Lifebuoy

Amazing how certain things (and our biases) survive over time..

Take Lifebuoy for instance. When we were kids in Goa, in the 80s and 90s, Lifebuoy was the cheapest soap bar available, used by the maids of the house and the labourers who toiled in the fields. The red, hard bar was known to be good against germs, but very boring. So, when we cut ourselves, we used Lifebuoy to clean up against germs, but for bathing, it was Lux, and very rarely, as a special treat, Pears. (Just like a Cadbury was a very special treat, with the hard boiled 5 paise candy the norm)

A few days back I was scanning the super market shelves for a liquid handwash, and among the dozens of choices, I found Lifebuoy! It has been decades since I actually used Lifebuoy, and the first thing that came to my mind was ewwww, no way! That stupid hard, red bar! But then I had this urge to check it out, and I gingerly picked one up and brought it home.

And what a revelation it was! The pretty bottle takes just a gentle tap on the head to dispense this gloriously beautiful pinkish soapy liquid, which foams up with a delicious fragrance, and you just want to keep rubbing your hands together as you are engulfed in the amazing frothy experience. No, I am not exaggerating, it really is better than any handwash I have ever used.

It's my trusted soap now, used everytime I want to be sure my hands are germ free, especially when I handle my lenses.