Best Toliet Soap "Record", a poster circa 1970
As you know from the first article, the choice for perfumes and other toiletries really wasn’t there. However, the situation began to change from the mid1970s. The imports from the countries of the so-called socialist camp were entering the Soviet market. Every woman still remembers an excellent Polish perfume “May Be” – they were extremely popular! There were also imports of some middle-of-the-road make up from Poland, but they were still very sought after and outrageously expensive!
Perfume "Lilac Tree" poster.
Of course, Moscow had the best choice of all other cities. This is why those who got to visit the capital on business were considered to be very lucky: unlike many other cities, Moscow actually offered some shopping opportunities. Moreover, there were shops with an assortment of goods from the abovementioned socialist camp: Wanda, Vlasta, Leipzig, Yadran etc. Like, the “May Be” perfume and colourful eye shadows (oh, those horrors of our past!) were sold at the Polish Wanda. At the German Leipzig one could buy a face moisturiser by "Ponds" and the hair dye “Londacolour” of many hues. In comparison, the Soviet shops could only offer henna which gave a seriously bad ginger tone; or basma, which gave a radical black. These two being the only options, Soviet women had no choice but to search for a perfect proportion mix in order to get something in between. Blondes, on the other hand, could only buy hydrogen peroxide from the chemist shops – the colour it produced was also nothing to be proud of, a bright yellowish white, but oh well, some like it hot.
Another poster circa 1960s: Careful when using a hairdryer.
The last bit of toiletries worth mentioning was soap. The choice for soap, as you can well imagine, was more than limited. Before the War the soap factories produces two types of soap bars: general purpose (aka marble for marketing purposes, it was sold in huge chunks of over 800g) and another one, more delicate, which had no name but it didn’t really matter as it was impossible to buy anyway. However, a tiny bar of it was included in the admission price to the communal bathhouses – apparently, there were some special channels of distribution for that one.
15 mln people choose this soap - "The bouquet from my grandmum".
You must be thinking – ah, who cares about the soaps! Let us explain – the only reason we are so hung up on it is because soap was the only toiletry available for bathing or showering. That’s right, they did not make shower gels, bubble baths, luscious body scrubs, wash-away body wraps, bath oils or anything of that kind. If you were a regular Soviet with no access to the imported goodies (and we would not be frightened to assume that it would comprise to about of 95% of population) – then you’d grab a bar of soap and hope it’d last you a month or so, and this was the reality till maybe mid1980s.
Don't you just love these posters! We do. This one is for Three In One cologne, Sanit toothpaste and Record soap.
After the war (much closer to the 1960s), the range of soap was slightly widened. A new brand (a real brand, with its promo shots in magazines) was introduced: Strawberry (acidly pink in colour, with a strong reek of aromatiser); Pine (marketed as hand soap); Bathing (everyday soap, a cheaper one); the everpresent general purpose which was also grated and then used instead of washing powder; Kiddies – for, obviously, kids; and Tar - allegedly for treating dandruff. Simple names of simple goods, really.
Tar soap.
However, those 5% we mentioned earlier had access to the German soap – oh, that soap was divine! Not only it was pleasantly oval, it had a soft scent, it did not dry out the skin and it produced unbelievable amounts of foam! The Soviet soap, compared to it, was only good as a moth proofer, due to its strong stench.
The notorious general purpose soap. 65% is the strength (active ingredient, caustic soda).
Later on, closer to the end of 1980s, kids were also targeted: a gift set “Squeaky Clean” (Moidodyr) inclided a kids toothbrush, sweetly flavoured tooth powder, a bar of soap and a tiny bottle of perfume in an attractive cardboard box.
Tooth cleaning powder, For Kids.
By the way, right through till 1970s, the only dental hygiene product available was the tooth powder. Then, of course, the toothpastes “Mint” and “Pearl” became widespread. The imported pastes – like Pomorin from Bulgaria – would have always won, hands down.
Overall, the term “spoilt for choice” did not exist for a very long time in the USSR. When you have to choose between three very similar and equally low quality items – life mustn’t be wouldn’t be too complicated then, would it?
Popularity: 21%
