What is Pepper Spray? Pepper Gel? How to Use and Where to Buy These Personal Safety Products
The peppers of pepper spray may surprise you. Yes, MACE® pepper sprays and pepper gels are made with peppers, hot peppers. Education is empowerment, and learning about what our products are made of helps us all understand how our personal safety products work. 
Oleo means "oil," and oleoresin means "oil with resins." Capsicum is an ingredient in peppers. Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) is the oily organic resin derived from hot peppers.
PEPPER SPRAY SCOVILLE RATING
WHAT MAKES PEPPERS HOT?
The heat in peppers comes from capsaicin. The greater the concentration of capsaicin, the hotter the pepper. Take a look at the chart above.
It's often said the seeds are the source of the heat in peppers, but while the seeds are indeed hot, they don't cause the heat. A membrane in peppers called the placenta stores the heat. The seeds are attached to the membrane, and the heat is transferred to the seeds, not stored in them.
Your mouth's pain receptors transmit the heat sensation of peppers with the help of a neurotransmitter. A runny nose and watery eyes often follow the immediate wave of fire from a hot pepper, and some people even start sweating after eating a hot pepper. The same thing happens when you come in contact with pepper spray or pepper gel: runny nose, watery eyes, and if the concentration is enough, the eyes close and breathing becomes difficult.
Capsaicin in smaller amounts releases certain endorphins in the body, causing some people to feel exhilarated. A bonus, capsaicin triggers thermogenesis in many people, a fat-burning process. Some people claim eating peppers helps them lose weight.
WHAT IS PEPPER GEL?
We call it the "stickier cousin" of our pepper spray, and MACE® invented it. Pepper gel is designed to give you a longer range of protection, and it's made with the same super hot peppers used in our popular pepper sprays. Pepper gel is more resistant to wind than pepper spray, making it ideal for outdoor use. It disperses in a steady, tight stream, which also makes it more likely to reach your target in windy conditions.
Pepper gel sticks to an assailant, and if the target tries to rub it off, its potency increases.
WHAT IS PEPPER SPRAY?
Pepper spray tends to spread out as it heads toward your target. Both pepper gel and pepper spray cause an intense burning sensation to a target's nose, eyes, throat, and skin. The effects last about 45 minutes, which gives you time to escape from a dangerous situation. Both are great empowerment tools.
Cross-contamination is more likely to happen when you dispense pepper spray with people nearby.
HOW TO USE PEPPER SPRAY AND PEPPER GEL
Three words to remember: flip, point, spray. With our unique flip-top, MACE® pepper sprays cannot be accidentally discharged and you can't spray yourself either. See for yourself:
Our pepper gels work in a similar fashion. Our largest volume pepper gel, the Magnum 9, has a special way to discharge it.
WHERE CAN YOU GET MACE® PRODUCTS?
The most convenient way for many people to purchase MACE® products and personal safety kits is to visit our website: WWW.MACE.COM. The kits all provide a significant savings. Two of our best sellers are the Apartment Safety Kit and the Dorm Room Safety Kit.
You can empower yourself in many ways through our partnerships with the retailers you see below. Some have in-store, on-line, or a combination of ways to get what you want. It's all about convenience and personal safety. For example, at Lowes.com, you can order a Mace® Brand product and pick it up at the Lowe's store that is closest to your home. Many private sporting good stores also carry our products, most keep them near the register.
HOW ELSE TO FIND MACE BRAND PERSONAL SAFETY PRODUCTS
Another tool to try is something most of us use all the time to find popular restaurant chains and retailers, a zip code locator. Just punch in your zip code and see how close MACE® products really are to you.
SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET SPRAYED IN THE FACE
The video below tells the story. A warning, it is graphic. We're adding "How to" videos to our website frequently, so you can refer to them for guidance 24/7.
That's Dan, our Director of Sales, a brave man. He'll do just about anything to demonstrate how our products work. It may be entertaining, but it's also a serious look at how our products can help ensure your personal safety. He's a firm believer in non-lethal personal safety products and is also keen on situational awareness.
Stay safe everyone.
ANOTHER STORY YOU WOULD ENJOY: Which Personal Safety Devices are Right for You? (mace.com)
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