Goat Milk Soap – Pistachio Scented

“Pretty Picture”

I was really excited about this soap, initially because of the packaging, which is a lovely light green box with a matte finish—it's the kind of finish that was popular for awhile in publishing, I think, and other products, maybe, that was meant to say: classic, and quality. I think that was the intention. Essentially the opposite of glossy. You'd think you came upon an eighty-year-old box here, but no, it's all image. It does look nice, with old-time fonts and a really cute line drawing of a goat. It's impossible to figure out what the name of this soap is, even with Internet's help—it says on the box, “Savon, Lait de Chevre, Goat Milk Soap,” and then on the side “Pistachio Scented”—giving you the impression that it's French, which it is not. It's made by CST, an American soap-making behemoth. The ingredients do show “Goat Milk”—so that's good, but along with a lot of other chemical-y sounding mystery substances. So, I was excited, yes, but the mildest research has revealed that this soap it not what it seems—I mean, if you're expecting French and old. But maybe there's nothing wrong with that.

The bar itself is also an elegant light green, with “Savon” and some squiggly lines indented, and it's huge, 9 ounces. It's got a very subtle pistachio scent, so it started out well. Then a weird thing happened: as I was using it, I found the scent to be increasingly unpleasant—oddly sweet and cloying. I have no idea why. Maybe just because it is the pistachio nut flavor? Some flavors are good when eating, but not so much on your skin. Or maybe it's because it's an artificial scent? I don't know, and it wasn't that bad—I kept using it, happily, but it just wasn't something that gave me bath-time inspiration like so many soaps do. Eventually I switched it over to a full-time hand-soap, for the remainder of its tenure. I can't say I'll rush out and buy another one anytime soon. I'm keeping the box, though—they did a really good job there.

Soap Review No. 49