Mari Tanaka

Ad copy

Is Your Persimmon Soap Real?

We bought 12 persimmon soaps sold for "old person smell" and turned every one of them over. Here's what's on the back: ❌ 7 of 12 don't list persimmon anywhere in the ingredients — the colour is CI 15985, a dye ❌ Several print "persimmon" on the front and nothing on the back ❌ Almost none name kakishibu, the fermented unripe fruit, which is the part that does the work ❌ Two hide it inside "parfum", where you're not allowed to see the amount Only 3 of the 12 were real. The one thing you're looking for is Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract, printed on the ingredient list. That's the INCI name for kakishibu — unripe persimmon, pressed and fermented for months, so the tannin binds the oil instead of rinsing past it. If it isn't on the back of the box, you have bought dyed glycerin, whatever the front says. If you've bought one already and nothing changed… if the orange looked convincing… if the box had Japanese writing on it… if it cost you thirty dollars — this is why. Turn it over and check for the two words.

Call to action: Learn more