Classic brand

Although Shanghai Jahwa kept on developing new products with different scents, Liushen's classic formula, which cools and eliminates prickly heat, has always been the best seller. "Up to 50 percent of our hualu shui sales are of the classic formula," says Qin Fenhua, marketing director of the Mass Consumer goods Department of Shanghai Jahwa.

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Liushen Florida Water's affordability keeps it popular, and the latest data from AC Nielsen show that up to 70 percent of the flowery water sold on the Chinese mainland is Liushen's. "Over the years, there have been lots of similar products on the market with cheaper prices, but thanks to our high quality and effectiveness, we continue to be the market leader," Qin says.

Essence of "six gods"

In each bottle of the Liushen Florida Water, there is one thing that makes it different from other hualu shui, that is the "Liushen concentrate". This essence is made up of six herbal ingredients that help relieve miliaria. "The formula is a secret, but we do know it includes menthol and Lonicera Japonica fl ower extract," says Qin.

Changes were made from time to time during the 1990s, such as replacing the natural musk with Moschus Artifactus to be more environmentally friendly, and turning the industrial-grade alcohol into an edible one to make the product safer. Consumers born in the 1980s-1990s prefer to call Liushen "Six Gods", a phonetic pun on the Chinese name.

For customers of that generation, Liushen is part of their childhood memories, whether using it to cool skin, making bathwater cooler by adding several drops in, or cleansing summer bamboo mats with it.

New branding underway

In the summer of 2010, Liushen was suddenly embroiled in a controversy with a high-end brand, as it was found to be similar to Hermes' unisex perfume Jardin sur le Nil. "Check out the ingredients as well as their different notes, and you will see they are so much alike," said a blogger nicknamed "carren".

Other netizens compared prices. A bottle of 195 ml-Liushen water lily scented Florida Water costs about 10 yuan, and 100ml of Hermes' Jardin sur le Nil perfume is priced above 1,000 yuan. For 10 yuan, you have a perfume that also doubles as a mosquito repellent.

Indeed, apart from its medicinal value, Liushen has also put a lot of effort into its packaging and scent. "We cooperated with the world's top scent creating companies in developing our new products' scent, and it is possible that our Florida Water resembles a well-known perfume," Qin says. Liushen Florida Water, as an original Chinese summer essential, can be found wherever the Chinese diaspora is. Sales of it in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand are increasing, and Shanghai Jahwa is also looking to explore the African and Latin American markets this year.