Mr. Bubble
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mr. Bubble is a brand of bath foam often intended to help encourage children to take baths. It has become iconic, and many t-shirts and other garments are adorned with a Mr. Bubble logo.
Mr. Bubble was invented by Harold Schafer and the Gold Seal Company. It is currently made by Ascendia Brands, Inc.. Its makers at the time were ridiculed by Don Novello under pen name Lazlo Toth in correspondence with them as published in his book, The Lazlo Letters. The correspondence involved querying the "KEEP DRY" instruction on the packet with its actual use by mixing with water.
Mr. Bubble is distinct from but frequently confused with Mr. Bubbles, a solution for blowing bubbles which is a product of Tootsietoy/Chemtoy/Strombecker Corp.
[edit] Ingredients and function (current liquid version)
- Water (vehicle)
- Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate (foamer, lime soap dispersant)
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (foamer, lime soap dispersant)
- Cocoamide DEA (foam stabilizer, liquid thickener)
- Aloe Barbadensis Gel (anti-irritant, thickener)
- Hydroxyethylcellulose (liquid thickener, foam stabilizer)
- Fragrance (esthetic, masking)
- Quaternium-15 (preservative)
- Tetrasodium EDTA (preservative, mfg. aid)
- D&C Red 33 (esthetic, dispensing aid)
- FD&C Blue (esthetic, dispensing aid)
Previous liquid versions were similar but without sulfosuccinate (which has partly replaced the sulfate), aloe, or hydroxyethylcellulose, and with formaldehyde rather than Quaternium-15 as preservative.
The powdered version, which was offered for several years before the liquid, is based on sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate. Circa 1970 the powdered version had its phosphate removed and its total surfactant reduced, with modified starch added as a diluent, and fragrance and (temporarily) coloring added. For a time the powder included a taurate-based surfactant.
