Noxzema and generics ingredients lists

[danielrhall]

I apologize for the length of this post, but I hope the information is useful. Like many of you, I’ve found the application of Noxzema Cleansing Cream as a pre-shave to work very well for myself. With a thin application of it and a hot washcloth held to my face for a minute, a shower before shaving is not required (but still preferential). There are many posts here extolling the virtues of Noxzema as well as supporters and detractors of the various generic versions available. So I thought I’d share some recent research I’ve done regarding the various formulations available for Noxzema Cleansing Cream and its generic versions.

Going from shop to shop and trying to remember the various formulations was driving me crazy until I wrote them down, and it was then that I discovered a few important things. One is that Noxzema changed their formulation in the recent past, not for the better in my opinion. It’s possible to find older jars out there that have slightly different ingredients than the new formulations but probably not for long. Secondly, many of the online lists of ingredients for Noxzema do not match what is found in the jar nowadays. And lastly, if one wants something close to the classic Noxzema formulation – what you bought when you were young, or indeed what you bought over a year or so ago – you really have to buy one of the generic versions, because real Noxzema doesn’t seem to be real Noxzema any more.

I compared both versions of Noxzema in the jars available today as well as the Walmart, CVS and Rite Aid house brands, and the house brand of my nearby regional grocery store chain. The generic versions are copies of the so-called original Noxzema and not the version with moisturizers (CVS's being the exception). So…on to the ingredients lists, taken from the jars themselves:

Noxzema Classic Clean Original Deep Cleansing Cream
Water, Stearic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Fragrance, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Oil, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Gelatin, Ammonium Hydroxide, DMDM Hydantoin, Calcium Stearate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Calcium Bicarbonate, Potassium Chloride

The above list of ingredients does not match what you’ll find on the CVS, Rite Aid or Walgreen's online ingredient lists!

Noxzema Classic Clean Moisturizing Cleansing Cream
Water, Stearic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance, Gelatin, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Camphor, Menthol, DMDM Hydantoin, Propylparaben, Calcium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride

Equate Deep Cleansing Skin Cream
Water, Stearic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance, Gelatin, Camphor, Phenol, Ammonium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Calcium Hydroxide, Menthol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride

Hannaford Healthy Accents Skin Cream
Water, Stearic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance, Gelatin, Camphor, Phenol, Ammonium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Calcium Hydroxide, Menthol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride

Rite Aid Renewal Skin Cleansing Cream
Water, Stearic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Propylene Glycol, Gelatin, Camphor, Phenol, Ammonium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Oil, Calcium Hydroxide, Menthol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Fragrance

CVS Original Skin Cleansing Cream
Water, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Ammonium Hydroxide, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Menthol, Calcium Hydroxide, Camphor, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Fragrance

So the first thing I noticed is that while Noxzema used to contain camphor, phenol and menthol, the new classic (oxymoron!) formulation does not. I suspect that explains why the aroma of the new version isn’t what I remember, since those ingredients have very pungent smells. The moisturizing version of “Classic Clean” Noxzema does have camphor and menthol, but no phenol. It also has two forms of parabens, an ingredient that some people would prefer to avoid. It does have eucalyptus oil but that seems to be pretty far down the ingredient list. The moisturizing version doesn’t smell strongly of eucalyptus (or camphor or menthol for that matter); it has a very perfumy aroma that I don’t particularly like. And also gone from both the classic and moisturizing versions seems to be that characteristic crumbly texture. Both look very smooth in the jar, like cold cream.

The Equate, Rite Aid and Healthy Accents versions of classic Noxzema-style cleansing cream are essentially identical. The Rite Aid version lists fragrance last but is otherwise exactly the same as the other two. And those three are actually more similar to classic Noxzema than the currently available actual classic Noxzema. Phenol, camphor and menthol have properties that I desire and so I’m glad to find them included.

The CVS version…I don’t know what to make of that. It seems to be a cleansing cream that has many of the same ingredients as the Noxzema moisturizing version, but in a very different order, and so presumably in very different quantities. I’m not sure if they were just making it up as they went or purposely avoiding a close copy of a particular formulation for other reasons, but they seem to have created their own kind of frankencream that has the word original in its name for some strange reason.

So as skin creams go, the more original formulation of Noxzema as represented by the generics other than CVS are fairly “natural” product, with many beneficial ingredients, including linseed (flax seed) oil, soybean oil, eucalyptus leaf oil, glycerin, menthol, camphor and phenol (carbolic acid). I put the word natural in quotation marks because while there are natural sources of these ingredients, I can’t be sure if the manufacturers in fact use synthesized versions of these ingredients. There is an online post by a representative of Alberto Culver that claims that some of the other ingredients, like the chlorides, the sulfate and the bicarbonate have always been used in Noxzema but are only now “newly claimed”, and are used to soften the water during manufacturing, though more likely they are used to buffer some of the acidic ingredients. I suspect that the reason that so many new forms of preservatives appear in the new Noxzema formulations is due to the loss of phenol, which has strong antimicrobial properties.

I fully disclose that I have not actually purchased and used anything listed here but the Healthy Accents, and only once so far. So I can’t comment on consistent production quality or actual usage comparisons. I’m merely listing and doing my own analysis of the ingredients. I do hope that the Equate and other good generic copies are not changed to match the newest Noxzema formulations.

Bottom line summary in my opinion: if you love Noxzema but haven’t bought a jar in a while, it may not be what you know and love any longer. So if you want genuine Noxzema nowadays, you have to buy fake Noxzema. ;-)


Here are the current ingredients lists I found online. Note that they do not match the ingredients as listed on the jar.

CVS and Rite Aid online
Noxzema Classic Clean Original Deep Cleansing Cream
Water, Stearic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Gelatin, Camphor, Ammonium Hydroxide, Phenol, Calcium Hydroxide, Menthol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride

Walgreens online
Noxzema Classic Clean Original Deep Cleansing Cream
Water, Stearic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Oil Linseed, Glycine Soja Oil Soybean, Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Gelatin, Camphor, Ammonium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Oil, Calcium Hydroxide, Menthol, Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda), Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride

Here’s an incomplete list of ingredients and some of their properties:
Stearic Acid - saturated fatty acid, cleansing agent, emulsifier
Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil (flax seed oil) – skin conditioner
Glycine Soja Oil (soybean) – skin conditioner, emollient
Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Oil – antiseptic, antibacterial, skin conditioner, fragrance
Phenoxyethanol – preservative
Propylene Glycol – humectant, product stabilizer
Ammonium Hydroxide - pH adjuster
Calcium Hydroxide – pH adjuster
DMDM Hydantoin – preservative
Calcium Stearate – emulsifier
Disodium EDTA – preservative
Sodium Bicarbonate - pH adjuster
Calcium Chloride - thickener, astringent
Potassium Chloride - thickening agent
Magnesium Sulfate - bulking agent
Calcium Bicarbonate - pH adjuster, bulking agent
Methylparaben - anti-fungal, preservative
Propylparaben – preservative
Camphor - topical pain reliever, counterirritant, fragrance
Phenol – antimicrobial, fragrance
Menthol - topical anesthetic, fragrance

 

[Cash_Stronomer]

I always find it fascinating that for the most part store varieties and off shoots are pretty well identical products to their 'higher ups', but with the benefit of being affordable. The one Noxzema 'rip off' I've often wondered about is the Dollar Tree version that is out there. I would assume it would be a good product, but have not tried it yet as the odor is a little odd every time I open one in the store. One day though, I will get to it. Good little read by the way!

 

[Vintage Modern]

Interesting research. The good news, for me, is that the Noxzema I bought, liked, and have been using looks like it IS the reformulation. So it should stay easy to find.

 

[Mandina]

Thanks for the research!

 

[BSAGuy]

I agree. Thanks for the meticulous research.

 

[eleuther0s]

Great research. I love Noxzema every once in a while to give my face a good cleaning.

 

[feltspanky]

Nice informative research. I was a huge Noxzema fan until I found this product. Great lubrication without the smell to over-power the scents of my favorite shaving soaps and creams. I rub a small amount into my wet whiskers, brush lather my favorite soap or cream over the top, razor pass, rinse and repeat. Awesome shaves without irritation. Available for 3.99 in most big box retail stores.

http://www.neutrogena.com/product/neutrogena+men-+sensitive+skin+shave+cream.do?sortby=ourPicks

 

[fightingillini22]

I always use Noxzema in the shower as my pre-shave prep (the purple label, not the classic) and it's a great way to moisturize! Highly recommended.

 

[p38thadl]

I have an older (I'm thinking a decade, because nobody has cared that much about appearances since we got married, but for sure the container has changed) Personal Care Products, Inc.: Water, Stearic Acid, Linseed Oil, Soybean Oil, Fragrance, Ammonium Hydroxide, Camphor, Menthol, Eucalyptus Oil, Propylene Glycol, Gelatin, Calcium Hydroxide.

Down to the lucky 13th ounce, I think I'll transfer it to a small storage container like I have my KMF remnants in.

 

[auparson]

You beat me to this post by about 24 hours! I bought Noxzema about 5 months ago and it had camphor, phenol, menthol and eucalyptus in its ingredients. I looked at the ingredients specifically because in the old days I used Noxzema shaving cream in the can, and I know that there is now no longer any of those 4 ingredients in the canned shaving cream. I wanted to make sure they were still in the old-fashioned Noxzema tub.

Two days ago I was in CVS to buy a new tub of Noxzema and again I checked the ingredients. No menthol, no phenol, no camphor! The CVS brand had all but the phenol. I found, however, that the Noxzema in the travel-size tubs still had all of those ingredients, so I bought 4 of the little tubs.

Once again, they've changed the formula, hoping we wouldn't notice.

 

[danielrhall]

I've got a few more versions of generic Noxzema cleansing cream to add to the list.

Family Dollar Deep Cleansing Skin Cream #1 (15 Oz - $2)
Water, Stearic Acid, Ammonium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Calcium Hydroxide, BHT, Camphor, Menthol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Gelatin

Sort of like Noxzema Classic Clean Moisturizing Cleansing Cream, but with a very different order of ingredients. Ammonium Hydroxide and Propylene Glycol are nearer the top of the list ahead of the linseed (flax) seed oil. Camphor, menthol, eucalyptus leaf oil and glycerin are last. Missing or not listed are Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, and Potassium Chloride. This is the only version I’ve seen with BHT. I’ll avoid this one.

Family Dollar Deep Cleansing Skin Cream #2 (15 Oz - $2)
Water, Stearic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Fragrance, Ammonium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Gelatin, Camphor, Menthol, Phenol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Calcium Hydroxide

Another house brand seen at Family Dollar; same store, same shelf. This one is similar to the “good” generics like Walmart Equate, Rite Aid Renewal and Hannaford Healthy Accents. Unlike those, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, and Potassium Chloride are missing or not listed. This is a good generic and the price and quantity are fabulous. I have a suspicion though that this may be an older version in process of being superseded by the #1 version above.

Noxzema Classic Clean Original Deep Cleansing Cream (seen at Family Dollar, 12 oz - $3.99)
Water, Stearic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Gelatin, Camphor, Ammonium Hydroxide, Phenol , Calcium Hydroxide, Menthol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride

This was seen at a Family Dollar on the same shelf as the newer version of Noxzema Classic Clean Original but it has a much better list of ingredients (or in other words, more original than the new so-called original). This is even better than the good generics because the eucalyptus leaf oil is way up the ingredient list. This is probably an older version (last year before the reformulation) of original Noxzema. I saw one of these at Rite Aid too.

Walgreens Studio 35 Beauty Cleansing Cream (12 oz - $4.29)
Water, Stearic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance, Gelatin, Camphor, Phenol, Ammonium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Calcium Hydroxide, Menthol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride

This is another good generic identical to Walmart Equate, Rite Aid Renewal and Hannaford Healthy Accents. Price not great though. The Rite Aid Renewal price was just over $4 too. The Equate is least expensive at $2.78 and the Healthy Accents next at $3.29. If that Family Dollar #2 version stays around, that’s by far the best price for a good generic at two bucks for 15 ounces.

 

[paintflinger]

Great thread sir.

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

Good thread. Formulations and re-formulations are interesting to me. Lots of information and perhaps misinformation that can cause confusion. One beauty product review site (Paula's Choice/Beautypedia) says that only the phenol and lye was removed. It's ingredient list differs from yours. I haven't looked at a jar myself. Here's the review:
---------------------------
Review Overview
The Original Deep Cleansing Cream is a slightly modified version of the formula that started it all in 1914, when this product was launched with its “signature scent” of menthol, camphor, and eucalyptus oil. Those irritants are still present, but at least the phenol and lye aren’t included anymore. However, that doesn’t bring us any closer to recommending this product. To find out what we do recommend check out our Best Cleansers list on Beautypedia!

Claims
Deep cleans and dissolves oil while it conditions, leaving your skin soft and smooth-not overly dry. And its special blend of ingredients works to give you a tingle as invigorating as a good first date.

Ingredients
Water, Stearic Acid, Linseed Oil, Soybean Oil, Fragrance, Ammonium Hydroxide, Camphor, Menthol, Eucalyptus Oil, Propylene Glycol, Gelatin, Calcium Hydroxide

Brand Overview

Noxzema At-A-Glance
Strengths: None.
Weaknesses: Almost all products reviewed contain a blend of camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus oil; none of anti-acne or anti-blackhead products work as claimed; no topical disinfectant for acne-prone skin; no sunscreens; no moisturizers.

Your skin-care goal should never include causing needless irritation, but that's exactly what you'll get from almost all of the Noxzema products, and that seems to have been their theme for decades. Noxzema is proud of its history, but that pride is hollow because these products are a problem for any skin type. Also, what we know today about how to take the best possible care of skin is vastly different from what we knew when Noxzema first launched, and yet their formulas haven’t changed. Think of it like using a typewriter rather than a computer, why would you do that? Many of you may have nostalgic memories of Noxzema's recognizable scent, but that is the only way we'd recommend experiencing these products. With the exception of one standard clay mask and a couple of questionable cleansers, this line is one of the few that deserves complete avoidance.

 

[danielrhall]

A very curious review. First, Paula needs to check her facts. Noxzema does not now nor ever has contained lye. She’s happy that the phenol has been removed, then cites lack of a topical disinfectant as a weakness. Phenol (carbolic acid) is a very effective disinfectant, and eucalyptus oil and camphor, two of Noxzema’s other key ingredients, also have disinfecting properties. She also lists lack of moisturizers as another weakness, but Noxzema contains very effective moisturizers in the form of linseed (flaxseed) and soybean oils, glycerin and propylene glycol.

Paula does not recommend Noxzema but does recommend other skin cleansers. If I was skeptical, I’d wonder if she sells her own line of skin cleansers. Oh, wait! I am. And she does.

 

[Charles F]

I've been using Noxzema as a face wash AND as a shave cream for years. I noticed the recent change in ingredients when I stocked up on a few jars a couple of months ago. The camphor and menthol are indeed gone. The eucalyptus oil is still included, just as you said. The cool, tingly feeling is still there which I can only conclude must come from the eucalyptus oil since the menthol has been removed. And the texture is definitely more like a smooth cream just like you said, not that crunchy sensation you would get when you dipped your fingers or a washcloth into the jar. Actually, I sort of like the new formula. Sometimes the menthol made my face feel a little bit too cold ... almost a frozen sensation. The new formula is still cool but not painfully so! And the creamier texture is easier for shaving. I'm sure a lot of Noxzema "purists" are gonna hate the new formula but I'm OK with it. However, I won't be surprised if there are widespread customer complaints and the old formula is revised. I could live with that as well! By the way, camphor and menthol are considered to be skin irritants so perhaps that's why those ingredients were removed after all these years. Perhaps Unilever gave in to pressure from beauty experts who have trashed Noxzema's formula over the years (??)

 

[fightingillini22]

Great thread, thanks for all the research!

 

[Charles F]

I haven't tried Family Dollar's version of Noxzema but I have tried the one from Dollar General (DG) which is a pretty good quality product. However, stay away from the Dollar Tree Personal Care Deep Cleansing Skin Cream. It's only $1.00 for 12 ounces but it's terrible. It's made in China, it smells like pine cleaner, and it has the consistency of cottage cheese. It crumbles and falls into the sink while you're trying to put it on your face. You waste more than you actually use. Don't even think about using it as a pre-shave or shave cream! Good grief: Family Dollar, Dollar General, Dollar Tree ... how many different dollar store chains are out there?!

 

[Claremont]

Ingredient list from a jar of Noxzema Skin Cream from the mid-60's:

"Contains: menthol, camphor, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, carbolic acid (less than 1/2%) & lime water."

FDA did not require a complete disclosure of ingredients at that time.

I have extremely sensitive skin, and the original Noxzema formulation is one of the few products which delivers an excellent result for me. (The only other product I recommend is Creme de la Mer.) Thank you danielrhall for the detailed post.

 

[Kronsteen]

Thanks! Noxema used to be good but now gives me contact dermatitis unlike the other canned crap.

 

[BigJoe]

A lot of time and research went into this. Thank you for your dedication.