Why does Ben-Gay smell like that?

[AndrewL]

And is the smell connected to the working principle of Ben-Gay, or could they make a substance that did the same thing without the smell?

The official Ben-Gay site was not helpful in answering these questions.

[ShibbOleth]

I think the smell is from wintergreen oil.

[ShibbOleth]

*Originally posted by ShibbOleth *
**I think the smell is from wintergreen oil. **

Okay, I checked and here is what I found:

from WebMD
What It Is; Why It Works
Once a popular painkiller, Wintergreen has been supplanted by a cheap synthetic version of its active ingredient, methyl salicylate. You can find this latter-day stand-in for Wintergreen in such aches-and-pains remedies as Bengay and Arthricare. It relieves pain by stimulating temperature-sensitive nerve endings, thus temporarily overriding nearby pain signals.
Wintergreen, a bushy little plant roughly 6 inches in height, is native to North America. Wintergreen oil is still produced in the United States for use in products ranging from Chinese tea to cosmetics, liniments, and bath additives.

So apparently it is methyl salicylate, not wintergreen in Bengay. Bengay also can contain menthol and camphor.

Also implied by the WebMD link is that methyl salicylate is an active ingredient, eg, it’s not just a scent.

[Squink]

Original Ben-Gay also contains Menthol, which has a distinctive odor and stimulates cold sensors on the skin.