What might stop people from using natural personal care products?

We’ve talked to many people during our 37 years in business, and we’ve found that one of the biggest barriers to using a natural product is the perception that it won’t work as well as a traditional one.





That’s why we’ve focused so much on research and innovation here at Tom’s—to ensure that our products are not only natural, but effective too. Let me share two examples!





We first earned the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance in 1983—the first natural brand to carry it. (We have the Seal on some of our toothpastes and mouthwashes and on our floss.) We even successfully proposed a new protocol to replace their animal testing requirement!





More recently, our research team, which includes dentists, researchers, and herbal experts, learned that hops has strong odor-fighting potential. So it was added to our Long-Lasting Deodorants, making them even more effective.

What might stop people from using natural personal care products?
There are a number of factors that influence whether or not people will choose to use natural products, but I believe that any of them can be overcome either through educating the public on the benefits of the product or by tweaking the product to be as successful as the artificial counterpart.





First and foremost, I believe the reason pointed to in the question - the perception that the product won't be as effective as another product that consumers are already using - is a big issue to the consumer. This can be remedied by ensuring that natural products are of the highest quality possible - and a quality that either meets or surpasses the quality of the competitive products on the market. You've already pointed out how Tom's can achieve that goal.





The next challenge that a natural product faces, I believe, is cost. The average consumer will not want to pay more for a product than they already do for a similar product, although the "natural" label is definitely a great reason to do so these days. To meet this challenge, companies must be able to use ingredients that are not only natural but abundant. This not only helps to keep prices down by using ingredients that are more easy to get, and therefore less expensive, but it also is a great example of stewardship by the companies by looking for sustainable sources of their product.





Companies then still face the challenge of availability. Once the issue of price has been surpassed, this should be a much easier task to accomplish - by using readily available ingredients and keeping costs low, companies can increase their sales base, and an increased sales base means more stores will be interested in the product.
Reply:Availability and cost. Some people are such creatures of habit they won't try anything new.
Reply:Price, strength and smells


all of these have at one time or another deterred me from buying a natural product. Taste as well.
Reply:The lack of a clear distinction from less expensive mainstream products based on reading the ingredients on the labels. I've never bought any of your products, even after I've read your labels. I was looking for a non-fluoride toothpaste, and none of your products in stock at my local store appeared to satisfy that requirement. Instead, I bought Jason Healthy Mouth Tea Tree Toothpaste, which contains no fluoride. Moreover, Jason's label lists its ingredients in a tabular format, with headings for "ingredients," "source," and "purpose." That tabular format clearly distinguishes their ingredients from the ingredients of mainstream toothpastes. Furthermore, they list eight non-ingredients (e.g., "NO Propylene Glycol"), which further serves to distinguish their product. I'm not going to pay the premium price for a natural toothpaste if it doesn't clearly recite the premium natural ingredients it contains. Note that I haven't looked at your products' labels in several years, so you may have introduced new products and/or made label changes of which I'm not aware, but other potential customers might also be unaware of any such changes.





As you state, "We first earned the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance in 1983—the first natural brand to carry it." I don't place a lot of emphasis on that Seal, as I've never seen a non-fluoride toothpaste with the Seal, so I've always assumed fluoride content is required for the Seal (whether or not that is actually the case). Perhaps other consumers value the Seal more highly than I.





You are wise to recognize just one of the wonderful attributes of hops. There is a lot more to hops than one might at first assume.





Addendum: Thanks for the subsequent answerer's note that you do offer a non-fluoride toothpaste. I might give it a try.
Reply:I think that there isn't as much of an aggressive advertising for natural products as their is for traditional products. For example a person would me much more willing to use colgate total or crest pro health toothpaste than Tom's natural care toothpaste simply because he/she was influenced by the ads which claimed there wouldn't be any gingivitis, there would be triclosan to kill germs etc etc.





Many people would feel that Tom's toothpaste would not be able to have "long lasting fresh breath" like other pastes or similar thoughts would make them reluctant.





Its all perception of the individual based on what he/she hears in commercials or tv. I use Tom's non-fluoride peppermint toothpaste and find nothing wrong in that (the answerer above me is not aware of that).
Reply:yeah, i agree with a couple other people.


1. Price


2. Availability


3. Ineffective (Sometimes)
Reply:The cost of these products, because it will usually be higher than the traditional one.
Reply:Most of it costs way more than ordinary products. I know for a fact that the deodorant does NOT work for me.





I love the toothpaste, but at $4.00 plus per tube it is hard to justify.
Reply:strength and smells
Reply:Cost, availability, amount you can get in a bottle.


And to some people, natural products seem dirty and hippyish.


I really like Tom's but I personally think your toothpaste is a little gross.
Reply:COST
Reply:I would say mostly not being able to find them as easily or having to pay more for them are two big factors.
Reply:the expense. they are usually more expensive.
Reply:when you can prove not one of your ingredients comes from china.
Reply:This sounds like an advert and not a question.





But anyway, this is my opinion on your question.


One, in general, "natural" products DON'T work as well as regular ones. Shampoo is watery and doesn't lather, as does toothpaste, deodorant is stringy and waxy, and everthing smells like mint, talcum powder and seaweed.





Two, they're more expensive. If I can get Crest at 89 cents a tube and something "Natural" at $2 a tube, which one is more economical for me?





Three, the "Natural" label is un trustworthy. There are no FDA or CIA or whatver "standards" in America to say what is natural and what isn't. You can squeeze a lemon into a batch of Lysol and call it "natural."


And on top of that, despite the consumer not knowing what is natural and isn't, companies will jack up the price and extra dollar simply because they print the word "natural" on their packaging, despite the ingrediants being otherwise exactly the same as any other brand.





So you tell me, you PROVE to me, precisely what is more natural about your products, price it compeditively, and make sure it doesn't taste like baking powder, and I'll give it a try.
Reply:When I first began researching natural products. I was very disappointed with the results, for the money. I found the things I could buy at the store for much less, things like baking soda, vinegar and soap worked really well. All these chemical cleaners were a bunch of hype. But I still couldn't find anything like BLEACH, Ammonia, and these other natural products. Until I found Melaleuca. For cleaning products, they are great. but finding them took 12 years, and my Chiropractor! :-).





About the same time I found them I found Toms, and I started noticing that the quality of the "Natural Products" was getting better. This maybe because Europe is already there, and the USA chemical company may have begun losing the battle to keep "Natural" products out of their market share.





Thumbs up to all the high quality cleaning products. Thanks for keeping on improving your products, and making the information available where common folk like me, who are ready to take the time to investigate, research, and study can find you!





still standing - after all this time!
Reply:I sure would like to use natural things. I'm sick of all the chemicals and perfume they put in products.





You would think that everybody stinks. I'm sick of the perfume! I have allergies, and the perfume is awful.
Reply:I have used some naturals. And those have worked very well. However, here are my reasons for not using all naturals:





1) They are hard to get. I can't always go to Whole Foods, but I can easily get to a Rite-Aid wherever I am (although there is a Whole Foods sort of near here. But hard to park at and hard to get into and very easy to miss).





2) Cost. I can buy a thing of shampoo or lip gloss at a drugstore for a few bucks or less even, but that definitely is not always the case with natural products.





3) They work pretty well as facial cleansers and such, but with thick, coarse, curly hair like mine, you can't get too many naturals that keep frizz in check and allow you to style as you please.





After some recent reports, I'd love to try more naturals. But, as I've stated, it isn't always easy. I'm inspired to try more; however, I'm going to need to try A LOT before I settle.





Hope I've explained myself clearly.





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Reply:A lot of women that buy these products buy the ones that have the pretty packaging, or smell nice...it's all about marketing...
Reply:It depends on the product for me. I use products with natural ingredients for some things but not others. I agree with others about taste, smell, and effectiveness but I would like to add texture. Some natural toothpastes have an unappealing, slightly grainy texture (I can feel the particles on my gums). It's a bit like the feeling of cornstarch in water. Cost is less an issue to me; I'll spend more if I believe a product is superior (even if I just like the smell better). For deoderants in particular, I don't use it unless it has antiperspirant qualities. I know it's not great for me, but I feel fresher when I'm not sweaty.
Reply:Price, and effectiveness. I am not going to pay more for something that doesn't work as good.
Reply:Your question is more of a self plug than a real question, and I'm surprised Yahoo has supported this by putting it on the front page.





My two biggest aversions to using another personal care product is cost and effectiveness. I will start with effectiveness. I want a deodorant that's going to last me all day. I don't want to be ripe by 3 PM just because it's hot or I've been outside. I found a brand that works where many don't, so I use that brand. How are you going to prove that your stuff is better? You can put as many stamps of approval and research experts opinions on it, but I already have a product that fulfills my expectations.





Second reason is cost. I just checked these prices at walgreens.com. The price of a 3.25 oz stick of my deodorant (the one which works great) is $2.99, and a 2.25 oz stick of Tom's deodorant costs $4.79. That pretty much speaks for itself.
Reply:I think the two main reasons are 1) items are hard to find in the stores that we normally shop at, and 2) when you do find items, they are usually much more expensive. It's really hard sometimes to justify a major cost increase, especially with little extra spendable income. I think if both items were side by side, all else equal, more peopel would welcome the natural items.
Reply:They cost too much or they are too hard to get. If Wal-Mart doesn't carry it (at a competitive cost), it's not going to appeal to the mass market.





The fact that I have never even heard of your product line proves my point--what stores carry your products, and are they available nationwide? I mean on a store shelf somewhere, not to order from a thumbnail sketch sight-unseen, even in today's society most people don't just random shop that way--they have to know the product name or at least what they are looking for in order to seek it out online.





P.S. I thought this forum wasn't supposed to be a place for soliciting customers.
Reply:Price and lack of effectiveness (with some products) are what deter me. Why is it so much more expensive to use all natural products? The prices at my local health food store are sometimes double and triple. I just can't afford it!
Reply:Hi Tom,





I don't believe the perception of natural products has less effective as compared to traditional ones is the strongest reason you see people "shopping away" from natural personal care products but rather the availability, price, and shelf location.





At least, that has been my experience.
Reply:More costly. Also grew up in the " Better Living Through Chemistry" generation.
Reply:Expensive! And, the range of options, is limited!
Reply:Over pricing
Reply:Two big reasons:





Cost. Most people don't understand the "you get what you pay for" concept, and aren't willing to invest more money in a better product. Crest toothpaste costs 89¢ a tube because it's GARBAGE. It tastes awful, has unnecessary chemicals in it (the titanium dioxide is also used to make white paint white!), and has a sweetener added.





Lack of market exposure. I have never seen your products advertised, except in health-oriented magazines. People won't buy what they don't know exists! The mainstream is where the money is. Tap into that market, and increase your sales.
Reply:Costs. That is the only thing that stops me. I just find natural products to be too expensive.