[OT] Pears Transparent Soap

Circa Vintage Clothing

Circa Vintage Clothing

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All my life I've used the one kind of soap - Pears Transparent soap. I've loved that it's over 200 years ago, and despite changes in ownership and management the world's oldest brand has remained the same.

But no longer - after 210 years the size has been decreased, the price increased, the distinctive shape changed and worst of all - the recipe has changed. No longer does it have the wonderful soft and nostalgic scent of natural herbs - now it's quite medicinal in smell, has lost it's rich brown colour and even feels different when using.

This is a minor thing but I'm so sad - sad enough that I'm going to take my latest packet back to the shop and ask for a refund. There was no indication on the packet that it's not the same and I feel a bit betrayed - through all the changes in our modern lives, I felt as if Pears Transparent was the one consistent.

The thing that gets me is why do companies do things like this? Presumably to save money but when you have such a solid brand like this, why not just bring out another variety of soap if you're going to change it as much as this? It just doesn't make sense - devoted users everywhere are going to feel as I do.

I need to find a new brand of soap now - unbelievable.

Nicole
 
Nicole ~

I am so sorry to hear this ~ I know exactly how you feel - my favorite hair conditioner (which is fabulous) was discontinued a few years ago. The hairdresser tried to steer me to another product, but it wasn't the same.

I went to ebay and purchased several jars of the old formula conditioner.

You might want to check Ebay to see if anyone is selling bars of the old formula Pears soap. Or maybe one of the discontinued cosmetics websites might have some.

:cursing::xmasunwrap2:
 
Nicole,

I not only understand completely but I totally empathize with you. My favorite soap is no longer made and while it was not a 200 year old recipe, I loved and still love it. I have a few bars squirreled away but when it is gone that's it. You might want to try Neutragena which is a clear glycerin soap made in the US with a very light scent - also available unscented.

http://tinyurl.com/ygguv2z

I am very sensitive to scent and when I don't like it - I really don't. I have also had trouble with perfume being discontinued. I discovered the one I wear now, Sung, quite by accident - it was on a strip in a Macy's ad in the late 1990's! I have to order it online.

If Neutragena is not available in Australia, it is available online. It is relatively inexpensive and very gentle.

Hope this helps.

Linn
 
Pears soap is an absolutely iconic brand and I really feel for you, Nicole.

I just searched online to see if there's a campaign to change the formula back - I'm sure there's lots of faithful users who feel just the same as you!

Once their sales start plummeting, perhaps the current manufacturer will think again . . .

I'll second Linn's suggestion of Neutragena, which I've also used for years on my problem skin. It doesn't have that lovely, evocative scent (or the shape, or the history!) but it is the best for sensitive skin.

Sarah
 
Gosh Nicole, you would think that one brand you could trust would be Pears! It's really end of an era stuff isn't it! Why would you stuff with a formula that has worked for so long??? Madness! I bet they are outsourcing and making it somewhere cheaper- and yep Neutragena may be worth looking into............. sad news, that even soap can't be relied on now for petes sake! Gayle x
 
One more sign of the times, unfortunately. Who would think that Pears soap would be changed???? When will companies realize that "new" isn't always better, that "cheaper" doesn't always turn out to be cost effective, and that it's less expensive in the long run to keep a fabulous product the same and keep one's customer base? They probably substituted chemicals for natural ingredients. It's lIke when Coke changed their formula, then had to change it back again. Maybe Pears will do the same when their sales tank.

I was so disappointed when Mary Kay discontinued my favorite body-care fragrance. I don't use MK often, as it's too expensive and the products are too "light" for my dry skin, but the body sprays and body washes were affordable & delicious. They discontinued their "old" fragrances and the new ones weren't as nice. I bought as much old stock of my favorite as my rep had, am now almost out of all of it, and sooo unhappy. Same thing with Avon--they've had some of their fragrances 4-ever, but discontinued the best ones (at least the ones I liked the best).
 
Oh, you speak my heart! I admit, I don't know Pears soap :BAGUSE: but this thing has happened to me with a few other products... like my favorite hair dye - I kept buying up old stock, even on holiday, when I spotted it somewhere. It lasted longer in certain other countries than here it seems. The craziest being, I admit, buying two packets in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. I had two more days to myself in that city after being on a tour with a group, and spotted it at the one department store this city has. And learned how Russian-style department stores work :lol:. So you could say I got a cultural experience out of this too :duh:.
I just found out that the best bath gel I've ever tried is not being produced anymore - the one bottle I had bought at sale price was apparently already old stock (gee, I only thought, a Guerlain product at 50% off, why not indulge myself a bit...). I got one more for a small fortune of shipping costs via ebay, and that was probably it, unless I find it again on ebay.

But really it's the most horrible thing if they change traditional products like this. It's not that I don't understand that they do develop new products etc, but why change something like this? They could have launched the new soap under a new name. I'm sure that a bit of marketing would have cost them less than all the consumers who won't buy the "new version" now.

Karin
 
You have to complain - don't just return the soap. Don't forget Coke brought back their old formula because of complaints. Every voice of disatisfaction adds up.
 
How many original bars of soap, would it take for me to have a copy of your book? :) I'm half kidding, but I can surely try to locate some for you, if you'd like.

I'd write to the consumer relations department. It really bugs me when great things are discontinued, and I sure hope this turns out like the Coke fiasco, and they return to the original formula.
 
Thanks everyone - it turns out that ebay has quite a few pears original soap lots and so I'll probably buy some from there - it seems silly to import from the US but this is serious!

Jonathan, you're right - I'm going to complain. The packet has contact details on it and whilst checking it, I notice that it no longer bears the royal standard. So if it's not good enough for the Queen either.....

I hope if enough people complain they will bring back the old formula. I've stuck with this product for a long time - it's smell is my smell, it's part of my identity. I'm not ready to part with that.

Nicole
 
According to Wikipedia:
In 2009 the formula was changed to take out the peanut oil that it contained and adding other ingredients like more glycerin. This completely changed the smell and texture of the soap, making it unrecognizable from the original product.
 
Originally posted by Jonathan
You have to complain - don't just return the soap. Don't forget Coke brought back their old formula because of complaints. Every voice of disatisfaction adds up.
Click to expand...

I agree 100% with Jonathan!! You have to WRITE the company and pour your heart out!! And if is anyone else that you run into that is upset about it, encourage them to do the same. In fact, since you run a B&M, maybe you can start gathering signatures with a little clipboard at your counter and send it in to the company.

My mother collected Pears Soap Vintage signage when I was a kid. It was everywhere in the house. I feel your anger on this one. It is a shame that they change their formula after so many years. It seems that that would be their biggest selling point too, so it is a bit odd.
 
I wonder if they changed the formula because there is so much worry about peanut allergies? A lot of food products here in the U.S. now have labels that indicate if they were manufactured in a facility that processed peanuts.

Someone would probably have to EAT the soap in order to have an allergic reaction, but perhaps they can't call it "hypoallergenic" if it has peanut oil in it.
 
Nicole, in the UK the predicted number 1 ( record) for Christmas was toppled in a couple of weeks my a couple using Face Book suggesting you buy a alternative record .

maybe you could start something for the return of your old Pears o the web, maybe a lot of ladies have not realized it changed, as I am sure they market as "new or improved" instead of saying by the we have dropped the old formula we can make smaller bar from cheaper ingredients and charge more for it also.

I always think if it's not broke do not try and fix it.
 
feeling your pain, Nicole...:no:

Givenchy used to make a fragrance, Yram (mary spelled backwards) and i absolutely LOVED it and received compliments on it each and every time i wore it...its been gone for years, now. a few years ago i discovered a new favorite fragrance, "Filigree" by Thymes, and it recently has been discontinued now too.

i've bought a bunch when i find it, too, but fragrance can "turn" so i really don't want a closet full of tainted perfume, either...

i think the Pears Campaign is a great idea!!!!!!!
 
Thanks everyone - I'm going to give the campaign some thought over Christmas. My vintage shop could be the perfect place to base it, as it's in keeping with our values and aesthetic.

Mary, like many I've had that thing with perfume too: I used to wear Venezia by Laura Biagiotti - when they stopped making it, I could have cried. I stockpiled for a while but yes, perfume doesn't last. I now wear "By" by Dolce e Gabbana. It's not as good as Venezia but it's become my distinctive scent.

Smell is such an important sense. Very under-rated I think.

Nicole
 
Ahh, I used to wear Venezia for a short spell; someone gave me a bottle and I loved it. That is the perfume I wore when my husband and I fell in love. I'm saddened to hear that it is discontinued. Luckily my signature scent since highschool has been Chanel No.5 and if that ever goes away you can plan on a serious riot!!
 
It's sad, Ookoo, but peanut allergies tend to be severe enough that rubbing something with peanut oil on you could be Very Bad Indeed. It's true that refined peanut oil should technically have all the peanut proteins (the allergenic part) removed, but given that peanut allergies tend to be potentially life-threatening, and you can react to skin contact, if you have a peanut allergy then you would avoid soaps with peanut oil. It's a rotten allergy to have. It makes sense to me that they would have changed the formula in response to this. Maybe they got sued at some point...

But I completely sympathize! We grow so attached to smells in particular. I've been hoarding some shampoo/conditioner that's threatened with discontinuation. But you can only hoard these things for so long... :(

Jen
 
I think the Vermont Country Store is still selling the original Pears Soap. I just googled "Vermont Country Store" and put "Pears Soap" in the search box. When the item came up, I clicked on the Details tab and there it lists the ingredients. It includes "Sodium peanutate" so it must be the old version.

I've ordered several items from them. They are known for bringing back old formulas. They have old perfumes like "Evening in Paris" and things like that.

Diana :xmasunwrap2:
 
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