Jergens Naturally Smooth Shave Minimizing Moisturizer Basic facts
Does it remove or reduce hair? No.
Does it make hair appear less noticeable? Maybe.
Does daily use make shaving easier? Quite probably.
Does daily use allow you to shave less often? Maybe.
Is it better at softening hair than any other extra-strength
moisturizer? Not been proven.
This lotion contains a lot of heavy emollients (softeners) and
a mild amount of an alkaline solution used to dissolve hair.
Background
JergensŸ Naturally Smooth™ Shave Minimizing Moisturizer
may imply that it affects hair growth, but their carefully-worded
claims are actually similar to those of anti-wrinkle creams, which
make claims about reducing the appearance of fine lines
and wrinkles. The effects of the Jergens lotion are cosmetic--
it makes hair feel softer and and possibly look lees stubbly.
This sort of subjective claim does not require a lot of scientific
backing, because it's a qualitative change, not a quantitative
one. The only quantitative claim they need to back up is their
claim that it lets you shave "half as often." If you
shave every day or so, you might be able to go every other
day or so.
It seems that this Jergens product could be a milder version
of the depilatory creams. The final ingredient in the product
is sodium hydroxide. The active ingredient in depilatory creams
is calcium hydroxide. The two compounds act similarly, but sodium
hydroxide is much more soluble in water than calcium hydroxide.
The hydroxide ion is a strong base (alkali), which is why depilatory
creams can be so irritating, and why they break up the hairs.
Basically, it's like conditioner for your leg or armpit hair.
It leaves hair softer, which helps when you're dealing with stubble.
History
In Spring 2001, Jergens began marketing a new lotion as a way
to reduce the appearance of hair in shaved areas. Jergens' website
has  Frequently Asked Questions which qualify some
of their claims a bit:
They say their moisturizer "helps to make hair softer,
finer, and less noticeable." They claim this means you
might be able to shave less often.
They add: "Since it is not a hair remover, the benefit
may not be as noticeable in areas where you do not currently
remove hair."
The reason is softens hair is because it's extra-heavy on the
emollients (softeners). The ingredients list high levels of
glycerin and emollients, such as petrolatum, mineral oil and
dimethicone. In fact, they say it "was not designed for
use on the face" because the heavy emollients will probably
make you break out.
It's obviously not that strong. They say, "Do not be concerned
about accidental application to your head or any other area...
Accidental applications will not result in changes to the hair."
After four weeks of daily use, they claim "shaving will
be faster and easier because hair is softer and finer... And
as you keep using it, shaving will continue to become faster
and less frequent."
Their press release claims that daily use "gradually
reduces the appearance of hair."
"The result is softer, finer hair, less noticeable hair
that is easier to shave."
They extend this to claim: "By reducing how often you
need to shave, Naturally Smooth Shave Minimizing Moisturizer
also reduces how often you experience nagging problems associated
with hair removal, such as dry skin, red or irritated skin,
razor bumps and flaking."
Herbalsilk = sanguisorba officinalis = Great Burnet
This lotion contains an ingredient they call herbalsilk™
extract, a marketing term they made up for extracts from Sanguisorba
officinalis root extract. They say "This is the first time
that Sanguisorba officinalis root extract has been used in a
topical moisturizer to reduce shaving frequency."
Jergens does not claim that HerbalSilk has much to do with
making hair finer.
Also known as Great Burnet, this is used in salads and herb
beer. The root has long been used by herbalists who claim it's
a good astringent and clotting agent. One herbalist even makes
the following claims: 'Two or three of the stalks, with
leaves put into a cup of wine, especially claret, are known
to quicken the spirits, refresh and cheer the heart, and drive
away melancholy: It is a special help to defend the heart from
noisome vapours, and from infection of the pestilence, the juice
thereof being taken in some drink, and the party laid to sweat
thereupon." The recent debunking of health claims about
St. John's wort shows that long-held beliefs about herbal properties
often do not stand up to scientific testing. Claims of medicinal
properties for Great Burnet have not been subjected to rigorous
scientific scrutiny.
A reader writes:
"I found a journal abstract for what appears to be legitimate
research with sanguisorba in treating UV damage in rat skin.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like a double-blind study, but
having also turned up your site, I thought you might be interested:"
Abstract: http://bpb.pharm.or.jp/abst/200109/ab24090998.html
Full text: Biol. Pharm. Bull., 24(9),998-1003, September
2001 (PDF: requires Adobe Acrobat)
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