Aftershave containers?

After a near fatality from dropping an aftershave bottle (wish I had the catch on video!), it reminded me how much I don't like glass bottles in the bathroom.  Is there a specific reason splashes come in glass?  Most balms seem to come in plastic.  Brut, Aqua Velva, Skin Bracer, Old Spice and Clubman all come in plastic.  Why can't the "artisans"?

What say you?

For me, I prefer glass for two reasons: 1) I try to avoid "plastic leaching" into food or body products, and 2) beer taste better from a glass bottle vs can/plastic.

For me, I prefer glass for: 1) I try to avoid "plastic leaching" into food or body products...

+1; however, I don't use aftershaves or splashes, but if I did, this would be the principal reason.

I voted for glass for the reasons mentioned above. My thinking is, if I’m going to have a product with (usually) alcohol and essential oils in it, I want it to be in a container that can hold up for the several years I may be using it. (By saying “hold up,” I’m referring to glass not reacting with the chemicals in question. We all know how glass “holds up” when dropped…)

That being said, if it could be scientifically guaranteed that some certain type of plastic will preserve such contents just as well as glass, I would be all for it. In that sense, I could have voted for either option. I just don’t know if such a grade of plastic exists. @"Sapone Di Paolo", do you have any information about this matter?

I voted for glass for the reasons mentioned above. My thinking is, if I’m going to have a product with (usually) alcohol and essential oils in it, I want it to be in a container that can hold up for the several years I may be using it. (By saying “hold up,” I’m referring to glass not reacting with the chemicals in question. We all know how glass “holds up” when dropped…)

That being said, if it could be scientifically guaranteed that some certain type of plastic will preserve such contents just as well as glass, I would be all for it. In that sense, I could have voted for either option. I just don’t know if such a grade of plastic exists. @"Sapone Di Paolo", do you have any information about this matter?

Firstly, I'm the farthest thing from an expert.  That said, PET (recycle no. 1), HDPE (recycle no. 2), LDPE (recycle no. 4)  and PP (recycle no. 5) all seem to be regarded as safe from the FDA, the several maternal and "live well" blogs I looked at, as well as a few "plastics are the devil" type of writings.  Meaning they are made up of inert compounds or don't contain BPA, phthalates, etc.

What I keep asking myself is that our soaps are almost all in plastic, balms seem to all be in plastic, why is alcohol aftershave the exception?  We keep them for years, what's the difference?

The cologne/perfume business using glass makes more sense to me due to their luxury aesthetics, marketing and pricing.  However, I don't necessarily feel a $15 aftershave warrants the same thinking.

I also really started questioning this when I looked at the "big guys" all being in plastic.   They have the ability to purchase or even manufacture glass at the lowest possible costs.  Why did they choose plastic?

I'd love to hear more.

Good points. I'm no expert either. If I had to guess why the big guys use plastic - 1) cheaper to make 2) lower damaged on arrival rate (i.e. lower refunds). I'm sure the FDA approves a lot of things that they shouldn't if the payment they get is right. Hot sauce, pickles, what else(?) are almost always in glass. I'm just rambling here...

This is my opinion. I don’t know your age but I have been shaving in a bathroom with tile floors for a very, very, very long time and have never dropped any glass vessel. Most colognes and perfumes are bottled in glass for a few reasons. Copyright and patent protection. Back in the 1980’s there was a woman’s perfume that came out here in L.A. called Georgeio, it was very expensive and many woman had to have it. After about a year there were a number of companies imitating it. Georgeio had a very distinctive bottle and package design. The high end store located on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills sued at least one of these imitators. They lost for one reason; no one can copyright or patent a smell, fragrance, etc. However, the name, bottle design and the packaging can be protected. So, many good men’s and woman’s fragrance products rely on the name, bottle and packaging as a trademark. As an example, Chanel No. 5, Aramis and Canoe. In addition, plastic is not very friendly with distilled products. Glass does not breath plastic does and can change the contents. I drink bourbon and would never purchase one in a plastic bottle. Last year, Miller Brewing experimented with bottling quarts of beer in plastic bottles. Because the plastic breathed and expanded and contracted the beer was always flat. Miller is now back to glass.

Glass cologne and after shave bottles are not the only things you should be careful with. A bowl or scuttle can break if dropped. Several soaps and creams are in glass. Even plastic containers on soaps and creams can crack in pieces if dropped, not as dangerous as glass but it can destroy a good product. I have seen many photos of people who have dropped razors and the top broke off of the handle. As well as many photos of expensive brushes where the handle broke after it was dropped. About the only place I have not seen glass used is with shampoo and conditioner. That could be very dangerous dropping a glass bottle in the shower. How would you get out? I am not trying to be a wise guy but my final word is just be careful and always conscience of what you are doing.

For me, I prefer glass for two reasons: 1) I try to avoid "plastic leaching" into food or body products, and 2) beer taste better from a glass bottle vs can/plastic.

I'm ok with glass or plastic, but I disagree with beer being better in the bottle than from a can. I've spoken to someone in the brewing industry about this and the bottling process is not as consistent as the canning process. It's easier to let too much oxygen in when bottling, so beer actually tastes better in a can. This holds true more or smaller breweries because the larger breweries can afford more expensive bottling systems, but for micro breweries, the cans are going to be better.

For me, I prefer glass for two reasons: 1) I try to avoid "plastic leaching" into food or body products, and 2) beer taste better from a glass bottle vs can/plastic.

I'm ok with glass or plastic, but I disagree with beer being better in the bottle than from a can. I've spoken to someone in the brewing industry about this and the bottling process is not as consistent as the canning process. It's easier to let too much oxygen in when bottling, so beer actually tastes better in a can. This holds true more or smaller breweries because the larger breweries can afford more expensive bottling systems, but for micro breweries, the cans are going to be better.

I did not say a can. Miller tried using plastic 32 and 40 ounce bottles which did not work because the beer was always flat when first opened because plastic breaths which lets in air and the plastic expands which also makes the beer flat. Miller receive a voluminous amounts of complaints so they went back to glass. You may be right about cans verses bottles but neither can compare to the problems with plastic containers.

For me, I prefer glass for two reasons: 1) I try to avoid "plastic leaching" into food or body products, and 2) beer taste better from a glass bottle vs can/plastic.

I'm ok with glass or plastic, but I disagree with beer being better in the bottle than from a can. I've spoken to someone in the brewing industry about this and the bottling process is not as consistent as the canning process. It's easier to let too much oxygen in when bottling, so beer actually tastes better in a can. This holds true more or smaller breweries because the larger breweries can afford more expensive bottling systems, but for micro breweries, the cans are going to be better.

I did not say a can.  Miller tried using plastic 32 and 40 ounce bottles which did not work because the beer was always flat when first opened because plastic breaths which lets in air and the plastic expands which also makes the beer flat.  Miller receive a voluminous amounts of complaints so they went back to glass.  You may be right about cans verses bottles but neither can compare to the problems with plastic containers.

I agree with plastic. I would definitely not try beer in plastic. That does not sound like a good idea. I just brought up the can because there are a couple of breweries that have really good beer on tap, but they don't taste good in the bottle, but they do in cans.