Cinthol launches easy wash-off body wash with automatic foamer

Cinthol has introduced a new body wash range featuring an automatic foamer, designed to eliminate the need for a loofah. This product distinguishes itself by being much easier to wash off compared to traditional body washes, which often require more water and effort to rinse off than soaps. The new body wash comes in two variants: Lime and Original.

Sudhir Sitapati, the managing director and CEO of Godrej Consumer Products, highlighted the product's effectiveness in a LinkedIn post. He shared his personal experience, stating, “I’ve been a fanatical soap user all these years, mostly because I’ve always found body washes hard to foam, slimy on the skin, and difficult to wash off. That is, until Venkateswara Rao Yadlapalli and Sandeep Naik forced me to sample the new Cinthol Foam Body Wash six months ago. Available in two fragrances – Original and Lime, the body wash comes with an automatic foamer (bye bye loofah!) that feels like a soap bath – only much, much better.”

He continued, “So much so, that I’ve received complaints that the efficiency of our pilot plant at R&D has reduced since I’ve been gobbling up so many samples. My wife and kids tell me I’m spending more time in the bathroom and less time with them. Also, I simply can’t travel without it. Despite being a firm believer in ‘no check-in’, I have happily been checking in my luggage – till we come up with a sub-100 ml pack.”

Sitapati also mentioned a humorous incident involving his friend and competitor, Vipul Mathur, the new executive director at HUL for Personal Care. He recounted, “When my good friend and now competitor (alas) Vipul Mathur came home, I had to slyly get him not to use my bathroom. Him seeing even one white bottle would be a misfortune; six would be carelessness.”

In support of this launch, Cinthol has rolled out a promotional campaign. The 30-second advertisement features a young girl bathing under a waterfall, reminiscent of the iconic Liril girl, accompanied by a group of CGI monkeys. In the film, while the girl enjoys her bath with the body wash, a monkey slyly steals the bottle from her. The scene then shows the monkey and his friends enjoying the easy-to-make foam of the body wash.

The body wash market in India is currently dominated by traditional bar soaps, with only 9% of consumers using body wash, shower gel, or shower cream as their primary bathing product. However, this market is gradually expanding. According to a report by MarkNtel, a global market research company, the Indian body wash market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 4.68% from 2023-2028. This growth is driven by an increasing focus on personal hygiene, rising disposable incomes, and changing consumer preferences.

Nearly all mainstream soap brands in India, such as Lux, Liril, Fiama, Pears, and Santoor, have recently introduced body washes. Additionally, the category includes numerous products from startup and smaller scale brands like Biotique and Plum. Despite the growing presence of body washes, they are still perceived as luxury items, with international brands like Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret often considered as gift-worthy products.