What's a person to do?

SARAH:  Tubes of shaving gel.  On our last trip through Dollar Tree we found a set of 2 oz. tubes of shaving gel and after shave packed together in a sleeve similar to a gift pack.  We are hoping they like them.

Gran

Hi.

 I've had great response to Edge Active Care shave cream.  It comes in a 5.5 oz tube so no pressure or heat worries in the summer time.  Also, it is a non-lathering formula so it requires less water to use. 

Most of my adoptees prefer it to canned shaving gel even when the weather is cooler!

Hi Sarah

FWIW, I thought that the gel ones with the rubber stoppers (?) in the bottom of the can were acceptable if packaged to contain the foam in case of leakage...doubled ziplocks etc.  It's a release valve of sorts for the pressure, isn't it?  Someone else may know better.  The tubes are an excellent alternative--if in doubt--and may even require less space and weight to ship.  If there wasn't such hard water--if water for shaving is available at all--shaving soap could be an alternative.

-betc 

Hey Free Spirit

So did I .. I think two packages had two cans each (the gel in a can).. BUT, they were in a thick ziplock alone, so IF something goes wrong, at least it will be in one bag and nothing else gets ruined.:(

yet more to think about!!

Uh - correct me if I am wrong, but don't pressurized cans that get overheated explode rather than leak?

Gran

++sigh++ Yes. I went back to the store and read the label...110 degrees.

All I can do now is keep my fingers crossed that it is still a little too early in the year and that, since my boxes were shipped priority, they got there pretty quickly, and no one left them sitting around in the sun for hours.. 

I am not happy with myself, but...I'm sure I'm a long way from the first idiot to send shaving cream to a soldier, and I'm sure the military knows that some of the things we aren't supposed to send get into their mail system anyway.  I wrote "shaving cream" on the list of contents, so they are alerted if they want to be.  I am not sure what kind of damage it would do while enclosed in a box, but I would like to think no serious injuries are likely to occur.

I work in product safety and I also know that manufacturers also don't assume that the instructions on their labels will be routinely followed, so they build in a margin of error.

Understand...this is NOT to suggest it is "okay" to send this stuff.  This is just what has been running through my head now that I was stupid enough to do so.

Are any of you familiar with the TAG/AXE "Body Shots"?  They consist of a sprayer, then you can get a refill pack that contains two small (2 inches tall maybe) aerosol refills.  I found a great deal on these recently, and stocked up, since the guys are always asking for these brands, but now I'm afraid to send them! 

Have any of y'all seen/sent these?  What do you think??

Nothing is supposed to be sent if it is gas/pressurized - period.  Sorry.  They ask for whatever they want, but it is up to us to sort through the legalities. They have other things on their minds.  I suppose that they think if the PX can carry it it's okay to send. 

Gran

Hey Free Spirit

 I checked my specific gel I sent.. mine was 120 degrees and I too listed it..:) and although, yes, not the safest, but I do know there is a chance it will get there safely. I too send mine priority. When I used to send it to my brother it was (no joke) up to 140 degrees over there. .and knock on wood, it always arrived safely.

Like you said, not condoning it, but well it is not like we can retract it :)  so let's just keep our fingers crossed and next time write a note saying why we could not ship it..

Gran is correct that the contacts will ask for whatever they want but it’s up to us as mailers to comply with the regulations.  If you will permit me to add one caveat since this discussion is taking place in Hygiene items and not Where to Send; USPS or Other carriers…
All carriers follow the Dept of Transportation regulations. (Most have even stricter policies.) Many of us are more familiar with these rules due to the recent changes for hazardous items in carry-on vs. checked baggage for air travel.  Using this analogy is a good rule of thumb for knowing what the DOT permits.

The issues for shipping hazardous common household products seem to be amount, packaging and labeling.  USPS permits consumer commodities* in pressurized containers in limited amounts when properly packaged and labeled.  UPS will accept these as well to domestic addresses such as APO/FPO.  UPS may impose an additional charge and packaging and labeling requirements may be more stringent.  

Insisting these aren’t supposed to be sent at all is an overstatement, imho.  Although I personally do likewise and resist sending these items, I believe that they are mailable.  Would I recommend sending any pressurized container (or otherwise hazardous product) at all, even properly packaged and labeled during the mid-summer 140 degree heat?  Of course not.**  Should you worry about the gel shaving cream in the can with a rubber plug in the base exploding on the plane?  Probably not or at least not for very long -- if you travel by air they are in cargo below you.  These are permitted in checked baggage by commercial airlines everyday.  A good list of Permitted and Prohibited items is available on the TSA website here (click or scroll down to Personal Items.) 

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you just the same since the weather is heating up at their destination. But I'm not worrying about your needing donations for bail money or fines imposed for shipping it. It is unsafe given the heat and delays etc. but not "illegal."

 -betc

*with special restrictions for matches and lighters
**I’d hold off on the Axe “body shots” and refills until the weather cools down

Betc:

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you

Betc, I thank you for your kind thoughts, but I would rather you keep them crossed for whoever is handling them!

That said, they are not exactly filled with TNT or C4, or they would be much more strict about it.  I heard and have read of incidents of shaving cream exploding, and, short a stroke of very bad luck, it is rarely a threat to life or limb, more like a mild heart attack and a mess, eg:

I drove a yellow VW in college too, and once a can of shaving cream exploded in the back seat from the heat of the engine vent (which is how VW’s were heated back then.) I thought I had been shot at until I smelled methol!

Which is why I referred to the package leaking the first time. I think it would mostly gush out into the box, maybe pop open one of the seams of the box, and spray/ooze out of it too.

Ouch.. chalk me up as one of the "idiots" that sent a bunch of shaving cream in cans. It didn't even occur to me since they were travel size! LOL, I know, not as if THAT makes a difference as compared to the regular size...

Hopefully mine gets to them without any problems either.. I also fell into the "it was on their list of items" so I didn't even think... so much for a 175 IQ.. see... even us smart people can be pretty dumb LOL

I JUST sent my 1st few boxes off (6 of them... 3 had shaving cream) today.. I'm excited! Although now that I'm reading these forums, I'm getting a better idea of how to pack things.. I'm wondering if maybe one of you can put together a "How to" video for us newbies LOL

Martha,

Yep, I was about to mention the same product...the Edge Active Care.  I also like the fact that Active Care offers one that is deep hydrating and offers more moisturizers for thier skins.  Especially with the soldiers being in the sun so much.  Nivea also offers a good face wash that they can use in a pinch that is not in an aerosol can.