iHerb
I was looking for another soap bar to replace my quickly-diminishing Nubian Heritage Mango Butter Soap, and by chance, this clay-based soap managed to catch my attention. The product looks promising although there were no reviews about it, so I took a rise and purchased it in hopes that it is a good product, and it really is (thankfully)! My review will be based on my past experiences with various soap products found on iHerb (to help people make decisions).
SIZE/PRICING/RIGIDITY (DURABILITY)
At double the size and price of Nubian Heritage's range of products, both brands seem equally matched in value. However, I get this feeling that the Zion Clay soap will last longer than any of the Nubian Heritage range's products, as the former removes dirt and grease more effectively, and it feels less "buttery" (less susceptible to water) and malleable than the latter. Holding it inspires a feeling that the bar will go a long way, just like the One With Nature Soap Bar (I bought the Lemon Sage one), although it is nearly not as hard as the latter (hardness scale: One with Nature > Zion > Nubian).
Take note that this Zion bar soap comes as a 300g block, and is rather huge (which I like), and is about 6-7cm in width. It feels good in the hand, but those with smaller palms might wish that the soap came in a less imposing size.
SCENT
The fragrance is rather strong and hovers nearer towards the synthetic side (it does include artificial fragrances, but they are seated right at the back of the ingredient list, so that should give purists some ease), but it smells really pleasant and fresh, like the smell you get when you open a can of sweetened green tea. The scent even lingers on my skin for a while after showering, so that is a plus!
COLOUR
The illustration's colour is slightly paler and brighter than the actual product. The actual soap bar is comes in a darker shade of brown (like dirty dark chocolate).
PACKAGING
I like the way they name their soaps - the scent really reflects the name they gave for this product. The packaging is recyclable paper which looks simple, fuss-free and elegant, but it does not keep the soap bar's fragrance sealed in though (making the paper smell really good). Not to worry though, as the fragrance is quite strong and there seems to be plenty to go from the soap bar even after using it for a week (durable scent). iHerb packs the soap bar in a zip lock bag when they ship it (thoughtful!), but it is still kind of pointless as the scent just finds itself magically throughout the entire shipping parcel.
FOAMING ABILITY
Close to none. All bar soaps are bad at foaming, but that is alright to me. It still cleans as well as foaming liquid soaps.
CONTEXT
In Singapore (where I stay), the weather is hot and humid, and that spells trouble for my (already oily) skin as oil breaks out rather easily. Comparatively speaking, this clay soap was more effective at cleansing oil off my skin, as I had to run the Nubian Heritage Mango Butter Soap thrice across my body in order to achieve the same clean sensation. I'd say that if you live in a very cold and dry climate, the Nubian Heritage range (since it's rather popular on iHerb) or other brands using Shea Butter and a greater percentage of vegetable oils would be good, but otherwise, Zion Health's Ancient Clay Soap is definitely much better at cleaning (due to its clay content, I suppose). Hope my review helps!
