The tube I got from Amazon was made in Egypt. I've only used it once, but it was nice performer for me using a DE.
Best Inexpensive Cream - IYHO
- Thread starter Dominic
- Start date
I agree. Palmolive is an excellent cream. Cheap as dirt, nice lather, retro scent. What's not to like?
Palmolive does have Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, which was banned in the US because it caused so many problems for people. Vi-John has the same major ingredients in the same order except for the last three. It removes the Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde and the coconut and replaces with lanolin and tea tree oil. It is a tad slicker in my tests, too.
I have seen you mention this in another thread and it struck me as odd, as my skin seems to hate almost everything and if there was a serious allergen in Palmolive I would expect it to cause me problems.
So, I just grabbed a box of the stuff we buy today in UK supermarkets and had a look. When I came across something that I didn't recognise or which was listed with a CI number, I googled it to check for other names.
As far as I can tell, there is no Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde in it. Looking at a review done about 6 years ago on another shaving site, I can see the reviewer has included it in their (longer) ingredients list. So, it looks as though there has been a reformulation between now and whenever your tube was manufactured.
It also means, the cream that a few of us have "rediscovered" lately (me amongst them) and are really enjoying is not the same as the one you have reviewed.
This is the current UK ingredient list. My guess is that all the current Made in Italy cream would be the same:
Am I missing something, or has the nasty stuff been removed?
I hope so. Those ingredients are a bit different all around. I just got mine a few weeks ago, but I’m not sure where it was made. It came from AUS. Looking on the internet the ingredients I find does have the chemical. NOw we have a mystery.
Well, I thought yours was the "Made in Italy" and mine is the "Made in Italy"...very odd! Could it be that yours came from a BOSC hoarder who has had it in their stash for a few years?
If you are interested, I will reinstate my offer to send you some of the UK stuff, as it looks as though it could be different after all...or at least, recently reformulated.
(My theory is they took that nasty stuff out because nobody at the factory could pronounce it:
"Hey, Joe. Did you add the hydroxy-isohexoxy...no, wait.
...the hydroxy-isox-foxy....no, wait.
...the hydrosexfoxyboxy...
Ah, screw it. Just leave it out. No-one will notice.")
This is weird. Maybe they make this in different countries. I checked. One tube has the dreaded stuff and the other tube I possess does not. But are Lather Shave Regular.
Then, there is this: Palmolive Classic Shaving Cream in Tube, 100ml - https://maggardrazors.com/products/palmolive-classic-shaving-cream-in-tube-100ml#:~:text=Ingredients%3A%20Aqua%2C%20Stearic%20Acid%2C,%2C%20Cl%2047005%2C%20Cl%2015985.
And this:
Palmolive for Men Classic Shaving Cream 100ml | medino - https://www.medino.com/product/palmolive-for-men-classic-shaving-cream-100ml (This looks like mine...green box and tube).
Then, there is this: Palmolive Classic Shaving Cream in Tube, 100ml - https://maggardrazors.com/products/palmolive-classic-shaving-cream-in-tube-100ml#:~:text=Ingredients%3A%20Aqua%2C%20Stearic%20Acid%2C,%2C%20Cl%2047005%2C%20Cl%2015985.
And this:
Palmolive for Men Classic Shaving Cream 100ml | medino - https://www.medino.com/product/palmolive-for-men-classic-shaving-cream-100ml (This looks like mine...green box and tube).
Oh, Man. I just finished a shave with Palmolive Mentholated cream and Epsilon Blue Mediterranean. What a surprise, i bling bought both. This combination is made for summertime. Going find more of both.
CzechCzar
Use the Fat, Luke!
I love bling buys they are the best!
I recently bought Palmolive Original and Menthol cream made in Italy. The Original contains Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde. The Menthol does not.
Based on what I have read, some people are allergic to Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde. I have not read about any other safety issues. I am not allergic to the ingredent.
Based on what I have read, some people are allergic to Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde. I have not read about any other safety issues. I am not allergic to the ingredent.
That might clear things up. Also, isn't Palmolive also made in Egypt?
This just gets weirder. The UK version (called "Classic") is made in Italy and frequently said to be the same as the stuff in the Italian red tube "Classica", which I guess is your Original?
So if current production Italian red tube has Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde and current UK Classic doesn't, then they are not the same and there are more than two unmentholated versions being made in Italy at the same time.
Even weirder, since our cosmetic regs are still aligned with Europe, so there is no reason they would HAVE to remove any ingredient that was present in the version sold inside the EU.
I emailed Colgate-Palmolive. Let's see what they say.
I mistyped "Original". My red tube is "Classica", not "Original".
Well, with the discussion about ingredients happening in the Arko thread this feels like a subject I am almost loathe to return to, but having heard back from Palmolive, I thought I would share what they sent me. I have included my own comments in [italics] and put into bold a few bits that are most pertinent to the discussion:
"Currently, we sell only one variant of Palmolive shaving cream in the UK - Palmolive for Men Classic Shaving Cream with Palm Extract. This is packaged in a green carton and is made in Italy. It is sold online in Sainsburys only. [That's not quite right. I can buy it off the shelf in a few local corner pharmacies and there are plenty of eBay sellers, so there must be smaller wholesalers getting shipments too].
The ingredients for this product are as follows -
Aqua, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Fatty Acids C12 - 18, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Sodium Silicate, Potassium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Butyphenyl Methylpropione, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, CI19140, CI 42090
We do not use Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde in this formulation.
We make other Palmolive shaving products, mostly sold in Italy and Eastern European countries (also all made in Italy). You can see the range here - Palmolive Men | Palmolive.it - https://www.palmolive.it/products-range/palmolive-men. The formulations for these products do not contain Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde.
As a global company, we sometimes sell products with the same name, but a slightly different formula, in different countries. To ensure you are always using products formulated according to the strict EU regulations, we recommend that you choose a product intended for the EU. We also make changes to formulations from time to time, so recommend checking the ingredients on pack.
We hope this helps resolve any confusion and you can shave with confidence!"
So, unpacking this, I would say:
1) Neither the "Classic" UK market, or the Italian "Classica" and "Rinfrescante" should contain hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde. If your tube does, it is old stock that predates August 2017 for its date of manufacture (I looked it up - the substance has been banned in EU / UK products since then).
2) It is implied (but not explicitly stated) that none of the Italian made creams currently contain this chemical, regardless of what market they are destined for. This would seem to make sense purely from an economic perspective. Unless there was a huge cost difference in formulas and ingredients, surely no business would voluntarily produce two formulas of the same cream in the same location: one compliant cream for a large market, then another non-compliant version for selected smaller markets with less stringent legislations (who could at any time choose to take their lead from the larger market and copy their ingredient ban).
3) It doesn't rule out the possibility that there are other Palmolive brand products being manufactured in locations outside the EU that contain hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde. I was hoping for clarity on that, but since I was in the UK and corresponding with someone in the UK (actually only a short drive away, it turns out) they focused on the UK / EU market products.
4) But we can conclude with reasonable certainty that if your cream is purchased today and says "Made in Italy" then it should be free of hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde. The only exceptions may be old stock, manufactured prior to August 2017, which has either been sitting in a warehouse or stockroom for an extended period and / or deliberately off-loaded into a market with no legislative restrictions on the old formula ingredients.
Phew. If you read all that, then congratulations. Sit back and reward youself with a nice glass of Scotch!
"Currently, we sell only one variant of Palmolive shaving cream in the UK - Palmolive for Men Classic Shaving Cream with Palm Extract. This is packaged in a green carton and is made in Italy. It is sold online in Sainsburys only. [That's not quite right. I can buy it off the shelf in a few local corner pharmacies and there are plenty of eBay sellers, so there must be smaller wholesalers getting shipments too].
The ingredients for this product are as follows -
Aqua, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Fatty Acids C12 - 18, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Sodium Silicate, Potassium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Butyphenyl Methylpropione, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, CI19140, CI 42090
We do not use Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde in this formulation.
We make other Palmolive shaving products, mostly sold in Italy and Eastern European countries (also all made in Italy). You can see the range here - Palmolive Men | Palmolive.it - https://www.palmolive.it/products-range/palmolive-men. The formulations for these products do not contain Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde.
As a global company, we sometimes sell products with the same name, but a slightly different formula, in different countries. To ensure you are always using products formulated according to the strict EU regulations, we recommend that you choose a product intended for the EU. We also make changes to formulations from time to time, so recommend checking the ingredients on pack.
We hope this helps resolve any confusion and you can shave with confidence!"
So, unpacking this, I would say:
1) Neither the "Classic" UK market, or the Italian "Classica" and "Rinfrescante" should contain hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde. If your tube does, it is old stock that predates August 2017 for its date of manufacture (I looked it up - the substance has been banned in EU / UK products since then).
2) It is implied (but not explicitly stated) that none of the Italian made creams currently contain this chemical, regardless of what market they are destined for. This would seem to make sense purely from an economic perspective. Unless there was a huge cost difference in formulas and ingredients, surely no business would voluntarily produce two formulas of the same cream in the same location: one compliant cream for a large market, then another non-compliant version for selected smaller markets with less stringent legislations (who could at any time choose to take their lead from the larger market and copy their ingredient ban).
3) It doesn't rule out the possibility that there are other Palmolive brand products being manufactured in locations outside the EU that contain hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde. I was hoping for clarity on that, but since I was in the UK and corresponding with someone in the UK (actually only a short drive away, it turns out) they focused on the UK / EU market products.
4) But we can conclude with reasonable certainty that if your cream is purchased today and says "Made in Italy" then it should be free of hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde. The only exceptions may be old stock, manufactured prior to August 2017, which has either been sitting in a warehouse or stockroom for an extended period and / or deliberately off-loaded into a market with no legislative restrictions on the old formula ingredients.
Phew. If you read all that, then congratulations. Sit back and reward youself with a nice glass of Scotch!
Last edited:
Thanks for reaching out to Colgate-Palmolive and sharing, @Goblin!
I went back and checked my records. I bought two tubes of Palmolive in March 2023, both made in Italy - Classica (red) and Rinfrescante al Mentolo (green).
Photograph of the actual box. No Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde in the Mentolo.
I swear I took a photo of the Classica, but I cannot find it - reviewed my camera roll since March.
My best guess is that the Classica ingredients that included Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde in my Palmolive notes came from the seller's website and not from the actual box.
BTW, the tubes do not list their ingredients.
I went back and checked my records. I bought two tubes of Palmolive in March 2023, both made in Italy - Classica (red) and Rinfrescante al Mentolo (green).
Photograph of the actual box. No Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde in the Mentolo.
I swear I took a photo of the Classica, but I cannot find it - reviewed my camera roll since March.
My best guess is that the Classica ingredients that included Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde in my Palmolive notes came from the seller's website and not from the actual box.
BTW, the tubes do not list their ingredients.
I like Old Spice Classic. Under $5 for a tube on the 'zon. I don't get too caught up with ingredients and chemistry, but it smells good and performs well.
Lockback
Dull yet interesting
I need to try that.
Old Spice made in India is pretty good. It gives a good, slick shave. I prefer the Vi-John just a little over Palmolive and Old Spice for performance, but not enough to go out of my way to buy it if either of the others were easier to get. However, I like the smell of the Old Spice better because...well...it is Old Spice.
That's entirely possible - I can see that Maguires (for example) lists it in the ingredients on their website. It looks as though there is just lots of information floating around on the old formula, but I feel like we have gotten to the bottom of it - I didn't want to accept that my beloved Palmolive could be at fault!
I actually feel like some stockpiling could be in order...
...and a shave with Palmolive.
