This 2oz stick is packed with 500mg of Full Spectrum Hemp-Derived CBD. The rest of the ingredients list also reads like a witch doctor’s brew: Beeswax, Coconut MCT Oil, and Shea Butter with Arnica, Calendula, Eucalyptus and Chamomile Oils. Plant-based products are a great way to utilize the healing power of nature. And even though it's chock full of those moisturizing oils, its solid form makes it easy to toss in a bag with no threat of a leaky mess.

As a dedicated reviewer (ie: a very clumsy person), I handily rammed my knee into a chair the day I got this product, so I had a perfect sore spot to try it out on. This particular injury also gave me a great opportunity to see if the arnica in the mix would help stave off the thick purple bruise I could see developing.

“The menthol gave a nice light numbing to the pain and a sort of cooling sensation.”

When I first applied it, I was hit with the nostalgic Vicks-like medicinal whiff of strong menthol. But where Vicks is made of a petroleum base that sits like grease on top of the skin, the natural wax of this Mendi stick actually absorbed better, and ultimately felt much nicer on my delicate skin. It had that classic Icy-Hot feeling of a minty tingle, but the classic Tiger Balm vibe of being a “secret” ancient herbal remedy. The menthol gave a nice light numbing to the pain and a sort of cooling sensation. (Though it's tempting to put it in the fridge for an extra chill effect, the box says it should be kept at room temperature, as I imagine that otherwise, the wax may become too stiff to apply.) After letting it sit for a while, the throbbing had decreased, and by the end of the day, I’d totally forgotten I injured myself at all.

When I checked in on it a few days later, I think it did stop the bruise from getting any grosser, minimizing the dark purples and fading it slightly. It also didn’t hurt very much, which for someone whose knees are often in pain even when I don't smash them into things, was a notable effect.

I’ve never been a very sporty person, but there is one major physical activity I do at least once a month: menstruating. When I do, I’m one of those ladies that gets next-level, serious stomach twisting cramps. In a moment of inspired desperation, I grabbed this stick and slathered it all over my lower abdomen with wild abandon. It didn’t totally stop those deep cramps like a pain pill can and didn't have the euphoria mood-lifting powers of THC, but it was quite good at relieving some of the surface-level spasms and was more relaxing (and convenient) than a heating pad. Plus, the act of rubbing it on felt like a great way to massage some of the tension out, and maybe shake loose some stuck uterus at the same time. I’m definitely adding this to my arsenal of period fighting tools.

“I’m definitely adding this to my arsenal of period fighting tools.”

It often feels like we have to fight our bodies and their endless barrage of pain, but really, we’re on the same side. We need to make allies with our aches in order to win this war of life, and that means finding healthy ways to deal with it. One very cool thing about CBD is that we actually have receptors for it all over our bodies, not just in our brains, so it helps get relief directly to the spots that need it.

Something that struck me when using this stick was that when I was applying it directly to the areas that hurt, is that it forced me to actually pay some focused care and attention to the parts of my body that needed it most. So instead of ignoring your pains or wishing them away, go ahead and grab this salve stick and give your soreness some hands-on TLC. Loving your body doesn’t always have to be some esoteric mental exercise, sometimes it's as simple as rubbing on some CBD, and one great way to do that is with this Mendi Salve Stick.