# what is nonoxynol-9 doing in shaving cream? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 6, 2000, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240 "2000-09-06T16:08:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SueFriendly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@SueFriendly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SueFriendly)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/1 "2000-09-06T16:08:38Z")
Actually I already have a pretty good guess why… 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? Sue ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/2 "2000-09-06T16:21:51Z")
Are you sure you’re not shaving with your spermicidal foam? ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/3 "2000-09-06T16:53:28Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![SueFriendly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@SueFriendly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SueFriendly)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/4 "2000-09-06T17:01:01Z")
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??? ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/5 "2000-09-06T17:05:21Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/6 "2000-09-06T20:31:43Z")
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) cecil works in mysterious ways. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2000, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/7 "2000-09-06T22:06:16Z")
Has nobody made the obvious joke in this, or did I just miss that post? 😃 It’s for…nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/8 "2000-09-07T01:40:33Z")
I had this same question! 😃 [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=20071](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=20071) ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/9 "2000-09-07T01:43:34Z")
> [@](#): > > TomH > Member > > I think it’s a bactericide as well as a spermicide. It may be there to reduce the chance of getting an infection in any nicks and cuts. > 03-28-2000 04:46 AM makes sence to me! ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/10 "2000-09-07T03:56:43Z")
As Cecil said in a [recent column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000630.html): > [@](#): > > N-9 is a “nonionic detergent”–you can find variants of it in degreasers sold at auto parts stores 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. ---
**Author:** ![SueFriendly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@SueFriendly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SueFriendly)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2000, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/11 "2000-09-08T18:42:39Z")
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. Thanks guys. Sue ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2000, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nonoxynol-9-doing-in-shaving-cream/32240/12 "2000-09-11T02:04:41Z")
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.