A hair styling mousse sold to salons and consumers has been recalled nationwide because the pressurized aluminum cans can leak and burst. One customer reported bruising on the hand.
Henkel Corporation, based in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, is voluntarily recalling Schwarzkopf Professional Osis Grip Extra Strong Mousse in the 6.76-fluid-ounce (200-milliliter) size. The FDA posted the company announcement, which describes a potential packaging issue in which the product could leak from the package under pressure, creating a risk of explosion.
This is a mechanical hazard rather than a contamination one, which makes it different from most recalls that reach a bathroom cabinet. Nothing here involves a chemical exposure or an infection. The concern is a can under pressure failing near a person's hands and face, and it applies to a product that stylists reach for many times a day.
Twenty-Five Lot Codes on the Back of the Can
Unlike a recall that covers every unit of a product, this one is limited to specific batches, which means the label check matters.
The affected cans carry one of 25 batch codes printed on the back side of the bottle. According to the FDA recall notice, those codes are 2901X4577N, 2901X4578N, 290265P91O, 290665Q30O, 290855N31O, 290866R38P, 290994281N, 291046L06P, 291174W17N, 291435H76O, 291435H77O, 291455N33O, 291515A59O, 291515A99O, 291515B01O, 291555N33O, 291615B01O, 291616B68P, 291716B69P, 291825E960, 291925E96O, 292015B73O, 2928Y538BO, 2928Y539BO, and 293066U32P.
The company states that no other Henkel products are covered, and that cans of the same product carrying codes not on the list are safe to use.
The recall is nationwide. Distribution ran through 21 distributors in Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington, according to the recall details. It was also sold to hair professionals and to consumers at retail. Henkel says the recall is being conducted with the FDA's knowledge and is directing purchasers to return the product to the point of sale for a full refund. The company's North American operation has set up a consumer line at 1-800-234-4672.
Henkel became aware of the problem through one customer complaint and two reports from salons, as trade and consumer coverage noted. The FDA notice states that the customer reported bruising on the hand and that no other injuries were identified. The notice does not describe the circumstances of that injury beyond the report itself.
The recall covers 25 lots tied to specific batch codes. Neither the company nor the agency has published how many individual cans are involved or the cause of the defect.
A Pressurized Can Is a Different Kind of Risk
Pressurized cosmetic containers hold product under pressure with a propellant, and a defect in the seam or seal changes the failure mode entirely.
A leaking pressurized can does not simply drip. Pressure can force product out abruptly, and a compromised can may rupture. That is why the guidance is to return the product rather than to keep using it carefully.
Two ordinary storage habits raise the stakes with a defective can. Heat increases internal pressure, so a can left in a car, near a styling tool, in a sunny window, or in a bathroom that gets very warm sits at higher risk than one in a cool cabinet. And a can that has been dropped may have damage that is not visible from the outside.
The hazard also does not announce itself. A defective seam usually gives no warning sound and no visible bulge, which is why the recall relies on batch codes rather than on inspecting the can. A container that looks and sprays normally today can still be on the list.
Anyone holding a recalled can should not test it, shake it, puncture it, or attempt to empty it. Do not throw it in household trash where it could be crushed in a compactor, and do not place it in curbside recycling. Return it to the retailer or distributor. Many municipalities accept pressurized containers through household hazardous waste collection, and a local solid waste authority can advise if return is not practical.
If a can ruptures, the immediate concerns are eye and skin injuries. Product in the eye should be flushed with water for at least 15 minutes, and anyone with continuing pain, blurred vision, or light sensitivity afterward should seek prompt medical attention. A cut from can fragments should be cleaned and evaluated if it is deep, does not stop bleeding, or shows signs of infection.
Salon Workers Carry the Concentrated Risk
This recall is unevenly distributed in a way worth naming.
A consumer with one can at home faces a small, occasional exposure. A stylist may handle the product repeatedly through a shift, at close range, near clients' faces and their own, often in a warm room with heat styling tools running. Two of the three reports that prompted this recall came from salons.
Salon owners and booth renters should check inventory against the code list, pull affected stock from stations and storage, and tell everyone working in the space rather than assuming the notice circulated. Because the product moved through both professional and retail channels, a salon may hold multiple affected lots at once. Independent stylists who buy their own supplies are the group most likely to miss a distributor notice entirely, since it may go to the salon owner rather than to them.
The regulatory backdrop is worth a brief note. Cosmetics do not go through premarket approval the way drugs do, and recalls in this category are generally voluntary actions by companies that the FDA posts as a public service. The agency states plainly that posting an announcement is not an endorsement of the product or the company. Consumers who experience a problem with a cosmetic can report it to the FDA, which is the mechanism that generates the complaint data behind actions like this one.
Henkel has said Schwarzkopf Professional seeks to minimize inconvenience and is committed to consumer satisfaction. The company has not published a cause for the packaging defect, and the notice does not state how many units are affected.
Key Questions Answered
What is recalled? Schwarzkopf Professional Osis Grip Extra Strong Mousse in the 6.76 fluid ounce (200 milliliter) aluminum can, limited to 25 specific batch codes printed on the back of the can.
What is the hazard? A packaging defect that can allow the product to leak from the can under pressure, creating a risk of explosion. It is a mechanical hazard, not contamination.
Has anyone been hurt? One customer reported bruising on the hand. The FDA notice says no other injuries were identified.
Where was it sold? The recall is nationwide. Distribution ran through 21 distributors in Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington, and to hair professionals and consumers at retail.
Are other Schwarzkopf products affected? No. Henkel says no other Henkel products are subject to the recall, and cans of this product with codes not on the list are safe to use.
How should someone dispose of it? Return it to the point of sale for a refund. Do not puncture, crush, or place it in household trash or curbside recycling. A local solid waste authority can advise on hazardous waste options.
What if a can bursts? Flush any product in the eye with water for at least 15 minutes and seek care for continuing pain or vision changes. Clean any cuts and have deep or bleeding wounds evaluated.
