A Pears soap is a well-known transparent soap invented more than 200 hundred years ago. This soap also became the symbol of change in the advertising industry, by using a different method aside from newspaper ads. This article will explore the history of the Pears soap as well as the turning point in the history of advertisement.

Andrew Pears produced the first Pears soap in 1789 in London, where he owned a barbershop along Gerard Street in Soho. He sold his cosmetic products to the many wealthy residents of Soho, some of whom were socialites obsessed with having blemish-free and white complexions. Back then, the upper-class women did not want to have tanned skin because it was a common notion that only women who worked outdoors would have darker skin. The women used soaps with harsh chemicals to whiten their skins, eventually causing damage. Pears saw the opportunity to create another product that can help purify the skin without damaging it. He began to experiment with soap purification using glycerin and other natural products. The method of purification produced a clear and transparent appearance that further made the product more enticing. He also added a flowery scent to add to its appeal.

A Pears soap contains natural ingredients that can benefit people with sensitive and delicate skin. Its cleansing power is effective without being too harsh on the skin, providing a clean result that also looks healthy. Pears soap is also good for hypersensitive skin and can help treat dermatitis, a condition resulting from dry skin.

Each Pears soap contains high-quality skin care ingredients, such as glycerin and natural oils. It does not contain any colorant and contains only mild cleansing formula; therefore, it is gentler to the skin. It has nonhypoallergenic and noncomedogenic properties, meaning it is good for highly sensitive skin and will not clog the pores.

In 1835, Andrew Pears collaborated with his grandson, Francis Pears, to create A. and F. Pears Ltd. When Andrew Pears retired in 1838, he left the business with Francis. In 1862, Francis moved to Isleworth, Middlesex, where he built a factory. He appointed his son, Andrew, in charge of the business. A new business partner later joined by the name of Thomas J. Barratt, who was married to Mary, the eldest daughter of Francis Pears. Barratt had a certain aggressiveness that changed the course of advertising history, earning him the recognition of being the father of modern advertising. Barratt had seen the potential of the Pears soap product, for which he used nontraditional ways to advertise. He wittingly masterminded the campaign by using a painting by Millais, originally called "A Child's World," and named it Bubbles. After purchasing the rights to the painting, Thomas had managed to persuade the painter to add the picture of the Pears soap. He had the painting reproduced in smaller sizes and used them to wrap the soaps, providing not only the product but the art as well. Because of Barratt's vision, the sales reached many patrons, including the middle class families who had little knowledge of the world of art. The success of this new form of advertisement resulted in increased sales and, since then, "Bubbles" remains one of the most recognizable advertising symbols of all time.

Each bar of Pears soap takes about 10 weeks to reach pure transparency. The so-called mellowing and aging process are the methods followed for more than two centuries. The methods involve repeated removal of impurities, which results in a clear and transparent product. The total time also includes the addition of the sweet flower scent.