Migraine Science
CROWN vs CROWN Plus: which cooling roller is right for you
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Roller comparison
Two cooling rollers, one family, and a real question about which one belongs in your bag. Here is how CROWN and CROWN Plus differ, what each one feels like, and how to pick.
Quick answer
CROWN is the everyday roller, and it isn't just about the cold: menthol and camphor bring the cooling, and magnesium, Bing Pian, Chuan Xiong and German chamomile round it out, in a fast, dry hydroethanolic base made for use up to 3 to 4 times a day. CROWN Plus is the hard-days roller: four layered coolants (menthol, menthyl lactate, WS-3 and WS-23), with Bing Pian, Chuan Xiong and Bai Zhi, in a water-free MCT oil base that gives a deeper cold that lasts longer, and you can reapply it as needed. They are two different rollers for two different kinds of day.
CROWN Plus is not a replacement for CROWN. We are keeping both, on purpose, because they suit different people and different moments. Here is the plain comparison, the reasoning behind each difference, and a short FAQ.
Side by side
| CROWN | CROWN Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptor on the box | Cooling Roll-On | Maximum Cooling Roll-On |
| Cooling approach | Menthol led, with camphor and borneol. More than cooling: magnesium, herbs and chamomile, made for everyday use. | Four TRPM8 coolants (menthol, menthyl lactate, WS-3, WS-23) plus borneol |
| Menthol | 7%, disclosed | Yes, second ingredient by weight (percentage not published while a patent is pending) |
| Camphor | 3% | None |
| Magnesium chloride | 2% | None |
| Traditional herbs | Bing Pian (borneol) 1.5%, Chuan Xiong 2% | Bing Pian, Chuan Xiong, plus Bai Zhi |
| Base | Alcohol and water (hydroethanolic) | MCT oil, anhydrous |
| Preservatives | Not needed; alcohol base | Not needed; no water phase |
| Onset | Fast, sharp, with a warm note from camphor | Fast sharp cold, then a slower second wave |
| Duration | Shorter; alcohol flashes off | Longer; oil stays on skin |
| Scent | Mint, camphor, herbal | Mint and eucalyptus, softened with spearmint and Roman chamomile |
| Lavender | None | None |
| Where to buy | cerebraltorque.com and Amazon | cerebraltorque.com and Amazon |
| Size | 10 mL amber glass roller | 10 mL amber glass roller |
What each one feels like
CROWN
CROWN arrives fast. The alcohol base evaporates in seconds, the menthol hits, and camphor adds a brief warm undertone most people describe as "Tiger Balm, but cleaner." The cold peaks early and tapers over the next twenty to forty minutes depending on how much you used. It is strong for a roller, and the comfort margin is wide when applied thinly.
CROWN Plus
CROWN Plus comes on in two stages. Menthol and WS-3 give a sharp cold within the first minute, similar in speed to CROWN but without the warm camphor note. As menthol peaks, the slower coolants take over and the sensation settles into a steady, deep cold that lasts considerably longer. Because it is an oil, the skin stays slightly slick for a few minutes rather than drying instantly. That is the trade for the longer window.
It is concentrated, and it spreads. One thin roll across each temple and one across the back of the neck is plenty. Apply it like a drugstore peppermint stick and it will feel like too much.
How the formulas differ, and why
The differences in CROWN Plus come from what a hard-days roller needs: a deeper cold that lasts longer, in a water-free base. Here is each one.
Four layered coolants
At high concentration menthol opens TRPM8, the cold you want, and starts to activate TRPA1, the sting you do not. Menthyl lactate, WS-3 and WS-23 open TRPM8 and, in the receptor studies available, largely leave TRPA1 alone. WS-3 is roughly as potent as menthol; WS-23 is about ten times weaker and gentler; menthyl lactate is reported by formulators to be slower and longer, a reputation from industry sensory panels rather than published skin studies. Layering them lets CROWN Plus deliver more total cold without pushing menthol past its comfort point. Receptor data and evidence grades are in the CROWN Plus science article.
Bai Zhi
Bai Zhi (Angelica dahurica root) is the herb Chinese medicine pairs with Chuan Xiong for frontal headache. Its furanocoumarins modulate TRPV1, the heat receptor, in cell and rat studies, and animal work shows the pairing raises exposure to Chuan Xiong's phthalides. We think it belongs next to Chuan Xiong, and the full mechanistic case is in the science article.
Camphor in CROWN only
Camphor is the source of CROWN's warm note and a legitimate FDA-monograph counterirritant, and it is part of what makes CROWN feel the way it does. CROWN Plus was designed to feel purely cold, with no warm phase, so it goes without.
Magnesium in CROWN only
This one comes down to chemistry. Magnesium chloride is a salt and will not dissolve in oil, so a water-free roller cannot carry it without turning gritty. CROWN's water-and-alcohol base can, and CROWN includes it for the muscular, neck-and-shoulder side of migraine. CROWN Plus is built on oil, so it takes a different route.
Two different bases
The hydroethanolic base gives CROWN its instant, dry finish, with the coolants arriving fast and flashing off quickly. CROWN Plus uses caprylic/capric triglyceride, the light fraction of coconut oil, which keeps the coolants on the skin longer. With no water in the bottle, it needs no preservatives. It is oxidatively stable, nearly odorless, stays liquid in a cold car, and tested non-irritating in the patch studies reviewed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel. The supporting ingredients that make a strong oil formula feel soft are covered in the quiet ingredients in CROWN Plus.
What both share
No lavender in either. No synthetic fragrance, no parabens. Every ingredient printed on the box in order of concentration. Vegan, cruelty-free, lab tested, amber glass, 10 mL. Both are made for Cerebral Torque, a migraine education platform based in New Jersey, and every bottle funds the free content we publish.
Who each roller is for
Everyday
CROWN, the everyday roller
- You want more than cooling: menthol and camphor bring the cold, and magnesium, Bing Pian, Chuan Xiong and German chamomile round it out, which is why it's made for everyday use, up to 3 to 4 times a day.
- You like a dry, fast finish with no oil left on the skin.
- You want the warm-then-cool camphor character and the magnesium for neck and shoulder tension.
Hard days
CROWN Plus, the hard-days roller
- You want a deeper, longer-lasting cold for the hard days, and the option to reapply as needed.
- You want the cold built from four layered coolants rather than menthol alone.
- You prefer an oil that stays put over an alcohol base that dries instantly, or alcohol irritates your skin with repeated use.
- You like a water-free formula with bisabolol, Roman chamomile and vitamin E.
You can also keep both: CROWN for everyday use, CROWN Plus for the hard days. Neither is a treatment for migraine, and neither replaces the plan you have with your clinician.
Price and how we position them
CROWN Plus costs more than CROWN because its formula is longer: four layered coolants, Bai Zhi alongside Bing Pian and Chuan Xiong, bisabolol, Roman chamomile and vitamin E, all in an MCT oil base. Both are 10 mL rollers that last months when used thinly, so the choice comes down to the kind of cold you want: the everyday roller or the hard-days roller. Current prices are on each product page.
Pick your CROWN
Both lavender-free. Both fully listed on the box. Both made by people who have migraine.
Both ship through Amazon with Prime delivery and easy returns: CROWN Plus on Amazon and CROWN on Amazon.
Frequently asked questions
Is CROWN Plus just CROWN with more menthol?
No. They are two different rollers. CROWN Plus layers four coolants (menthol, menthyl lactate, WS-3 and WS-23) for a deeper cold that lasts longer, with Bing Pian, Chuan Xiong and Bai Zhi in a water-free MCT oil base. CROWN pairs menthol with camphor, Bing Pian, Chuan Xiong and magnesium in a hydroethanolic base.
Which one should I choose?
It depends on the kind of cold you want. CROWN is the everyday roller: fast and dry, and more than cooling, with magnesium, Bing Pian, Chuan Xiong and German chamomile alongside the menthol and camphor, which is why it's made for use up to 3 to 4 times a day. CROWN Plus is the hard-days roller: a deeper, longer-lasting cold in an oil base that you can reapply as needed.
Does CROWN Plus feel hotter than CROWN?
No. CROWN Plus is built to feel purely cold. CROWN's brief warm note comes from camphor, which CROWN Plus does not contain.
Why does CROWN Plus not contain magnesium?
Magnesium chloride does not dissolve in oil, so a water-free roller cannot carry it without becoming gritty. CROWN, with its water-and-alcohol base, contains 2 percent magnesium chloride for the muscular, neck-and-shoulder use case.
Is CROWN Plus on Amazon?
Yes. Both rollers are on Amazon with Prime shipping and easy returns, and both are on cerebraltorque.com. The Amazon buttons on each product page take you straight to the listing.
Do the two rollers share any ingredients?
Yes: menthol, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, borneol (Bing Pian) and Chuan Xiong root oil are in both. Both are lavender-free and free of synthetic fragrance, and both list every ingredient on the box.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes. Not for use on children under 2. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have a medical condition, talk to your healthcare provider before use. Sensory descriptions reflect our own use and customer feedback, not clinical measurement. This article is for general information and is not medical advice.
Where to next?
Pick a topic and dive into more free, research-backed guides in the Migraine Resource Hub.
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