Dollar store soap deathmatch: Pears vs. Yardley
Longtime readers may be shocked to learn that in recent months, I have thrown aside my beloved Softsoap Milk & Honey body wash in favor of bar soap. This is due to a couple of factors:
The first one I spied with my frugal little eye was Pears.
Ah, Pears. I remember this soap fondly from my childhood in the '60s and '70s. I can't remember actually using it all that much, although the scent (which to my nose is reminiscent of spiced fruit compote) is certainly familiar. I think I remember the magazine advertisements more than I remember the soap itself.
Regardless, I snapped up a few boxes and brought them home. They languished in my guest bath, looking retro-cool, for a couple of months before I finally broke down and opened a box to actually use it.
I looove the fragrance of this soap. LOVE IT. I could sniff the bar all day. And it makes a wonderful lather. HOWEVER, and maybe this is a function of the particular hardness/softness of my water, it does not rinse clean. No, it leaves a sort of sticky, squeaky film behind. And I do not like that.
So, back to the dollar store, where this time I picked up a bar of Yardley Oatmeal & Almond soap.
I do NOT remember Yardley from my youth, except in passing, but I know it's a longtime favorite of anglophiles the world over. The scent of this one won me over in a heartbeat. I am a sucker for all things almond.
In the bath, the fragrance of this bar is wonderful. It's especially nice in the winter, all almond-creamy and comforting. The lather is nice and thick, and most importantly, it rinses clean and leaves my skin wonderfully soft with just a wisp of that almond fragrance left behind. Score!
I don't even mind the scrubby bits in this bar (they are oatmeal and not almond shells, I don't think) because if you use a washcloth/pouf/hands they don't seem to come off and get stuck all over you. You CAN get some exfoliation going by rubbing the bar directly on skin, though.
I was so enamoured of the Yardley soap that I went back to the dollar store for more, and that's when I noticed they had the lavender variety, too.
So, you know, I had to try THAT one as well. I like this just fine -- it has a nice lavender scent that is especially soothing in the evening, and it rinses clean just like the oatmeal/almond variety -- but my skin didn't like this one as much. Or rather, er, my girl bits didn't. Yeah, I don't know how else to say it, y'all. Something about this was slightly irritating to my delicate parts, if you know what I'm saying. It has since been relegated to the sock drawer, to act as a sachet.
So for me, the clear winner in the battle of the dollar store soap is Yardley Oatmeal & Almond. I am in love with the fragrance, the lather, and the way it makes my skin feel.
And I refuse to tell you how many boxes of this stuff now occupy my bathroom closet.
- I got bored.
- I spotted some non-sucky bar soaps at my local dollar store.
The first one I spied with my frugal little eye was Pears.
Ah, Pears. I remember this soap fondly from my childhood in the '60s and '70s. I can't remember actually using it all that much, although the scent (which to my nose is reminiscent of spiced fruit compote) is certainly familiar. I think I remember the magazine advertisements more than I remember the soap itself.
Regardless, I snapped up a few boxes and brought them home. They languished in my guest bath, looking retro-cool, for a couple of months before I finally broke down and opened a box to actually use it.
I looove the fragrance of this soap. LOVE IT. I could sniff the bar all day. And it makes a wonderful lather. HOWEVER, and maybe this is a function of the particular hardness/softness of my water, it does not rinse clean. No, it leaves a sort of sticky, squeaky film behind. And I do not like that.
So, back to the dollar store, where this time I picked up a bar of Yardley Oatmeal & Almond soap.
I do NOT remember Yardley from my youth, except in passing, but I know it's a longtime favorite of anglophiles the world over. The scent of this one won me over in a heartbeat. I am a sucker for all things almond.In the bath, the fragrance of this bar is wonderful. It's especially nice in the winter, all almond-creamy and comforting. The lather is nice and thick, and most importantly, it rinses clean and leaves my skin wonderfully soft with just a wisp of that almond fragrance left behind. Score!
I don't even mind the scrubby bits in this bar (they are oatmeal and not almond shells, I don't think) because if you use a washcloth/pouf/hands they don't seem to come off and get stuck all over you. You CAN get some exfoliation going by rubbing the bar directly on skin, though.
I was so enamoured of the Yardley soap that I went back to the dollar store for more, and that's when I noticed they had the lavender variety, too.
So, you know, I had to try THAT one as well. I like this just fine -- it has a nice lavender scent that is especially soothing in the evening, and it rinses clean just like the oatmeal/almond variety -- but my skin didn't like this one as much. Or rather, er, my girl bits didn't. Yeah, I don't know how else to say it, y'all. Something about this was slightly irritating to my delicate parts, if you know what I'm saying. It has since been relegated to the sock drawer, to act as a sachet.So for me, the clear winner in the battle of the dollar store soap is Yardley Oatmeal & Almond. I am in love with the fragrance, the lather, and the way it makes my skin feel.
And I refuse to tell you how many boxes of this stuff now occupy my bathroom closet.
Labels: bar soap, bath and body, Pears, product reviews, Yardley
24 Comments:
oh I love soap bars, only that my skin is too dry for them (but I used to make up excuses just to try them out)... are the ones you tried drying?
my other complaint about soaps are they last forever (not for Dove)...
The only one I've used for any length of time is the oatmeal/almond one, and that hasn't caused any dryness for me at all. It actually seems to be kind of moisturizing!
You soap whore, you.
Omigosh!!! I have missed this blog SO much !!! I'm so glad I got bronchitis, (Stuck home feeling too crappy to do much else) and checked it out again! You made me smile for the first time this week. Cough medicine not withstanding...
So glad you are back--your blog makes me very happy. (I am relieved that I am not the only beauty-product-psycho out there!)
Glad to see you back,Badger!
I went to my dollar store this morning and actually saw the Pears and Yardley varieties.
I smelled the Pears and almost fainted. It smelled horrible.
HOWEVER,the Yardley's is a different story. The Oatmeal Almond I snatched two boxes of because it smelled soooo gooood. It really,really did. I also saw the Lavender variety,patiently waiting in a wire basket next to the Oatmeal Almond for me to smell it. And am I glad I did! I only took one box of the lavender,which I confused myself with because I take my showers at night and I could use it to help me sleep calmer.
But,you know. Everybody,please go to your Dollar Tree and pick up both varieties! They smell absolutley DELICIOUS.
WHere have you ladies been?, yardley lavender scent has been my favorite for years. I also put in my linen closet and lingerie drawer to scent those items.
That's great!
Except I don't use soap bars.. only aveeno oatmeal soap for my eczema LOL
I used Yardley soap at a friend's house, and I feel in love. I will have to see if my local dollar store has it! THANKS!
Hi there! Just wanted to give you a little side info on dollar stores.... a lot of the stuff you can buy there comes from places that don't share the same regulations as Canada or the US, therefore the product may have the same name but in fact it could have been made in extremely unsanitary conditions (or at least more so than in Canada or the US). Also, a lot of the stuff from there can be expired or not even have an expirary date or even ingredients listed because there are no laws stating you have to include it where ever it was manufactured. Something like toothpaste from the dollar store can even be misleading. It's been proven that some countries like Africa, that don't have fluoride added to their water, will actually add as much as 300% more than what Canada or the US allows to be safe for human consumption. But hey, I love the dollar store! Just have to be a smart consumer i guess :)
I don't see any good soap in the dollar stores close to me! Your blog is a new discovery for me, and it's a great one. You crack me up.
I have used Pears soap on my face, yes, my face, off and on since 1989. I have strayed with more expensive, more complex products, but I always go back to Pears. Why? It's simple. I get the most compliments on my complexion when I am using the Pears morning and night.
Not bad for a buck. And you can pick it up on the cheap at Walgreens and CVS, too.
Soooo glad the Pears wasn't your favorite (more for me!) I currently have 20 bars of this increadible stuff and will be hoarding more in the future (word has it that when the current factory closes, the recipe will be gone forever) I also use it on my face as it's the only thing that makes my sensitive skin calmer. I adore the scent, which actually imroves and mellows with age. Love, love it!
I use the Pears for my face..it is a very gentle soap and excellent for that purpose..I don't believe it's meant to be a smellie girlie type of product..but is great for gentle skin
I use the Pears for my face as it is a gentle soap and I don't believe it's designed for a fragrance type..but it is great for my face..
reminds me of Soap on a Rope, I've used this soap too and i also buy $ soaps... lol
You can still use your lavender soap if you don't mind using a milder soap for the "naughty bits". I'm mourning the loss of a white unscented soap that Palmolive made. There was a beauty supply store in the shopping mall that carried it. I used to get five or six bars at a time. I just went back to the mall, and the store is gone. Has anyone else used this soap?
Have you tried looking up palmolive on the internet..perhaps you could find out where else they sell it..just a suggestion..
i had no idea yardley was sold at the dollar store! i must pay them a visit!
This is a bit off topic but have you tried Origins Clean Energy cleansing oil? I tried the DHC oil but prefer the Origins one because it smells great, it's easier to get and it's cheaper! (£14) I definitely recommend it.
Speaking of bar soaps, I love, love, love DHC's Olive Soap (aka Olive Leaf Soap). My skin is combination oily/normal but seriously sensitive. I have been looking for the right facial cleanser for at least 30 years and have finally found it Yay!
Lord, how much do I love bar soap? I was in fact doing a google search for Pears when I ran across this site. I buy soap at my local grocery outlet; they have had some fine smells and textures in there! :) I just happened on the Pears oily complexion bar or whatever it's called. It is green and it smells like Christmas! Fantastic balsam scent in the shower. I don't have oily skin, in fact have very touchy (not in a good way) white chick 50-something skin and have used the regular Pears before so of course had to get this green one. I thought it might be fun to try. I want more!
hey, try the Yardley "fresh aloe w/cucumber essence". I find it a very mild bar soap. I'm a newbie to your blogging.
I have tried the Yardly Oatmeal and Almond soap recently I took a chance on it from the 99 cent store because I was infatuated with the smell. I absolutely love it and think this is the only bar soap I'll be using for a long time! It is so mild and soft and doesn't leave any yucky unpleasant film on my skin. : )
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