Carex - Tough on germs, kind to hands. (Cussons Carex)

Member Name: Darkstar101

Product:	Cussons Carex
Date:	07/09/09 (62 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Effectively cleans hands, kills germs, moisturises skin.

Disadvantages: Bottle shape and pump could be improved - can be expensive in certain outlets

I don't know about you, but I can't stand seeing used bars of soap in bathrooms, particularly if they are cracked or veined with other people's dirt and germs. I have always bought liquid hand soaps, and last month I must confess I went through the best part of ten bottles in my house. Before you start posting comments, I don't suffer from OCD and I'm not Lady Macbeth; the reason for my temporary obsession with hand washing was the fact I was visiting my Dad who was seriously ill in hospital and I was paranoid about germ transfer. As I needed a liquid hand soap that was tough on germs yet kind to my skin I opted for Carex liquid soap as this claimed to fulfil my criteria.

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Price and availability
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The traditional bottle of blue Carex soap is available almost everywhere and the price does vary depending on the outlet. I found the cheapest place was Asda who were promoting it at 4 x 250ml bottles for £3. I don't think you'll get it much cheaper than that.

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Packaging
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Carex hand soap comes simply packaged in a see through cuboid shaped plastic container which can be recycled or refilled when empty. The soap is dispensed via a press down pump action top which seals the bottle. The soap inside gives the bottle a distinctive blue appearance making the bottle easy to identify on the shelf along with clear concise product brand labelling.

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Manufacturers Claims
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Carex antibacterial hand wash is gentle yet effective in helping to prevent the spread of germs that can cause illness. The product is dermatologically tested with a non-drying formulation. It contains a unique blend of moisturisers, it is dermatologically tested and kills 99.8% of bacteria.

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My experience and opinion
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The soap is easy to dispense, simply push down on the top and just the right amount of soap is dispensed into the hand. The soap is blue in colour and quite viscous so the soap sticks to your hand rather than dribbling between your fingers before you've had chance to work up a lather. The soap has a clean, fresh aroma which I personally thought smelled like kids bubble bath. Once water is added, the soap produces a pleasant workable lather, not too frothy, but just right and it rinses clean away with no slimy residue. After use, my hands did feel clean and even with the excessive washing described above, there was no irritation to my skin, even under my rings. I cannot say whether 99.9% of germs are killed, as I don't have access to microbiological facilities, so we'll have to take Cussons word for it.

There are two very minor things I don't like about the product and these relate to the bottle itself. Firstly, after the soap is dispensed, the pump seems to run on a little, leaving a thin blue trail all over the washbasin - perhaps some tweaking in the design of the nozzle outlet would remedy this. Secondly, I would prefer it if the bottom of the bottle was a bit wider because the base of the current bottle has a small surface area and more often than not it topples over when the pump is depressed. As a lot of sinks and hand basins are not horizontal with shaped sloping edges, a wider base would be a useful characteristic.

Overall I think Carex hand soap represents excellent value for money, particularly at the promotional price I paid. I was pleased to find that it did live up to the manufacturers claims as it does leave hands feeling clean and soft without irritation, even with repeated excessive use. Highly recommended.

Summary: Great soap, good value for money when bought on promotion.