Is Band-Aid Blister Block A Rip Off?

by Right Brain on April 30, 2008 · 24 comments

Chelsea feels cheated: I just bought a tube of Band-Aid Blister Block, and while it’s working wonders with my new shoes, I’ve got a question. The ingredients listed are hydrogenated vegetable oil, cetyl alcohol, parfum. Did I just buy the most expensive, scented shortening, or is this molecularly different enough to justify the price? I’m not sure how much I’d like to rub Crisco on my feet every morning, but if it does the job just as well, I may just try it!

The Right Brain restores her faith in modern chemistry:
We LOVE questions like this because it shows you’re reading the label to learn about ingredients in your products. You’re already on your way to becoming a smarter shopper!

Have a blister, sister?

Band-Aid Blister Block is indeed composed mostly of hydrogenated vegetable oil, a Crisco-like compound made by adding hydrogen to certain kinds of vegetable oil. But the oil is not alone; it’s combined with cetyl alcohol, a waxy solid.

When the cetyl alcohol and the hydrogenated oil are mixed in the right ratios, they form a stick that gives you the best of both worlds: it’s soft enough to spread easily on your skin, but hard enough to leave a protective layer that doesn’t leave a greasy mess. This protective layer helps the shoe straps slide across your skin without chafing. Ergo, no blister. (Finally, after two years we figured out how to use the term “ergo” in a post!)

Would Crisco alone work just as well as the Band-Aid Blister Block? Maybe, but it wouldn’t give the right balance of lubricity and protection. And it wouldn’t feel as elegant. (And you might have to take a spa bath to get your feet clean.) But hey, if you’re the do-it-yourself type you could give it a try. Or better yet, we can ask Sarah Bellum to do the experiment for us. She bought a pair I mean a few pairs I mean too many pairs of expensive Sergio Rossi shoes on her trip to Europe, so she’s got blisters in her future for sure!

The Beauty Brains bottom line

This product seems like a well-formulated solution for a common problem. But if you feel like you’re getting ripped off because you’re paying for “shortening,” you could try cheaper alternatives (hand lotion? lip gloss?) and see how they work for you. If you find something that keeps you blister-free, let us know and we’ll blog about it!

What do you think? Are blisters from new shoes a big problem for you? Does it bother you enough to buy a special product? Leave a comment and share your shoe stories with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }

Potter April 30, 2008 at 12:14 am: I have not had a blister since I bought the blister stick a few months ago. I have one in my purse, my backpack, my office and my bathroom. It is, indeed, the bomb diggity.
Marnie April 30, 2008 at 8:56 am: Body Glide anti-chafing stick works really well. Costs about $10, looks like a stick of deodorant and lasts a long time.
dt May 1, 2008 at 12:54 pm: Use the blister block bandages. They are awesome. Not only do they cover the blister and prevent it getting worse they help it heal.
caryha May 7, 2008 at 8:26 pm: Any silicone hair product does exactly the same thing. I always just use a little shine spray or pomade on my feet and ankles when I wear new shoes and haven’t had a blister in years…
Melissa May 9, 2008 at 5:14 pm: Hm, I think I need to tell my friend about this Blister Block stuff. She had a really traumatic experience using Heel Grips in an attempt to prevent blisters. I can testify that her feet did, in fact, look gnarly.
Debbie June 24, 2008 at 3:47 pm: Where can you purchase Band-Aid Blister Block. I’ve looked everywhere and no luck on-line either.

I emailed Johnson and Johnson and they give me a list of websites and stores that don’t have it. I want it !
Kathy June 25, 2008 at 2:05 pm: I bought one at Wal-Mart a couple months ago and went back yesterday for another but couldn’t find it again…so I’m trying all the drug/sports stores. It is available lots of places online if you bomb out everywhere else.
vicky June 30, 2008 at 3:38 pm: I have also been looking for it everywhere and am wondering if it’s being taken off the market. None of the drugstores have it, and the place I ordered it from online sent me one (I ordered a 4-pack) and they don’t have any more either. What gives? Does anyone know?
Cherry July 1, 2008 at 4:41 pm: If I can say there is one product I swear by, it’s the Blister Block. It may be expensive shortening but it is worth every single penny if it means NO blisters. And you can’t beat the fact that it’s a small tube that you can pop in even the smallest handbag. A must. It’s great b/c it PREVENTS blisters rather than you FIXING a blister b/c by then you’ve already got the pain. For me, the blisters don’t come until after leaving home and it’s a great fix to lasting through the day.night.
I am also having a hard time finding it now too and would be sad if it’s discontinued.
In a nutshell – convenient, foot-saver that is worth every penny. At about $5, you can’t beat it.
Tip – On the Band-aid site – you can get a coupon for 75 cents off if you sign up for it. https://www.bandaid.com/couponBlisterBlock.jsp
Jax July 7, 2008 at 10:19 pm: I had been wondering that myself and my mom suggested just rubbing deoderant all over my feet (I use dove) and it has done the trick. And keeps my feet fresh. I walk alot (approx 10 miles a day between work and school with no car) and have yet to have a single blister when I remember to apply it all over my foot no matter the shoe!
chubby girl July 21, 2008 at 9:47 pm: This is a must have!!! I haven’t found it at any of my nearby drugstores lately and I just ordered a four-pack from “rapid supplies”. Fingers crossed.

Besides keeping my feet blister-free it also keeps my chubby thighs from chafing. Hot summer tempatures means skirts and dresses with no pantyhose, but my thighs could start a fire rubbing together!! With blister block on the contact zone, I glide through the hotest day with ease!!

Please, oh please, keep this on the market!
Karen August 9, 2008 at 10:10 pm: What about Chapstick? When you read the ingredients list, they’re practically identical. Has anyone tried this?
Patty September 12, 2008 at 2:29 pm: I haven’t seen it in a drugstore in a long time. It used to be on http://www.drugstore.com, but it’s no longer on there either. This is a really great product that WORKS!! Please post if you’ve seen it somewhere.
Melody September 16, 2008 at 8:11 pm: I wrote to Johnson & Johnson inquiring about why it has not been available recently. This was their official response:

Due to a supply issue, BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages BLISTER BLOCK® Stick is not available on shelves. We are working to resolve this issue and the product will be back on the shelf as soon as possible; however, we cannot provide a timeframe at the moment. We do apologize for any inconvenience.

Again, thank you for your interest in our company. Should you have any comments or questions in the future, please contact us via our website or by calling our toll-free number, 1-888-638-5242. Our specialists are available Monday through Friday between 8 AM and 5 PM EST and will be happy to assist you.

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At least it hasn’t been discontinued. I wish they’d work out whatever the issue is and get the product back on the shelves ASAP!
marsha April 27, 2009 at 6:20 am: I LOVE this stuff. I won”t go anywhere without my BlisterBlock!! The best thing out there!!!
Christen May 6, 2009 at 8:21 pm: I’m happy to read all of your glowing reviews. I saw this at Target over the weekend and wondered if it actually worked. I hadn’t seen it before until an “InStyle” mag advertisement in this month’s issue. If they are starting an ad campaign, that could lead to shortage.

In any case, happy to read the reviews-thanks!
Tiffany October 21, 2009 at 2:32 pm: Well, after reading all these comments my fingers are crossed that this works. Went to Target and got 3, one for me, my bestie and my mom.