I am the same as who you meet in person. I don't waste time being fake or trying to please everyone. I am passionate about my beliefs and I won't change who I am just to follow the trends. I know I am not for everyone (personally or business!) and that's ok.
There are things that are very important to me and I will not sacrifice for anything.
I'm a lay on the grass, dig in the dirt, be one with nature kind of girl! I spend as much time outside as I possibly can.
The highest importance for me is using ingredients that are truly natural and safe. Safe for your body and the environment. Nowadays products can be labeled "natural" as long as at least 70% of the ingredients are natural substances other than water and salt and have no fragrance ingredient other than a natural substance or naturally-derived ingredient, among other standards. That means 30% of the ingredients DO NOT have to be natural!
"Naturally-derived" means the starting material is of mineral, plant, microbe, or animal origin but has been chemically processed. This is how they get petroleum based ingredients into the product and still label it "natural" which tricks people into believing it's SAFE! Natural does not always equal safe. 100% of the ingredients chosen for TSF products are safe! For example, I recently added Retinol to the Night Cream. Then I began seeing information that it has a lot of negative effects and many people are very sensitive to it. So, I am researching an alternative. My next batch of Night Cream will be made without Retinol!
Another important value for me is the products have no animal based ingredients or byproducts. A lot of skincare products have honey, beeswax, lanolin, tallow and many more. Some hyaluronic acids are animal based. The HA I use is derived from a plant called Cassia Angustifolia (Senna Alexandria). I personally don't feel the benefits outweigh any negative impacts using animal based ingredients or byproducts. There are too many plant based ingredients that are just as effective as the animal product.
Recycling is also important to me. This was a place I was torn on what to do. I really wanted to use glass bottles and jars as much as possible. However, there are a lot of states that have really poor recycling programs with glass. Plastics are just easier to recycle. From what I have found anyhow. Especially with colored glass which I have to use to keep the product inside stable. I do have to use glass bottles for the serums but those are the only products available year round in glass. I am continuously looking into better product packaging. There are so many new trends it's hard to keep up on it all. My fear is that many are just that, trendy. A marketing strategy to make consumers believe they are making a difference. So, as I continue to look into my options I will always look deeply into the truth. If I find packaging that I believe is worth the extra cost I will slowly begin the switch. So far, using easy to recycle containers has been the best option.
Shipping costs was another factor in my decision to use plastic. I do my best to keep shipping prices down and minimize the cost to my customers. Glass not only weighs more, but requires more shipping materials. Since I began shipping products I have not had to buy packaging material like bubble wrap or paper. I reuse what I receive in my own orders. That's why when you get orders the materials used are always different. It's my way of recycling shipping materials. Plastic containers are very easy to ship safely with minimal bubble wrap or paper.
Customer service can be so frustrating to deal with. So it's very important to me to provide a positive experience for my customers. I will always do my best to make things right if someone is dissatisfied with a product or experience they have had. When you contact the "company" you are contacting me directly. I do my best to respond as quickly as possible. Some notifications don't come through in a timely manner but as soon as I see someone has reached out to me I reply immediately.
One of the trainings I do for running a product based business talks a lot about the importance of using your own voice in your business. Meaning, always be yourself. Speak like you normally speak. So when I get a message from a customer I reply exactly how I would say to them in person. Letting them know I hear them and I want to do my best to fix the issue. Mistakes have cost me money, it's a part of business. What costs more is poor customer service! I know respectful, positive customer service will always result in gaining a long term customer who will share their experience with others. I always want people talking about my business in a positive way, never a negative experience.
I am always open to suggestions! The best way for me to grow is to learn what my customers want. I can't always do what people suggest or want but if it fits my business and customer's needs, I will do my best to implement the suggestions. So if you have suggestions for me, please feel free to leave a comment or email me directly. thesagefaerie@gmail.com
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