What do we think about this?

TVivian · Jul 7, 2015

I drive through this town in California every time I head up north on vacation. There is a lovely looking soap shop where the owner makes CP soap and other products in the back. The workshop is open and you can clearly see bottles of pomace OO and Crafters choice products. She makes a lot of medical claims on posted signs in the store and I always get a little annoyed by the sales girl using the words "all natural" and "organic" (the pomace brand she uses is not organic so there goes that claim) She says she uses no FO but her soaps say otherwise to me (chocolate?) anyhow... This sign was painted on her window this time and I wonder how in the world she could claim this..

ImageUploadedBySoap Making1436323721.581419.jpg

I blurred the company name.

boyago · Jul 7, 2015

I think Pfffff. With a capital P.

TeresaT · Jul 7, 2015

Well, if they made one batch of soap every day and didn't put anything in it that wasn't 100% natural, even if that batch was only one bar, technically, they would be correct in saying they make a 100% synthetic free skincare product every day. However, I'm sure they (1) do not do that (2) are not the only company in the U.S. that makes synthetic free products and (3) have absolutely no way of proving that claim. So, personally, my bull**** meter is at 99.9% on this one. I can't speak for anyone else though.

newbie · Jul 7, 2015

Go in and ask where their lye comes from. It's synthetic, not extracted from the lye tree nut.

TVivian · Jul 7, 2015

I want to say something every time I go in!! .. Because there is SO much to say! ....

jenneelk · Jul 7, 2015

I like their $99 Shea butter for 8oz.
And in regards to the soap.. How is it beneficial to make every morning to get freshest possible infusions unless it's melt and pour.. And then you get what.. A tsp or two of oil?
Otherwise fresh in cp is def not best. Just my 2 cents.

TeresaT · Jul 7, 2015

newbie said:
Go in and ask where their lye comes from. It's synthetic, not extracted from the lye tree nut.

Wow! There's a "lye tree nut"? :wtf: Go figure. Ya learn sumpin' new ever' day. :lol:

galaxyMLP · Jul 7, 2015

Theresa, sorry to burst your new found information bubble but I believe (could be wrong) newbie was being sarcastic.

Lye is usually formed by leaching water through the ashes of burnt trees and such. However, that is usually potassium lye and makes a soft soap.

dibbles · Jul 8, 2015

This kind of stuff just makes me sad. I remember someone at a craft show, selling products made from royal jelly, claiming that it could cure cancer. Unfortunately some people will just say anything. And more unfortunately, some will believe them.

boyago · Jul 8, 2015

Holy medical claims soap-man! The $95 shea butter "this butter can help with pre-cancerous skin lesions, eczema & psoriasis and may help with dermatitis as well." they also have an anti-aging spray, and a triple threat to "outsmart" psoriasis. Poking around the site a little you can find $20 off the butter by following another one of their links.

Dorymae · Jul 8, 2015

I want to know why you blurred the company name? She obviously doesn't care who knows, why do you? I'd hate to think anyone would buy from her over the internet, not knowing her " strategy ".

TVivian · Jul 8, 2015

Dorymae said:
I want to know why you blurred the company name? She obviously doesn't care who knows, why do you? I'd hate to think anyone would buy from her over the internet, not knowing her " strategy ".

I know.. I guess I just feel bad talking trash. I'm too nice, which is why I've never said anything in person either! I also figured that whomever wanted to know could figure it out.

jenneelk · Jul 8, 2015

I don't know how they sell the creams and such at that price. Id never pay that much without it being a very well known product.. And actually not even then. Lol it's Shea butter based!? And what is micro filtered Shea. Never heard of it and have to wonder if it's just something they deemed a new product? Is it a new term for ultra refined?

boyago · Jul 8, 2015

Actually after finding their site and then pointing out what I think are silly claims I realize I am kind of picking on this company when they are not here to defend themselves is bad form. anyway. those are some pretty tall claims and prices.

not_ally · Jul 8, 2015

Unfortunately, posting here is not likely to help their intended victims (although it is tough to have much sympathy for someone who would pay the kind of prices you guys have mentioned, I did not check the site) most folks here are pretty savvy w/r/t claims like that.

I would want to vent, too, though Viv. I might not have been able to stop myself from saying "you know, I am a soaper, and the "x" I buy is so much cheaper that this, what makes yours different?" And then keep chivvying away when she brings up the alleged differences.

I wouldn't worry about bad form though, it does seem to be kind of crappy to target gullible tourists that much for what amounts to snake oil products/prices.

TVivian · Jul 8, 2015

boyago said:
Actually after finding their site and then pointing out what I think are silly claims I realize I am kind of picking on this company when they are not here to defend themselves is bad form. anyway. those are some pretty tall claims and prices.

Nope, not bad form. I think she's asking for it.

shunt2011 · Jul 8, 2015

It's folks like that that make get me so ticked off. They make it hard on those that are honest and upfront. She doesn't even list ingredients on a lot of her products on her site. Is she selling melt and pour? Especially since she claims made fresh daily. Scary!

TVivian · Jul 8, 2015

not_ally said:
Unfortunately, posting here is not likely to help their intended victims (although it is tough to have much sympathy for someone who would pay the kind of prices you guys have mentioned, I did not check the site) most folks here are pretty savvy w/r/t claims like that.

I would want to vent, too, though Viv. I might not have been able to stop myself from saying "you know, I am a soaper, and the "x" I buy is so much cheaper that this, what makes yours different?" And then keep chivvying away when she brings up the alleged differences.

I wouldn't worry about bad form though, it does seem to be kind of crappy to target gullible tourists that much for what amounts to snake oil products/prices.

It does feel good to vent to people who understand for sure haha..

What bugs me more than her prices is the fact that we as soap sellers are so careful about what we claim (I am anyway). I have this fear that if I claim my soap does anything, I'm going to get a letter in the mail fining, me or shutting me down or I don't know what else. I desperately want to put a sign on my shop display that says "helps eliminate eczema" "cures dry skin" "treats acne" because I've seen all of those claims be truth. And then here she is, doing just that for years and nothing happens. It's frustrating and makes me want to bend the rules too.

But I won't.

galaxyMLP · Jul 8, 2015

People keep mentioning a website but I didnt see one... That sounds completely outragreous though. $99 for some shea butter??

I went into a "humanity" store w/ my mom in new smyrna beach a few weeks ago. They had shea butter (maybe 2 oz) for $30 each. They had testers out and my mom smelled one. She made a gross retching noise and I was like "let me smell" (you know, curiosity and all). It was completely rancid. More rancid than the first soap I made. IT WAS SO BAD. But, my mom had never smelled that before. To her, it just smelled bad and she thought it was the scent of shea butter. I was almost compelled to tell the lady at the counter.

Thats what places like this do. It just makes all "fresh, handmade" cosmetics/soaps "smell bad" to customers down the line.

Stacyspy · Jul 8, 2015

So I googled the name of the company, and the first result read, as a description..."Handcrafted soaps and bath products produced in a solar/wind powered yurt in Santa Margarita, CA."... just sayin'... There were other results for the same name, but most seemed to point to this same company. There's just so many things on the site that baffle me. If a bar of soap is made today, there is abso no way it will last 4-6 weeks if used every day. In the soap descriptions, they make all sorts of medicals claims, but there is a complete medical disclaimer that says "Information and statements regarding health related benefits of certain ingredients are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." No wonder non-soapy folks don't know what to believe.

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