UrbanUpdate

I brought some nipple butter to a potluck dinner with friends. It’s edible, yes, though it wasn’t my contribution to the feast (for that I also brought popcorn and whiskey). But I had just picked up a jar of The Honest Company’s Organic Nipple Balm before dinner, so it was in my bag.

To be clear, the product was created for nursing mothers. But I’m a runner, and I stumbled on this little product while searching for a solution for the unique discomfort of nipple-chafing. (If this hasn't happened to you, I'll explain: The constant movement of sweaty mesh athletic wear against the two biologically useless protuberances on your chest can make them raw and sore. Yes, it's as horrible as it sounds. Most distance runners—both professional and amateur—have had to deal with bloody nipples at some point.)

There was an OB/GYN at the table, and he said he often prescribes some kind of nipple butter to his patients who are breastfeeding. It helps with "irritated nipples," and it's "safe for babies." To that end, Honest Co.’s is all-natural, unscented, and strictly made of food-grade ingredients.

Out came the jar for inspection.

Three of the guys at this dinner party, myself included, took turns applying it. It was during overtime of the Jayhawks game, alright? The stuff melts to a buttery liquid as soon as it’s on your fingertips—a sign that it's not packed full of synthetic junk. What it does have are all the ingredients you'd want in a lip balm or healing skin ointment, as a female friend pointed out: Shea butter and aloe for softness, plus sunflower, coconut, olive, and calendula oils. “Nipple butter is a secret-weapon lip balm for lots of women,” she said. “We even use it for cuticles and dry elbows.” At which point the two women in the group started applying it to everything except the one area it's designed for.

Read MoreThe Grooming Shortcut Every Man Should Take

Get acquainted with dry shampoo.

By Benjy Hansen-Bundy

At the same time, the guys in the room are rubbing nipple butter underneath their college hoodies. One friend remarked on its stain-free absorption (read: no oily nipple marks on your t-shirt). He said lots of athletes could benefit from it, using it to treat any body part that is exposed to the elements or gets a lot of friction during training. The extra buffer keeps the most sensitive skin on your body from succumbing to the elements. And he was an Orange Bowl-winning offensive lineman. Then he casually mentioned that leather-fetishists would probably like it, too. His girlfriend laughed knowingly. Good for those two.

Fast forward a bit and I’m a couple weeks into my own nip-softening regimen. I'm a convert; nipple butter is pretty effective. I'll put it on pre-run to minimize chafing, then again after I shower to help keep 'em smooth. (I'm checking right now to confirm their smoothness. Definitely smooth.) It's not unlike skiers who put on massive amounts of lip balm before heading down hill.

So to all the runners out there, this is the solution to your sweaty-shirt-rubbing-on-nips woes. But be warned: My balm is disappearing faster than I'd expected. I find myself using it on at least five other body parts. I'm not going to say which ones.

Watch Now: James Marshall Takes on Marathon de Sables, a 140 Mile Race Through the Sahara Desert

Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQGroomingRunningRunning