Chamois Creams (w/o parabens OR witch-hazel)

[oz rider]

Interesting variety of creams. I had a bad reaction to Assos and another one with a list of chemicals so I've gone to the ol zinc and castor oil cream. Very happy with it, and very cheap.

[lisathew8lifter]

Another interesting find in my chamois lube research: Hoo Ha Ride Glide -- apparently this was the first women-specific chamois product, even before DZNuts "Bliss." Looks a helluvalot cheaper, too. And most of the ingredients look good--no parabens, no petroleum-based stuff.

zoom zoom, this looks like something i might want to try. brilliant name, female owned company, and if it works, i'm sold!

[marni]

Bag Balm contains only three ingredients: petroleum jelly, lanolin, and (.3%) 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate (an antiseptic).

hey bleeker street girl, thanks for that info- Bag balm is now off the list.

marni

[cyclerunmom]

zoom zoom, this looks like something i might want to try. brilliant name, female owned company, and if it works, i'm sold!

I checked the hoo ha ingredients and didn't see Evodia (anti inflammatory and anti bacterial) nor Masterwort (wound healing) nor a Pre/pro biotic complex to inhibit yeast infections and promote skin flora growth like on the dzbliss chamois cream.

I would be willing to try a sample of hoo ha though ladies if you have some, but my gut feeling tells me that I might be embracing dzbliss chamois cream for a long time.

[TrekTheKaty]

Another interesting find in my chamois lube research: Hoo Ha Ride Glide -- apparently this was the first women-specific chamois product, even before DZNuts "Bliss." Looks a helluvalot cheaper, too. And most of the ingredients look good--no parabens, no petroleum-based stuff.

I only use chamois butter on very long rides (metric and over), so my exposure is limited. However, I'm usually very health conscious so I'll give hoo ha a try.

My DH will faint dead away when I pull that out of my saddle bag I can barely get him to acknowledge the butter

[lisathew8lifter]

i have heard of several people not using anything at all or just on longer rides. i would be one hurtin' unit if i went for a long ride without anything. i have major pinching, esp when mountain biking. that makes for a very short and uncomfortable ride. i may have to check into the dzbliss!

[zoom-zoom]

Hmmm...so I tried a sample pack of DZ Bliss for the first time...jury is still out. I think the tea tree oil in it may be a bit much for me. I had tingling on the verge of burning and it bothered me for at least the first hour of my ride. Not painful, per se, but sorta irritating. Even my butt still feels warm after my ride.

The tea tree oil scent is fairly strong, so I wonder how much is in the stuff. If I take a crack at making my own chamois butter I would definitely not use much...or use a different anti-fungal, like grapefruit seed extract or something.

[Norse]

Has anybody tried the Hoo Ha Ride Glide? I have been using Bag Balm, which is wonderfully cheap, but would like to get away from a petroleum based product.

[OakLeaf]

I wouldn't bother with grapefruit seed extract. Depending on whom you ask, it either has no effect, or its effects are due to nasty quaternary ammonium compounds.

Pure shea butter needs no preservatives nor additives....

[zoom-zoom]

I wouldn't bother with grapefruit seed extract. Depending on whom you ask, it either has no effect, or its effects are due to nasty quaternary ammonium compounds.

Pure shea butter needs no preservatives nor additives....

Ooh, good to know.

10 hours after applying the "Bliss" (ha!) and my girly bits are still feeling a little inflamed and sensitive. Ick. Next time I ride I will go back to Chamois Butt'r and try a few drops of tea tree oil with that to see if that's the culprit. I'd love to narrow-down what caused this irritation. There are so many things in the Bliss that it could be anything, though I suspect the TTO.

[Alex]

Thanks for posting about the DZBliss, zoom-zoom. I was wondering about all those ingredients! I recently tried Hammer's Seat Saver and didn't care for it. In fact, I ended up showering it off before I left the house. I wondered if it was the TTO and/or the peppermint and/or the clove oil.

It contains:

Pure Olive Oil, Shea Butter, Distilled Water, Calendula, Yarrow, Chamomile, Comfrey, Stearic Acid, Beeswax, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin E Oil, Basil Oil, Clove Oil, Lavender Oil, Peppermint Oil, and Tea Tree Oil.

I don't often use chamois butter on my road bike, but I am finding that I do need it on my tri bike because of all the time I spend in aero position. I'm sticking with Chamois Butt'r for now. DH really likes the Hammer product, so at least it won't go to waste.

Hope you are feeling better soon!

[zoom-zoom]

Thanks...things feel much better this AM. I would also be suspicious of those essential oils. That stuff is nice in small amounts, but the combo of so many seems like it could be irritating to mucous membranes. I'll bet that Hammer product smells nice, though!

[Catrin]

It looks like a large percentage of women here use chamois cream of some kind. I have not considered using it yet, though of course I just had my first ride >25 miles so my rides haven't been long enough to have any problems of this nature.

I would like to avoid having problems though, what descriptions I've read here just doesn't sound like fun at all I am curious, do most here use it just on rides longer than a certain time/distance, or for all rides?

[OakLeaf]

It really depends on the individual. It's as personal as saddles. Most people use some most of the time, but there are a few who never do. If you haven't felt the need for any, that's something to celebrate, not worry about.

[zoom-zoom]

OK, tried mixing a few drops of tea tree oil with Chamois Butt'r and I had NO issues...it tingled a tiny bit, but I had no overly warm or sensitivity issues. So there is something in the Bliss that doesn't sit well with my, um, "sitty area," but it's not TTO.