Good clean fun

It was after my day of "tourism" in Flushing that I visited Pearl River and found this fantastic soap:


For anyone who doesn't live in NY, Pearl River is this huge, amazing store full of Chinese (and Japanese, and Korean) clothes, teas, dishes, foods, slippers, incense, medicines, music, lamps, bric-a-brac, and treasures in general.

Do not go there if you are feeling AT ALL fed up with tourists, crowds, or long waits.

So anyway, I was intrigued by this soap which is called in English: Seaweed Defat Scented Soap.

I didn't think much of the Chinese characters on the side (I figured they said the same thing as the English.) But Dumpling took one look and started laughing! He translated for me, and on the side of the box it says:

"Used exclusively by the Chinese gymnastics team."

I'm sure.

This soap comes with a detailed and highly entertaining pamphlet explaining its value. This is directly transcribed from the packaging--I swear I did not make any of it up. I didn't have to!

"The SOFT seaweed defating soap is honorably produced in accordance with the pioneering prescription of the International Medical & Cosmetic Association. It is made from seaweed of deep sea and consists of pure natural plants. It is nourish and has strong defating effects. Even when used on highly sensitive skin, it causes neither stimulation nor ache. The soap smells of special fragrance and its rough surface will become smooth and fine right after usage. It is suitable for face washing and bathing, and regular use of the product is good for your skin. The soap contains the rare elements of seaweed and has strong permeability. It will easily permeate the skin when contacted with the skin. It can clean the dirtiness out of capillary holes. Moreover, it can discharge the underskin fat out of human bodies successively, promove blood circulation, astringe the skin and thus make it more delicate. Given some time and you will be surprised to find that your body has become slender and fit by the use of this product.

Honorably produced By The Joint Venture Far East Cosmetic & Health Products Co. Ltd.

Supervised By The State Traditional Chinese Medicine Science Cosmetic Institute of China.

Use Within 2 Years After The Manufacture Date."

Wow, all that for only $2!

To be honest, it smells like the bright blue liquid soap they have in gas station bathrooms. I expect to come out of this either with a rash or the svelte figure of a 12-year-old Chinese gymnast. Hopefully the latter!

P.S. This concludes my "Asian trifecta" post series. But if you enjoyed them, you will LOVE this blog: SHE in China. It's really worth checking out!