Need to vent about accurate labeling & customer service

[doriettefarm]

Just have to get this off my chest and think you guys will understand. I was recently given a bar of CP soap made by another local soaper. Packaging is really lovely and eye-catching. They do lots of local farmers markets and also have product in a very upscale spa/salon along with several other high-traffic stores in town. Obviously they’re doing something right to have such a following along with 2 retail stores of their own. I was actually pretty excited about trying their product.

I used the ‘gift bar’ and after the first shower my arms were itchy & rashy. I’ll admit my skin is super-sensitive . . . that’s what prompted me to start making my own soap in the first place! I waited a few days and tried it again with same reaction. So I start to scrutinize the label to see what combo of base oils were used along with fragrance/colorants. First thing that irks me is the soap obviously contained neon colorants and fragrance oil but was labeled as using natural herbs/colorants and essential oils. Next thing I notice is the base oil combo (OO, CO, PKO, Castor). Depending on the ratio of CO & PKO that could be some really cleansing soap!

At this point I’m not sure if the recipe or fragrance is the culprit so I contacted them to ask which bars were scented with FOs vs EOs. They finally reply and offer to send me a bar of their unscented soap which is nice but still doesn’t answer my question! Basic gist of their reply is that most soaps contain EOs but a few FOs . . . no help distinguishing whatsoever. One might be able to guess EO vs FO based on name alone . . . strawberry is definitely FO but something generic like ‘Energy’ might be an EO blend, right?

So I politely suggest distinguishing which scents are FO vs EO so those with allergies/sensitivities could make an educated choice. Latest reply says labels will be amended to state ‘contains fragrance and/or essential oils’. Arrgh, I’m just so frustrated trying to convince this soaper that accuracy matters! I know it’s a pain to have different versions of labels for each scent but feel like it’s worth it for liability reasons. Okay, getting off my ‘soapbox’ for now but would really like to know how you guys would handle this. Continue trying to educate or thank them for considering my feedback & drop it?

 

[neeners]

that sucks, but unfortunately, not unheard of. best you can do is no longer use their soaps. hope your arms are no longer itchy.

 

[Kittie]

If I were the soaper, I would want to know why you chose to stop using my soap. That said, a few soapers label their soaps improperly. That's what got me making my own soap, and now I'm addicted to soaping! I think most soapers do it right though. I got the addiction bad now
I get very Itchy irritated skin from detergent synthetic store bars, also handcrafted soaps I bought caused issues too, not all, but some. I've learned who to buy from and what my skin doesn't like. I feel labeling is just, well, important for the consumer. Being overtly deceptive with you is not too cool either.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

You can lead a horse to water.......

You have given them the feedback, but of course you can only do so much if they are not actually willing to do anything themselves.

There have been a lot of posts about natural on a label but with FOs and so on inside, which is very likely to have the same effect.

From the sounds of it, though, the soap is either generally okay or the seller is a master marketeer to be doing so well. That might be a reason why they are loathe to change anything

 

[Lindy]

I'm glad that here in Canada we have to label our soaps properly which includes breaking out which essential oils are being used since they are therapeutic. It would make me crazy to not know what I am putting on my skin.

 

[doriettefarm]

[FONT=&quot]This soaper also uses ‘all-natural’ on their labels but everyone has different ideas about what that means so I didn’t want to harp on it. Also didn’t want to argue about what qualifies as an herb or natural colorant since some consider micas & oxides natural.

My main issue was labeling all bars as scented with essential oils which they obviously were not and then the seller admitting they knew the difference. One of their replies actually said ‘I thought everyone knew strawberry was a FO’ . . . well if you did why did you deliberately label as EO?

I think EG hit the nail on the head by saying they are doing well the way things are so why change. It’s either that or they are too busy to bother with specific labels for each scent and are taking the easy way out by changing labels to say ‘contains EOs and/or FOs’. Guess I'm like you Lindy . . . even though I live in the US I like to see each EO listed individually although I'm okay with generic fragrance or perfume for FOs.
[/FONT]

 

[aftgalleysoaps]

I am a huge proponent of honest labeling on my soap. I specifically categorize my soaps as "all-natural" or not. The only "all-natural" soaps I sell are unscented, because my scented soaps use FOs. I have a very lengthy description of this on my website!

I once did a craft show where the other soap vender had all kinds of illegal claims on her soap - including a label that said the bar would melt cellulite! I knew I couldn't (and wouldn't) compete with that. Oh well. At the end of the day my soaps sold because people liked the fragrance better than hers, or because of my personality and sales pitch.

 

[dixiedragon]

I'm not a seller, but I always label my soaps with the EOs they include, or just "fragrance". Some people have allergies to certain EOs.

 

[LunaSkye]

I think you may as well drop it as you already informed them about your issue and the need for clear differentiation of FOs & EOs. It's on them if they chose to not make a clear distinction.

 

[doriettefarm]

I guess I'll wait and see if the sample, unscented bar shows up . . . that should give me a clue if it was fragrance or recipe that caused my reaction. Either way, I won't be spending any $$$ on their products because I like my soap better.

 

[godschild]

If somebody finds a way for soap to melt cellulite, I want in on that!

 

[CanaDawn]

Caveat emptor, as always. I have sensitive skin too, and I read labels _before_ I use products. Granted this label doesn't sound overly helpful, but you noticed at once that the PKO and CO might be too high for your preference. Could definitely still be a specific ingredient you are sensitive to, and it sounds as if you won't get any help from them in discovering what it might be. I would agree with posters who are saying "don't use their soap", and move on. Nothing works for everybody.

 

[WAsoaps]

SNIP

in the long run I may regret being that detailed about someone...she might be on here...

 

[Aline]

Good for you for calling her out. I see so many shops on Etsy saying 'Fragrance Oil or Essential Oil'. It's evasive and it makes me sick. Ugh.

 

[Stacy]

If somebody finds a way for soap to melt cellulite, I want in on that!

Shower while running in the rain. It's probably in the really really fine print somewhere.