TFS Review: Bodyglide Anti-Friction Skin Formula
Posted November 29th, 2006 at 7:00 AM by Trish Monks
Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Gear & Apparel, Product Reviews, Sports Medicine, Special Features, TFS Reviews
Check out TFS’s review of Bodyglide’s Anti-Friction Skin Formula; a product so phenomenal that it received a higher rating that any product we have ever reviewed.
Product: BodyGlide Anti-Friction Skin Formula
Price: $7.99 (1.3 oz), $12.99 (2.5 oz)
Rating: Excellent 9.15/10.0
Pros: Stops chafing and irritation, easy to apply, unscented, sweat-proof, doesn’t stain clothes, all natural
Cons: None
Overall: For ANY athlete that has ever suffered the pain of chafing, this product is for you. It is without a doubt one of the best products ever created for the sport of running.
Bodyglide have been making their Skin Formula since 1996 and many runners must thank their lucky stars. It is designed to protect your skin against irritation and prevent chafing and blisters (Without using any petroleum or other oils). You apply it to bare skin in vulnerable areas (anywhere skin or clothing rubs against skin during activity); creating an invisible, sweat and water resistant barrier.
This review is also applicable for Bodyglide’s Anti-Friction Sun Formula. The Sun Formula has all the same benefits as the original Skin Formula plus SPF-25 sunscreen; making it great for all those sunny days.
Effectiveness - 9 - I have used Bodyglide Skin Formula on my lower back (when I wear my water belt over long distances it prevents my skin being worn away), on my feet to help prevent blisters, on my inner thighs to prevent skin on skin chafing and on my chest around where my sports bra rubs sometimes. It works miracles, and has prevented many a painful abrasion ‘injury’ – unfortunately it’s only when I forget to put it on, that I realise just how great it is! Loses a point because I have only had only moderate success with it protecting my feet.
Design - 10 - The Skin Formula is virtually scent free and not greasy. Unlike their competitors’ products), it comes in an easy-to-apply stick form (similar to a deodorant stick) so it’s not messy and will never end up all over your hands. It won’t stain your favourite race t-shirt and running apparel and comes off in the shower, but not on the run. All in all, it does exactly what Bodyglide promises!
Value - 8.5 - The price has come down in the last couple of years as it has become more widely available (used to be that you could only get it specialty shops - and Googling “Bodyglide” gave all sorts of “interesting” web results!). For high mileage runners it can be somewhat costly to constantly restock, but in general it now represents a pretty good bang for your buck. However, I’d buy the large stick because the 1.3 oz stick just never seems to last long enough! Prices compare favourably to competitors’ products (such as Brave Soldier Friction Zone).
This stuff is great and should be a definite addition to any runner’s kit bag. Take my advice and try BodyGlide - I promise you’ll thank me later and will end up asking yourself how you ever went running without it!
You can purchase Bodyglide’s Skin and Sun Formulas online from Road Runner Sports. They are also available at most sporting-good stores and virtually all specialty running/biking shops.
Editor’s note - The overall rating was calculated by weighting Effectiveness as 70%, Design as 20% and Value as 10%.
Although this review is authored by just one of TFS’s team members, it reflects the cumulative results of the entire groups’ trial.
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: anti irritation, Bodyglide, chafing, discomfort, injury prevention, irritation, lubricants, product review, review, skin formula, sun formula
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The Final Sprint
This is a nice review. On occasion, I’ve just used something like VO5 Hairdressing. Smells bad but works great. And it’s cheap!
For some tips about other ways to prevent chafing, you can check out this post.
http://justyouraveragejoggler.wordpress.com/2006/07/19/four-tips-to-stop-the-chafing/
November 30th, 2006 at 4:41 pmThanks Perry. I enjoyed your article on chafing as well. Another good way to prevent nipple chafing is to buy water-resistant band-aids. The best type is made by Curad and are less expensive than “Nipguards”. They work very well, are not painful to remove (you are wet enough after a run that it doesn’t even hurt if you have hair around your nipples) and have remained in place for the entirety of every marathon that I have ever run. For everywhere other than nipples, I still stick by BodyGlide!
December 1st, 2006 at 1:53 am[…] Read more: here […]
December 7th, 2006 at 5:32 am[…] Another excellent option is BodyGlide’s Sun Formula. This is a fantastic choice for many of you whom already use the BodyGlide Skin Formula. The Sun formula is just as effective as the Skin Formula at preventing chafing and irritation, but also contains SPF-25. We even tried using it on our faces and experienced little to no irritation or run-off. (Check out what we said about the Sun Formula within our Skin formula review). […]
December 8th, 2006 at 2:47 pm[…] Although we love BodyGlide’s Skin/Sun Formulas (still TFS’s highest rated product!), we were disappointed with the Muscle Formula even though it performed better than it’s competitors. [To check out our review of the Skin/Sun Formulas, please click here]. Product: BodyGlide Muscle Formula Price: $7.99 (1.3 oz), $12.99 (2.5 oz) Rating: Average 5.3/10.0 Pros: Easy to apply; water & sweat resistant Cons: Requires a lot to feel an effect; the smell Overall: If you usually use heat rubs like Icy Hot, then this is a better choice. Otherwise, you’re better off using some combination of massage, heat/ice, stretching and The Stick to treat sore muscles. […]
December 14th, 2006 at 6:36 am[…] Best Injury Prevention & Treatement Product: TIE: Body Glide Skin Formula and The Sprinter Stick. For more on why we love these BodyGlideproducts, check out our full review of the BodyGlide Skin/Sun Formulas. The Sprinter Stick . . . […]
December 22nd, 2006 at 8:01 am[…] 7) Banish blisters. Besides the uncomfortable pain they often bring, blisters can cause you to adjust your stride to avoid putting pressure on the sore spots. This unnatural change in stride can lead to injury. Help yourself prevent blisters by switching to synthetic socks that reduce friction and moisture. Also, applying Band-aids, or BodyGlide Skin Formula, to spots where blisters tend to develop can help prevent them from spurring. One quick word of warning: cover opened blisters with a Band-aid to avoid painful irritation and possible infection. The better care you take of your blisters the faster they go away, and the faster you become able to run comfortably again. […]
April 20th, 2007 at 7:54 amI am an amputee & have found this product to be of great relief from chafing caused by the prosthesis.
December 11th, 2007 at 5:50 pm