Menthol - Why?

[IanM]

We see menthol in a lot of shaving products. I was wondering what the reason was behind this? Is it there just to give you a blast to wake you up, or are there other advantages?

Ian

 

[Flatfish]

I think its the icy wake up blast. You may also like the smell. Ingrams cream I found to be a good one but needs a good dollop to get the lather going.
I've gone off methol recently.

 

[hunnymonster]

Also the icy blast has the side-effect that the skin is slightly numbed... which may or may not be an advantage.

 

[Rev-O]

It may have an astringent (skin-tightening) effect.

I like it but Mrs Rev has banned it

 

[hando]

just the zing i reckon

 

[henkverhaar]

The general consensus is that the (fake) cooling effect (i.e. menthol does not physically cool the skin, e.g. through evaporation, but interacts biochemically with the temperature receptors in the skin) numbs the skin, so that you don't feel the rash and/or nicks from shaving.

Rather like this former colleague, who used tiger balm (is that an acknowledged product identifier in the UK -- it is one of these chinese muscle ointments that create a hot sensation on the skin, primarily due to the presence of oil of wintergreen) as a headache medicin: he rubbed it on his forehead whenever he had a headache, since, as he said, the burning sensation was stronger than the original headache...

 

[antdad]

...the numbing sensation will make the shave last longer.

 

[DEbest]

It'll make you feel minted, even if you are not!

 

[jhclare]

Good question.

I like menthol, it wakes me up and I find it refreshing, but I question its usefulness in shaving products.

I reckon numbing is a bad idea - you want some feedback on how your shave is going. Listen to you face and what it's telling you! I reckon people over-shave when using menthol. I have found this with Proraso - I love it but my shaves of late with it have been average at best.

I have also read somewhere that it closes the pores (someone please correct this if it's wrong). Surely you want to open the pores before shaving?

Saying that, I love a bit of zing in the morning, and recommend Men-U's face wash. I also love Original Source shower gel (the green Mint one), I'm not sure if it's Menthol or something else, but whhhhoooooaaaa..... it's ZINGY! :twisted: I have also heard they make a XXX one which is even worse (better?). I have to try it!

John

 

[Audiolab]

I agree that numbing the skin is a bad thing; but I do find Menthol a nice waker upper some mornings. Now and again I slap on some menthol Proraos pre/post then go have breakfast and a shower by the time I shave any numbness has gone but my skin feels a bit more moisturised even before the shower.

I did read a while back that some of the canned shaving gels have a mild anaesthetic ingredient, not sure if this is true but it would not surprise me.

 

[Proinsias]

I did read a while back that some of the canned shaving gels have a mild anaesthetic ingredient, not sure if this is true but it would not surprise me.

I picked up some Lab shaving cream about a year ago and made a total mess of my face using it and a DE, apparently it contains benzocaine which is an anesthetic. Possibly the worst shaving purchase I have made. On the plus side I got a free Lab face scrub which work's a treat. I took the cream back, swapped it for some T&H and got to keep the £10 face scrub.

 

[andyjreid]

Id use it for the zingy wake up effect however I don't use menthol creams or soaps that much as they tend to give an "illusion" of safety. I'd rather be able to feel what Im doing.

 

[ChrisC]

I've no idea! I started out using Taylors and the like and then got some Proraso. I was disappointed with it at first. Thought the smell all wrong, but I got used to it quickly and find it refreshing and cooling on warm days. I have since ended up, largely because it never fails to allow me a bloodless shave, using it almost every time.