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Shaving soaps for men: Öko-Test finds problematic ingredients

25.9.2024

Translation: machine translated

Öko-Test tested 18 solid shaving products for men. Half of them passed. However, there are also products with problematic ingredients.

Solid shaving soaps are a tried and tested alternative to foam and produce less packaging waste. In its current issue, Öko-Test scrutinised 18 of them. But not all of them were convincing. In some of them, the testers found fragrances that are neither good for humans nor for the environment.

Half of the products pass the test

You can use half of the shaving soaps tested without any problems. Five shaving soaps received the top rating of "Very Good" because they did not contain any artificial musk compounds. The test winner is the "Speick Men Active Shaving Soap", which is also the cheapest on average. The ingredients are all organically grown and essential oils are used for the fragrance. Öko-Test will then publish the remaining test winners in October.

Speick Men Active shaving soap (150 ml, Shaving soap)

Shaving foam + Shaving gel

CHF12.90 CHF86.–/1l

Speick Men Active shaving soap

150 ml, Shaving soap

Problematic ingredients found

Other products, however, did not achieve a good result. According to Öko-Test, the problem is that manufacturers sometimes use artificial musk fragrances to make their products smell as masculine as possible. The musk compounds tonalide and galaxolide were found in six shaving products in the laboratory. These substances are suspected of impairing the hormone system. In addition, the compound galaxolide degrades very slowly in nature. Isoeugenol has also been detected. This substance is said to trigger allergic reactions particularly frequently.

Three times "unsatisfactory"

The testers detected polycyclic musk compounds in these three products, among others, which all received an "unsatisfactory" rating: "Tabac Original Shaving Soap", "Musgo Real Shaving Soap Classic Scent" and "Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Herbal Shaving Soap". The "Taylor of Old Bond Street" product was tested and found to contain musk ketone. This compound is officially classified by the EU as a suspected carcinogen.

Shaving foam + Shaving gel

CHF27.70 CHF221.60/1l

Tabac Original

125 ml, Shaving soap

Musgo Real Classic Scent Shaving Soap (Shaving soap)

Shaving foam + Shaving gel

CHF23.90

Musgo Real Classic Scent Shaving Soap

Shaving soap

"In advertising, these fragrances are sold as 'masculine'. But we think that hormone-active or even cancer-suspicious ingredients should be avoided altogether," says Jil Eichhorn, project manager at Öko-Test.

Header image: Elizabeth3596/Shutterstock

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Anne Fischer

Editor

Anne.Fischer@galaxus.de

A true local journalist with a secret soft spot for German pop music. Mum of two boys, a dog and about 400 toy cars in all shapes and colours. I always enjoy travelling, reading and go to concerts, too.

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Shaving soaps for men: Öko-Test finds problematic ingredients

Half of the products pass the test

Problematic ingredients found

Three times "unsatisfactory"

5 comments

5 comments

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