Fit of conscience

[Deborah Long]

I'm torn, really. Recently I made a small purchase from a Youtube video soap star. Just some sample soaps and a lotion. (because - lotion) (lol)
I was happy to get them. Her items are normally sold out within minutes of her release.
Got everything, It seemed fine. Later that day/night/next day, I opened the lotion and tried it - awesome! It may not be my particular 'sniff' but - it's not greasy at all, maybe a little thin, but we all have our own special sweet spot for that, eh?
I looked on the label to see if I could figure out what she added/used to make it not so greasy. As I read the label, I think to myself - hmmm...I don't remember *that* being in there...
I hop on the website where the print is much larger and - lo and behold - nothing - I mean nothing (with the exception of deionized water) matches what is on the label. *blink blink*
Wait - WHAT? the ingredients were totally different! Either the ingredients on the web site are wrong or the label is wrong - but how am I to tell?

So - I emailed. 4 days ago. Not a peep! I don't know what to do! Should I *do* anything? What's in my lotion?
I'm in crisis over this! (no, I'm not losing sleep, nor even thinking about it a lot...) I will never order again from this well known soaper!
I don't want to ruin her reputation - but this is not right!

Email again? fuggedaboutit? Suggestions anyone??

 

[Obsidian]

Are the ingredients on the label ones you are happy using? If so, then I would just use it. If you are not comfortable using them then absolutely request a refund or replacement.

Either way, I would leave a honest review. If she is purposefully changing the label without updating her website and isn't working with you, she deserves a bad review. Don't feel bad for being honest just because she is popular.

 

[AliOop]

Try emailing again, or reaching out to her via one of her social media accounts. Because sometimes emails do go to spam, or get lost in cyber space, or aren't answered while someone is sick or on vacation.

I'd be very nice about it, saying that you like the lotion, and want to leave her a nice review, but you can't do that given the discrepancy.

If you don't hear from her within a week of the second contact, then it is time to leave an honest review that explains your concerns. Those kinds of reviews mean a lot to me when I see them, because I and many others do have a lot of skin sensitivities, and we do need to be super careful about what's in our body care products.

 

[Catscankim]

Well, I personally hate leaving a bad review, because i hate to hurt someones (usually) home-based business.

But on occasion i feel compelled to do so. And i really hate myself for it lol. Most of the time i will put in what was good about it as well.

On the other hand, if you dont hear back from them on a second attempt, then by all means, i think you are well within your right to express your concerns in a review. Especially if it is an ingredient discrepancy. You really did not get what you paid for.

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with Obsidian and AliOop. Nobody want's to leave a negative review, however, you're trying to contact them with no response. I'd give them a second shot and if still no response, leave an honest review. I would also state that you tried to contact them with no response. I would be concerned that the ingredients are that off from what's listed on the website.

 

[Deborah Long]

Honestly, I personally have no skin conditions, other than aging. But, having said that - the reason that I got into soaping in the first place is that everyone else in my family, and oh so many of my friends just can't use store bought items because of their many, many allergies and skin conditions!
I will email again and see what happens, thanks everyone!

 

[TheGecko]

Don't feel bad for being honest just because she is popular.

Just because she is a 'star', doesn't lessen her accountability/responsibility for proper labeling. She may not be aware that her website doesn't reflect the change in her recipe or that a product has been mislabeled. The first time I sold my soaps, there was a labeling mishap...my daughter was helping me out and she put the wrong ingredient labels on about a dozen soaps. She didn't get what the 'big deal' was when I told her that we would have to redo the entire soap (couldn't take the label off cleanly)...no one would know the difference. I asked her, "How would you feel buying a lactose-free product, only to end up sick because it contains lactose?" She redid the labels without a peep after that.

 

[cmzaha]

I am one with severe allergies and if I purchased reading the description on her website and received a product stating different she would certainly receive a very strong email from me stating I want my money refunded. Once something is wrongly labeled I would not believe it if I am told the label was wrong and the site is correct. As it is we all take a chance which is why I do not buy handmade from others. After a second unanswered email, you can bet on a negative review from me, with no sugar coating.

 

[linne1gi]

I'm torn, really. Recently I made a small purchase from a Youtube video soap star. Just some sample soaps and a lotion. (because - lotion) (lol)
I was happy to get them. Her items are normally sold out within minutes of her release.
Got everything, It seemed fine. Later that day/night/next day, I opened the lotion and tried it - awesome! It may not be my particular 'sniff' but - it's not greasy at all, maybe a little thin, but we all have our own special sweet spot for that, eh?
I looked on the label to see if I could figure out what she added/used to make it not so greasy. As I read the label, I think to myself - hmmm...I don't remember *that* being in there...
I hop on the website where the print is much larger and - lo and behold - nothing - I mean nothing (with the exception of deionized water) matches what is on the label. *blink blink*
Wait - WHAT? the ingredients were totally different! Either the ingredients on the web site are wrong or the label is wrong - but how am I to tell?

So - I emailed. 4 days ago. Not a peep! I don't know what to do! Should I *do* anything? What's in my lotion?
I'm in crisis over this! (no, I'm not losing sleep, nor even thinking about it a lot...) I will never order again from this well known soaper!
I don't want to ruin her reputation - but this is not right!

Email again? fuggedaboutit? Suggestions anyone??

I ordered soap from a famous online YouTuber some years ago. Maybe the same person, I think. I have to say I hated the soap. It made me itch so badly. No weird ingredients that I can see, but I ended up throwing the soap away. Very poor quality. Oh well.

 

[Deborah Long]

So, weeks later and still no reply. I'm just throwing that lotion away.

Bbye, loser! lol

 

[GemstonePony]

So, weeks later and still no reply. I'm just throwing that lotion away.

Bbye, loser! lol

Ok, but you're still leaving a review about it, right? For the good of the rest of us?
ETA: I'm trying to be more crunchy, and I would be livid if what I thought I was purchasing wasn't what I got. I don't care how good the result is.

 

[Deborah Long]

Unfortunately, there is no way to leave a review. The "Testimonial" page on the website is monitored, so of course, there is nothing negative there at all...

 

[linne1gi]

Unfortunately, there is no way to leave a review. The "Testimonial" page on the website is monitored, so of course, there is nothing negative there at all...

Hm, that's not good.

 

[dibbles]

Unfortunately, there is no way to leave a review. The "Testimonial" page on the website is monitored, so of course, there is nothing negative there at all...

Maybe write a testimonial anyway. Even if it isn’t published someone who should care might see it. I’m pretty sure I know who you are talking about, and given the growth of the company in the last year or two, she likely isn’t the one handling everything (labeling, customer service and reading emails for example) and might not even be aware of the issue. You could still be kind and say you reached out by email (twice) and received no response. And while the lotion felt nice and smelled good when you checked the label ingredients you found that they didn’t match the web store description. And this is problematic for someone with allergies or skin sensitivities.

This makes me wonder if they are using a premade base (nothing wrong with that - I do it because I don’t like making lotion) and switched the base they were using and failed to update the label. Or the manufacturer switched the formula and they didn’t realize it. Hmmm

 

[Deborah Long]

@dibbles Great idea! I can try that avenue and see if something happens. I don't want to be mean, but - the difference between the website and the label is like night and day! I will try that!
Thanks!

 

[Deborah Long]

So, I actually *did* write a testimonial and for whatever reason - that got their attention. They've refunded my money. Oh, they also stated the web site was correct, but no explanation for why the jar of lotion was not correct. *shrugs*

 

[dibbles]

Good to know they finally paid attention.

 

[Deborah Long]

@dibbles I thought so too!

 

[TheGecko]

Who was it?

 

[Deborah Long]

@TheGecko Is it kosher to tell?