An Amber Gem Full Of Nostalgia! (Pears Soap)

Member Name: Machair1

Product:	Pears Soap
Date:	26/08/09 (76 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cleans beautifully and smells fresh and clean.

Disadvantages: None

Memories are what make me buy this soap from time to time. Happy ones when I first met my husband in 1978; his mum always used this soap, and when I went to stay at his house I will always remember this sturdy chunk of nostalgia perched on the side of the bath in its little dish. My husband (boyfriend then) and I were separated for a while after that, while we did our relative university courses, but we each took some Pears Soap with us, -somehow the scent of this unusual soap transports me back to those days instantly.

Every now and then I buy a box from Boots. It is cheap -only 69p and for this you get a relic from times gone by, in more ways that one, because it really has been on our shelves for centuries. In fact it was first made and sold by Andrew Pears in 1789 at a factory just off Oxford Street in London. It is the world's oldest recorded soap brand, and so buying this really is stepping back in time and indulging in a piece of history.

Now made in India the soap has come a long way from its roots, but it is unique and something you never forget.

The white box houses an amber gem which has an unforgettable scent. In many ways I would say it is a fresh woodland aroma and for this reason it can be used by either sex. It is a lovely oval concave shape and it has the words "Pears Transparent Soap" written on the bottom, and the words "Pears" on the top. It's simple, dated, but very special indeed, and using it really is a pleasure. It actually makes this concave shape naturally through shrinkage as it ages for 3 months during the production cycle. It has a transparent quality so you can gaze into it, and in this respect it looks like a tangerine jelly.

I find it is very kind to my maturing skin leaving it soft and fragrant, and it is of course a lot more economical than using shower gel. It lathers really well and it lasts for ages.

When I first used this soap in 1978 I had a severe acne problem. This soap was absolutely brilliant and it cleared up my skin really well. Whether it was because I was 18 when I first started to use it and nearing the end of my spot prone days, I don't know, but I do remember this was an asset then, and it took the edge of any angry pimples within a week. In fact, the box tells you it is "Non-Comedogenic" which actually means it doesn't clog pores which I can certainly endorce.

It is full of essential oils and glycerine as well as rosemary, thyme and cedar and is not tested on animals at all.

It's a strange world really because I buy and use many shower gels and soaps, but this one I come back to time and time again. I think it is the simplicity and the scent, together with the knowledge that not only did it begin its life over 200 years ago, but also reminds me of my husband who I absolutely adore!

You can also buy the hand wash and shower gel too, but for me this has to be simplicity itself. Something really unique and memory exciting-a lovely soap which is kind to skin. Nostalgic yes- but a current product which makes you as clean and fresh as any modern invention!

This review is also posted on Ciao by myself under my user name there Violet1278.

Summary: I love this soap it's a treat for sure!