carillon said:
I think there's a small percentage of people who have always looked at ingredients, whether it's because they are environmentalists or because of allergies, but I'm not noticing a difference. Most people buy a soap based on the way it smells and the marketing/packaging used to sell it.
That's what I've seen here, too. I started reading labels when my son was born, because he was allergic to all dairy products plus a lot of other stuff.
On etsy, it seems to be all about how great the soap looks, well yeah that makes sense.
Most of my scents are blends, so when a customer looks at the name or the ingredients, it just doesn't click until they sniff. :roll:
Most people's eyes start glazing if I start talking about the different oils & their benefits, or the EO's & their benefits. Some people just don't want to go beyond, "Handmade soaps aren't drying to your skin like store bought, <& the reason why> By that time, most of them have heard all they want to hear, have smelled several bars & picked out the ones they want.
I get so excited when someone does show an interest in the ingredients!! They are always my highest spending customers, too. A fellow crafter just went crazy for my soaps when she found out there was no soy oil in them, because she's allergic to soy & so many soapmakers here are using it - we're in the middle of soy bean & corn country.
