When i saw this video: warning-if-you-use-a-razor-to-shave-must-see, i looked into this subject some more. Certainly many people have an allergic to reaction to a razor strip. As a result this is what i found trough some research about moisture strips used on razors.
Allergic to Razor
Firstly why aren’t these companies listing their ingredients on the box? And, can you be allergic to razor strips? In other words do they figure that since the moisture strip is so small that it doesn’t affect our bodies in any way?
For example someone is shaving their armpits. Than the moisture strip makes direct contact with the tissue under the arms, where many lymph nodes reside. The chemicals in moisture strips then make their way into our lymphatic system as well as the tiny capillaries and veins. When you combine this with the fact that hot water opens up your pores and allows outside particles to enter your bloodstream more quickly.
Certainly you do not want these chemicals circulating in your body, here’s why.
Further, i did a little internet search and came across ingredient lists of moisturizing strips of some razors.(source: https://livelovefruit.com/dangers-razor-moisture-strips/)
The razor strip ingredients
Schick Quattro Titanium
Ingredients: PEG-115M, Ceramide NG, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Stearate, Cyclodextrin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Maltodextrin, Water.
Schick Intuition Renewing Moisture with Pomegranate Extract
Ingredients: Sodium Palmitate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Isostearate, Water, Potassium Palmitate, Glycerin, Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylate, Potassium Cocoate, Kaolin, Potassium Isostearate, Sucrose Cocoate, Titanium Dioxide, Peg-50 Shea Butter, Sodium Chloride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Pentasodium Pentetate, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Red 33, Fragrance.
Gillette Venus Olay Women’s Razor Blade
Ingredients: Sodium Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water/Eau, Sorbitol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Petrolatum, Polybutene, Sodium Myristate, Lauric Acid, PEG-90M, PEG-45M, Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Fragrance/Parfum, PEG-7M, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Pentasodium Pentetate, Red 4, Yellow 10.
Gillette Venus Sensitive Disposable Razors
Ingredients: PEG-7M; PEG-115M; PEG-100; Silica; Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate; Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice; Tocopheryl Acetate; Tris(Di-T-Butyl)Phosphite; BHT; Glycol, Ribbon Of Moisture: PEG-115M; PEG-7M; PEG-100; Silica; Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate; Tocopheryl Acetate; Tris(Di-t-Butyl)Phosphite; Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil; Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil; BHT; Glycol.
Gillette Mach Disposable Razors
Ingredients: PEG-115M, PEG-7M, PEG-100, Silica, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tris(Di-T-Butyl)Phosphite, BHT, Glycol.
Gillette Venus Embrace Sensitive Women’s Razor
Ingredients: PEG-115M, PEG-7M, PEG-100, Silica, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tris (Di-T-Butyl) Phosphite, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, BHT, Glycol.
Bic Soleil Lady Disposable Razors
Ingredients: PEG-115M, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 20, Aloe Barbadensis, BHT.
No wonder so many people get rashes and/or razor burn after using razor blades with moisturizing strips (not to mention the chemical-based shaving creams marketed to those who shave). This is more so an allergic reaction than anything else. Many people are allergic to razors.
Can you be allergic to ingredients on razors strips?
Polyethylene Glycol
Polyethylene glycol (also known as polyethylene oxide or PEG) is “approved by the FDA for use as excipients or as a carrier in different pharmaceutical formulations, foods, and cosmetics,” according to some manufacturers (1). However, a quick look at an MSDS sheet for PEG says that “After contact with skin, wash immediately with plenty of water,” and “Not for use in Food, Drugs or Cosmetics,” and “May cause skin irritation; May be harmful if absorbed through the skin.”
Polyethylene glycol is also often contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, which makes it absorb into the the bloodstream (2). Not only does it increase the permeability of itself, but it allows greater absorption of other products as well.
Also the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies ethylene oxide as a known human carcinogen and 1,4-dioxane as a possible human carcinogen (3). PEG compounds have shown evidence of genotoxicity, and if used on broken skin can cause irritation and systemic toxicity (4). Probably not so safe next to a razor blade on your skin, huh? You can conclude it is no wonder why people are allergic to a razor strip.
Titanium Dioxide
This chemical is a moderate concern for cancer, organ system toxicity, and is classified by the Environment Canada Domestic Substance List as toxic or harmful (5).
Polysorbate 20
Similar to PEG, polysorbate 20 is treated with ethylene oxide for use in personal care products. Any ingredient treated with ethylene oxide has the ability to become contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a dangerous by-product (mentioned above). 1,4-Dioxane is a possible human carcinogen that penetrates readily into the skin. It has also been linked with skin allergies (razor burn and rash, anyone?).
The Organic Consumers Organization released a fact sheet on 1,4-dioxane that revealed that this chemical is found in personal care products, 1,000 times higher than those found to cause cancer in animal studies. They add that according to the FDA, “Skin absorption studies demonstrated that dioxane readily penetrates animal and human skin from various types of vehicles.” More so if you’re taking a hot shower when your pores open up and take in more of the chemical.
BHT
BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) is a synthetic antioxidant in personal care products. This chemical can induce allergic reactions in the skin (6) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer says it is a possible human carcinogen (7).
Tocopheryl Acetate
There is strong evidence that tocopheryl acetate is a skin toxicant or allergen. There is a small concerns to cancer (8).
Phenoxyethanol
This preservative is restricted in Japan and classified as an irritant by the European Union (9). Unfortunately, this preservative is manufactured whereby phenol is treated with ethylene oxide. As stated above, treatment with ethylene oxide leaves the concern that the resulting product is contaminated with the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane.
The MSDS on phenoxyethanol states that it can cause skin and lung irritation. It can to be toxic to the kidneys, nervous system, and liver, and repeated, long-term exposure can cause organ damage.
Other ingredients that can make you allergic to a razor
Fragrance
In any kind of personal care product this is a major problem. Fragrance on an ingredient list refers to an “undisclosed mixture of various scent chemicals,”. They may for example cause all kinds of things like allergies, dermatitis and respiratory distress (10).
Colors
Lastly color additives in personal care products are most of the time a problem. The most common synthetic colors in personal care products are FD&C colors. FD&C colors are from coal tar, which in turn is a by-product of petroleum. Some coal tar dyes can cause cancer, due to their high levels of lead and/or arsenic. Other dyes may cause thyroid tumors, allergic reactions, hyperactivity and kidney tumors (11).
While the strips on most of these products are tiny, I’d still do my best to avoid it. There is no room in our lives for things that bring more toxicity into our bodies.
Are you Allergic to Razor strips?
Firstly you can choose to remove the strips from your razor, to prevent an allergic reaction to the Razor. You can choose to buy another razor like a stainless steel razor, or remove your hair with a chemical-free method. The last thing possible is to not shave at all 😉
