Unilever’s recently acquired men brand is launching in May 2014 4 new 3-in-1 Shower gel formulas.
Unilever has bought in 2010 to Sara Lee the Williams brand, mainly known for its shaving products. With this recent launch of 4 shower gels, it seems that Unilever has not enough to do with Axe / Lynx successful brand : it is investing on Williams to offer to men a larger range of products.
The Fresh + Protect line-up is made of 4 3-in-1 (body, face and hair) variants :
– Energy, with Ginseng and Fruit of the Dragon
– Ice Fresh, with Mint
– Extra Cool, with Aquatic Minerals
– Sport, with Lime and Guarana
The formulas are made of basic technology, yet efficient. Claims are simple but in the usual claims of Shower gels.
Technology
All 4 formulas are built on the same very classic, cheap, basic yet efficient base :
– surfactants : Sodium Laureth Sulfate / Cocamidopropyl Betaine
– conditioning agent / foam booster : Polyquaternium-7
Formulas are protected from microorganism proliferarion by Potassium Sorbate and / or sodium Benzoate.
Active Ingredients & Claims :
This new range is claimed “Fresh + Protect”.
There is no specific ingredient for freshness. The claim is probably supported by consumer use test.
“Protect” is further explained on the front and back of pack : “expert of skin protection – neutral pH for the skin” and “helps to protect your skin against drying”. “Neutral pH for the skin” does not has the same meaning as “Neutral pH”. “Neutral pH” is pH = 7, while “Neutral pH for the skin” could mean “same pH as skin” or “pH not harmful for the skin”. The pH of the formula is very probably pH = 5.5, as it is at the same time the pH required to make the preservatives used efficient AND the natural (“neutral”) pH of the skin.
“Helps protect skin against drying” does not mean “moisturizing”, but rather “non drying”. As shower gels contain surfactants which main purpose is to remove dirt, they tend to be drying. To balance this effect of its surfactant system, Unilever has added some ingredients in the 4 formulas (not the same in each formula) known to prevent drying : Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glucose, Sodium Lactate.
