Smell (Irrelevant to effects)
In the container, this CBD salve smells intense, like a minty Sharpie marker. We don’t recommend getting a nose full, unless you need to clear your sinuses. That said, the smell isn’t nearly as strong once it’s applied to the skin. It’s still very minty, but the harshness goes away and it smells like any mentholated salve.
Taste (Irrelevant to effects)
This is not for tasting. Please do not eat this product.
Consistency
The Hemp Bombs Pain Freeze CBD Topical Rub looks a little weird in the container—if you’re familiar with the slime craze that’s been sweeping elementary schools, you’ll see some similarities. It’s a cloudy gel that feels wet when pressed, but doesn’t really behave like a cream in that it doesn’t adhere to your fingers. To use it, you sort of need to scoop little bits of the gel out and rub them into the skin.
Though this takes a little practice, we ended up liking it: unlike some salves, which are oil-based and can feel heavy, this product absorbs quickly and easily into the skin (actually, it almost melts in on contact) and doesn’t leave any greasy or sticky residue behind. That said, it does contain alcohol, which some people with very sensitive skin may find drying.
Effects (Onset, Duration, Intensity)
This topical CBD rub is mentholated, so there’s a cooling sensation that sets in within 15-30 seconds after application and peaks around 5-10 minutes from application. By that time, we found we were substantially more comfortable than before we applied this product. Our muscles felt relaxed, joints felt less inflamed, and pain was markedly reduced or altogether alleviated. The effects lasted 1-2 hours for most of us, so while this isn’t a long-term product, it’s good for quick relief.
We found this product to be excellent for sore muscles and joints: our tester with rheumatoid arthritis loved it, and it worked to relieve tense and sore muscles in our backs, shoulders, thighs—anywhere we put it. It also works like a charm on tension headaches: we rubbed it on our necks and behind our ears, with a little on our temples for good measure (keep it away from your eyes though!).
We need to note that you should keep this product away from eyes and mucous membranes, meaning your nose, mouth, and genitals. We don’t want anyone to see “cooling sensation” and get any frisky ideas—do not put this on your (or anyone else’s) junk!
Best used for
The Hemp Bombs Pain Freeze CBD Topical Rub does an excellent job relieving tension and soothing muscle and joint pain. The menthol works to soothe the sensation of pain while the CBD relieves inflammation. We like this for just about any soreness we’ve tried it for: it’s good for chronic joint and muscle pain, post-workout soreness, back pain, tension headaches, menstrual cramps…everything. We should note that we didn’t test it on neuropathic pain, so we can’t confirm or deny that it works for that purpose.
