Beware: fake Dove soap

I know a lot about fake bags, watches, jewellery and software because I learnt the hard way about all of them, but I’d never heard of fake soap until we bought some last week.

We’re always looking out for cheaper sources of our essentials, as saving a dollar or two each on frequent purchases really adds up. So when Mr Bargain Queen spotted Dove soap in the dollar store for half the price the supermarkets charge, of course we had to try it.

The only problem is, it’s not the same soap. It looks the same; the packaging is similar; but it smells nasty and dried out my skin really badly. Now Mr Bargain Queen doesn’t understand what the fuss is about — soap is soap as far as he can tell. But he likes that my skin is really soft, so he can put up with my expensive soap preferences!

If you’re a fan of Dove soap like I am, here’s how to pick the fake from the real:

1. Different packaging

In the photo, the one at the top is real; the one at the bottom is the fake. The design of the packaging is quite different when you view them side-by-side. The layout is really different, plus the real packaging uses a really dark blue but on the fake royal blue is used instead. (For a bigger pic, click on the image.)

2. Different ingredients

The real ingredients:

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Aqua, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Palmitate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Glycerin, Coconut Acid, Sodium Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, CI 77891, Sodium Hydroxide.

The fake ingredients:

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Tallowate, Aqua, Sodium Isethionate, Coconut Acid, Sodium Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Parfum, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Cworide, Taisodium EDTA, Zinc Stearate, Tetrasodium Stidronate, CI 77891

What does all that mean? I don’t know either. I read somewhere that glycerin’s great for keeping moisture up to your skin so I guess it’s important that the real stuff has it and the fake doesn’t. Tallow’s supposed to be bad for your skin so if sodium tallowate is what it sounds like, I guess that’s part of why the fake is so nasty. And is it just me, or do Sodium Cworide and Taisodium EDTA sound like Engrish? (No offense to non-native English speakers; I’m strictly monolingual so even if you speak English badly you’re still way ahead of me!)

If someone with more knowledge of industrial chemistry or skincare formulations wants to comment, please go right ahead!

3. Different smell

The real thing smells creamy; the fake smells like cheap soap.