RETRO - Leeming Hai Karate Cologne

Hai Karate was originally developed by the Leeming division of Pfizer and launched in 1967. As well as the original fragrance there was also Oriental Lime and Oriental Spice and possibly Musk and Iced Hai. It was sold from the 1960s to 1980s and was reintroduced in the U.K. in late 2014 by Healthpoint. Classified as a floral-amber masculine fougère fragrance for men, I could not find any listing of notes anywhere except for Cleopatra’s Boudoir. 

Hai Karate competed successfully with such other brands as Aqua Velva, Old Spice, Jaguar, English Leather, British Sterling, Dante and Brut mostly because of its television and print advertising and marketing plans. Each bottle came with a self-defense instruction booklet to help wearers fend off women. In the U.K. spots, a stereotypical nerd puts on Hai Karate and is promptly seduced by a female passer-by played by Valerie Leon. Similar ads ran in the U.S. as well. All the commercials contained the catch phrase "Be careful how you use it." At the height of its popularity, Hai Karate was selling over $200 million in product a year. Still famous today, it has derived cult status mostly because of the ads and is very popular on fragrance boards and on eBay.

From one of their television commercials:

"Hai Karate aftershave is so powerful, it drives women right out of their minds. That's why we have to put instructions on self-defense in every package. Hai Karate, the brisk splash-on aftershave the smooths, and soothes, and cools. Hai Karate, aftershave, cologne, and gift sets. Hai Karate, be careful how you use it."

From one of their magazine advertisements: (it's long but so cute and funny)

"Don’t dare use it without memorizing this.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to defend yourself from women in case you apply an overdose of Hai Karate.

1. When your girl (or even you own wife) gets to squeezing too hard, keep your balance at all costs. (If she succeeds in knocking you down, you’ve had it!)

2. Take a deep breath and push both arms skyward vigorously while springing from the knees.

3. Now her hold is broken. Get her in a good, tight half nelson and shock her back to reality with a stern warning such as, “Watch it, Sister!”

New Hai Karate After Shave is so powerful that you have to be careful how you use it. It feels so good and smells so great that you can be tempted to splash on a little too much, And that can be hazardous. Your girl or even your own wife, can lose her head and get a passionate grip on you. That’s why we have to put instructions on self-defense in every package of Hai Karate After Shave. And Hai Karate Cologne. And Hai Karate Gift Sets. And even in this ad. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll memorize them right now."

Hai Karate has been discontinued.

This is the original cologne version of the fragrance.