The tiny Vietnamese tin that travelled far beyond Vietnam

Cao Sao Vang is easy to recognise before the lid is even open. The bright red tin, yellow star and compact 3g format have been part of everyday Vietnamese life for decades. During the export era it also became familiar across the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, which explains why this little tin still carries so much nostalgia in places far from Hải Phòng, where Foripharm makes it.

Inside is a firm yellow balm with a sharp herbal aroma. Peppermint and menthol arrive first, cajeput gives the scent its green, medicinal edge, and cinnamon adds a warmer note underneath. A little goes a long way, which is exactly why the miniature metal tin makes sense: it slips into a pocket, travel pouch or small home collection without taking up room.

What is actually in the 3g tin

The label gives unusually precise quantities. Each tin contains camphor 584.16mg, menthol 33.66mg, peppermint oil 178.22mg, cajeput oil 643.56mg, white basil oil 56.44mg and cinnamon oil 56.44mg. Yellow beeswax, petrolatum, liquid paraffin, lanolin and beta carotene form the balm base. The oils are not there as a decorative ingredient list: together they create the cooling, warming and unmistakably herbal scent associated with Cao Sao Vang.

How to handle a concentrated aromatic balm

Use externally and only as directed on the tin or enclosed leaflet. Start with a very small amount. Do not swallow it or apply it to the eyes, mucous membranes, broken skin or irritated skin. Wash your hands after application, keep the tin away from children and stop using it if irritation occurs. Check the batch and expiry details printed on your package.

Product details

Package included: 1 metal tin of Cao Sao Vang Golden Star Balm, 3g.