Aren’t those warm and fuzzy marketing words? Doesn’t it sound like your special product is made with awesome ingredients?
I will not name the company that I had this issue with. They are not the only one guilty. This is not a rant on a company, but a lesson in being prudent with ingredient lists. I purely want others to understand terminology and to be as skeptical and informed as they can not taking for granted what is listed.
A neighbor had been occasionally asking me to try her ‘new, all natural incredible cleaning products’ for the past year or so. She had been calling me occasion to come see these products because she was so excited about their ‘green’ ability to clean. Because I am known locally as the green clean, chemical free nut, she so wanted to show me her new found products.
I am not neurotically green, but I do purchase about 90% of my food organically/locally grown and the products I do use in my house, are considered very safe. The few cleaning products I purchase, I research the ingredients very well. The remainder, and majority of my cleaning products, I make. This includes my household and personal soaps. As a soap maker for many years, I understand the science behind it which is how the uncovering of these sales tactics were unearthed.
After attending this gathering with a display of products, I was very hesitant as the questions I did have regarding ingredients, could not be answered by the representative of the company. I listened respectfully. Questioned why their amazing hand cream had the ‘paraben sisters’ in it!! When she started talking about their lye-free soap, it perked my ears. The only soap one can make without sodium hydroxide (lye) is glycerin melt and pour. I personally have never really looked into these soaps as they are more crafter oriented, I do know that what I was being shown was ‘not’ glycerin.
Now remember, I am not against a soap made with sodium hydroxide. The harshness of it, when used correctly, is totally gone and conformed into a moisturizing, mild bar of soap – when made correctly. What I am against is a company that won’t be up front with their ingredients.
After calling this company and inquiring about the ingredients I found that one of their ingredients were Propriety Blend. WHAT?? What is a proprietary blend? Can you find this on Isle 8 of your local hardware store?? Or with the milk in the grocery store??? I asked, and questioned, and asked, and questioned their customer service about what were the ingredients, not exact amounts, but the ingredients for my family’s sake. The nice lady on the other side of the phone said she didn’t know, nor did anyone else in customer service.
Now my rant goes on. It seems that companies can fluff ingredients legally. A proprietary blend is anything that they don’t want disclosed because they feel their recipe is secret. There you go… Hiding behind the word secret.
After trying out one their Tub and Tile cleaners, it gave me a respiratory reaction. None of which I even have with the harsh products on the market. So why was this product giving me such a bad case of it. Again, looking into the ingredients, “Surfactants and solvents” were listed as ingredients. What are surfactants and solvents? I feel that is a category, not an actual ingredient. Yes, after calling the company, once again, they told me that they do not disclose what exactly are used. And here’s the kicker: they told me that rest assured, their products were “natural” (a word not defined by the FDA) and that they don’t profess to be a green company, nor do they market it as a green company. HAHAHA… The reps that I have spoken to, all market it as such. Hiding behind and blaming their reps. Gotta love commercialism.
Live and learn… read labels, scrutinize. You may be paying more for green products, which in my opinion is fine, but when bad chemicals have a mask on and marketed as safe that is outright wrong.
