its FAQ, you return the bottles, used or empty, to a fulfillment center in Maryland and then contact support with proof of postage. The FAQ does not say who pays return shipping, so plan on it being you.

Safety

Menthol, camphor and methyl salicylate all pass into the bloodstream in small amounts after application to the skin. With normal use, levels stay low ^[15], but a few points matter for men over 50:

• Blood thinners: methyl salicylate rubbed on the skin has been linked to a dangerous rise in INR in a person taking warfarin ^[16], and heavy use of these products in people on warfarin can lead to bleeding ^[17]. If you take warfarin or another blood thinner, ask your doctor before using ArcticBlast.
• Skin reactions: methyl salicylate can cause irritant or allergic skin reactions ^[17], and high menthol concentrations can irritate ^[2]. Test a small area first, keep it off broken skin, and never cover it with a heating pad or tight bandage.
• DMSO carries things in: because DMSO helps substances cross the skin ^[11], wash your hands after use and avoid applying it over other creams or medicated patches unless your doctor or pharmacist agrees.
• Keep it away from children: swallowing camphor can cause seizures in small children even in small amounts ^[18], and swallowed methyl salicylate can cause rapid salicylate poisoning ^[17]. Store the bottle out of reach.

Results vary from person to person. Talk to your doctor before using ArcticBlast if you take prescription medication, have a skin condition, or have an aspirin allergy. Stop using it and see a doctor if pain gets worse or lasts more than seven days, as the label itself advises.

What we liked and what gave us pause

Frequently asked questions

Is ArcticBlast a supplement?

No. It is labeled as an over-the-counter topical analgesic drug, for external use only. Its active ingredients are menthol 10% and camphor 3%.

How much DMSO is in ArcticBlast?

The label does not say. DMSO appears in the inactive ingredient list with no amount.

How fast does it work, and for how long?

Menthol products typically produce a cooling feeling within minutes, and the trials we found measured effects over hours, not days. Results vary from person to person.

Can I use it with my pain medication?

Ask your doctor or pharmacist, especially if you take a blood thinner, because of the methyl salicylate in the base. Do not stop or change a prescription on your own.

How we reviewed ArcticBlast

We read the ClickBank landing page, the long-form sales letter, the company FAQ and site terms, and the registered Drug Facts label on DailyMed. We then searched PubMed for human trials of each relevant ingredient applied to the skin and compared the tested concentrations with the label. We did not test the product on people, and nobody at Stark Verve is a medical professional. Read our editorial policy to learn how we choose and update reviews. Stark Verve earns a commission if you buy through our links; that never changes what we write about the evidence.