Bag Balm

Bag balm: sounds extremely sophisticated and feminine, right? My first impression of this product was YUCK. One night while helping my boyfriend pack up his room before we moved into our apartment, he proudly showed me this tin can of goop. He went on to explain that he, along with most of his teammates, used to use this to prevent irritation from their hockey gear. The name "bag" led my mind to the only real "bags" I could think of when it came to "preventing irritation" and I was kinda grossed out. Needless to say, I steered clear of his bag balm. After another encounter with the tin of balm, my boyfriend went on to explain that it wasn't for his "bags" and he thought it was absolutely hilarious that I'd made that assumption. He said he mostly used it wherever his gear would rub, which was typically his arms and sometimes his ankles and thighs. This made a lot more sense to me :)

Now, to sort of change the subject a bit, I'll try to explain how grossed out I am of feet. I mean, it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that they might smell, it's typically just the look of them that gives me the jeebies-especially when they are super rough, cracked, and dry. Needless to say, I am rather OCD about keeping my feet moisturized and cared for out of fear of them morphing into disgusting crusty crusts. I used to use foot scrubs every other night and special foot soaks at least once a week. I used buffers, pumice, and files to keep them nice and soft. I've since settled down a bit when it comes to my feet-I try to put lotion on them every morning, but if I don't get the chance, I don't view it as a huge deal. About a week ago I did start to notice that they were getting unusually dry, though. Like I could see them starting to crack and could feel that they were getting rough. While rummaging through the cupboard under my sink for my shea butter, I stumbled upon the green tin of Bag Balm and figured, why not give it a try? After just one day, I noticed a HUGE difference. This stuff worked better than the $15 Shea Butter (specifically made for feet moisturizing) from Bath and Body Works. My feet felt dramatically smoother after two days, and after not using any balm for a week, my feet were still soft. And so began my love for this product :)

The only instructions on the tin read:

After each milking, apply thoroughly and allow coating to remain on surface. This protective ointment helps to keep superficial tissue moist and soft. In case of deep puncture wounds seek medical help. Discontinue use if rash or irritation occurs. Special directions Bag Balm contains lanolin and stays on to provide moisturizing and softening. For pets, apply Bag Balm liberally to the affected area. For use on cows, thoroughly wash treated teats and udder with separate towels before each milking. To avoid contamination after each milking, bathe the udder with plenty of hot water, strip milk out and dry skin. Apply Bag Balm freely and massage gently with this proven ointment twice daily. This product contains no alcohol..
© 2010 Dairy Association Co., Inc.

and is accompanied by a nice picture of a cow on the lid. Comforting, huh? At first glance, this seems like a product strictly for dairy farmers.

There are only two listed ingredients in Bag Balm, which are 8-Hydroxy Quinoline Sulfate and Petrolatum. The petrolatum is a mixture that comes from petroleum, which is what provides the intense moisturizing effect. The product has an orangey tint to it, and I've found that it will transfer to your clothing, but washes out. I typically buy it at Walgreens, where a 10.0 oz. tin costs $8.29 and I'm still working on my first tin (I'm barely a quarter through it and have been using it several times a week for about 4 months now). Overall, if you can handle the rather strange scent [ keep in mind it will only be on your feet :) ] this is more than worth trying out. By far my favorite foot product!