Williams Ice Blue Aqua Velva Aftershave

**MichaelG** · 01-03-2010, 04:34 PM

There's a lot of discussion on the boards about how Aqua Velva here in the US is switching over to plastic bottles.

I was reading up on AV on another site (one that cannot be named

)

Anyway, that site states that "In Europe, Aqua Velva is still produced and marketed with the Williams brand name." It added that Williams Europe is part of the Sara Lee Corp.

It's supposedly produced in Europe and has a similar but a distinctly different scent to the American AV.

Has anyone tried it? Does anyone know of any sites that carry the European AV (assuming it's still available, etc.)?

**icon** · 01-05-2010, 03:30 AM

Yes mate, Williams AV splash is available in France in 100ml glass bottle in light cardboard box, and is made by Sara Lee.
It's one of the cheapest of the supermarket shelves but I love it.

Plastic bottles for parfumery product is an heresy, where did they got this idea ?

**AVH** · 01-05-2010, 03:39 AM

Indeed so; I did not know that the scent was any different.
I picked up my first bottle about two weeks ago for 4 EUR (~6 USD) and have used it a couple of times so far.

I like the cooling sensation; the scent is growing on me.

Originally Posted by MichaelG

Does anyone know of any sites that carry the European AV (assuming it's still available, etc.)?

If you're interested, I'd be willing to send you a bottle as a PIF; I'm entering in all these PIF-things without offering any myself, so it'd be a good opportunity to offer something as well.

**Boba Fett** · 01-05-2010, 06:17 AM

I would imagine the actual formulation of AV will not be changing, even if it does go to a plastic bottle. It is available as AV Ice Sport in a plastic bottle now--I honestly think there is no difference.

All the same, the difference in scent seems reasonable. They are probably produced in different factories, and even started out as different brands. Over time names were changed but formulation probably stayed almost the same.

**AVH** · 01-05-2010, 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by AVH

If you're interested, I'd be willing to send you a bottle as a PIF; I'm entering in all these PIF-things without offering any myself, so it'd be a good opportunity to offer something as well.

After reading up on this, it seems that the scent difference is quite vast, which makes me curious to try out the american variety as well...
Would you care for a trade?

**faster_than_u** · 01-05-2010, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by AVH

After reading up on this, it seems that the scent difference is quite vast, which makes me curious to try out the american variety as well...
Would you care for a trade?

Might be able to be arranged

**AVH** · 01-05-2010, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by faster_than_u

Might be able to be arranged

Arrangement made!

But if the OP is interested too, I'll send him one as well.

**icon** · 01-05-2010, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by AVH

After reading up on this, it seems that the scent difference is quite vast, which makes me curious to try out the american variety as well...
Would you care for a trade?

Sure, scents perception is something very "cultural" and I find logical that EUR and USA versions of this product are adapted.
I too would be happy to send EUR AV to someone as curious as I am, and recieve an USA AV in glass bottle before it disappears

**Navig8tor** · 01-05-2010, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by icon

Sure, scents perception is something very "cultural" and I find logical that EUR and USA versions of this product are adapted.
I too would be happy to send EUR AV to someone as curious as I am, and recieve an USA AV in glass bottle before it disappears

Icon, if you haven't made another arrangement send me a PM and I'll send you a bottle. I'll even throw in a puck of Williams soap.

**Ferannia** · 01-06-2010, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by icon

Plastic bottles for parfumery product is an heresy, where did they got this idea ?

I am not sure who first started it, maybe Brut back in 1968; this is pre 1968, American glass bottle:

Imagine post-1968 Brut in plastic like this on European shelves, and new version of today, both plastic:

Europeans never switched to plastic, and I am not sure if Euro and American Brut have the identical scent:

**Boba Fett** · 01-06-2010, 04:04 PM

Why can't everyone just stick with glass? It looks so much better!

**icon** · 01-07-2010, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by Boba Fett

Why can't everyone just stick with glass? It looks so much better!

+1 only glass is neutral enough to keep fragrance and noble to proudly stand in bathroom shells, it's eco friendly too.
To save money and seduce new customers with news arguments they could invent a bottle/refill system

lazyness and cupidity is definitely dumbing down our quality of life...

**Boba Fett** · 01-07-2010, 06:22 AM

Originally Posted by icon

+1 only glass is neutral enough to keep fragrance and noble to proudly stand in bathroom shells, it's eco friendly too.
To save money and seduce new customers with news arguments they could invent a bottle/refill system

lazyness and cupidity is definitely dumbing down our quality of life...

It is just so cheap. Just look at how good that glass bottle of Brut looks compared to its plastic counterpart!

**SBC** · 01-05-2010, 04:33 PM

Too bad they are making the change. I still have mine in a glass bottle, but as we know, tt is all about the bottom line. Plastic is cheaper of course. I wonder if it being in plastic could change the smell of it. I would also be concerned about what chemicals the AV might be leaching out of the plastic. In addition to the AV, we could be splashing Bisphenol A (BPA) on our freshly shaved faces. Sounds refreshing!

**gollum83** · 01-05-2010, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by SBC

Too bad they are making the change. I still have mine in a glass bottle, but as we know, tt is all about the bottom line. Plastic is cheaper of course. I wonder if it being in plastic could change the smell of it. I would also be concerned about what chemicals the AV might be leaching out of the plastic. In addition to the AV, we could be splashing Bisphenol A (BPA) on our freshly shaved faces. Sounds refreshing!

You won't be. They're probably using Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) like they do for the Ice Sport. You don't use BPA to manufacture PET.

**Mycon** · 01-05-2010, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by gollum83

You won't be. They're probably using Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) like they do for the Ice Sport. You don't use BPA to manufacture PET.

Not to mention that after the BPA news went public, most companies were quick to switch to a BPA free product or face serious market damage. Even Nalgene recalled their entire product line within a few days. Considering the sheer volume of Nalgene bottles that my local REI carried, that was no easy feat.

**gollum83** · 01-05-2010, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by Mycon

Not to mention that after the BPA news went public, most companies were quick to switch to a BPA free product or face serious market damage. Even Nalgene recalled their entire product line within a few days. Considering the sheer volume of Nalgene bottles that my local REI carried, that was no easy feat.

Well I wouldn't say most. Obviously there's been a push to remove it, particularly in products geared towards infants like baby bottles, but you still have organizations like the American Chemistry Council, which is associated with a large number of American chemical companies, claim its fairly harmless based the lack of reproducible results in some studies. Still, you're right, there's push towards BPA free products, although I think it's more due to press from members of the European Union to remove it than anything.

**SBC** · 01-13-2010, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by gollum83

Well I wouldn't say most. Obviously there's been a push to remove it, particularly in products geared towards infants like baby bottles, but you still have organizations like the American Chemistry Council, which is associated with a large number of American chemical companies, claim its fairly harmless based the lack of reproducible results in some studies. Still, you're right, there's push towards BPA free products, although I think it's more due to press from members of the European Union to remove it than anything.

While there has been a push in industry where it is obvious such as baby bottle or even drinking bottles. It isn’t only the places where it is obvious such as plastic bottles; we also have to know other places it is used. Canned food is a place where you can find BPA. It is used as a lining for tin cans. Even knowing that, I still buy some food in tin cans (you always need to have a reserve of food just in case), but I buy a lot less than I used to I try to stay to companies that use jars. I know this is off topic, but the worst of the foods to buy in tin cans are tomato based foods. The acidity leaches more bisphenol-A (BPA) than most other foods such as sweet peas.