Call it stress, overuse, injury, perimenopause … a cocktail of woes. Whatever the culprit of my intense discomfort, I can tell you this with certainty: I hurt. If it’s not tense shoulders or tech neck, it’s left knee inflammation (remnants of a sprained tendon) or soreness caused by consistent, nagging headaches. And while I’m not opposed to popping pain meds – that’s my go-to – I was intrigued when I heard about the Peace Labs, a Calgary-based holistic wellness company that developed Health Canada-regulated Peace Balm. I’ve tried these roll-ons before, usually with no luck; I often find the product isn’t strong enough or the scent is off-putting, so I give up. Peace Balm promises to deliver maximum strength relief with a clean, minimal scent. Sounds promising. 

The Backstory

Founder Judy Hughes was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2022. “I went through two surgeries, but the mental and emotional weight stayed with me. I learned first-hand what it means when people say, ‘the body keeps the score,’” she says. At the time, Hughes turned to her acupuncturist. “I told her I felt so much physical pain, and she read my body like a map: my masseters (muscles at the rear of the cheek) were tight from clenching at night; my shoulders carried the weight of my stress; my diaphragm was locked from shallow breathing. Her treatments helped immensely, but they were expensive, far away and for a full hour at a time. I started looking for something that could support me between sessions.” Hughes reached for Tiger Balm – a product her grandparents used. “It worked, but the scent was so medicinal that it didn’t feel wearable outside the house.” That’s when the idea for the Peace Labs hit. “I have a background in marketing, and I realized I could create what I was looking for – something with medicinal strength but elevated with aromatherapy and modern design; a brand that would resonate with others on their own wellness and healing journeys.” 

The Product

Peace Balm’s medicinal ingredients are menthol and camphor, and each scent – there are five: Fresh Rain, Eucalyptus, Cedar Mist, Lavender and Natural Mint – is elevated with aromatherapy profiles and traditional Chinese medicine herbs. Hughes says she uses it most often for neck and shoulder tension, so that’s where I start. The rollerball is big enough that I get plenty of coverage when I roll Natural Mint onto my right shoulder and neck. The menthol and camphor are supposed to block pain signals to the brain, and within five minutes, the area feels cool and the twinge in my neck starts to ease. I roll some onto my left knee hoping for the same effect and eventually there’s a bit of numbness, which doesn’t last as long as I’d like but is a relief from the usual discomfort, nonetheless. I also like the scents – Natural Mint, Eucalyptus and Fresh Rain are clean and minimal, and much less aggressive than the elixirs I’ve been using for pain. 

Zoomer Rx

Camphor and menthol are found in a slew of products – including over-the-counter remedies like Biofreeze, Icy Hot, AleveX, Tiger Balm and Voltaren – that temporarily relieve minor pain in your joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments caused by overuse, strains, injury and arthritis. Other ingredients that can help include chamomile extract, peony root, turmeric, capsaicin and arnica. If your pain persists, you should get it checked out with your doctor.