Item Description
Godrej makes some good stuff. Their shaving cream punches well above its weight and the shaving round delivers consistently solid results, and both are at a price-point that make them an amazing value. But Godrej has also been making bath soaps for over a century.
Their Cinthol Deordorant and Complexion Soap in particular has been around for nearly sixty years and it's a well-known commodity in India. I've never been to the Subcontinent, but Cinthol is everywhere: I've seen it in Indian movies; it's referenced in books; it's online and in conversation. It's one of those things that's stood the test of time and countless attempts at brand repositioning. Today they market it in a similar vein as Old SPice here in the US...targeted to youth, with newer, ancillary products. There are newer varieties and body sprays and talcs. But the original Cinthol remains as a classic.
I've read that it was originally intended to be a men's soap until EVERYONE started using it through the years, but I think I would still call it a men's soap based on its frgrance alone, which is in my opinion its strongest feature. In all other ways it's...serviceable.
Price: I don't know. It should be cheap at an Indian grocery if you can find it, but it's expensive and hard-to-find online. The only shop that I could find that carries it is Smallflower (they have it, but it's not on the site...you have to ask). With their insane shipping charges, two bars put me back $11, hence the low rating.
Quality: It's Godrej, so it's good. It's on par with any other grocery store soap you'd buy here, and it's a "Grade 1" soap in India with a Total Fatty Matter figure of 76%.
Latherability: Doesn't explode with creamy lather, but gives plenty of "slimy" suds.
Moisturizing: Doesn't dry my skin and leaves it unexpectedly soft for a vegetable oil soap.
Scent: Here's the kicker....I love the scent. It's got a VERY spicy and heady aroma that's like Old Spice without the florals. I can identify Cinnamon, vetiver, maybe a little sandalwood...but there's more there. It's a very complex, masculine, clean scent that's moderately strong. I didn't give it a 10 though because it doesn't linger on the skin. In fact after the shower, there's almost no scent left behind.
Efficacy: Cleans and refreshes. There's a blurb on the wrapper about 24 hour odor control or something. Seems fine to me.
Packaging: A simple red wrapper that's nice and old school.
Their Cinthol Deordorant and Complexion Soap in particular has been around for nearly sixty years and it's a well-known commodity in India. I've never been to the Subcontinent, but Cinthol is everywhere: I've seen it in Indian movies; it's referenced in books; it's online and in conversation. It's one of those things that's stood the test of time and countless attempts at brand repositioning. Today they market it in a similar vein as Old SPice here in the US...targeted to youth, with newer, ancillary products. There are newer varieties and body sprays and talcs. But the original Cinthol remains as a classic.
I've read that it was originally intended to be a men's soap until EVERYONE started using it through the years, but I think I would still call it a men's soap based on its frgrance alone, which is in my opinion its strongest feature. In all other ways it's...serviceable.
Price: I don't know. It should be cheap at an Indian grocery if you can find it, but it's expensive and hard-to-find online. The only shop that I could find that carries it is Smallflower (they have it, but it's not on the site...you have to ask). With their insane shipping charges, two bars put me back $11, hence the low rating.
Quality: It's Godrej, so it's good. It's on par with any other grocery store soap you'd buy here, and it's a "Grade 1" soap in India with a Total Fatty Matter figure of 76%.
Latherability: Doesn't explode with creamy lather, but gives plenty of "slimy" suds.
Moisturizing: Doesn't dry my skin and leaves it unexpectedly soft for a vegetable oil soap.
Scent: Here's the kicker....I love the scent. It's got a VERY spicy and heady aroma that's like Old Spice without the florals. I can identify Cinnamon, vetiver, maybe a little sandalwood...but there's more there. It's a very complex, masculine, clean scent that's moderately strong. I didn't give it a 10 though because it doesn't linger on the skin. In fact after the shower, there's almost no scent left behind.
Efficacy: Cleans and refreshes. There's a blurb on the wrapper about 24 hour odor control or something. Seems fine to me.
Packaging: A simple red wrapper that's nice and old school.
