The name Godai comes from the Japanese terms for Five (go) and Great (dai), and refers to the five elements which serve as the inspiration for Godai's soap line. There is a Japanese belief that each of the five elements represents a certain tendency in the world and that, while we are all born with energy from each of the five elements, negative experiences and general life stresses can cause us to lose these energies, creating an imbalance. Godai soaps are intended to nourish the skin through the five elements in order to regain these lost energies and restore balance.
The Soaps
The soaps bars are made from organic sunflower seed, coconut, and fair trade, sustainable palm oils, scented with essential oils, and coloured only with different clays, herbs, and plants. The bars are packaged in beautiful -- and fully recyclable -- gift-ready cardboard boxes. The soaps are reasonably priced at $6.50 USD for a hefty 4 oz bar or $2.99 USD for the 0.75 oz sample size. The company also sells full sets for $31.95 USD (full size)/$14.95 USD (sample size), both of which include free shipping within the US.
Individual bar preferences aside, I really don't have anything negative to say! All five soaps are fantastic and easily create a rich, luscious lather. The bars are dense, firm, and long lasting and don't get gooey or gummy, or melt away to nothing as soon as they get wet. The scents are noticeable without being overpowering, and the bars themselves are beautiful to look at. (Fellow natural soap fans, you know what I'm talking about!) The bars can be used as both soap and shampoo, although, thus far, I've been using them strictly as soap.
The Five Elements
Earth: Natural Exfoliator (French Clay, Sugar & Shea Butter)
The only unscented bar in Godai's collection, the Earth bar contains no essential oils and is fantastic for sensitive noses. It has a mild soapy/clean scent from the other ingredients and feels extra gentle and moisturizing from the added shea butter. The bar is also made with organic sugar and offers light exfoliation. It's not gritty or ultra-exfoliating, which I personally prefer, but still does a great job deep cleaning and gently sloughing off dead skin.
Water: Renewing Hydration (Almond Oil, Shea Butter & Cocoa Butter)
The Water bar is the gentlest and most nourishing soap in Godai's line and is, overall, my favourite of the bunch. Shea and cocoa butters create a softer, creamier, and more moisturizing lather, and the bar smells fantastic too! I've been on a big ylang ylang kick these last few months and the Water bar's sweet ylang ylang, orange, and tangerine scent is right up my alley.
Fire: Rejuvenating Energy (Avocado Oil, Rosemary & Lemon Essential Oils)
The Fire bar's zesty lemon aroma is another of my favourite scents in Godai's collection, but I also find this bar to be the least moisturizing of the five. Energizing rosemary and lemon essential oils both have astringent properties and, while I wouldn't say the bar is necessarily drying, it is noticeably less moisturizing than the other four soaps. I'm most curious to try this one as a shampoo bar since it's so cleansing.
Wind: Nourishing Clarity (Rice Bran Oil, Turmeric & Ginseng)
Although the Wind bar is made with cinnamony cassia essential oil, the main scent my nose picks up is herbal, spicy turmeric. It's not my favourite scent in the world, but the soap itself is as lovely as the rest of Godai's line. This is another really gentle, sensitive skin-friendly bar.
Sky: Celestial Calm (Lavender, Eucalyptus & Orange Essential Oils)
The predominant scent of the Sky bar is lavender, but it also has brighter, fresh notes coming through from the eucalyptus and orange. It feels extra soothing on the skin and I love its beautiful purple colour too, courtesy of alkanet root.
The Bottom Line
Clearly Godai's soaps have been a major hit for me! The bars are excellent quality, made with top notch ingredients, and affordably priced to boot! They're also super beautiful -- both in terms of packaging and the bars themselves -- and very giftable.
If you're looking for great natural soaps, Godai is definitely a brand worth checking out!
*Press Sample
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