As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, cyclists and runners who still want to get outside to ride or run are always looking for ways to keep warm. Shorts have given way to tights to keep the legs warm, but there might be a base layer that you are missing – embrocation. If you are not familiar with this product, embrocation is a cream that is rubbed onto skin, particularly the legs, before going outside for a sports activity. This cream has a warming sensation that promotes the blood circulation to the extremities, which in turn keeps you feeling warmer and helps stave off the mental toll on your workout due to the cold temperatures.
There are quite a few companies making embrocation, but they all come in a cream form that needs to be applied using your hands and fingers. This is not a big deal until you rub your eyes without washing your hands or having worn gloves, just like rubbing your eyes after cutting a hot pepper, they will burn.
The Joshua Tree Skin Care of Pinckney, Michigan has announced the release of a new line of embrocation in a stick form. Similar to a deodorant stick, this new line of organic embrocation should be easier and safer to apply. This new line of embrocation has three levels of ’heat’, referring to how hot your skin will feel – similar to the feeling of being in the sun for an extended period of time.
Joshua Tree Skin details each of the new embrocation:
JTree Eucalyptus No Heat Embrocation uses peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils to create an invigorating protective balm on the skin. The thick waterproof barrier is great for shedding mud and snow while riding during inclement weather. Peppermint relieves skin irritation and itchiness and also helps to reduce skin redness where inflammation is present while at the same time having a cooling action. Eucalyptus helps heal wounds, ulcers, burns, cuts, abrasions, sores and insect bites and stings.
JTree Spiced Mid Heat Embrocation uses essential oils from cloves and capsaicin to produce a mild heating sensation. Clove essential oils increase heat in the body, while capsaicin, the active component of chili peppers, warms when applied to skin.
JTree Citrus Full Heat Embrocation combines essential oils from grapefruit and capsaicin for a hot sensation. Capsaicin provides the heat and grapefruit essential oil offers a refreshing, slightly energizing sensation.
Joshua Tree has a number of professional athletes who they work with while developing a new product. Professional mountain biker Adam Craig is a three-time under 23 cross-country national champion, 2007 and 2008 national champion and represented the United States at the Beijing Olympic Games. Professional cyclist Kelli Emmett is a four-time member of the U.S. Mountain Bike World Championship team and a national and two-time world champion. Professional cyclocross and mountain biker Brian Matter was a member of team USA at the 2009 World Cyclocross Championships and two-time member of the 24 Hour Mountain Bike National Championships team.
“During the development process, we relied heavily on the input of our pro athletes,” says David Lawrence, president and CEO of Joshua Tree in the announcement of their new embrocation. “With their extensive testing, we’ve been able to create a diverse collection to meet our customers’ needs while offering the same high quality organic product that they expect from Joshua Tree.”
Embrocation is a product that is not for everyone. As this writer personally discovered while testing other brands, it is best to start off with a small amount. Evaluate the level that works for you and amount of product that should be applied. Apply too little and the embrocation does nothing, but apply too much and you will feel as if your have sun burn. The same way that a pepper might be hot to some and mild to others, there is no clear way to know which level and amount is right for you until you sample some; but if you want a little more help during an outside workout in the winter, embrocation maybe the solution to rub on some heat.