The ingredients in icy hot include thirty percent Methyl Salicylate, ten percent Menthol, and small amounts of Carbomer, Cetyl Esters, Emulsifying Wax, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, and water. Menthol is a white crystalline organic compound, CH₃C₆H₉(C₃H₇)OH, obtained from peppermint oil or synthesized. It is used in perfumes, in cigarettes, as a mild topical anesthetic, and as a mint flavoring.  Methyl Salicylate is a colorless, yellowish, or reddish liquid, having the characteristic odor and taste of wintergreen. It is soluble in alcohol and glacial acetic acid, and is very slightly soluble in water. It is typically used as a flavoring agent.  It makes up the largest percent of the product, causes the change in sensation. Salicylate is an anti inflammatory, pain reducing and temperature reducing agent. It’s a compound that inhibits prostaglandins, or substances that contribute to pain and inflammation. Salicylates cause a detaching of oxidative phosphate groups that have been added onto the structure. The Salicylate then performs catabolism, which is the metabolic breakdown of complex molecules into simpler ones, often resulting in a release of heat energy and causing the warm sensation. Methyl Salicylate has a chemical structure of C8H8O3, 8 carbons, 8 hydrogens, and 3 oxygens. The complete formula has atomic mass of 152.14. To make Methyl Salicylate, Salicylic Acid and Methanol must be combined, C₇H₆O₃ + CH₃OH -> C₈H₈O₃ + H₂O. Methyl Salicylate has the odor and taste of wintergreen, which contributes to the strong mint scent of icy hot. Menthol also has a strong peppermint scent associated with it, so together the two reactants create the minty scent of the product.