What's inside — and why
14 ingredients.
14 reasons it works.
Every ingredient in Spice & Ice is there for a specific reason. Here is what each one does, where the evidence comes from, and how they work together.
Order Spice & Ice — $19.95First, the carrier: DMSO
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is a natural compound derived from wood pulp. It is not a drug — it is a carrier. Think of it as the delivery system for all 14 botanical ingredients. DMSO can move through the skin and into the tissue underneath (including joints, muscles, and nerves) faster and more deeply than almost any other substance known.
Most topicals stay on the skin's surface because their carriers (water, alcohol, gel) cannot penetrate deeply. DMSO is why Spice & Ice reaches where pain actually lives.
The full formula
What each ingredient does
Peppermint
Traditional Chinese Medicine European Herbalism Clinically StudiedOne of the most thoroughly studied medicinal plants in the world. Peppermint is the natural plant source of menthol. It triggers cold receptors in your skin, which interrupts pain signals on their way to your brain. It also relaxes muscle spasms and helps open airways when applied to the chest or nostrils. Research Research
Best for: headaches, muscle spasms, sinus congestion, nerve pain
Menthol
Clinically StudiedMenthol is the most well-researched topical pain reliever in the world. It works by activating TRPM8 receptors — the cold-sensing nerve channels in your skin. When those channels activate, they physically block pain signals from getting through. Studies have also found menthol helpful for nerve pain, including in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Research Research
Best for: immediate pain relief, nerve pain, headaches, skin itching, sinus congestion
Wintergreen
Native American Herbalism Clinically StudiedWintergreen oil is 98% methyl salicylate — a natural compound your body processes the same way it processes aspirin. It reduces inflammation by inhibiting the same enzymes aspirin targets (COX enzymes), but applied directly to the painful area rather than circulating through your whole body. It also creates a warming, counter-irritant sensation that further reduces pain perception. Research
Best for: arthritis, nerve pain, back pain, sciatica, deep joint stiffness
Clove
Ayurvedic Medicine Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinically StudiedClove's main active compound, eugenol, is one of the most potent natural pain relievers known. Dentists have used it for over a century as a topical anesthetic. It reduces inflammation (as a COX-2 inhibitor), fights bacteria and fungi, and creates a warming sensation that increases local blood flow. It also has antiviral properties. Research Research
Best for: nerve pain, deep joint pain, circulation, dental pain, antimicrobial protection
Eucalyptus
Traditional Australian Medicine Ayurvedic Medicine Clinically StudiedThe active compound in eucalyptus, 1,8-cineole (also called eucalyptol), reduces inflammation by blocking the body's inflammatory signaling pathways. Research has shown it is effective for joint inflammation, including gout-related arthritis. Applied to the chest and nostrils, it acts as a natural decongestant and helps open airways. Research Research
Best for: joint inflammation, respiratory congestion, sinus pressure, antimicrobial support
Spearmint
Traditional Chinese Medicine European Herbalism Clinically StudiedSpearmint is gentler than peppermint but shares many of its properties. Its main compounds — carvone and limonene — relax muscles, reduce spasms, and support respiratory clarity. Applied to the abdomen, it is a traditional remedy for cramping and digestive discomfort. It also supports mental alertness through the aromatic pathway when inhaled during application. Research Research
Best for: muscle spasms, abdominal cramps, respiratory support, mental focus
Oregano
Mediterranean Traditional Medicine Clinically StudiedOregano contains two of the most powerful natural antimicrobial compounds known: carvacrol and thymol. Research has shown these compounds to be effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Oregano also provides broad anti-inflammatory support by blocking NF-kB — one of the body's main inflammation control switches. This makes it valuable both for pain and for protecting against infection at the application site. Research Research
Best for: skin infections, fungal conditions, broad inflammation, antimicrobial protection
Basil
Ayurvedic Medicine Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinically StudiedBasil contains eugenol (the same compound found in clove), plus linalool and rosmarinic acid. Together, these provide anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antispasmodic benefits. Basil helps reduce the oxidative stress that builds up in injured or inflamed tissue, and has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine for joint pain and nerve-related complaints. Research
Best for: muscle spasms, joint inflammation, oxidative stress at injury sites
Cajuput
Southeast Asian Traditional Medicine Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinically StudiedCajuput is a close relative of eucalyptus and tea tree, with a long history of use across Southeast Asia for pain relief. It contains high levels of 1,8-cineole (shared with eucalyptus) plus other compounds that provide analgesic, antispasmodic, and antiseptic effects. It has been specifically used for rheumatic pain, nerve pain, and headaches across multiple traditional medicine traditions. Research Research
Best for: rheumatic pain, nerve pain, headaches, spasms, respiratory support
Rosemary
European Herbalism Ayurvedic Medicine Clinically StudiedRosemary contains camphor and borneol, which improve local blood circulation, reduce stiffness, and provide analgesic effects. A 2015 clinical study compared topical rosemary oil to ketofen — a prescription-strength anti-inflammatory — for knee osteoarthritis, and found comparable results. Rosemary is also recognized in Ayurvedic medicine for musculoskeletal pain. Research
Best for: arthritis, muscle stiffness, circulation, joint pain, sciatica
Arnica Montana
European Herbalism Native American Herbalism Clinically StudiedArnica is one of the most thoroughly researched topical botanicals. Its active compounds, including helenalin, block NF-kB — the protein that activates the body's inflammatory response. In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, arnica gel was found to be as effective as ibuprofen gel for hand osteoarthritis over 21 days. It is also used widely in sports medicine for bruising, swelling, and post-injury recovery. Research Research
Best for: bruising, swelling, arthritis, post-injury recovery, post-workout soreness
Olive Leaf Extract
Mediterranean Traditional Medicine Clinically StudiedOlive leaf extract's main compound, oleuropein, is a powerful natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. It has been studied at the university level in the United States for its antimicrobial activity. It also provides anti-inflammatory support and has antiviral properties, making it particularly useful when the formula is applied over skin conditions like shingles.
Best for: shingles, wound support, viral skin conditions, antimicrobial coverage
Aloe Vera
Traditional Medicine — Worldwide Clinically StudiedAloe vera has been used medicinally across cultures for thousands of years, primarily for skin healing and soothing. In Spice & Ice, it serves two roles: it conditions and soothes the skin at the application site, and it enhances the absorption of the other active ingredients. Its anti-inflammatory compounds (including acemannan) also add to the formula's overall effect.
Best for: skin soothing, burn support, enhanced absorption, reducing application irritation
Coconut Oil
Ayurvedic Medicine Traditional Pacific Medicine Clinically StudiedCoconut oil's medium-chain fatty acids (including lauric acid) have natural antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. In the formula, coconut oil acts as a secondary carrier — helping the essential oils penetrate and distribute across the skin. It also moisturizes and protects the skin barrier at the application site, and protects the mechanical integrity of the roll-on tip by preventing oxidation inside the bottle. Research Research
Best for: skin conditioning, absorption support, antimicrobial coverage, moisture retention
Why the combination matters
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Each ingredient covers a different piece of the pain puzzle. Together, they address every major cause of pain at the same time — something no single-ingredient product can do. Here is how the pathways work together:
Cooling pathway (nerve signal interruption)
Menthol, peppermint, spearmint — block pain signals at the nerve level through cold receptor activation.
Salicylate pathway (natural aspirin effect)
Wintergreen — reduces inflammation and pain the same way aspirin does, applied directly to the site.
Anti-inflammatory pathway (swelling reduction)
Arnica, eucalyptus, basil, rosemary — block multiple inflammatory signals simultaneously.
Warming pathway (circulation improvement)
Clove, cajuput, rosemary — increase local blood flow, speed recovery, and raise pain threshold.
Nerve pain pathway
Clove, cajuput, wintergreen, menthol — all have documented activity specifically on nerve pain pathways.
Antimicrobial pathway
Oregano, olive leaf extract, eucalyptus — broad-spectrum natural protection against bacteria, viruses, and fungi at the application site.
Skin and absorption support
Aloe vera, coconut oil — condition the skin, enhance absorption of the active ingredients, and protect the formula's integrity.
Research supporting the synergistic effects of multi-compound botanical formulations: PMC review on essential oil synergy
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Order Spice & Ice — $19.951 oz · All-natural · 14 botanical ingredients