Oh what to do? Fragrance oils or not?

3/9/2014

I am in a quandary. Whether you have tried our soaps or not, I would really like your opinion about this topic. Warning: this blog is long. I like to be wordy. If you want to skim, at least please read the paragraphs with *s.

As you may know, we are still relatively new to the business. We are growing quickly as a result of our wonderful customers who are loving our soaps. Yah! I'm convinced that it's the fresh, raw goat's milk that is truly the key to our soaps' success. We are very proud of our product and what it stands for.

However, as we grow in popularity, more and more people are enjoying our soaps and more and more people are offering their requests for ingredients, scents, and products--which I LOVE by the way, and have asked for. Originally, our business vision was to keep things the way we like them: all natural and as organic as possible. Of course there is such a personal preference when it comes to things like scents, textures, colors, and etc.... We wouldn't want to make ONLY what we like, as that would be ridiculous! For example, I love a highly exfoliating bar of soap and I love peppermint essential oil. My husband, Scott really dislikes both of those. He likes the sweeter scents and smoother textures. Would I only want to make one over the other? Of course not; we make both!

**Recently, we have had several very specific requests for certain scents that are only found in fragrance oils. As we aim to please the customer, we have responded by meeting those requests. Of course all of these soaps still have all the other high quality ingredients as usual: organic goat milk, organic oils and butters, and natural colorants/exfoliants. Also, I have researched to find the highest quality fragrance oils as possible and that are phthalate free. BUT, they are still a synthetic product. All of our products are clearly labeled and most of our products are still only using essential oils. Also, we don't ever mix essential and fragrance oils, but here's the part that is finally getting to my original question:

**The soaps with the fragrance oils are quickly becoming our best sellers! We only have 3 soaps currently (out of 20+) that use fragrance oils. Everyone who picks them up LOVES them. We have been getting more and more requests for different fragrance oil scents. This is taking us in a direction away from our original "all natural" goal. Part of me wants to jump on the band wagon and get many more fragrances that will sell like crazy, but part of me is bothered by this.

I personally don't like to use the fragrance oil soaps because some of them make my skin itch. We NEVER put fragrance oils in deodorants or body butters (products intended to soak into the skin) but research seems to indicate that although soap is a wash off product, still some components are absorbed through the skin. Maybe my skin is more sensitive than others, but it still bothers me to think that you may use our soap, have some sort of reaction to the fragrance oils like me, and think it's the soap as a whole and not realize it's the fragrance oil. Of course, many people have different allergies/reactions/aversions to all kinds of things including essential oils, liquid and solid oils, and even the gluten in the oatmeal used in some soaps. But if that is the case, you know who you are and as long as everything is clearly labeled, you can make appropriate choices. Fragrance oils are a propriety market and "secret" recipes are protected. So you really don't know what goes into them--thus what we're putting on our skin when we use them.

**So here are my questions that I would LOVE your opinions to:
-Would you like us to continue to offer choices: fragrance AND essential oils that are clearly marked?
-Does it offend you that we call ourselves "natural", yet offer a very few--and clearly marked--soaps with a tiny percentage of non-natural ingredients?
-Should we grow our fragrance oil selections to include more of the very wonderful and yummy scents that are made and that so many of you love?

Your opinions are VERY important to us. I am laying it out here in a very honest way, wondering what to do, and we would love your honest opinions.

13 Comments

Lisa Miller

3/9/2014 09:01:53 am

I too have had this very same issue!
First....know that you will never make everyone happy.

Here is what I have found with my business:
My customers are VERY important! But there are some things I will NOT compromise on, no matter what the customer wants.

However, I find that if I label everything and let my customers know what they are getting, they can choose what they want to buy. I like giving them the choice. There are many customers who are not sensitive to fragrance oils and LOVE the variety. They know what they're getting. But I also give other customers what they want too, essential oils and all natural products. I'm even going to offer an organics line with eco-friendly packaging.
This is how I like to do business with my customers. I LOVE making them happy and they are VERY happy with what I offer.
But you need to be true to yourself.
If you are NOT comfortable with the fragrance oils and don't feel right offering them even though they sell really well, I say don't do it!
On the other hand, if you give them all the information that you can and let them choose if they want them or not, then you have a very happy customer who will likely return to buy your products.

I'm not sure if this helps but it's how I look at my business. :)

Sara Starbuck

3/9/2014 10:44:44 am

Janelle,
I used to love strong fragrances, but the last fifteen years or so I have developed a sensitivity to them. I often can't sit next to someone wearing a fragrance without triggering a migraine and I can't go into businesses or rooms with strong fragrances. I know I am not alone and that fragrances also trigger attacks in some people with asthma.

This has made me so much more aware of the overuse of artificial fragrances. They, literally, can make people sick in more than the way that you discuss. And it is really hard to tell someone I have to go sit somewhere else because their fragrance is making me sick.

I love your natural fragrances. I understand the pull of the marketplace and would understand if you went along with the crowd. But my experience leads me to call for all natural.

Sara

Chris

3/9/2014 10:49:55 am

First off, I agree 100% with Lisa's post. You get to decide the parameters by which you are comfortable. Others will like/respect it or not, but the decision is yours.
I have not yet had the privilege of purchasing a bar of your soap but I hope to soon! I so enjoy reading your posts, however, and drooling over the luscious looking pieces. (Can one drool over soap? If it's possible then I've done it.)
Because of my allergy to several preservatives I have to read every label of every product before I make a purchase. Because of this I appreciate the current trend toward all natural ingredients.
That said, I do miss some things I used to be able to get (in wonderful scent combinations) because the formulations have changed and now include the offending preservatives.
As a culture we have become so accustomed to excess and extravagence in everything, including our bath products, that we feel we are missing something if our soap doesn't include a mixture of "11 herbs and spices", even if they are all just chemicals that mimic them.
I applaud you for going all natural. I also think you can have an all natrual, organic line of products and less organic line as long as they are clearly and appropriately labeled, and don't compromise your integrity.
I hope to make it to your shop sometime soon!

Jenn Sauter

3/9/2014 11:37:45 am

I also agree with Lisa and Chris, you have to be comfortable with any decision you make. That being said, I LOVE the three soaps we have tried so far (beer soap, lemongrass & Walk in the woods) I don't think any of those has fragrance oils in them, did they? I think if you clearly label them, you could continue to do both. Either way, I will continue to get all my soap from you!

Shoshanah Marohn link

3/9/2014 12:37:13 pm

I love the fragrances! I think it's okay to have some soaps that are not 100% natural, just mostly natural, as long as you are always open and honest about it. Which you are.

Michelle

3/9/2014 01:35:07 pm

The fact that you're asking these questions tells me that you're not all that comfortable compromising your vision with trying to please a broader base. Do you prefer to be able to say 100% natural ingredients and create a reputation (niche market) in that regard? Or do you think it's fun and ok to include a selection of still high-quality, but not totally organic products? Which feels most in your essence to do? You have done so many fun and unique versions of your soaps already and I'd bet you have many more ideas. Having a wider selection of scents may increase your sales, but having a reputation for organic only may also contribute to a faithful and supportive following. What matters most to you? How do you define personal success? (And as far as I'm concerned, I'm kind of drawn to the organic only idea, although I'm not sensitive to fragrance oils either.)

Kimberly Maahs link

3/9/2014 02:39:55 pm

Hi Janelle,
As an owner of a business also, I feel your pain. It's tempting isn't it? To compromise on this one little thing. Something to consider, when using synthetics; the synergy of your ingredients may be compromised or even lost. There is so much more to authentic medicinal essential oils than just the fragrance. It's kind of like two steps forward and one step back. Maybe you just need to educate your clientele more about the benefits of the ingredients your using. Tough call...they say "do what you love and believe in, in your heart, the rest will take care of itself". I like Michelle's comment and I'd have to agree. I think the fact that your questioning this is that little voice saying "...wait a minute...". I read your first post about how your company came to be...I think your answer lies in there.

Janelle Holmstrom

3/9/2014 10:41:07 pm

You folks are all so wise and insightful. We will continue to chew on this, but I'm sensing some clarity. Thank you again for your comments.

Linda Buhman

3/19/2014 11:21:47 am

Hi Janelle:
If you're going to the trouble to use all-natural ingredients and goat's milk, why use synthetic fragrances?
I have a sensitive nose and so many of those synthetic scents make me sick. I have to be really careful when I walk into a certain soap/body wash/cologne store.
It's kind of like how they've come up with fake flavors for baking (like the recent pumpkin or red velvet-flavor craze). Nothing's as good as the real thing!

lindsey

11/30/2014 10:18:41 am

I find that I tend to be sensitive to fragrance- but keep in mind that Essential oils can irritate skin and allergies, too. With that in mind, make good quality products with beautiful scents, be thorough in your labeling, and be generous in your exchange policy in case a customer is not pleased. Also, some fragrances only become offensive in large quantities or when mingled wirh other smells. I wrap my soaps in biodegradable plastic to minimize the fragrance cloud and keep the fragrances from comingling.

best wishes to you!

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Mia Evans link

2/3/2023 07:38:11 pm

I appreciate when you said that we can make our own choices for the soaps that we are going to use, because we know ourselves and they have labels on them. What I wanted to try for the longest time are oatmeal soap products, because they might be the answer to my sensitive skin. Especially during the winter season, I can irritable with he cold weather and get itchy most of the time. So I need something that can relieve that and still make my skin feel soft and smooth.

Oh what to do? Fragrance oils or not?

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