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Premium Body Care® – A Worthy Challenge
| Meet the Blogger | More Posts by Chris Jensen At Whole Foods Market® we are proud of the years of work we’ve put into developing our Premium Body Care® standards. In this first installment of a 3-part podcast series, Lecia Rand, category manager for Whole Foods Market™ and 365 Everyday Value® brand supplements and body care, talks about these top-tier standards which took years to develop and continue to be a worthy work in progress.
- Whole Foods Market developed our Premium Body Care® standards to help define what “natural” really means in body care products.
- There are a lot of products that claim to be natural, but there is no regulatory standard for making that claim.
- Our experts spent years examining ingredients according to the strictest criteria for safety, efficacy and impact on the environment.
- They have found more than 380 ingredients that do not meet our standard.
- We recently reformulated most of our 365 Everyday Value® body care to meet our Premium Body Care® standards. We made that change and kept our prices at an affordable level, which was the biggest challenge.
- 365 Everyday Value® shampoos and shower gels are made primarily with surfactants, ingredients that make them lather are difficult to make to meet our Premium Body Care® standards. This is because our Premium Body Care® standards only allow the gentlest lathering agents.
- These ingredients are more expensive and though they clean just as effectively, lather a bit differently – a challenge for formulation.
- 365 Everyday Value® lotions cannot use ingredients like polyethylene glycol or other ingredients derived primarily from petroleum.
- Alternatives to the ingredients in lotions are also more expensive.
- 365 Everyday Value® shampoos, conditioners and shower gels with wonderful scents like lavender and fresh mint.
- Whole Foods Market™ USDA Organic Castile soaps that are rich-lathering, all purpose liquid soaps for bath and household use.
- A line of Whole Foods Market™ lip balms made with organic oils that will soon be USDA organic.
- Whole Foods Market™ organic bar soaps made in France.
- Whole Foods Market will work closely with our vendors to find new and unique ingredients that meet the premium body care standard.
- We hope to see more choices for ingredients that are effective and safe as our standard helps to shape the market for these products.
96 Comments
Comments
I believe it is important to keep good products on you skin. Anything you put on just soaks right in.
04/11/2010 7:30:37 PM CDT
Thanks for your work to create this standard.
04/11/2010 7:34:58 PM CDT
Good stuff. Thanks
04/11/2010 7:39:00 PM CDT
I will try out the 365 lotion ad shower gel. I spend a tremendous amount of dough on personal care and from what I have read here, your products might be able to help me lower the over head.
04/11/2010 7:56:56 PM CDT
I am amazed that the 365 line is so inexpensive. Thanks for bringing it to us.
04/12/2010 5:09:51 AM CDT
I'll check in the store to see if you have one of these- but I would like to see a written description of the "standard" you have created.
04/12/2010 5:15:58 AM CDT
I recently read a label of a shampoo with poly-products through. The best part, the main label verbiage "All Natural". Thanks for your efforts.
04/12/2010 5:30:18 AM CDT
This is something i quite honestly would have thought bout myself, but I appreciate that you have. It is good to know a store is looking out for its people. Thank You.
04/12/2010 5:39:17 AM CDT
Hey Kate, you can find a written version of our Premium Body Care Standards here: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/premium-body-care.php. Let us know if you're looking for more information!
04/12/2010 6:23:39 AM CDT
I really enjoy the 365 body care products. My roommate doesn't think they lather enough, but I am fine with it. I had used Dr. B's soap for years, so I am use to the lather bit, and I am glad to see you are dong a similar soap now!!!
04/12/2010 7:10:47 AM CDT
Well this isn't the biggest subject on my mind, but it does have an impact. My girl friend is an avid fan of body care products and we kind of share our monies, so I'll be directing her towards your 365 brand lines!
04/12/2010 9:39:06 AM CDT
It cracks me up when I see "Natural" labels on things like J&J skin care, then the ingredient list shows all sorts of names I can't pronounce. Thanks for these steps forward, I hope they apply to other stores and vendors outside of WF.
04/12/2010 9:41:05 AM CDT
Great coverage and even better concept on creating this standard.
04/12/2010 9:43:54 AM CDT
Cool podcast!
04/12/2010 9:48:43 AM CDT
Thanks for the podcast, it makes me feel good to know you are putting a standard in place which could help with quality control.
04/12/2010 9:50:44 AM CDT
Thanks for creating this standard and making such an accessible product line available.
04/12/2010 5:51:19 PM CDT
I use a lot of Burt's Bees products. I believe these fall into the natural foundation you mention, but if not I will still use them.
04/12/2010 5:55:59 PM CDT
I like the idea of someone creating a "Standard" and applaud your work here, but that said, it seems like a conflict of interest that a stakeholder in the field, creates a standard.
04/12/2010 5:57:56 PM CDT
Good podcast! thanks for addressing this topic.
04/12/2010 5:59:14 PM CDT
365 Brand body care has been a staple of mine for sometime! Thanks for the standard.
04/12/2010 6:50:08 PM CDT
I appreciate the effort you are making to bring the standards for body care, up to the other standards in your store!
04/13/2010 4:31:52 AM CDT
Why do they have to have scents? I am so allergic to scents that I never go in your room with the shampoos and such because it makes me so sick. Just because it is natural does not make it allergy free. For instance wheat it very natural and wholesome for most people but I am allergic to it as well. I really need special shampoos and soaps but I cannot buy them at your store.
04/14/2010 9:28:35 PM CDT
@Liz,
I checked with one of our Whole Body staff and they said we do offer fragrance-free body care items that are wheat-free both in our 365 brand and many other brands. Call your local WFM for more details on pricing or availability. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/all/index.php
Thanks!
04/14/2010 9:35:24 PM CDT
Just had surgery on my arms. For the scars and for the skin what is good? I heard Shea butter was good with thyme. What do you recommend?
Look forward in hearing back from you soon.
Wishing you a pleasant day!
kindest regards,
Kathy Ann
04/15/2010 4:45:14 AM CDT
Would love to see a line of child and baby care products with an affordable price in your premium body care line. I was at Whole Foods yesterday and bought the spendy stuff, but that is tough on the budget. Something in the range of $5.00 a bottle for shampoo or bubble bath rather than $9.00 a bottle would be helpful. Thanks!
04/15/2010 2:36:29 PM CDT