While waiting for The Bean to finish taekwondo class the other night, I did something that set my teeth on edge. What I did goes against my grain and makes me feel like a traitor. However, I completed this act of treason strictly for educational purposes. What did I do, you may wonder? I went into a store that shall not be named but is similar to Tub & Anatomy Toil. The Bibbed Wonder likes to create funny generic names for products. For example, he loves Lucky Charms cereal. One time and only one time, I bought the off-brand equivalent of Lucky Charms. For years now, every time I go to the grocery store, he asks for Lucky Charms and warns me not to come home with Fortunate Trinkets. Initially, I found this hilarious. After a few hundred times, I think my comedian needs new material. Anyhow, I digress. He had fun coming up with a generic name for a popular bath store.
I went into this store to purchase, yes, dear reader; you read that correctly, I bought foaming hand soap. I wanted to give you physical evidence of the purity of our product versus the chemical-laden products of a very popular franchise. I felt as though I should be wearing a trenchcoat and sunglasses. If anyone had seen me in there, I would have been embarrassed. As soon as I entered the store, I was overwhelmed by the scent of artificial flowers and baked goods. I walked to the first display table, quickly scanned the products, found a foaming hand soap, grabbed it, and tried to make it to the checkout. Before I got past the display, I was accosted by a very friendly sales associate who wanted me to buy 4 for $20. I politely declined but was handed a basket anyhow and offered help finding candles to match my soap. Sigh. I feel like I live under a rock. It has been so long since I have been in an actual store other than T.J. Maxx I don’t know how to behave. I took my shopping basket with my pitifully small purchase and made it to the checkout.
Once at the checkout, I again went through the song and dance of declining hand sanitizer to coordinate with my soap, a candle, a discount if I gave them my email address, and a coupon. I was exhausted from saying no thank you so many times. I just wanted to purchase one soap, one pitiful, measly soap. I am out of practice in the retail world. The store script is pushy, and I know it’s all about sales, but geez, it’s a lot to take in.
Once I escaped with my minute purchase and my email address still a secret, I sat down to examine the ingredients of this product. Within the first five ingredients, there are several chemicals listed. A tip when reading labels, the ingredients must be listed by amount of usage from most used to least used. After scouring the ingredient list that is tiny and hard to read, I giggled at the large, easy-to-read proclamation of the use of shea butter and other natural ingredients. If you know what you are looking at when reading the label, those beneficial ingredients are used in minuscule quantities.
You, my dear reader, are an intelligent consumer. I leave it up to you to compare our product ingredients with that of Tub & Anatomy Toil. Yes, theirs is fragrant; it foams well and is less expensive. However, it is filled with artificial ingredients, by-products, and fillers. There isn’t anything good for you about this product. Their list of ingredients is a mile long. If you are reading this blog post, you already understand the difference. For you, I am grateful. I ask that you educate your friends and family about the products they choose to put on their skin, the body’s largest organ. Please try not to be pushy or in your face about your knowledge. Also, don’t request their email address, try to sell them a candle, or require the promise of their firstborn child written in blood in order for you not to push your knowledge on them. It may be a marketing strategy, but it’s annoying.
My goal all along has been to keep it simple and clean. I use as few ingredients as possible and the highest quality ingredients available. I feel that enough companies are out there pushing their chemical-laden products. I wanted to offer people a clean, simple, pure option. I feel like I have found my niche group, and my niche group rocks. I offer you the comparison; it’s up to you to decide what is right for you. On this glorious Friday, remember to stay safe, be smart, don’t fall for pushy sales pitches for inferior products, and keep washing your hands.