Now they went and changed Ivory soap

[kevin313]

In the world of ever-changing products, re-formulations, down-sizing, up-pricing and the overall rip-off to the consumer in the name of corporate consolidation and increased profits, they have decided to change Ivory soap.

Apologies if I'm late to the party. This is something I just noticed. Like many of us here, I keep a good stock of certain items that I like and use frequently, Ivory soap being one of those things. A bar of Ivory soap has been in my bathroom sink soap dish for most of my life. It is my favorite handwashing soap. Often, I also keep a bar in the shower because I love the gentle smell.

When I recently opened a 3-pack I purchased recently, I immediately noticed something was different with the bar. For those who use Ivory, you know that often the paper wrapper clings to the bar and you have to peel it away. The new wrapper slid right off and I saw a small seam on the middle of the side of the soap going all the way around. Seemed like P&G was using a different mold. Giving it a sniff, the smell was very similar to the old version, but not quite the same. A closer look on the package revealed the soap is now being made in Colombia.

The formulation seems to have changed, as well. In using the bar, the texture is denser, less porus. IVORY SOAP NO LONGER FLOATS. It also no longer says more than 99 percent pure ingredients (although I was never sure about that claim).

All this to say that it is a different product and not the same soap I have used my entire life. You better believe that the cost to make this new soap in Colombia is far cheaper than the old version - and the price has only increased. More money for P&G stockholders, which is what it's all about.

So please add Ivory soap to the long list of products that have been changed to increase profits regardless of consumer preferences.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Kevin, good to see a post from you. Wasn't that something to see the floating bar of Ivory in the tub which meant there was no searching for a bar of soap underwater because the bar of soap had to be replaced in the soap dish before the tub was drained?

 

[circlew]

To the best of my knowledge, Ivory was being made for P&G by the St. Bernard Soap Co., which was in part of the old P&G complex in Cincinnati. That facility closed about a year ago after loosing the contract, and is now for sale or lease. I go past it frequently.

 

[launderess]

P&G changed formula of Ivory Soap a while back removing the floating properties.

https://archive.ph/0McrL

https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/ivory-soap-removed-tallow.656735/

Pure soaps may not always best for skin care. Remember using Ivory Soap as a child and teenager (usually at some family member's home) for bathing or face washing and it dried my skin out something awful. Sometime in high school switched to Dove and haven't looked back.

Syndets such as Dove, Zest and others are better bar cleansers for most persons over pure soap.

https://www.dermatologytimes.com/vi...ensive cleansers are,be used by most patients.

For all its conations regarding purity and mildness the Ivory brand has long been in decline for P&G, in end representing less than one percent of sales.

post was last edited: 2/9/2025-04:51]

 

[thewoolitewoman]

<blockquote>
 

"Syndets such as Dove, Zest and others are better bar cleansers for most persons over pure soap."

</blockquote>
I absolutely agree with you. I have been making homemade soap using lye and animal fat for a couple of years. I make beautiful bars that my family and friends really enjoy. My own skin, however, reacts poorly to the soap that I make, regardless of recipe or additives.

 

I actually got in to soap-making because I wanted to copy the Dove Beauty Bar. That's when I learned that not all soaps are true soaps. Syndets are Synthetic Detergents, whereas true soaps are comprised of saponified oils/fats. Sodium hydroxide (lye) binds with all of the oil molecules and chemically changes the oils into soap molecules. When the math is done correctly, a bar of soap will not contain leftover lye. This process is known as saponification. It's also worth noting that true soap often leaves the skin with that squeaky-clean feeling whereas a syndet beauty bar will leave the skin feeling smooth and conditioned. Anyway --

 

I was loyal to Caress-brand beauty bars for many, many years. They were my favorite. As to be expected, Caress reformulated and re-scented their original bar soap about a year ago. I admit that I was a good sport about the reformulation! I just could not get behind the new scent. I used to frequent bargain stores to find rare Caress flavors, but I haven't seen any flavors other than the reformulated one -- very disheartening.

 

I have since switched to Dove's "Pink" flavor of bar soap, but I'm not too crazy about that scent -- much too powdery with no real floral notes. The Dove bars also gets slimier than Caress. I do like a perfumed soap that lingers on the skin, so these days I do an initial wash with a beauty bar and then I use my perfumed Korean shower gel (absolutely divine, by the way) with a washcloth to get a really good scrubbing. A double cleanse creates an extra step but it makes a big difference. It's kind of like shampooing twice.

 

[combo52]

Bar, soaps and more

Great to see you post Kevin I wish you would put links onto your new episodes of cavalcade of cooking here as I forget to watch it from time to time.

I was never much of a fan of ivory soap. I always thought it dissolved too quickly and generally prefer the synthetic detergent base soaps anyway they last longer and don't leave as much soaps film in the shower, bathtub, etc.

I've also never been a fan of brand-name products so never bought ivory soap, but its been around and I have used it Occasionally I end up With brand-name products or use them at other people's homes, but the store brand products are just fine and half the cost in many cases.

I figured out some years ago that the only branding product I was buying was red rose tea because I didn't like the taste of Lipton tea, then I bought Aldi's brand black tea and found out it was excellent and half the cost or less even than Aldi's and taste wonderful so that was the last brand-name product I ever bought I think lol

Even though I don't have to worry about the cost of things like groceries. It's still just goes against my grain to waste money and in these times, I'm spending lots of money trying to keep this democracy alive.

John L

 

[qsd-dan]

I quit using bar soap over 20 years ago and switched it out for Miracle II liquid soap. No sketchy ingredients and it was the permanent end of film buildup in my shower/tub.

 

[DADoES]

 
The only bar soap I use is Lava in the garage half-bath for the super-grungy situations.

 

[kevin313]

@tomturbomatic: I do remember the floating bar of soap in the tub when I took baths as a kid. You could always find it. Funny how big the bathtub seemed when you're five years old!

@circlew: thanks for the info. I wasn't aware there was another manufacturer making Ivory for P&G in the old plant. Perhaps if they went out of business it drove the decision to find another supplier like the soap maker in Colombia.

@Laundress: I appreciate all the history on Ivory! I suppose the all the incremental changes to Ivory over the years went unnoticed by me. I really only used it to wash my hands, which I do multiple times a day. At one point I probably had more than 50 bars of the old stock, and have now depleted it. Ivory never irritated my skin, but I know some people found it over-drying to the skin. Since it is such a poor sales performer, I'm guessing it will likely be phased out at some point in the future. Seems like there are fewer name brand products as certain ones tend to dominate a segment and push others off the shelves.

@combo52: Hi John! I miss you! I stopped posting Cavalcade of Food links here some time ago when the channel became monitized. I wasn't comfortable driving traffic to the channel from this site because of that. There is a new video every Thursday, as well as a new video on my other YT channel "Always Analog" every Wednesday, and I've been doing a Saturday morning radio program "Cavalcade Radio Hour" for some time, also. You can link to everything from cavalcadeoffood.com Hope to see you again soon! We passed through NC in November had fun with Hans, Donald, Chris and Tate. We'll have to get out your way soon! And thanks for the tip on the Aldi tea! I've never been a Lipton fan, either. I find it bitter. I'll try Aldi's.

@dadoes: I always have a bar of Lava at my laundry sinks for washing my hands when they are extra dirty/greasy/grimy. I find it still works great!

 

[rinso]

During his latest visit, my younger made fun of me for still using bar soap and not body washes. I do have to be careful because I'm allergic to most soaps of any kind. Ivory used to be an exception to that, as did Zest. Both must have been reformulated over the past years and now my "itchity" skin problems are back. I now get my bar soap from a couple who make soap with goat's milk, at their rural farm in Inkom Idaho, of all places. It smells great, and doesn't leave my skin itchy, or give me a rash.

 

[circlew]

Kevin, it was actually the other way around. SBSC closed because P&G (their major customer) found another manufacturer to make their products. They were in the middle section of the factory complex. The east end is still occupied by Proctor & Gamble and the west end is the Crisco plant, operated by B & G Foods, a company that also makes or distributes Clabber Girl, B & M beans, Durkee and Tones spices, Brer Rabbit and Grandma's Molasses, and many other food products.

 

[ea56]

I still prefer bar soap for showering and use Zest. For each of the sinks we keep a bar of Ivory in the soap dishes for washing hands. I used to always buy and use Palmolive Soap for handwashing, but alas it hasn’t been made in several years, hence the switch to Ivory Soap.

No matter what bar soap I buy I always take the bars out of the cellophane package they come in and stack them in the cabinet under the bathroom sink so they can age and harden. Almost all bar soaps sold today are very soft right out of the package and will melt away quickly as they are used. But if you let them age out of the airtight packing they will last twice as long. Ivory Soap is especially soft right out of the packaging, I can almost poke a finger right through a fresh bar of Ivory. I buy the 12 bar packs and when we get down to say 4 bars left I’ll buy another 12 bars and put them at the bottom of the stack, using the oldest bars first.

I too prefer buying store brands when possible, but I’ve yet to find a store brand of bar soap that is sold anywhere I shop.

Eddie

 

[launderess]

For the record

Ivory wasn't the only "floating soap" around.

Back in day Colgate, Armour and several others offered floating bar soaps

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264730158162

https://www.ebay.com/itm/365118676541

When you get down to it purchasing floating soap means you're paying for a good volume of air in each bar. That isn't exactly value for money regardless of claims about mildness and or purity.

Noticed at once years ago that bars of Ivory soap didn't last very long. When used in shower you'd be wise to keep running water off the bars as otherwise might not get more than one or two uses before thing melted away. Leaving such bars of soap in water while bathing accomplished same.

Will give you floating soap bars are some what of a boon when bathing in or with tub of water.

Back in day small bars of individually wrapped Ivory soap were included in patient bedside kit or could be had from supply in nurses station. When giving bed baths one didn't have to root around in tub of water to find soap, it always was floating on top of water.

Above applied to persons taking or giving baths in tubs of water. Many mothers liked Ivory or other floating soaps because besides providing entertainment for youngsters they could easily find the bar if left in water. This was handy not just for use but preventing accidents caused by slipping on a bar of soap left submerged in tub of water.

Quite honestly one wants least amount of moisture and certainly whipped air in soap to get best value.

For ages housewives, housekeepers, laundries and others sought out soap that contained as little moisture and certainly no air as possible. Those bars gave on average better value regardless of end use (laundry, house cleaning, personal hygiene, etc...).

Cellophane, plastic and other synthetic wrappings for soap bars are fairly recent invention. Prior soap bars came wrapped in paper (perhaps waxed), or nothing at all. If just wrapped in plain paper (or in paper boxes) leaving bars of soap sitting about will allow moisture to evaporate resulting in harder soap. Of course on can leave bars unwrapped but then there's worry about things sticking together or creating dust/chips if they become too dehydrated from sitting about.

While harder the better soap bars, cubes or whatever may be great for personal hygiene it presented issues when one needed the stuff for other purposes such as laundry or cleaning.

Grating or slicing bits off a hard brick of soap wasn't exactly always fun and could be dangerous depending upon tools used. This is where powdered, flaked, granulated soap came to rescue.

 

[launderess]

@kevin313

Don't believe P&G will let Ivory brand totally die. It's too iconic for something like that, nor would P&G let another company get their mitts on trademark and other legal bits. Now who makes said products and what is on offer under Ivory brand is a debatable question.

https://ivory.com/our-heritage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_(soap)

For instance having largely lost infant garment, fine washables and other "light duty" laundry Ivory Snow soap powder was phased out.

Depending upon market Dreft (a detergent) is now sold as "Ivory Snow".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreft







P&G does have their work cut out for them with Ivory brand.

"Ivory’s rich heritage isn’t enough to keep it afloat in the competitive soap market. A report this year by Mintel Group market research estimated U.S. sales for soap, bath and shower products grew 4.1 percent to $2.1 billion last year in food and drug stores and other mass market sales. In the nondeodorant bar soap category, Unilever’s Dove brand held 35.3 percent of the market, with Ivory at 5.8, down slightly from 2009. Ivory also has branded body washes, dish and laundry detergents."

https://www.twincities.com/2011/10/03/pg-launches-new-packaging-marketing-campaign-for-ivory-brand/

 

[philcobendixduo]

Irish Spring....

....is my favorite shower soap.

I have a lifetime supply of it thanks to Costco!

 

[launderess]

Irish Spring

Tis a manly soap to be sure, but I like it too.

*LOL*





Will confess love scent of Irish Spring soap it's another one that does a number on ones skin so had to cross it off.

 

[mattl]

I started using Ivory in the early 80's when I got contacts, was told it did not leave anything on your fingers. Used it since then but since I quit contacts I've been using liquid soaps. Still keep a bar in the bathroom by the sink but rarely use it. In the shower I use Nivea Cool for men. When I bought Ivory I'd unwrap it and put it in a west facing bedroom window, once the moisture was gone the bar lasted much longer.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Well I have a few bars of ivory and I think I got them before the changed scents...

 

 

 

-- Dave

 

[circlew]

It's probably been 10 or more years since I've purchased any bar soap. Currently I just use shampoo in the shower, and either dish detergent or liquid hand soap otherwise. I recently bought some Target Up & Up Hawaiian Gardenia hand soap that smells good.