Joint & Muscle Care
Naturally active, drug-free creams to ease everyday joint and muscle aches, stiffness and pain. Joint and muscle pain is a very common part of daily life, from stiff, ageing joints and post-exercise soreness to the discomfort many people associate with arthritis and fibromyalgia. The Actimas range gives you drug-free creams you can rub straight into the area, built around clinically researched Celadrin and plant-based Boswellia and Commiphora, to soothe aches, ease stiffness and support flexibility. Dermatologically tested and made in Britain.
Shop drug-free creams for joint and muscle aches, stiffness and pain
What causes joint and muscle pain?
Joint and muscle pain is one of the most common everyday complaints, and it becomes more likely as we get older. Muscles can ache after exercise, overuse or tension, while joints can feel stiff, sore or creaky as the smooth cartilage that cushions them gradually wears with age.
Persistent joint pain and stiffness are often linked to conditions such as arthritis and osteoarthritis, while widespread muscle aches and tenderness can be part of fibromyalgia. These are medical conditions, so if your pain is severe, new or getting worse, it is worth seeing your GP. Many people prefer a drug-free, topical option they can rub straight into the area and use regularly, alongside gentle movement and warmth, to help manage everyday aches and stay mobile.
Stiff, sore or creaky knees, hands, hips and shoulders.
Aching or overworked muscles after exercise or activity.
The widespread muscle aches and tenderness associated with fibromyalgia.
Morning stiffness and night-time aches.
The joint stiffness and discomfort associated with arthritis and osteoarthritis.
General everyday aches, tension and reduced flexibility.
If your pain is severe or sudden, follows an injury, or is new or getting worse, please see your GP rather than relying on a topical cream.
Cold, damp weather
Long periods of sitting still or inactivity
Ageing and general wear on the joints
Overusing or straining a joint or muscle
Heavy activity or exercise, especially without warming up
Stress, tiredness and being run down
You cannot avoid all of these, but gentle movement, warmth and consistent daily care can help keep aches and stiffness more manageable.
What helps
- Gentle, regular movement to keep joints mobile
- Warmth, such as a warm bath or a heat pack
- A drug-free cream you can rub into the area
- Using something consistently, not only during a flare
- Pacing activity and taking regular breaks
What to avoid
- Staying completely still for long periods
- Overdoing activity without warming up first
- Relying only on oral painkillers, if you would rather not
- Ignoring pain that is severe, new or worsening
- Expecting any cream to be a cure
Why we recommend Actimas for joint and muscle care
Actimas is our range of drug-free creams for everyday joint and muscle aches, stiffness and pain. Rather than relying on oral painkillers, each cream is rubbed straight into the affected muscle or joint, so you can use it as often as you need. Actimas is dermatologically tested and made in Britain.
The range gives you two options. Celafen is fast-acting, built around clinically researched Celadrin, a complex of esterified fatty acids, with cooling menthol and soothing arnica, and many people feel it working within around 30 minutes. Boswellia & Commiphora is plant-based and vegan, built around frankincense and myrrh, and designed for slower, long-term joint support with daily use. Many people use the two together, Celafen for fast relief and Boswellia & Commiphora for ongoing joint care.
Actimas benefits
Works through active ingredients rubbed into the skin, not painkilling drugs, so it is suitable for regular daily use and a popular choice for people who would rather not rely on oral painkillers.
Helps soothe aching muscles and stiff, sore joints, and supports flexibility, so you can keep moving more comfortably.
Celafen is fast-acting, with cooling menthol and clinically researched Celadrin, and many people feel it working within around 30 minutes, ideal for flare-ups and night-time aches.
The plant-based, vegan Boswellia & Commiphora Cream, made with frankincense and myrrh, is designed for slower, ongoing joint support with daily use.
Built around Celadrin, studied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for flexibility and comfort, and Boswellia, the subject of many published studies on joint comfort and stiffness.
Creams you apply directly to the affected muscle or joint, such as the knees, hands, hips, shoulders and back, so care goes exactly where you need it.
Boswellia & Commiphora is registered as vegan with PETA. Celafen is not vegan, as it contains animal-derived Celadrin. Both are cruelty-free.
Dermatologically tested and made in Britain, and free from parabens, SLS and MI. Both creams contain sweet almond and wheat germ oils, so patch test first if you have a nut or wheat allergy.
How to use Actimas
Actimas Boswellia & Commiphora Cream
(every day, for long-term joint support)
Massage into stiff or aching joints, like knees, hands, hips and shoulders, once or twice a day. Plant-based and vegan, made with frankincense and myrrh, it is built for steady joint support that adds up over time.
(every day, and the moment pain flares)
Rub into sore muscles and stiff joints morning and evening, and again whenever pain flares, after exercise or before bed. With cooling menthol and clinically researched Celadrin, most people feel it working within around 30 minutes, and the benefit deepens with daily use.
Which Actimas cream is right for you?
The two creams do different jobs and work well together. Choose Boswellia & Commiphora for everyday, long-term support of stiff or worn joints, especially if you prefer a plant-based, vegan formula. Reach for Celafen when you want faster relief, or for muscle pain, flare-ups and aches that disturb sleep, where its cooling menthol and Celadrin work quickly. Many people use both: Boswellia & Commiphora daily to keep joints comfortable, and Celafen for fast relief when they need it.
Real results from real customers
Everyday muscle and joint pain is very common, and many people understandably prefer a topical, drug-free option they can apply directly to the area and use consistently over time. As a dermatologist, what reassures me is a formula that is gentle and well tolerated on the skin, used with realistic expectations: the aim is to ease discomfort and stay mobile, not to expect any cream to be a cure.
Joint and muscle pain can have many causes. If your pain is severe or sudden, follows an injury, or is new or getting worse, please see your GP. Actimas creams are drug-free products designed to help ease everyday aches and stiffness, and are not a cure or a replacement for medical treatment.
Joint and muscle care: frequently asked questions
1. What are Actimas creams used for?
Actimas creams are drug-free creams used to ease everyday muscle and joint aches, stiffness and pain. People rub them into sore muscles and stiff joints for flare-ups, post-exercise soreness, night-time aches, and the discomfort associated with conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia. Because they are drug-free, they can be used as often as needed.
2. What is the difference between Celafen and Boswellia & Commiphora?
Both are Actimas muscle and joint creams, but they do different jobs. Celafen is fast-acting, built around Celadrin, and a popular choice when you want quick relief for muscle and joint pain, including flare-ups and night-time aches. Boswellia & Commiphora Cream is plant-based and vegan, built around frankincense and myrrh, and designed for slower, long-term joint support with daily use. Many people use the two together: Celafen for fast relief, Boswellia & Commiphora for ongoing joint care.
3. What is Celadrin, and how does it work?
Celadrin is a clinically researched complex of esterified fatty acids and the key active in Celafen. Applied to the skin, it is thought to work by supporting the cushioning and lubrication around joints and muscles while easing discomfort and helping flexibility. In a published, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, people using Celadrin showed greater flexibility and reported less pain than those using a placebo.
4. What are Boswellia and Commiphora?
Boswellia (frankincense) and Commiphora (myrrh) are two aromatic plant resins that have been used to support joints for centuries. Boswellia in particular has been the subject of many published studies on joint comfort and stiffness. In this cream they are massaged into the skin over the affected joint, supported by arnica and comfrey, and work gently with regular daily use.
5. How quickly do Actimas creams work?
It depends which one. Many people feel Celafen's cooling relief within around 30 minutes, which makes it useful for flare-ups and sudden aches. Boswellia & Commiphora is designed to work gradually, with many people noticing their joints feel more comfortable over a few weeks of daily use, building over the following months.
6. Can Actimas help with arthritis or osteoarthritis?
Many customers use Actimas creams to help manage the everyday joint pain and stiffness associated with arthritis and osteoarthritis, rubbing them into affected areas such as the knees, hands and hips. They are not a medical treatment and will not cure arthritis, but as drug-free creams they can be a helpful part of a daily comfort routine. If your symptoms are severe, new or worsening, speak to your GP.
7. Can Actimas help with fibromyalgia?
Actimas creams are popular with people living with fibromyalgia, who use them for the widespread muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness that can come with the condition. Everyone experiences fibromyalgia differently, so results vary, and the creams are there to help manage day-to-day discomfort rather than to treat the condition itself. Many people find them most helpful when used consistently and alongside the wider support recommended by their healthcare team.
8. Are Actimas creams drug-free?
Yes. They work through their active ingredients, Celadrin, menthol and arnica in Celafen, and frankincense, myrrh, arnica and comfrey in Boswellia & Commiphora, rather than through painkilling drugs. That makes them suitable for regular, daily use and a popular choice for people who would rather not rely on oral painkillers.
9. Which Actimas cream is vegan?
Boswellia & Commiphora is vegan and registered as vegan with PETA. Celafen is not vegan because it contains animal-derived Celadrin. Both creams are cruelty-free and approved under PETA's Global Animal Test Policy.
10. Do they contain nuts or wheat, and are they suitable for sensitive skin?
Both creams contain sweet almond oil and wheat germ oil, so they are not suitable for anyone with a nut or wheat allergy. Boswellia & Commiphora also contains pinene and limonene, fragrance compounds that occur naturally in the frankincense and myrrh oils. Both are dermatologically tested and free from parabens, SLS and MI, but as with any topical we recommend a patch test before first use.
11. Can I use Actimas during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
We would not recommend using Boswellia & Commiphora during pregnancy or while breastfeeding without first checking with your midwife, GP or pharmacist, as it contains essential oils. It is sensible to get personalised advice before using any topical product with essential oils at this time, so if you are in any doubt, speak to a healthcare professional first.
12. Can I use Actimas alongside my usual painkillers or medication?
Many people use a topical cream alongside their other pain management. If you are taking prescribed medication or are unsure, check with your GP or pharmacist first, and never stop a prescribed treatment without medical advice.
13. How do I use Actimas creams, and how often?
Rub a small amount into the affected muscle or joint. Celafen can be used as often as you need, up to several times a day, and Boswellia & Commiphora is best massaged in daily. Both are for external use only, so avoid broken skin and the eye area, wash your hands after applying, and patch test before first use.
Explore other skin concerns
