What is Arnica, I hear you ask?
You might have heard of arnica being used in creams to help bruising; these days, there are loads of beauty products that contain it. But why?
It comes from the arnica montana flower, common to mountain areas in Europe and America.
It’s been used in local medicines to soothe aches and pains for centuries, and is also often used in homeopathic remedies.
Arnica is used to help bruises, sprains, and localised aches. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and supports tissue repair.
The beauty world has caught on to the benefits of arnica and you can now find it in all sorts of creams and lotions, to ease muscle aches and reduce swelling, such as eye bags. We’ve tested a range of products containing arnica, to see if they really have an impact.
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The best arnica products
1 of 7Westlab RECOVER Bathing Salts, £3.49
You can feel straight away when you sink into your bath that these salts are having a soothing effect on your muscles – I instantly felt like my aching legs were relaxing (hello, Couch To 5k). The smell is relaxing and not too floral, unlike some bath salts. Would definitely recommend, especially if you do a lot of exercise or a physically active job.
2 of 7Codex Beauty Bia Eye Gel Cream, £62
This eye gel is great – and for the price, it should be. It looks like a cream but vanishes like a gel when applied. My dark circles (which, I'm lucky, have never been too pronounced) have definitely improved since using the cream over the past month. It seems a lot of money but if eye bags and dark circles are a worry for you, then it's worth giving this a whirl. johnlewis.com
3 of 7Kear Arnica Body Oil, €44
With the scent of chamomile, this body oil instantly soothing and calming. I mostly use it on my hands and legs after a shower. There's a reasons Italians use olive oil or moisturising but this is so much more, I swear by it for curing my eczema and I never have to worry about razor burn. I would recommend for anyone suffering from dry skin as a daily moisturiser. Bear in mind the prices are in Euros and as this is a European company, check the postage costs (which may change after Brexit!)kearlife.com
4 of 7MEDTERRA CBD Rapid Cooling Cream, £34.05
Where you are on the CBD train or not, this cooling gel is the perfect relief for any sore or bruised muscles. Relief is instant and healing time is shortened, what more could you ask for? Perfect for the fitness freak or anyone like me who collects bruises like there's no tomorrow. medterracbd.shop
5 of 7Weleda Arnica massage oil
This might not be the sexy massage oil you whip out at the weekend with your other half, but, use this when you have aches and pains from work or exercise and it'll work wonders. A massage is great for active bodies anyway, but the added benefits of arnica mean this really soothes tired muscles. I could feel my muscles relaxing for quite a while after my massage with this oil. The bottle looks a bit medicinal, though, so don't mix it up with your cough mixture.
6 of 7Arnica Wintergreen, £3.85
The Arnica Wintergreen Salve was greasy and grainy, but had a nice aroma akin to Tiger Balm – this was a strong aroma that I liked but others didn't always. I applied to both bruises and muscular aches and found it seemed to help bruises heal slightly quicker, but I am unsure about the effect on treating painful areas. While my back pain did subside following use, you can never be sure if this is more of a placebo effect. However either way, the back ache subsided so a good result. The balm didn't heat up like Tiger Balm, so if you'd like to try a balm that is neutral in terms of temperature, this is a good one to test out.liveinthelight.co.uk
7 of 7Impact CBD Arnica Balm 590mg CBD
If you're looking for an all-natural alternative to Volteral then this is for you. It works exactly like a balm and has a stick applicator, it's easy to use and has good coverage. Great as a sports bag addition for quick post-workout relief.[impactsports.uk](https://www.impactsports.uk/orts.uk/)