Margaret H.Verified buyer
United States
My daughter noticed
A friend at church gave me a bar from her stash. I cannot say it is magic but the difference is real. Thank you, Ruth.
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Clearance sale · until the last bar is gone
Ruth's Persimmon Soap Bar · 4 oz
$9.99/ bar$19.99Save $10.00
The soap that removes the smell perfume only covers.
Linda, Barbara and 1,282 others are loving Persimmon Soap
For anyone who showers every day and still wonders why that "older person" smell hangs on skin, collars and pillowcases. Fresh from the first wash, and still fresh at dinner.
- Persimmon tannins bind to the molecule behind the smell, so it rinses away
- Fresh from the first shower, and still fresh in the evening
- Collars, sweaters and pillowcases stay fresh within one to two weeks
- Made by Ruth in Sacramento for 34 years, from her mother's recipe
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+ FREE Soap Saver Pouch$5.90Best value+ FREE Soap Saver Pouch$5.90
+ FREE Bamboo Soap Dish$8.99
+ FREE Ruth's Handwritten Notecards (set of 4)$7.90
+ FREE Soap Saver Pouch$5.90+ FREE Bamboo Soap Dish$8.99+ FREE Ruth's Handwritten Notecards (set of 4)$7.90Six bars ship in one box and cost Emily less to send, so Ruth passes the savings straight to you.
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- Soap Saver PouchFree $5.90
- Bamboo Soap Dish6 bars
- Ruth's Handwritten Notecards (set of 4)6 bars
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60-day money-back promise. Wash with Ruth's Soaps for 60 days. If you are not happy, email Emily and she refunds you in full. Even if the bar is half gone.
Low stock: only 45 left
What's inside
Persimmon extract, olive oil, coconut oil, glycerin and plant-based sorbitol. No synthetic fragrance.
How to use
Lather in your hands, leave it on neck, behind the ears, chest and back for 30 seconds, then rinse. Every day.
Shipping & returns
Ships free from California in 1 to 2 business days. 60 days to love it or get your money back.
Free shipping, 3 to 5 days
60-day money-back promise
Secure checkout
Emily answers every email
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Real customers
People like you, holding the real bar
"Out of the shower and I smelled like nothing. Which is exactly what I wanted."
Linda | Retired teacher
"I was skeptical. My wife wasn't. Four weeks later she asks me to order more."
Dennis | Retired electrician
"Came wrapped in paper with a handwritten note. You can tell a person packed it."
Patricia | Grandmother of five
"I tried it on a Tuesday. By Friday my sister asked what I'd changed."
Karen | Bookkeeper
"Unboxing was half the fun. The bars are heavy and smell clean, not perfumed."
Susan | Nurse
"Gym bag staple now. Nothing covers anything up. It just cleans."
Robert | Retired postal worker
"My daughter noticed before I said a word. Ordered six more."
Margaret | Church volunteer
"My grandson picked the wrapper. I'm keeping the soap."
Frances | Great-grandmother
"Thirty years I used drugstore bars. Not going back."
Walter | Retired machinist
"Got two. Gave one to my mom. She called me the next day."
Jessica | Teacher's aide
"Three bars is the sweet spot. Free shipping made it a no-brainer."
Harold | Retired deacon
"The thank-you card in the box made me tear up. Real people."
Denise | Retired librarian
Why it happens
You wash every day. So why is the smell still there?
It is not about hygiene. After about forty, your skin makes more of a greasy molecule called 2-nonenal. It clings to skin, collars and pillowcases, and ordinary soap rinses right past it.
- A faint smell on your collar, even after a fresh shower
- Changing the pillowcase twice a week, and it keeps coming back
- Hesitating before a hug, wondering if they notice
It is a molecule, not a flaw. And there is a very old way to wash it off.
What happens in the first two weeks
Day 1you feel the difference in the first shower
Clean skin, nothing masked
1 to 2 weekscollars and pillowcases stay fresh
The smell stops building on fabric
4.9 · 1,284 reviews
"I smelled it in the shower and it was gone by Tuesday. My granddaughter hugged me twice as long."
Why you'll love it
Three things Persimmon does well
Removes the smell at the source
After forty, skin makes more 2-nonenal, a greasy molecule that clings to skin, collars and pillows. Persimmon tannins bind to it and rinse it down the drain.
Fresh from morning to night
Perfume covers the smell for an hour, then mixes with it. A clean skin has nothing left to cover, so you stay fresh through the day.
Fresh collars and pillowcases
Within one to two weeks, sweaters, collars and bedding stop holding the smell, so you wash them less and hug freely.
After the first week
What changed for them
Verified buyer
I changed my pillowcase twice a week for years. First week with this bar and my daughter noticed before I said a word.
Linda, 71, Ohio
Verified buyer
By Friday my sister asked what I had changed. I had changed nothing but the soap.
Karen, 58, Arizona
Verified buyer
My grandson hugs me longer now. I did not realize I had been holding back.
Frances, 75, Ohio
Why it works
The smell is not about hygiene. It is a molecule.
After forty, skin makes more 2-nonenal, a fatty molecule that clings to skin, clothes and pillows. Regular soap rinses sweat but not this film, perfume only covers it for an hour, and deodorant works under the arms while the molecule collects on the neck, back and chest. Persimmon tannins, used in Japan for generations, bind to it so it rinses away with the lather.
- Tannins bind 2-nonenal so it rinses away, not just hides
- Olive and coconut oil dissolve the greasy film without drying
- Work it in on neck, behind the ears, chest and back for 30 seconds
What to expect
From the first shower to the second week
First shower
Clean, nothing masked
Lather for 30 seconds on neck, behind the ears, chest and back, then rinse.
Day 3
Collars stay fresh
Sweaters, collars and sleeves stop picking up the smell.
Week 1
Pillowcases last longer
You change them less, because they stay fresh.
Week 2
You stop thinking about it
That is the point. Hug, sit close, forget about it.
Why gel, perfume or deodorant don't do it
Ruth's Persimmon Soap
- Persimmon tannins bind 2-nonenal so it rinses away
- Washes neck, back and chest, where it collects
- Olive and coconut oil, never drying
- No perfume, nothing to cover
Gel, perfume and deodorant
- Rinse the sweat but leave the greasy film
- Perfume covers it for an hour, then mixes with it
- Deodorant only works under the arms
- Scented gels add more fragrance on top
Common myths
Three things people believe about the smell
Myth
"It means I'm not washing well enough."
It is chemistry, not cleanliness. Skin changes after forty, and washing harder does not remove a molecule that regular soap cannot dissolve.
Myth
"A good perfume will take care of it."
Perfume covers it for an hour, then blends with it. Covering is not cleaning.
Myth
"My deodorant should handle it."
Deodorant works under the arms. The molecule collects on the neck, back and chest, where deodorant never goes.
Real customers
What people write to Ruth
4.9Based on 1,284 reviews
90% recommend it
Résumé IA des avis
Customers say the persimmon bar leaves them feeling fresh from the first wash, and most notice the difference on collars and pillowcases within a week or two. They like that it is gentle and unscented, and many order several bars. A few say it did not work for them or arrived slowly.
Summary of 1,284 reviews
Customer photos & videos
Judy P.Verified buyer
United States
I wish I had found it sooner
My daughter told me gently that I smelled different. The first shower felt different, clean in a way I had forgotten.
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Donna C.Verified buyer
United States
Honest soap
I was tired of perfume covering it up. A week in, my husband asked what I had changed. I told all my friends.
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Diane N.Verified buyer
United States
I wish I had found it sooner
My daughter told me gently that I smelled different. The first shower felt different, clean in a way I had forgotten. Packaged beautifully.
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Janet F.Verified buyer
United States
My daughter noticed
A friend at church gave me a bar from her stash. I cannot say it is magic but the difference is real. Five stars from me.
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Ruth's story
34 years behind a counter between a nail salon and an H&R Block
My mother brought almost nothing from her village in Japan. One thing she did bring was how to make soap with persimmon, the soap folks back home used for the smell that comes with getting older. Nobody talks about it. I just made the soap, and people kept coming back.
Then copies showed up with my words and none of my persimmon. So I locked the door in March. These 1,200 bars are the last I will ever make, and my granddaughter Emily wraps and ships every one from my kitchen table.
Ruth, 78, Sacramento
Even if the bar is half used
The 60-day money-back promise
Wash with Ruth's Soaps for 60 days. If you are not happy for any reason, email Emily and she refunds you in full.
- No questions asked. Refunded within 3 business days
- Keep the bar. Nothing to send back
- A real person. Emily answers every message herself
Questions
Ruth and Emily answer
Still wondering about something? Email Emily at [email protected]. She writes back herself, usually the same day.
Choose my barsIs it only for older people?
No. Nonenal builds up after 40 but anyone who wants soap that cleans without perfume will like it. Most customers are 45 to 80.
Will it smell strong?
No. It is a light, clean, slightly sweet scent that fades as you dry. It will not fight your perfume or aftershave.
Is it gentle on dry or sensitive skin?
It is made with olive and coconut oil and glycerin, so most customers with dry skin find it comfortable. Do a patch test if your skin is very sensitive.
How long does one bar last?
About four weeks of daily use for one person, longer if you keep the bar dry between washes on the soap dish.
When will my order arrive?
Orders ship from California in 1 to 2 business days and arrive in 3 to 5 business days anywhere in the US. Shipping is always free.
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Fresh, from the very first wash.
Take 6 bars and shipping is free, with a soap dish and Ruth's skin-care booklet tucked in the box. You have 60 days to decide.
Get my barsFree shipping · 60-day promise