SOAP

In my boyhooddays the local washing soap company in my native used to sell soap 
water. Theyproduced a washing soap in blue color. It was a practice to go and 
purchase soap waterwhich washed clothes better than soap. We had to take a 
container to get soapwater. Still I am not clear whether it was a byproduct or 
something else. Washermen used to collect in large quantities. 

Yesterdaywhile delivering provisions, the shop man was answering a query by me- 
Now people purchasing washingsoap are becoming very less. All purchase liquid 
washing soap,irrespective of they are having a washing machine or not.   

Whilepurchasing ration items from co-operative stores in Chennai where I have 
settled now theyrequest to purchase some other items also. Notcompulsory. My 
wife who goes for ration purchase, mostly get toiletsoap, sometimes detergent 
bar.  It ismostly used to remove dirt from shirt collar. If more bars are 
there, they areused to wash cleaning clothes of kitchen in washing stone or for 
cleaningvessels. Yes, just likeany dish wash detergent, these detergents also 
clean vessels,rubbing with plastic or metal coil or with scorch pad. This 
posting is a lookin to different soaps solutions, detergents, hand washing 
soaps and toilet soapswith nostalgic memories. Hope an interesting reading

Gopalakrishnan10-12-2022

1. Earlier soaps.

The blue barsoaps locally made and Sunlightsoap from Hindustan lever were the 
most commonly used washing soaps inmy boyhood days in Kerala. Blue bar soaps 
were cheaper. But while applying onclothes they drained quickly. Later bar 
soaps appeared in light yellow color.These bars contained 12 pieces held 
together. Through a mark it was cut andgiven from shops. These bars also washed 
the clothes well and almost pricedlike Sunlight soap. At that time Hindustan 
lever itself introduced a bar soapcalled wheel bar. Itwas light green in color. 
It was highly in demand for best washing thanSunlight. 

The Lux toilet soap fromHindustan lever was priced higher than Life buoy toilet 
soap and was luxurious.  Though toilet soap, some found it best for 
washingalso, unlike life buoy. 

The Sunlightand Life buoy soaps on those days were three times bigger than 
later produces.  They were cut to two pieces, one for malemembers of the family 
and another for female members of the family.

Sun lightlater changed to bar and now to liquid.   Lifebuoy soap is available 
in sample as wellas normal size now. Hindustan lever name changed to Unilever.  
 Oncehaving no competitors, now they have to compete with other toilet soaps 
andliquid soaps companies.

LUX washing powder was flakes indiamond in shape and was used for washing 
costly silk items. Now there are manycompetitors for Unilever. It was 
interesting to read Indians started using soaps widely   from1935 only (Google 
search result) 

2 Godrej soap products

Godrej soapscame with Cinthol toiletsoap in 1952. Their another product was 
Godrej NO1 soap. It had bigger size than Cintholwhen introduced.  Now it is 
available innew form. Cinthol soap became fame after its use for bathing kids 
in the film“Athe kankal” in Tamilnadu. 

3. Wipro product-Chandrika

Though the ayurvedictoilet soap Chandrika was first produced by Sri Keasavan 
Vaidyar, wiproacquired it later. Chandrika soap earlier limited to Kerala 
became very commonin 1964’s. It became famous in Tamilndu, since it could 
produce good lather inhard water also.   Now chandrika isavailable as Sandal 
wood soap also. Market for Sandal wood is more thanChandrika. Earlier the soap 
was rectangular in size, now oval in size. NowChandrika has introduced a new 
toilet soap, Chandrika Pushpaveda. However notavailable freely in Chennai. 

4. Mysore sandal soap

Mysore sandalsoap by Karnataka Government was available from 1916. 

Probably itwas more available later in all places. 

5. Unilever – LIRIL

In 1975, LIRIL toilet soap appearedfrom Hindustan Unilever after much 
advertisement like Chandrika Pushpaveda now.It gained much popularity when 
introduced and continued. Suddenly itdisappeared from market and told 
production stopped. Though LIRIL was re-introduced  in 2002, the old charm had 
gone and now competing with others.

6 Margo, Medi mix, Hamam Rexona,Santoor and Pears.

The Margo soap was createdand manufactured by the Calcutta Chemical Company 
under the stewardship of itsfounder, K.C. Das, khogen Chandra Das and was 
launched in 1920. In 1988, the soap wasamong the top five-selling brands in 
India, with a market share of 8.9%. 

Medimix is an Indian brand ofayurvedic/herbal soap manufactured and marketed by 
AVA Cholayil Private Limitedand Cholayil Private Limited, a Chennai-based 
company. The brand was founded bya Doctor.

Created in1969 by Sidhan, a doctor with Indian Railways, Medimix was used to 
treatrailway laborers  who developed skinallergies and diseases. With just 
₹500, Sidhan, hailing from a family ofAyurveda practitioners, started 
manufacturing Medimix soap.28-Jan-2020. Thefactory is near Chingelput. 

Rexona and Hamam

Rexona waslaunched by Hindustan lever opposing Hamam by Tata in 1947. However 
both arenow joined and available as Hamam  from2008. 

Santoor soap

Santoor wasoriginally launched in 1985 asan ordinary soap with sandalwood and 
turmeric being its main ingredients.Though Moti and Mysore Sandal soap were the 
other brands which had sandal asmain ingredient, they were available for a 
premium. Santoor is the flagshipbrand of Wipro Consumer Care. For over three 
decades, millions of Indian womenhave trusted Santoor, making it the No. 2 soap 
brand* in the country.

Pears soap

With 100%more glycerine vs grade 1 soap, Pears Pure & Gentle mild bathing 
bar,cleanses your skin for visibly glowing, brighter skin, every time you 
shower.This bathing bar soap with glycerine helps preserve the moisture of your 
skinand keeps it soft and glowing. It is manufactured by HUL. It is available 
from 1917. It was available inbrown transparent color earlier. Now available in 
different  colours. Its shape is oval. 

I will continue in next posting. 

 

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