Shaving aboard the ISS

[tu00tf]

Hi all,

This is an identification challenge for you bloodhounds out there.

Here's a video of Mark Shuttleworth, Ubuntu linux entrepreneur and space tourist, shaving aboard the International Space Station (he paid approximately $20 million to the Russians for his trip.) Now, aside from the fact that it's a really cool video with things floating around, can anyone identify the shaving cream and aftershave he's using? It's beyond my limited talents.

We come maddeningly close to seeing the front of the aftershave tube as it floats closer to the camera around the 2:00 mark. Although, alas, we only get to see the back.

Hopefully these aren't some generic, standard issue Russian space agency tubes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7ECtj4A6oU

 

[arghblech]

The shaving cream looks like a palmolive tube I've seen. Dunno about the ASB.

 

[Synack]

Can't help with identifying anything, but that video was just too cool!

Wasn't that his blade that went floating off to the left? Didn't notice him catching it. That would make a fun surprise for someone else to smack into!

 

[mretzloff]

$20 million? Wow...

 

[tu00tf]

Can't help with identifying anything, but that video was just too cool!

Wasn't that his blade that went floating off to the left? Didn't notice him catching it. That would make a fun surprise for someone else to smack into!

Yeah, that would suck. I also remember reading somewhere that astronauts call the air intake vent the "lost and found" of the space station because items that float away tend to collect there.

 

[Jim]

Its Palmolive shaving cream I dont recognise this product tho-

 

[tu00tf]

Its Palmolive shaving cream I dont recognise this product tho-

Great! So, European Palmolive it is. One down and one to go. You can kind of see the design on the front of the aftershave tube but can't resolve any words.

 

[northpaw]

Looking at the HQ version, I read "Tet A Tet" on the back of the label (at the top).

A quick search here yields this post from eric.huntley about a Russian brand with that name.
So this is probably it, found here:

 

[SavantStrike]

Looking at the HQ version, I read "Tet A Tet" on the back of the label (at the top).

A quick search here yields this post from eric.huntley about a Russian brand with that name.
So this is probably it, found here:

I found the same thing. according to this website http://www.kalinaegypt.com/kalinas.php?name=products&file=index&op=ViewCatg&id_catg=63 it soothes the skin after shaving and contains extract of fir. If I didn't have such sensitive skin I'd get some now that it's been in space .

 

[lamina]

It seems a sensor handle...but the annoying thing here it's not a wetshave but a dry shave without water. The water will form kind of balloons floating around...

 

[tu00tf]

It seems a sensor handle...but the annoying thing here it's not a wetshave but a dry shave without water. The water will form kind of balloons floating around...

One of the things that's cool about water in zero G is that if you splash it on your face it'll stick and won't run down (although some droplets will float away.)

Water is a very limited resource, though, which I think is why they don't use much to shave with.

 

[tu00tf]

I found the same thing. according to this website http://www.kalinaegypt.com/kalinas.php?name=products&file=index&op=ViewCatg&id_catg=63 it soothes the skin after shaving and contains extract of fir. If I didn't have such sensitive skin I'd get some now that it's been in space .

I think you're right, guys. Notice the dark, squarish stamp with the long, thin gold line on the front of the tube...it seems to match the shapes we see in the video.

Wow, I'm impressed! Great work everyone! Gold stars all around.

Tet-a-Tet seems to be pretty hard to acquire in the States, however. Bummer.

 

[Synack]

Just another thought... Imagine stropping a straight razor in space... You'd have to literally stand on the wall while pulling it taught .

Personally, I'd probably hang it from the ceiling and "stand" upside-down, just because I could...

 

[Bobtrumpet]

It seems a sensor handle...but the annoying thing here it's not a wetshave but a dry shave without water. The water will form kind of balloons floating around...

If you could pre-hydrate the cream, the surface tension of the water would be broken down by the soap, allowing for a somewhat wet shave. I don't know if you could make a lather with water beads in space, unless you could add something to the water to break the surface tension (hopefully a non-irritant).

 

[Bobtrumpet]

Water is a very limited resource, though, which I think is why they don't use much to shave with.

The ISS now has a water filtration system which turns crew member's urine and sweat to potable water.

http://www.popsci.com/military-avia...ion-astronauts-toast-recycler-their-own-urine

 

[TheBigL]

I think you're right, guys. Notice the dark, squarish stamp with the long, thin gold line on the front of the tube...it seems to match the shapes we see in the video.

Wow, I'm impressed! Great work everyone! Gold stars all around.

Tet-a-Tet seems to be pretty hard to acquire in the States, however. Bummer.

If anyone finds a source, I'm in.