How to make chamois cream like a bikepacker

With an angry saddle sore mid-season, preventing me from racing one of my “A” races, I looked for anything I could do to prevent another one. 

I wondered if I could upgrade my chamois cream. Chamois cream is a cream used by cyclists on their crotch and rear end to protect their skin while riding their bike. Saddle sores are bumps found in the same area that can be small or large. Some are pain-free and some are painful. Chamois cream helps prevent saddle sores – sometimes. 

I’d been researching bikepacking for a client and in an article I read, one of the bikepackers said he made his own chamois cream out of a mixture of Clotrimazole Antifungal Cream, Bag Balm, and Benzoyl Peroxide. All the other homemade chamois cream recipes I found required several ingredients. I wanted to keep it minimal, easy, cheap, and strong enough to wipe out any saddle sores.

Disclaimer: I’m not a dermatologist or anyone with “Dr.” or “MD” preceding or following their name. This is based off what I found by other amateurs. Everyone’s skin is different and just like any skin cream recommends testing on a portion of your skin, I think you should try the same thing. Your skin may hate this while mine was cool with it. 

INGREDIENTS

1. Clotrimazole Antifungal Cream – 2 ounces
2. Vermont’s Original Bag Balm – 2 ounces
3. Perrigo 10% Benzoyl Peroxide – 2 ounces
4. 100% Pure Tea Tree Oil  – 1 Tablespoon
5. Adam’s empty and cleaned Peanut Butter Jar

DIRECTIONS

• Spooned half of Vermont’s Original Bag Balm into the Adam’s Peanut Butter jar. 
• Squeeze all the Perrigo 10% Benzoyl Peroxide (2.1 ounces) into the jar next. 
• Empty two packs of Clotrimazole Antifungal Cream (1 ounce each) in the jar.
• Pour 1 Tablespoon of tea tree oil on top. 
• Stir all the ingredients together until blended. 

RESULTS

PROS:

After stirring for quite a while, I noticed it was still chunky. I wasn’t too concerned with it and once I wipe it on my undercarriage, I don’t notice any chunks. 

It does have a cooling effect which feels relieving. 

I also realized a little goes a long way. I didn’t seem to need as much of this chamois cream as my store-bought chamois cream. 

I’ve used this chamois cream for a couple of months now and I haven’t had any saddle sores. I also haven’t developed any rashes, dryness, or irritation. 

CONS:

I’ve witnessed is discoloration in one of my chamois pads. I’ve used it on 5 different bibs and it only discolored one. I’m 99% sure it’s the benzoyl peroxide. It’s dyed my towels before in the past. 

Because of the tall and narrow jar I used, I usually get the cream all over my hands when it gets low. Something to consider for the future. 

It smells medicinal as tea tree oil usually does. 

Have you ever made your own DIY chamois cream? What’d you use? How’d it go? Let me know in the comments.