Shaving in the shower and in a fit of boredom, I read the ingredients label on my can of gilette. I’m guessing it has something to do with the gel qualities of shaving cream.
I guess the real question would be:
Who discovered that spermicidal chemicals would make shaving cream better? (Scary thought–shaving with lubricant)
OR
Who discovered that a gelling ingredient of shaving cream would make a great non-irritating spermicide? (Scarier thought–shaving cream covered penis! [::deepvoice::don’t worry honey-I’m protected]
I guess this is more of a which came first question…
And the fun part–could these experiments be duplicated?
Being ignorant of chemistry, I don’t know how close nonoxynol-9 is to nonoxynol-10, but I have previously noticed the latter listed as an ingredient of shampoo.
I felt stupid for not providing some evidence for the ingredients list. I can’t scan the can, and there seems to be no record of the ingredient list so far. But I am finding that various nonoxynols (10,14) etc are used in different creams and shampoos. So the real question is are they using spermicide as a foaming agent or a foaming agent as a spermicide???
I don’t think it has so much to do with the gel factor as it does that it’s a pretty good lubricant. That is, it helps yer razor glide along your skin better and reduces the risk of nicks. Conversely, it gives you a little help in the sex department, either if your partner is wearing his raincoat like a good little do-bee or you just need a little extra gliding power.
God knows how someone found out N9 was good for committing spermicide (why don’t the fundies start attacking that instead? Infanticide, feticide - feh! Spermicide stops life even before it’s conceived! Yer goin’ ta hell for sure now.), and my lunch break is almost over so I can’t go off and do the research now. Altho’ it would be fun to find out the story behind it.
this is so effing creepy! I stood shaving not two days ago, and accidentally read “Nonoxynol-9” in the ingredients list (are they considered ingredients? I don’t eat the stuff)
Scientifically speaking, detergents dissolve lipids. IIRC, N-9’s spermicidal activity is based on its tendency to dissolve the lipid membrane of sperm cells. It also affects pathogenic bacteria, which have lipid membranes too.
But I don’t know if the Shaving Cream People put it in there to kill pathogens. It may be used as just another detergent.
I certainly did not do a thorough search before posting. But I’m really glad to know I’m not the only person who notices these things. Guess I know what I can use that Gillette for now. (But not the kind with menthol in it.)
Mystery solved. Alphagene feel free to kill thread.
This is just a WAG, but I do remember that sharing a razor sets up the risk of sharing a blood-borne disease, such as hepatitis-B or Human Immunodefficiency Virus. I feel I probably misspelled something there.
