Aqua Velva experiment

Jon1944 · Jul 20, 2010

This morning after my SE shave with my Gem 1912 I thought I'd try something out. I have a few glass bottles of the Velva I purchased recently and a new plastic bottle. I finished my shave and proceeded to apply the AV. I poured some in my hand from the glass bottle and applied to the left side of my face there was the instant alcohol sting and cooling from the blue liquid. I then washed my hands, dried them and applied the AV from the plastic bottle to the right side of my face there was a milder alcohol sting, it was not nearly as great as the glass bottle, then the cooling kicked in, and it was about the same as the glass AV. I have previously written Combe-Williams and asked if they were going to change the formulation, and they said they were not, but I think my experience tells the truth. I think they reduced the amount of alcohol to keep from eating up the plastic, but kept the menthol amount the same. I do believe however, that there is a difference in the two now. I think the new stuff works good even without as much sting, but I'm still ticked that they had to go this route :mad3:

I wish companies would just leave stuff alone.

csmorris · Jul 20, 2010

I'm not a big Aqua Velva fan but for some strange reason I do enjoy that sharp bite and sting in the morning.

SWMBO always did say I was a little off.

I agree with the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" logic and hate when new and improved is neither.

rafikz · Jul 20, 2010

Jon1944 said:
This morning after my SE shave with my Gem 1912 I thought I'd try something out. I have a few glass bottles of the Velva I purchased recently and a new plastic bottle. I finished my shave and proceeded to apply the AV. I poured some in my hand from the glass bottle and applied to the left side of my face there was the instant alcohol sting and cooling from the blue liquid. I then washed my hands, dried them and applied the AV from the plastic bottle to the right side of my face there was a milder alcohol sting, it was not nearly as great as the glass bottle, then the cooling kicked in, and it was about the same as the glass AV. I have previously written Combe-Williams and asked if they were going to change the formulation, and they said they were not, but I think my experience tells the truth. I think they reduced the amount of alcohol to keep from eating up the plastic, but kept the menthol amount the same. I do believe however, that there is a difference in the two now. I think the new stuff works good even without as much sting, but I'm still ticked that they had to go this route I wish companies would just leave stuff alone.

Maybe you irritated your face less on one side

Trey45 · Jul 20, 2010

This might have a little bearing on your findings, I have noticed if I apply aftershave imediately after shaving, I get that alcohol sting, if I wait, even a little bit, like long enough to wash my hands, the sting is less. Perhaps the wait you took while washing your hands was enough to allow the right side of your face to settle down a bit before you applied the dose of AV in plastic?

Tomorrow, use the exact same procedure reversed, use the plastic AV first on the left side, wash hands, then apply the glass AV on the right, see if you have the same findings. I have no idea if it will make any difference, but it will at least rule out or confirm my speculation.

Jon1944 · Jul 20, 2010

Trey45 said:
This might have a little bearing on your findings, I have noticed if I apply aftershave imediately after shaving, I get that alcohol sting, if I wait, even a little bit, like long enough to wash my hands, the sting is less. Perhaps the wait you took while washing your hands was enough to allow the right side of your face to settle down a bit before you applied the dose of AV in plastic?

Tomorrow, use the exact same procedure reversed, use the plastic AV first on the left side, wash hands, then apply the glass AV on the right, see if you have the same findings. I have no idea if it will make any difference, but it will at least rule out or confirm my speculation.

I actually apply some witch hazel first then rinse my brush then apply the AV. I guess I should've mentioned that in the OP. IDK, it may be in my mind, but I'm going to try it again tomorrow.

Monkeydad · Jul 20, 2010

rafikz said:
Maybe you irritated your face less on one side

Uh oh! Monkey wrench!

JPDyson · Jul 20, 2010

rafikz said:
Maybe you irritated your face less on one side

Routinely, the alum bites a tad bit harder on the right side of my face. By the time I get to aftershave, I've already done a cold water rinse, alum block, and another cold water rinse, so I usually get an even sting. Just my $.02

haiti222 · Jul 20, 2010

I wonder about alcohol and plastic. I think time may be an issue. I buy splashes from tienda.com that are from Spain. They are 60-71% alcohol, and come in plastic 750ml bottles. As long as they are used up in a few years, I think they are ok.....It is long-term storage that is an issue.......

michiganlover · Jul 20, 2010

rafikz said:
Maybe you irritated your face less on one side

That would be my take on the situation as well. Not a very scientific experiment, as there are way too many possible variables at work. :biggrin1:

Xezmer · Jul 20, 2010

Or maybe the more aged solution has more of a kick?

Iakona · Jul 20, 2010

I suggest something more scientific (admittedly, not much more scientific) - and it involves fire too so that is always cool...

The AV from the glass is flammable... verify that the AV from the plastic is also flammable. If so, then dilute each by the same amount and continue the process until one or both is no longer flammable. That should tell you if the alcohol content is the same (or close enough as to make no difference)

Pioneer · Jul 20, 2010

Not sure if your alcohol/plastic theory holds weight since alcohol will solubilize only with what it interacts and most of today's plastics are designed NOT to do that (especially, I would guess, those chosen for containing alcohol-related products). I would argue plastics used for this type of containing would be impervious to denat alcohol, since that's the only polar element in the composition of A-V; however, in other cases where plastics might be affected, I'd say other factors arise, such as the specific concentrations of denaturant/other ingredients and compositions of both the solution (compound) and the polymer makeup. Since, in this case, the denat is not likely mixed with any other polarizing (or for that matter non-or really anything else) that would make it highly unlikely that the polymer bottle would be incapable of withstanding its ingredients. Highly unlikely, although you never know. But isopropyl and other alcohol - hell even acetone, which is horrobly reactive - is put into plastic these days.

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Aqua Velva experiment

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Xezmer

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