Your Voice = Your products
Become a Product Tester
Maui Tropical Soaps was founded on Maui in 1996 and now makes the number one selling line of handcrafted glycerin soaps not only in Hawaii, but in the entire United States. Over the years we have developed a very prestigious international clientèle that includes dozens of Hawaiian boutiques, Swiss spas, Japanese department stores, Duty Free Stores, Condé Nast’s top resorts, uber high-end salons, and if you ever have the good fortune to stay in a private estate on Maui (which can run up to $70,000 per week) chances are you’ll see our products featured in the loo.
Anyone and everyone is invited to join this conversation. If you have questions or comments about ANYTHING in the world of bath & body or professional beauty products I will do my best to help you get straight, useful information. My name is Richard Stillman and I am currently the president of three companies in these industries and my partner has been a leading chemist in the professional beauty world for nearly 40 years. I am not aware of any other resources out there that will give access to top level inside information on par with our blog.
However….The primary focus of this blog will be on developing products for Maui Tropical Soaps. This is YOUR forum to let us know what you think of our current lineup, products in development, and to express your thoughts on which products you’d like to see in the future.
Members of our product development team aka our focus group will receive samples from us at random intervals. These samples may be works in progress or existing products, and we need your input. We want the good, the bad, and the ugly…..no holds barred. The one rule members must follow is that your active participation and communication is vital to keep your status active with the focus group. No comments = no more samples. Please post here as often as the spirit moves you (and not less than once per round of samples). The more we hear from a member the more likely that member will get samples. In other words, you wash our back and we’ll wash yours 
Please invite friends and family to join this discussion.
For information on joining this focus group please email your inquiry to focus@mauisoap.com or Click Here to Join
Tags: Bath & Body, Hawaii, Lotion, Maui, Organic Skin Care, Soap
October 26, 2009 at 4:47 pm |
Aloha All,
Sorry for the long silence. We’ve been very busy behind the scenes and have a lot of surprises coming in 2010. Mostly, we’ve been focused on getting our products into some national chain stores (nice ones) so that our customers will have purchasing options. We are expecting to add at least 500 locations this coming year. Stay tuned
October 25, 2009 at 3:15 am |
I just came back from Kawaii, i did buy 3 clear soap bars and i just love it, i wanted to know where can i get it or oeder it. i live in california, we do go every year, i won’t wait my soaps won’t last either. Please let me know!
October 26, 2009 at 4:41 pm |
We are just starting the process of adding a lot of mainland locations, and you should have a lot of choices starting in 2010. In the mean time, your best bet is ordering direct from our website http://www.MauiTropicalSoaps.com
September 18, 2009 at 8:55 am |
Hi there,
I purchased a gift set that included a bag of 8 B&B soaps — can these bags be purchased separately, please/
Thanks,
Sheila+
August 10, 2009 at 2:30 pm |
We are in the middle of a large, but good, transition in our office. Tiffany has left us to get married to a Pennsylvania cheese maker, and we’re getting our new guy, Ron, settled in.
Ron is a former semi-pro basketball player, and at 6′ 8″ he’s someone we can all look up to. Ron is in charge of all things financial, and for now he will be helping out with customer service too.
We’ll get back to our product testing just as soon as we get on solid ground in the office. In the mean time, thanks for all of your help with the lotion testing. The improved lotion formula is a big hit.
………….So, good luck Tiffany, and welcome Ron!
August 1, 2009 at 3:49 am |
Hi there, Congrats on your super vacation — you deserved it!! Regarding putting your products in stores — good idea, but I hope you will keep the online ordering going, as I live in a little town on Vancouver Island off the West Coast of Canada– I don’t know where you would put them here, as we are pretty small. And I am ordering more and more stuff on line, as I have arthritis which makes schlepping around the malls and department stores an ordeal! One good place to put your products would be in London Drugs, a big drugstore chain owned and based here in British Columbia — they are opening a big new store in my town in late August. They have several stores in Victoria and Vancouver, B.C., so you would have major exposure with them. Looking forward to the next round of samples.
August 5, 2009 at 3:32 am |
Wow you were so close to the Seattle area! That’s where I am and yes there is a HUGE Hawaiian community all throught the NW. Glad you had a great time!
August 1, 2009 at 12:50 am |
Aloha All,
Sorry for the long quiet. I took an unexpected summer vacation to Bend Oregon. It was really fun! We went white water rafting on some ‘big’ class 3 rapids. Can’t wait to go again!!!
Oregon has a huge Hawaiian population and I got to visit with many kindred spirits.
We’re going to get the group fired up again with some new soaps and the lotion we’ve come up with thanks to all your input. The crew will be back in full swing Monday, and I’ll make it a priority to get the samples out by the end of the week.
Hope you all had great summer vacations too.
August 1, 2009 at 1:35 am |
Glad you enjoyed your Oregon Vacation in my home state. White water rafting is great fun!
Have you thought about putting your products in Trader Joes? It would
be convenient for customers to pick up their personal care products while grocery shopping, rather than ordering on-line.
August 1, 2009 at 2:16 am |
Glad that you had a great vacation! Also good to hear that you will be selling your products in some retail locations in the US too. Have you thought of distributing to retail locations in Canada? There may be some tricky logistics of cross border distribution but thought I would ask anyhow since I have just moved back to Canada from the US and would die to see your product in stores here
I look forward to trying out some of the new samples. See you all in the Blog!
August 10, 2009 at 3:12 pm |
Bend, Oregon! That’s where my daughter lives (she loves your products, too). A beautiful town and the rafting is excellent. Did you happen to visit any of the local waterfalls? Lovely! Terrific Hawaiian food restaurant there, too.
Trader Joe’s is an excellent fit for your products. I was thinking of Cost Plus World Market (or Pier One). What about Henry’s or Whole Foods?
July 22, 2009 at 3:27 pm |
I just received my new lotions from Fed Ex and every one of the bottles had a very loose top. If the box had been put on its side, I think they could have fallen off. Maybe you need to put some tape on them? Judy
July 16, 2009 at 3:37 am |
Tiffany, our super star controller, just got engaged to the man of her dreams and will be leaving us to start her new family in the beautiful Pennsylvania country side. She and her husband, Skeet, will be the owner-operators of a traditional Amish cheese factory…yum!
July 16, 2009 at 4:33 am |
Congrats Tiffany! You’ll be missed and thanks so much for your patience in the past. Enjoy your new life! Wow a cheese factory let us know if you sell online. Maybe we can try some cheese. No matter I am very happy for you
Lokelani
July 16, 2009 at 3:27 am |
Today we made our first production batch of lotion incorporating all of you wonderful suggestions. This one is really thick and creamy, has nice glide, and feels like its on your skin for a long time. Its not sticky or greasy and the feel is just rich. We used the same ingredients, but by rearranging them and adjust the quantities we think we’ve really hit the nail on the head.
We would have sent out another round of lotion samples, but we had some very big issues to cope with over the past 2 weeks….
I’ll see if we can still do it sometime soon.
We’ve got it on sale this month
July 16, 2009 at 12:23 am |
Aloha ahi ahi! I want a body scrub! You use to have one but now it’s gone! Any plans on creating a new one or bringing the old one back? Let me know!
Lokelani
July 13, 2009 at 7:58 pm |
Ok, I have also taken your suggestion to leave the shampoo on my hair for a minute or so. Though I do think that leaving the shampoo on longer does help, my hair still feels a bit dry after using your product. After each shampoo I use the conditioner…I like the conditioner a lot. It is a great detangler and combined, the products leave my hair very soft. However, I get more frizz than I am happy with so I still have to use a post shampoo/conditioner product to “smooth” my hair.
I do not have the easiest hair to work with–thick, curly,colored. And…I live in FL and the humidity is ~80-90% a good bit of the time!
With the exception of an increased level of “frizz”, I like the product a lot.
July 13, 2009 at 5:33 am |
As you suggested, I left the Shampoo in a little longer for my second washing.
I used the conditioner alone for a few days also, in between days where I don’t wash my hair. I am still more fond of the conditioner than the shampoo.
Here is what I found…
Shampoo A:
Texture and Feel – A bit thin for my thick hair type
Lather – Top notch, it lathers well when I used a lot (I have a lot of hair)
Ease of Rinse – Rinses out really well, no residue.
Does hair feel clean after rinsing? – Yes. Seemed to be less moisturizing than I wanted though and it stripped my hair of all the oils, leaving my hair straw-like ( I mentioned that before). My hair was begging for the conditioner.
Conditioner A:
Texture & Feel – thick/silky/smooth/creamy
Ease of Rinse – binds to hair just enough, (which I like) makes it softer and easier to work with when hair is dried.
Conditioning – leave hair shiny and soft
Ease of Styling – Good – soft and silky, natural, no need for any other products to style.
Look and feel when finished – see above – my hair was shiny and clean and felt great.
July 11, 2009 at 3:52 am |
O.K., the shampoo and conditioner are great. I love the scent, coconut with possibly a little mango? It leaves my hair soft, which is a great feeling. I would definitely purchase it. The lotions are another story. Scent “A” smells terrible and very woody. Scent “B” also smells terrible and very similar to “A,” but not as strong. I stopped using them immediately. I am very disappointed that Maui Soaps would make a lotion like that. I even asked my husband if he liked the scent for himself and he said no way. Scent “A” and scent “B” are history.
July 11, 2009 at 6:09 am |
READ some recent comments before posting…
I don’t want to discourage anyone from posting a comment; however, I’d like everyone to understand that this experiment won’t work if we don’t pay attention to what others are saying, and posting comments without that awareness will NOT lead to meaningful contributions.
Please take some time to read what your peers are saying. If you want some inside scoop on products and the bath, body, and professional beauty industries check out some (if not all) of my posts.
Reading is every bit as important as writing.
I’ve addressed the issue of fragrance on several occasions. There was NO FRAGRANCE in the lotion, and that was intentional. What you are smelling is the base, and though you may not like it, its a very pleasant and neutral smelling base as bases go. This base will be very easy to fragrance since there’s no nasty smell that we need to hide, as is the case with some other commercial brands.
Please read some of the many comments below.
Catharsis finished
July 10, 2009 at 10:47 pm |
Sorry for the delay in responding, but the products were being shipped to Canada and just arrived a few days ago.
Shampoo A and Conditioner A
The shampoo was pleasant and seemed to clean my hair really well but it did leave my super thick long hair feeling a bit like straw. I could probably use a thicker, more moisturizing shampoo for my hair type. The conditioner is heavenly. I have very thick hair so I require a good amount in order to properly condition, but it worked really well for my hair type. It left my hair feeling silky and smooth as well as full and shiny. Also the smell is awesome and I will be sure to buy it from now on.
Lotion A:
Unlike some of the other feedback, I found lotion A to be a little thinner and wetter than Lotion B. It was very moisturizing though and haven’t had to re-moisturize more than once a day. My skin feels soft and clean after using it. I am not crazy about the smell, its mild but seems to have a kind of fennel smell. I am more inclined to buy the tropical scents like the coconut or plumeria or gardenia.
Lotion B:
A bit thicker of a moisturizer. I like it better for my skin type which is usually kind of dry and a bit tanned from the sun. Its a bit silkier and creamier and not as wet as Lotion A. I also leaves my skin feeling moisturized and I have been using it in the morning and at night and don’t feel like my skin was every dry in between those applications. I am not crazy about the scent though. My favorites are still the tropical ones.
Thanks for the samples! This is fun!
July 11, 2009 at 1:43 am |
For extra moisturizing and conditioning from the shampoo just leave it in your hair a bit longer. The lotions were unscented intentionally.
I’ve addressed both of these issues numerous times in the blog, so please try to check in from time to time just for a read if not for a post. There’s a lot of good information here that will address many of your concerns
July 10, 2009 at 7:12 pm |
I received shampoo A, conditioner A, lotion A and lotion B.
SHAMPOO A: I found it to be wonderful. It made my hair feel really clean and soft, and
also I liked the lack of a strong scent. I could not tell if it had a very light scent on none
at all. .
My preference is for very little scent. It lathered well but was easy to rinse.
CONDITIONER A: This conditioner was nice and thick but not too much so. You can still get
it out of the bottle with no problem. It rinsed well but left my hair feeling soft, silky and c
conditioned just the right amount. I have salt and pepper which can get a bit wiry but
this worked very well. No tangles ,and my hair looks great. Styling for me is just
combing my hair with my fingers and creating kind of curls on top. It looks great.
I really want to know what these are.
LOTION A and B: Are really good. I like the thinner quality of A more than lotion B.
initially A felt a bit heavy but changed in a few moments. I see that some people felt that
lotion B was thinner.
My impression is that A is something that I,
a non lotion fan, would use. Can’t tell about the scent on either lotion. Both work very well
for moisture but are not so good to have on my body in today’s 104 degree heat here in
Dallas today. Both keep me moisturized all night long and still feel that way till I take a
shower in the morning. There is no dry look or feel while they are on me, particularly my
legs.
ALL of these samples smelled great but I think that heavier scents would not be my
choice. I like scents in soap and other products but not lotion.
Thanks for letting me in this faocus groups. It’s fun.
doris mitchell
July 11, 2009 at 1:48 am |
Hi Doris,
I’m glad you had fun testing.
We’ll have a new lotion going out for testing next week that we’re very excited about. We’re a bit behind schedule on those samples thanks to our kukui nut oil supplier, but that’s normal
The shampoo and conditioner you like are already for sale on our website.
Shampoo: http://www.mauitropicalsoaps.com/content-categories/cat-395/rejuvenating_shampoo.html
Conditioner: http://www.mauitropicalsoaps.com/content-categories/cat-396/replenishing_conditioner.html
July 8, 2009 at 11:22 pm |
Looks like we’re going to skip lotion ‘C’ and go straight to ‘D’
C wasn’t quite good enough and D is getting pretty close to addressing all of your previous comments. We have new soaps and will send them with the lotion is a couple of days.
July 9, 2009 at 3:25 am |
Hi there,
It is July 8, 2009, and my first samples just arrived today — so that is why I am late responding. However — re the lotions: Both are good, but on initial impression, I liked Lotion A best. It has a thicker texture, and feels richer. It glides well, but being thicker, it takes more of Lotion A to cover the same amount of skin as Lotion B, which is thinner and doesn’t feel as rich or as elegant as Lotion A. Lotion A takes a bit longer to be absorbed, but once on, Lotion A feels richer, almost buttery, and it lasted noticeably longer though the day than Lotion B. My first day’s overall impression is that for me, Lotion A is the better of the two. Re the shampoo and conditioner: Thank you for supplying a sulfate-free shampoo!! My hair is coloured, and the shampoo and conditioner left it feeling great. After using the shampoo, which lathered well, rinsed out easily, and felt great, my hair was squeaky clean — it hasn’t squeaked in ages! The conditioner went on well, covered well, rinsed out well, and detangled as well or better than what I had been using. Once dry, my hair had lots more body than usual — it’s fine and doesn’t often have much body to it at all.
To your questions: If we sold Shampoo A would you buy it as is?
Yes, although I love shampoos with fragrance
If we sold Conditioner A would you buy it as is?
Yes, I liked it but would like it better with a fragrance
If we sold Lotion A with fragrance would you buy it?
Yes, it is exactly the kind of lotion I like.
If we sold Lotion B with fragrance would you buy it?
Maybe, although it is thinner, and it doesn’t make my skin feel as wonderful as did Lotion A.
Thanks for including me in this focus group — if I have any further comments as the next few days go by, I’ll send them along.
July 9, 2009 at 4:08 pm |
Thanks Sheila
Sorry the samples took so long to arrive…Thank the post office.
We’ll have a new lotion version going out for testing soon. We’re just waiting on our kukui nut oil vendor to get their act together.
By the way, the shampoo and conditioner you like are offered on our website.
Shampoo: http://www.mauitropicalsoaps.com/content-categories/cat-395/rejuvenating_shampoo.html
Conditioner: http://www.mauitropicalsoaps.com/content-categories/cat-396/replenishing_conditioner.html
July 9, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Ok, will try the shampoo and conditioner — the thinner lotion (B) seems similar to the fragranced body lotions you already sell, although it doesn’t have the pearly appearance of the others.
July 9, 2009 at 5:16 pm
And the post office is giving us a lot of headaches lately — think I’ll go with FedEx for my next orders.
July 13, 2009 at 6:40 am
Hi again, Well, after using the samples for a few days, my hair is so full of body that I have to go and get a haircut!! It is very fine, and formerly lay so flat and close to my head that it seemed shorter, but now it is positively fluffy — in a good way! Still prefer Lotion A for the same reasons as noted earler; by the way, took a trip over the weekend and took the samples along — the two lotions held up even after being in the back of a very hot car for two days — no change in consistency. Thanks again for the opportunity to particiate in this focus group — this really is fun, and s a result, I am now an enthusiastic fan of your shampoo and conditioner. I gave some of your guest soaps to a friend as a hostess gift and her reaction was “these are fabulous!”
July 9, 2009 at 3:42 am |
Have you ever thought of a line of bath salts or bath bombs/fizzies??
July 8, 2009 at 12:29 am |
Oops! And my apologies. I didn’t mean to be so tardy with my comments. Head cold in the middle of summer kind of through me off.
But also wanted to mention that I thought the shampoo and conditioner was about the most perfect I’ve ever used for my hair. It’s not drying as some have mentioned. But my hair is not colored. I would say my hair is fairly “normal” (combo dry/oily depending on the season) – I can go a day without washing and it still looks okay. But does get dry in the winter here.
A suggestion for the next round – on the sheet of paper put a “suggested deadline” for comments. If there is a date there, then maybe some of us stragglers will be more prompt?
Thanks again for letting us test!
July 7, 2009 at 10:40 pm |
I have used the shampoo and conditioner for more than a week now to really get a feel for it. I’m a wash and go person (not much styling except for combining it out). I also live in a (normally) dry climate (which has been a bit more humid lately). First off, the scent of the shampoo and the conditioner is really perfect. I like the tropical smell and it isn’t too powerful. Throughout the day, I get a whiff of it too. I had a really bad head cold when these arrived and they still smelled wonderful. The shampoo lathers up well and rinses clean. i feel my hair is cleaned. The conditioner is a perfect weight – it doesn’t weight down my hair but at the same time I don’t have flyaways. I am going to be bummed when the testing samples run out – hopefully you’ll tell me what it is and I can get more.
As for the lotions. I usually wear lotions with a sunscreen during the day since I have very sensitive skin. But I have tried these samples at night. Lotion A (X) has more appeal to me – it seems to smooth on a little better. Lotion B (O?) seems more watery and absorbs too fast. However both seem to be lacking in fragrance (not a horrible thing but I like a little scent to my lotions too). I need to give each of the lotions a better testing and will report back with more.
Jerrilynn Lilyblade
July 7, 2009 at 10:35 pm |
I’ve been reading the reviews, and I’m wondering if my lotion bottles were mis-labeled? Everyone is saying that their lotion A is thicker than lotion B. And I said from the beginning that I preferred A because B is sticky to me. If I shake my lotion A, I can actually hear it moving in the bottle; not so with lotion B. So, I have to say that I do still prefer the thinner version, which for me is lotion A. Thanks again for this opportunity! (And I really, really like the shampoo!!)
July 7, 2009 at 5:47 am |
HI
I have used all four products. I have found both lotions good and seem to last most of the day. I currently use your Coconut Oil on a daily basis and still prefer it over either of the lotions. I get the Coconut Oil to liquid form and move it to a body butter container that I find more user friendly on a daily basis when the oil has solidified.
As for the Shampoo and Conditioner, I too like others found the shampoo rather drying but did leave my hair squeaky clean…just a little too much, granted I have colored hair and live with well water. The Conditioner did help but I was still having to use a leave in conditioner or moisturizing styling gel. I did like the fragrance of both, though I wish the conditioners scent was a little stronger.
Thank you so much for this opportunity…and I will try to get my comments on here sooner than later next time.
Krista McNeil
July 7, 2009 at 3:58 pm |
Most shampoos leave a residue on your hair after rinsing, whereas ours rinses squeaky clean. The ‘problem’ this creates sometimes is one of perception. Some people equate squeaky clean with striping, but this is a misconception. Sure there are many products that will leave your hair squeaky clean AND strip it, because they’re made with harsh surfactants and cheap ingredients. Many expensive shampoos will strip your hair and then cover up the damage with coatings. Ours doesn’t and that’s where the perception difference comes in to play. If a shampoo and conditioner are properly made they won’t strip, dry, or leave anything behind.
Any shampoo will remove the dirt, but the real work happens on the inside of the hair shaft. After rinsing your hair should squeak, and after drying it should be soft and light with excellent body and volume. There should be no perception of anything remaining on your hair. This is how hair SHOULD feel. It’s the foundation for healthy hair and is the jumping off point for proper styling.
If your hair is dry after using our shampoo and conditioner it’s because you were previously using inferior products that stripped your hair and covered up its inadequacies with coating ingredients. Continue using our shampoo and conditioner and moisture and health will return to your hair, with no cheap cover up tricks, and your hair will look, feel, and style better than ever.
If your hair is frizzy hard to manage after drying you’ll need to use some finishing products; we make several excellent ones. We have temporarily taken these off of our website, but you may email us to get them. We have the following in stock:
• Creamade (gel)
• Leave in conditioner
• Hair spray
We’ll have a several other new products in stock in a few weeks
July 5, 2009 at 4:18 pm |
Yikes!! So Sorry I was late getting the samples and I guess I missed the boat on the first round of comments! Oh well I’ll do better next time.
I do want to comment on how much I do enjoy your Hanna Ginger, Plumeria and Wild Orchid. The Hanna Ginger is so light and refreshing I use that on a daily basis. I dance hula and I use the Plumeria the days I dance. It adds to the hula experience for me. The Wild orchid soap I use as my daily face soap and I have used it for nine years.
Your Coconut mango is a favorite with my friends as gifts.
I wish you would think about making fragance body sprays or mists, to compliment your fragances. Just a thought
Aloha a hui hou
Lokelani
July 5, 2009 at 4:06 pm |
Aloha kakahiaka! It’s hawaii weather here in Seattle and I finally have some spare time to comment on the test products.
Lotion A: It applies alittle too heavy for my taste. Also it remains alittle too sticky on the skin. It hydrates nicely but leaves a sticky feel. Maybe this lotion would work for someone with very dry skin.
Lotion B: It applies nicely, no heavy feeling afterwards. Hydrates very nicely. I prefer this lotion. It reminds me of your regular body lotions, but with a little more hydrating qualities.
Shampoo A: Great fragance. Lather is great. Used it after having harispray, and other hair products in my hair and it did a great job of cleaning my hair. But I have color treated hair and it left it too dry. I used it a second time and same result too dry. Husband used the shampoo also and he liked the fragrance but thought it was alittle too drying.
Conditioner A: Interesting feel. not unpleasant but different. Nice fragrance and applied nicely. the first I used it, It did a good job of conditioning, but not enough to compensate for the drying effect of the shampoo. Tried it second time and used more but still not enough conditioning for my hair type.
Enjoy your Sunday bloggers! Aloha a hui hou
Lokelani Cook
July 5, 2009 at 7:01 pm |
Aloha Lolelani,
What hair products are you used to using?
July 6, 2009 at 7:00 pm |
I use pureology hair products, volume formula, pink bottle.
Plus my hair reacts to humidity, frizzes.
Hope this helps
July 3, 2009 at 11:30 pm |
Samples of body lotion A & B: Lotion A is nice but I think I like the consistency of lotion B a little better. I’m assuming the testers were intentionally made without scent; I miss the scent. The moisturizing is very good.
Also test the new shampoo and conditioner. I actually have the new product which I ordered when it first came out and I love it. I works very well and the scent is wonderful, it reminds me of Maui.
July 5, 2009 at 7:02 pm |
Lotion C is even better. We hope to get samples out this week.
July 3, 2009 at 2:16 am |
I had the same experience about the lotions changing consistency. Now lotion B is so watery that I have trouble putting it on. Lotion A seems to have lost some of its heavy feel. I thought I was crazy.
My husband has used the shampoo and really likes it–says his hair feels soft. I find if I use just a tiny bit of it and lots of conditioner, my hair doesn’t feel dried out. I think it’s not the best for fine, treated, dry hair.
July 3, 2009 at 4:12 pm |
Try a few things:
1. Leave the shampoo on for a full minute.
2. Use just enough conditioner to cover your hair and leave that on for a minute.
3. Rinse completely.
4. If you find your hair feels too heavy after styling you can try skipping the conditioner entirely, since the shampoo alone is highly conditioning.
These products are formulated to repair and maintain dry, damaged, chemically treated, and otherwise abused hair.
These products should never dry your hair or remove any color. In fact, the only complaint we’ve ever had with these products is that they are too conditioning for some hair types.
If you find that shampoo alone is too conditioning, please try our Hair & Body Wash
July 2, 2009 at 6:53 pm |
Shampoo & Conditioner. I liked both, and I liked the fragrance. I actually washed my hair on Monday, and only wet it on Tuesday (don’t wash my hair every week) and the fragrance rejuvinated itself which was a nice surprise!
July 2, 2009 at 6:52 pm |
So I just went to use lotion A again today after not using it for about a week or so. It is so much more watery than the first time I used it…did anyone elses seem to get watery? It literally change consistencies.
July 2, 2009 at 10:07 pm |
Although lotions usually thicken over the first month or so, they can fall apart too.
When we do small test batches (about half a gallon) we measure each ingredient to the gram, so you can imagine how difficult is to be dead on the money. It is just as difficult to mix, heat, and cool accurately when making very small batches, and each of these processes need to be right on as well.
These are problems that actually lessen as the batch size increases. It’s much easier to get it right on 300 gallons than on one gallon.
We are not overly concerned with issues of thickness or consistency on these samples because we would almost certainly solve these issues when we scale up for production. We are most concerned at this stage with how the product feels and how it works. That said, I still wish your lotion didn’t fall apart, but it shouldn’t effect the nature of the product.
We will have lotion C going out to you next week with a couple other goodies
July 2, 2009 at 5:57 pm |
The first step of our experiment was a big success, and we received some excellent feedback. We have taken your suggestions to heart and have been working at making the necessary improvements.
Our blog has received nearly 90 postings about 300 visitors as of this writing. This type of participation is exactly what we need to make our products better. Thank you!
Lotions A &B were not fragranced intentionally to avoid skewing opinions of the base; however, we plan to fragrance future samples, since it seems so many of you want it that way. The downside will be that not everyone will like the fragrance.
Both lotions A & B were very similar formulas, but we designed B to have more slip (glide). Both incorporate shea butter, coconut, and kukui nut oil, but in different proportions. The tack or stickiness that many of you reported was from the shea butter. Shea has excellent moisturizing and healing properties, and stay on your skin for a long time. The down side is that most of you objected to the feel, so we are reconsidering how to best use shea butter in our lotion. We were after performance first and feel second, but it looks like we will have to pay more attention to the feel.
Thick and Thin: Many of you commented on the viscosity (thickness) of our lotion samples. Many of you pointed out the samples were a bit thin, so here’s a little FYI: When a lotion is first made, any lotion, it is thin and over the next several weeks it will get considerably thicker. We usually don’t release a lotion until it is thick enough, but we were after your input on how it felt on your skin and how well it worked. It was my mistake not to point this out in advance.
The shampoo and conditioner are already part of our lineup. These are samples of our Rejuvenating Shampoo & Replenishing Conditioner. These products both part of a very high-end professional salon line that we make and sell under a different brand. If there is enough interest in hair care with Maui tropical Soaps’ customers we will bring in the rest of the line, of course in your favorite fragrances.
Round two will begin early next week. We will be sending out lotion C with your suggested improvements and will include a couple of surprises too.
July 2, 2009 at 1:59 pm |
I just got the first box! Two sample lotions(A &B) and Shampoo A and Conditioner A.
-sample lotions where unscented…both were very smooth and Sample A
more liquid and fine. Sample B was thicker but both were very good and lasted! I’m using it today!
Love the Shampoo and Conditioner, excellent lather, wonderful scent, conditioner was scented too! Rich lather, rinsed out well and my hair volume was great after drying! Bravo! I’m looking forward to scented lotions next! Please? LOL!
Cheers!
“Dr. Bill”
July 1, 2009 at 8:33 pm |
I used shampoo and conditioner A for the 3rd time. Still love the scent, it could even be stronger. Once again I like the consistency of both products, mostly that they are not too thick. My hair ended up a little dryer and frizzier this time but that could also be the weather. I wouldn’t mind the conditioner adding more moisture but after putting on defrizz the texture stayed unfrizzy even the next day. Normally I would have to put on defrizz every day. I would like a little more moisture but not if it means my hair would feel weighted down which it doesn’t now. I would buy both products as is but would maybe add a leave in conditoner or other type of defrizz product.
July 1, 2009 at 8:15 pm |
I have used both the shampoo and conditioner and found that the shampoo left my hair dry which is a good thing as I found that I did not have to wash my hair everyday. It is very oily and this product seem to help very much. I would have liked a little more fragrance as it did not linger after I used the conditioner. My hair was very shiny and manageable. I would buy this product.
The lotion A I am still using and it does seem to be greasy however I used it on the heels of my feet which tend to get very dry, and it made them very soft. I put it on at night with socks and they are very soft in the morning. I will write again when I use lotion B. Thank you for letting me be part of this program.
June 29, 2009 at 4:12 am |
My husband and I both used the Shampoo A and Conditioner A.
Shampoo A: I have shoulder length thick hair and I really liked the way the shampoo lathered. Very nice. I liked the way the shampoo felt when using it. I very much liked the fragrance….since I love tropical fragrances. Not to strong, just right. When I rinsed the shampoo out it left me hair feeling very clean with that squeaky feeling. My husband also commented much the same. He liked it very much. I would very much be interested in buying this product if it was available.
Conditioner A: I liked the feel of this conditioner when using it. I used just the right amount on my hair…..rinsed out nicely. Once again I very much liked the fragrance of the conditioner. It rinsed out nicely and when I combed out my hair after getting out of the shower it detangled very nicely. I very much liked how my hair felt and looked after drying and styling. It felt fuller and also it didn’t feel as dry. My hair also feels soft. I don’t use high end products because I don’t believe in spending the money on something that really isn’t high quaility. Now this is funny on the comment my husband made of the conditioner, but he made a comment that it made the hair feel “naturally wet”. I know what he meant which was that it didn’t leave any residue in the hair. This….I would buy!
Lotion A: I’m glad that you didn’t add fragrance to the lotions. I only used Lotion A, but will report in a couple days on Lotion B. Lotion A felt silky when I put it on but I really wasn’t impressed with it. It felt greasy to me and kept a shine on my skin. It didn’t seem to soak into my skin, only stayed on top. On my hands I felt after a bit like my hands were perspiring…. Just didn’t like that feel. My husband has very dry skin and he usually has to use lotion on his body after getting out of the shower. He tried a little bit of it and forfieted using this after his shower. I wouldn’t buy it if it was available.
Lotion B: I will give a report in a couple days. From the little amount I used….I liked it more.
Thank you for the opportunity to be included in the focus group. I love your products and have used so many of your glycerin soaps myself and as gifts to others. I also bought your Hawaiian Kukui Nut Oil and gave it to my girlfriend who has psoriasis (sp?) and she couldn’t say enough about it and how it helped her skin. My husband whined that I gave it to her and not him…. So I guess I need to buy him some too.
Cheryl Whitford
June 29, 2009 at 2:34 pm |
Thanks for the thoughtful review
June 29, 2009 at 3:53 am |
If we sold Shampoo A would you buy it as is? No would like more of a scent and residual scent as well.
If we sold Lotion A with fragrance would you buy it? No want something scented.
If we sold Lotion B with fragrance would you buy it? No too thin and want something scented.
June 29, 2009 at 3:51 am |
Lotion A is thicker than B, however, is a little too sticky after application. It does soak in quickly which was good. Lotion B is too running but ends up feeling a little better on than A. Shampoo A needs to have more scent. It did leave hair feeling fairly soft.
June 27, 2009 at 8:10 pm |
I agree with everyone so far about Lotion A being too shiny and thick. It’s especially bad for use in a Chicago summer,but might be OK for winter use.
As for the shampoo, I haven’t had a good experience. No lather, dried out flyaway hair. I feel I used the right amount as I have been using and LOVE your 5280 line for at least six months. Not even sure I want to try it a second time although you do ask us to give it a chance.
June 28, 2009 at 3:01 pm |
We expected that Lotion B would be more popular than A, so no surprise there; however, shampoo & conditioner A use the same technology as 5280 but with higher levels of active ingredients. They should be more moisturizing, so I am at a loss to explain your results. I will talk to Gary about this and get his take.
June 26, 2009 at 11:39 pm |
Hello,
My husband and I have tried all of the samples several times, so I’m ready for my report:
Lotion A: Initial impression was that it was watery and runny. I didn’t care for the texture at all. For as thin as it was, it was difficult to apply; I guess that’s the slip factor..it didn’t slip very well. I felt like this lotion stayed on top of my skin and didn’t “soak in” at all. It felt greasy, and I had a strong urge to wash it all off. I didn’t think there was anything elegant about it, and my overall impression is that I wouldn’t use it again. My husband’s comment was only that it was too greasy.
That said, after about an hour or so after applying, it felt better on my skin, but I still didn’t like the feeling that something soft was covering my skin rather than moisturizing it. I did, however, like that after washing my hands, I felt softness without the sticky, greasy feel.
Lotion B was a little thicker, with better texture, and applying it was easier. I didn’t think it was much better, elegance-wise, and overall impression was that it was better than Lotion A, but I still didn’t care for it too much.
Lotion B did a better job of feeling as if it soaked in to my skin and there was no stickiness. My husband said that he did like Lotion B (but didn’t elaborate!).
I wouldn’t buy either Lotion A or Lotion B if it were sold with fragrance, however, it’s not the type of lotion I like for my skin.
Shampoo A was not very interesting in texture and feel, it lathered nicely and was easy to rinse off. My hair had a squeaky clean feel after using it which I usually don’t like–my hair didn’t feel particularly soft.
Conditioner A was pleasant. Didn’t need to use very much at all, it was easy to rinse, detangled my long, fine (but there’s lots of it!) hair quite well, and seemed to condition well. It seemed more fly-away when I let it air dry the first time I used it.
I wasn’t terribly impressed until I styled my hair (I air or blow dry and then use a large curling iron. Seemed to make my hair fuller and it had lots of body. My hair looked great! I was very impressed with how the shampoo and conditioner worked after styling.
My husband used both shampoo and conditioner and enjoyed them both (a man of few words!).
I would purchase both Shampoo and Conditioner A if sold as is.
June 26, 2009 at 6:25 pm |
Shampoo and Conditioner: After 3 days of use I have some solid data to work with. The shampoo has a great texture and feel, it lathers up extremely well in our water. It also rinses very easily. The hair is clean, but it leave it a bit dry. My hair generates its own oil quite easily but after using this shampoo it stays dry for 24 hours, until the next application. The scent is okay. I smell a hint of coconut, but does not stay with the hair after rinsing.
Conditioner: feels good and typical conditioner texture. Rinses nicely, not troubles with that. My hair typically does not tangle so I cannot comment on that. My hair does not style, but I did notice that what I would do with the comb, the hair would generally do what was combed. One thing I did not like is that it made my hair feel oily rather quickly vs. shampoo only. The hair in the end looked okay and felt okay in the end. I’d prefer using the shampoo only and if it had a different scent I would just love it!
June 26, 2009 at 4:40 pm |
I have had a chance to use both lotions and the shampoo & conditioner several times now….
Lotion A: Thicker consistency, liked that it did not drip off my skin or the palm of my hand before I could finish appling it. This lotion was not absorbed very quickly-that is the only negative. The long-term affect on my skin has been great.
Lotion B: Very runny consistency, tended to drip off my hand on the way to my legs or arms…spread and soaked in to my skin much more quickly than lotion A. Great from a long-term moistuizing standpoint.
Summary:
Liked both in terms of moisture and conditioning of my skin; would probably buy B over A due to quicker absorption. However, the “runny” factor with lotion B might keep me from being a repeat user.
Shampoo: Loved the fragrance, lather was great. Was a little concerned after shampoo only that my hair felt slightly dry. The conditioner was also nice. I was able to use slightly less conditioner than I normally use. After using both products my hair was very easy to comb out and dried with very soft, silky texture and nice shine. Although I am not sure this is a problem, I think I should mention that though I do have less “frizz”, I also have less curl. –My hair is very thick, medium length, colored and highlighted, and moderately curly.
If we sold Shampoo A would you buy it as is? yes
If we sold Conditioner A would you buy it as is? yes
If we sold Lotion A with fragrance would you buy it? not sure if I would be a repeat customer on this one, I like the end result but the lengthy absorption time would cause me to hesitate
If we sold Lotion B with fragrance would you buy it? Probably–though I was less than thrilled with the consistency of the lotion-Can you make the consistency slightly thicker without reducing the absorption rate?
June 26, 2009 at 4:54 am |
If we sold Shampoo A would you buy it as is?
Yes, and also it does not have a overpowering fragrance
If we sold Conditioner A would you buy it as is?
Yes, I really have liked the results
If we sold Lotion A with fragrance would you buy it?
No, I do not like the initial glide, and it feels tacky
If we sold Lotion B with fragrance would you buy it?
Yes because it feels silky and goes on much easier
June 26, 2009 at 1:29 am |
If we sold Shampoo A would you buy it as is?
If we sold Conditioner A would you buy it as is?
If we sold Lotion A with fragrance would you buy it?
If we sold Lotion B with fragrance would you buy it?
June 27, 2009 at 1:35 am |
Shampoo A I would buy as is…I enjoyed the lather (once I learned how to use it) and it left my hair feeling clean.
Conditioner A I would NOT buy as is…I felt I had to use a lot to get it to condition the way I would like it to and then left my hair limp.
Lotion A I would NOT buy as is…it left my feeling sticky and had a residue.
Lotion B I would buy (with fragrance) as it left my skin feeling soft all day and had better glide (but not great).
June 29, 2009 at 10:57 pm |
I’ve been using the sample products for a few days now so I feel I can better answer your questions…
If we sold Shampoo A would you buy it as is? Yes. It lathers quickly, smells great and rinses out quickly. My hair feels very squeaky clean and soft once its dry.
If we sold Conditioner A would you buy it as is? Probably not. While the conditioner left my hair feeling soft and detangled, it leaves my hair limp and so my hair does not style very well as a result.
If we sold Lotion A with fragrance would you buy it? No, because it is too heavy and leaves a greasy feeling even after some time has passed. Instead of penetrating my skin, it seems to just stay on the surface.
If we sold Lotion B with fragrance would you buy it? Yes. Even if the lotion at first feels ‘thin and runny’ coming out of the applicator, it actually leaves my skin feeling more moisturized and silky soft for hours.
June 25, 2009 at 6:34 pm |
I have been using the shampoo and conditioner this week. I must say that I did not have to use a lot of shampoo for a good lather. I do have medium length hair that is baby fine. I only used a very small amount of conditioner to see what the results would be. I wanted to mention that I have noticed a much more manageable hair for blow-drying, and, I have a lot more volume in my hair. That is very important with baby fine, straight hair.
As for the lotions, lotion “A” seems tacky after applying, but after it goes on, my skin was smooth. I do prefer the lotion “B” because of the smoother texture of application. I do have a question: Are there any products on hand for the different types of skin? For example, dry skin, normal skin, sunburned skin,etc.?
June 25, 2009 at 2:06 pm |
I did try the shampoo and conditioner this morning. I really liked the shampoo. I used the same amount I would use of my regular shampoo; although it didn’t produce a lot of lather, I understand that this may be due to the ingredients (or lack of junk in the ingredients!). I liked that it made my hair squeaky clean. I followed up with the conditioner. Now, I have to say here that I usually don’t use conditioner — I have very soft hair to begin with, and I don’t like making it even softer with conditoner. This conditioner was no different; my hair was extremely soft, but I’d also like to p;oint out that I can’t remember when my hair has been this shiny!
June 25, 2009 at 5:38 pm |
Please try using less shampoo. Often people use too much of ours which will reduce the lather. There is an optimal ratio between shampoo and water, and if too much shampoo is used it won’t lather well.
Our shampoo has more active ingredients and contains less water than any other high end competitor, so you need less of ours.
Of course not all hair products are for all hair types, so I really appreciate you putting your hair on the line for us by trying the conditioner. At least it sounds like your hair looks really good!
June 25, 2009 at 5:30 am |
Today I used the shampoo and conditioner both A. I have long fine highlighted hair which tends to tangle easily and is frizzy. I loved the scent of both products as well as the consistency which I would describe as being neither thick nor thin. I didn’t have to use much shampoo, it lathered and rinsed out easily which is great because it’s normally such a chore with long hair. Also due to the length I used more of the conditioner than shampoo but still I didn’t have to use alot and it too rinsed out easily. It seems to have moisture without the greasy feel which is often the trade off. My hair is dry now and without the usual frizz I get after I wash it so I’ll skip the defrizz I usually put on before bed.
I used the lotion again for the 3rd time and still find I prefer B which is thinner, less tacky, less residue, better glide. The overall moisturizing effect is excellent.
June 25, 2009 at 5:45 pm |
Please let me know how your hair is doing after a couple more washes. We do have other conditioning and styling products that I think you will really like. We’ll get some of those samples out to the group soon
June 25, 2009 at 2:13 am |
Conditioner A: When first poured out of the bottle, on to my hand, this product seemed to be lacking in viscosity, so I used it on my dried hair with surprisingly good results. Conditioner A when used on dry hair , moisturized but left no sticky residue and actually helped to cut down on the amount of frizz in my naturally frizzy hair when applied on a very foggy day here on the northern California coast. You may wish to consider marketing this product as a leave-in conditioner. I have not yet had a chance to use this product on my wet hair, but will post my further observations as soon as I do.
On a negative note: I did not like the scent of this sample, as it was much too coconut smelling for my tastes. Suggest you offer in additional scents.
Lotion A: Initial response to lotion when placed on the palm of hand was positive. Lotion A had good texture, appeared thick and stayed put when I turned my hand upside down, however, when rubbed onto the top of my hand, this product turned too shiny, and although it glided on my hand smoothly, it did not soak into my skin sufficiently. When dry, Lotion A actually felt like it left a coating or residue of some type (not a sticky coating, but almost like a waterproof coating) on my hand, and my hands appeared too shiny. I did not like the feeling that Lotion A left on my hands after it dried. It was also very difficult to wash off.
Lotion B: was a much better experience for me. Like Lotion A, this lotion had good texture out of the bottle and stayed in place on the palm of my hand when I turned my hand upside down. Unlike Lotion A, however, this lotion soaked into my skin without leaving a residue, and glided on smoothly. When lotion dried, my hands looked less red and chapped, but were not greasy. I would purchase this product if available on the market in one of my preferred scents.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assess your new products.
I will submit my review of Shampoo A and further observations of Conditioner A in the next few days.
June 25, 2009 at 3:12 am |
Great review!
The viscosity issue you point out is due to the fact that we use more active ingredients than the competition. Whereas others use more water and thickening agents (emulsifiers), we use more stuff to make your hair look and feel better. The proof is in the final results, and it sounds like you had a good hair day.
We only had conditioner and shampoo ‘A’ in coconut mango, and since that is our number one selling fragrance we went with it hoping it wouldn’t put too many people off.
We do have a leave in conditioner and may send out samples soon. In fact, we have a complete line of awesome hair products that we’re hoping to get out this year.
Both lotions have shea butter in them. Shea butter is a fabulous ingredient, which comes from central Africa and is hand harvested and traditionally processed by local women. Ours comes through the Fair Trade Network. Shea butter has numerous healing and protecting properties. Shea butter is a heavy oil and stays on your skin for a long time. This is the source of the drag and of the ‘tacky’ sensation.
We mix shea butter with oils of varying viscosity and properties. The light oils, coconut and kukui nut, penetrate quickly and deeply, whereas the shea stays on your skin’s surface longer and penetrates over a longer time. In lotion B we adjusted the balance to get better glide and less tack
June 24, 2009 at 11:07 pm |
It’s been 8 hours since I applied the lotion A to my right leg and B to my left. Both still feel moisturized. I also used lotion A in a facial treatment for a short neck and shoulder massage today. The slip didn’t last more than about 2 minutes so I had to reapply. I know this is not intended to be a massage lotion, but I think it does talk to the slip the product has.
June 25, 2009 at 3:19 am |
Hi Carrie. The lotions should have similar moisturizing properties, but lotion B should have a silkier and more elegant feel. It also has better slip and could work a bit better for a massage. Maybe your husband will volunteer for a massage
June 24, 2009 at 9:38 pm |
I found lotion A to be thicker and more tacky, lotion B to be thinner and less tacky. Both seemed to absorb well, B a little better or at least less residue. I’m not used to using unscented lotion so that may influence my feelings about the tackiness.
June 24, 2009 at 8:38 pm |
Please refer to the samples by their labels and not by the markings on the bottom.
For example: Lotions A & B not X & O.
Sorry for the confusion
June 24, 2009 at 5:32 pm |
it I received my products today and have already tried the lotions (A and B). My initial reaction is that I like A better — while it had a thinner consistency, it was absorbed more quickly and left my skin feeling smooth. Lotion B, which has a thicker consistency, did absorb pretty quickly, but my skin felt ‘tacky’ to the touch afterwards; however, the tackiness did lessen after a half-hour or so. I’ll give them a full ‘work out’ tomorrow after my shower, and I’ll have my first chance to try the shampoo and conditioner as well.
June 25, 2009 at 3:27 am |
The thickness or viscosity issue is due primarily to 2 factors:
1. After a lotion or cream is made it will continue to thicken for several weeks. We made these thicker so they could be tested quickly, but they will likely get thicker in the coming weeks.
2. Its very hard to control viscosity and other factors precisely when working with very small test batches. When we run a large production batch we will be able to tweak the product with greater accuracy.
Lotion B should have little or no tack, and should have a silky feel with good glide. Are you sure you didn’t mix up the lotions?
June 25, 2009 at 1:51 pm |
I tried them again this morning, and I still feel A is more to my liking. Lotion B definitely leaves my skin feeling tacky or sticky. I’ll continue to use both lotions and will update my opinion(s) accordingly. Thank you!
June 24, 2009 at 3:56 pm |
I am just going to comment on the lotions today….
Lotion A. A little goes a LONG way! A nickel sized amount covered my whole leg, and I’m almost 6 feet tall…so that was impressive. Lotion B seemed to be a little more mattifying and tacky and seemed to sit on top of my skin a bit more. I would have to say I like A better. I will check back in at the end of the day and see which one kept my leg(s) more moisturized.
June 24, 2009 at 7:06 pm |
As soon as I saw the 6 foot part I knew it was you
June 24, 2009 at 7:34 am |
I tried Shampoo A and Conditioner A. My hair felt clean, without residue, and the comb went through it very easily. There was a nice fragrance; not too heavy or perfumey. Lotion B felt a little ‘watery’ but my skin feels so soft and moisturized. Lotion A is a little creamier with just a touch of fragrance, but left my skin feeling not as moisturized.
June 24, 2009 at 3:32 am |
OK, I asked my husband last night to try the lotions. He didn’t like lotion “B” because he felt too much residue was left on his skin. He felt it was a greasy feeling. He preferred Lotion “A”. I am going to give the products a few more tries to get the full benefits. I will keep you posted.
June 23, 2009 at 10:18 pm |
Lotion “A” was thin and soft and left my skin adequately moisturized at first, but within half an hour my skin felt dry. Lotion “B” left my skin moisturized, not greasy. It felt moisturized for hours. I liked this one the best.
My wife tried the conditioner, because she has very long hair. After shampooing she used the conditioner, but had to use a couple of tablespoons worth before she was satisfied that she could comb it out without major tangles. It left her hair clean and soft when she combed it out.
June 23, 2009 at 7:45 pm |
Lotion X and O from the first development samples:
Lotion X first impression was not good. Its texture is too watery or runny and has a great deal of slip. You need quite a bit of it to get any moisturizing staying power it’s after effects on the hands was a greasy feel. It does wash off very quickly in water with no soap. My product had no scent that I could detect. My wife tried it as well and her skin is usually dry while mine is usually moist. She needed quite a bit of the lotion to get any effect.
Lotion O was more positive. It was nearly a polar opposite of X. It was not watery, less slippery and had some staying power. There was less greasy feel after application on the hands and needed more water to wash it off, soap worked well to remove. My “O” had no scent as well.
Overall I would have a difficult time buying either lotion. Main reason is lack of scent. My wife agreed. It wouldn’t have to be over powering, but a hint of one. Textures were on either side of the spectrum, X to watery and O a bit too firm. Somewhere in the middle works best for me and my wife.
June 24, 2009 at 2:08 pm |
Thanks for the detailed reply. I am not going to address the subjects of feel or effectiveness until more people weigh in; however, I’d like to point out that we deliberately left the fragrance out of the lotions to help people focus on the characteristics of the base. Any odor present is from the base only. The finished product will be fragranced.
June 26, 2009 at 6:18 pm |
After a few more days of use. My wife and I have agreed that lotion O is better than X. In consideration that all you are looking for in the test is the base and not fragrance, then lotion O is better. If the consistency was a tad more liquid it would be perfect.
June 23, 2009 at 2:42 am |
Looking forward to my first samples!!!
June 22, 2009 at 10:48 pm |
I agree with Kenneth as Shampoo “A” does exactly what he described. I want to see how long this feeling lasts, and see how often I need to shampoo. It will vary. The lotion “B”, I found to be quite silky, but almost a bit too much. I will try a little less, because this could be a product that a little goes a long way. I will keep you posted.
June 21, 2009 at 1:26 pm |
I tried the Shampoo “A” and found it to be very silky and luxurious, and to lather instantly, keeping its lather throughout the wash. The fragrance is just right for the flavor of the islands. The shampoo rinsed out easily and completely, not leaving any residue. My hair felt clean and refreshed after the rinse.
I would highly recommend this a as product.
June 19, 2009 at 11:56 pm |
We just sent out sample sets to the first 36 people to register. We couldn’t sample everyone who signed up this time, but we hope to get everyone next time.
Please note: Since we are whipping up new stuff in very small bathes, sometimes we won’t have enough to go around, and when that happens those who are most active with this blog will get VIP treatment.
Our next round of samples could be our 2 newest soaps, and maybe a new fragrance or two. We’ll see.
In the mean time, read, and post often, AND invite some new people to join us
June 22, 2009 at 10:49 pm |
I am really looking forward to receiving these new products . . . . .
June 24, 2009 at 12:28 am |
Ok…so i wanted to use the products for a few days before I put my 2 cents in. Here it goes:
Shampoo A: I liked the scent…I am in love with coconut mango! HOWEVER…I had to use a lot to get it to foam well, and I have short hair. It did rinse clean very easily. It was for me the equivalent of using a baby shampoo for lack of a better comparison. It was gentle but almost so much so that I didn’t get a good lather and my hair felt a little limp after.
Conditioner A: Well I really didn’t like this one…other than the scent (love love love that!). Again I have short hair and I felt like I had to use at least a teaspoon or more to get it to spread over all my hair. Normally I would only use a pea sized amount to avoid a lack of volume problem. It was fabulous for my kids who have baby fine hair and it rinsed easily…something they complain is terrible about regular conditioners. Everyone in my family has fine hair and we all seemed to be lacking volume after we used this conditioner.
Lotion A: Well, I missed the scent here, although I think you left it out so we wouldn’t have a preference to the smells. I felt like the glide on this one was really lacking. It has been humid here for a few days and so therefore its hard to tell if its the weather or the lotion keeping my skin soft. I will judge a lotion right out of the bottle and this one was a little hard to squirt out of the bottle and might me good in a jar…nothing worse than not being able to get the end of a lotion out of the bottle! Because I had to work harder to spread it I didn’t feel like I enjoyed it all that much. It also left a sticky residue on my hands that I had to wash off with soap after using it. As for “elegance” I think that the thing that makes it elegant for me is the fragrance…i love to walk past someone and have them ask “what scent do you have on?” so I can’t rate on that yet. Although I always love your usual lotions for that!!
Lotion B: I like this one better. It was not as sticky to spread but the glide was not 100% for me. I used this one the next day after a shower and felt like it was more like my winter cream/lotion (cetaphil) that I use. It did not leave as much of a sticky residue on my hands either. It would be a good cream for people with severely dry skin. I used it on the faces of my kids too and my 5 year old said it felt “expensive” to her…I think she means soft and smooth. I am giving all these samples to my mom to try too…she usually buys higher end products than myself so I will update then too.
I hope none of this was insulting…i was just trying to be honest. Thanks for including us! Justine Maloy
June 24, 2009 at 1:44 am |
Hi Justine,
Thanks for being so thorough and honest. Quality input from many people will help us understand our customers’ likes and dislikes.
Before I give any detailed response I’ll need to hear from the rest of the group. I don’t want to risk swaying anyone at this point, although I will say you are right as to why we left the fragrance out of the lotions.
Which shampoo and conditioner are you using now?
Do you think we should offer a body lotion, body cream, and body butter, or is that too much?
We have several takes on all of these. Thanks again for putting your time into this project
June 24, 2009 at 6:35 am
I prefer body butters or body cream. I like something thick, otherwise it feels cheap.
June 24, 2009 at 11:01 am
Well I really had fun doing it, so it was my treat to be honest. Right now I am using 2 brands of shampoo and conditioners. My favorite now is new from Loreal…Ever Pure. Its sulfate free and color safe. My other favorite as a long time trusted shampoo for me is Fekkai (sp?)…fredric Fekkai’s line for color treated hair. I think a body lotion and a body butter gives you the best combo. A cream too is overkill, I think anyway. I don’t feel as though enough people would understand the difference.
June 26, 2009 at 1:02 am
Ok so I tried the less shampoo trick and it did work. I think another issue was I wasn’t using enough water…as strange as that sounds. When I got my hair really saturated it did foam better.
June 24, 2009 at 3:42 pm |
People with short hair sometimes have problems getting Shampoo ‘A’ to lather well because they are using too much. This is a highly active product. Try using less product and I’m sure you’ll get a head full of lather.
Here’s the deal:
Shampoos such as those from L’Oreal, Purology, Matrix, Bumble & Bumble, Aveda, and the like have much lower levels of active ingredients and higher levels of water. These companies deliberately put out weak products so that you’ll need to buy them more often. Since our Shampoo ‘A’ is loaded with active ingredients you’ll need less of it and it will perform better. There is an optimal shampoo to water ratio, so if you use too much (of any) shampoo it won’t lather.
Most people are accustomed to using inferior products that contain more water and less active ingredients, and when presented with a truly high quality product they assume they should use the same amount as the ‘cheap’ stuff. The level of active ingredients in shampoo ‘A’ is way higher than anything else on the market, and its sulfate free and color safe (otherwise we wouldn’t have sent it out).
Don’t buy into the big brands’ hype. Their money is spent on advertising, not ingredients. By the way, Frederic Fekkai is a good stylist, but his products aren’t so hot.
Try using less shampoo and see how that works
June 24, 2009 at 3:50 pm
I have a question about lathering in shampoos. A stylist told me years ago that you didn’t really want a shampoo to lather a lot because that was an indication that it contained a lot of some additive (I forget what it was) that wasn’t good for your hair.
I used to use Pureology and there was no water in their shampoo (wasn’t listed on the ingredients list); I really liked it but it was ridiculously expensive–but the bottle did last a long time). A year or so ago, as I understand it, the company was sold and now if you look at the bottle, the first ingredient is water. I stopped using it and went back to Aveda. I have used their hair products for twenty years, and while I like the results I get, I don’t feel that they are the same quality as they used to be.
I very much like the shampoo and conditioner I purchased from you guys a few months ago.
Thanks for the information!
June 24, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Ok…I will try it tomorrow morning! I never knew that was the case. I will report back my findings. What about the conditioner??? Does the same thing apply there? How much are we talking? I would say I use about a dime to nickel size of my usual shampoo…I used about the same of the MTS version. Pea sized? I just want to know what you have in mind so I can give it a fair judgement. What makes a good product? If I read a label, what should I look for? I know “sulfate free” is the new hype. What do you compare your product to, if anything?
June 17, 2009 at 4:20 pm |
I was just thinking that this would be a nice gift for someone who enjoys trying new things and is willing to critique them.
My daughter is in college and it would be fun for her–with Mom paying, of course.
Has anyone done that? Signed up but had the samples go to someone else?
June 17, 2009 at 5:27 pm |
Your plan sounds just fine. Please be sure that she understands that we need her feedback and her friends are more than welcome to chime in too.
June 16, 2009 at 7:22 pm |
Yes! I think you should offer reed diffusers! Please consider making reed diffusers available in Night Blooming Jasmine and Rain Forest.
June 16, 2009 at 8:16 pm |
We have considered diffusers, room sprays, linen sprays, etc. Let’s here from our group if there’s much support for these.
June 16, 2009 at 8:38 pm |
Linen sprays are so luxurious! What’s more sensuous than delicately scented sheets? And with YOUR scents…! I say yes to linen sprays!
Make tuberose your first, please!
June 16, 2009 at 10:35 pm |
Heck yeah! I would buy them forsure. Linen sprays are awesome and I can’t think of a better line than yours to do that with.
June 16, 2009 at 4:24 am |
Hi there,
I used to buy pikake-scented soap and lotion from a small-town independent maker here in Canada, but she went out of business. I found your pikake soap in the airport in Honolulu on my way home from my first visit to Hawaii, and I went to the web-site adress, which was printed on the soap label — and I feel so glad to be able to use pikake-scented products again — I’m hooked!
I wish you made a pure coconut-scented soap, as I am horrendously allergic to mango, and I am afraid to try it even in combination. Thanks again for putting such wonderful stuff on the market.
June 16, 2009 at 6:05 pm |
Fragrance Safety
Fragrance Oils v. Essential Oils
An essential oil is a completely natural oil extracted from the plant source, whereas a fragrance oil is a synthetic blend. There are many misconception about their differences, especially regarding the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Essential oils, although natural, are NOT necessarily safer or more effective. Essential oils have a relatively limited assortment of fragrances compared to fragrance oils, and essential oils are virtually always more expensive. For example, one pound of Bulgarian essential rose oil, as of this writing, costs over $5,600 (wholesale), whereas one pound of rose fragrance oil costs less than $22, and many fragrances are simply not available as essential oils, such as mango.
Safety:Fragrance oils are blends that usually contain varying amounts of essential oils with some man made ingredients.The truth is that more people will have negative reactions to essential oils than to synthetic or partially synthetic oils. In general, high quality fragrance oils tend to be safer.
Maui Tropical Soaps uses both essential and fragrance oils, and we do this for, safety, cost, and availability. What we NEVER do is cut corners. When we are forced to use fragrances it’s because there is no alternative, but the quality is always top shelf.
We have over 10,000 customers world wide, have sold over a million bars of soap, and in the 13 years we’ve been in business we have NEVER had a customer tell us they’ve had a negative reaction to ANY of our products. Quite to the contrary, we receive complements every week from people with very sensitive skin who swear they can’t use anything else.
So, the short answer to your concern is that using our coconut mango products are probably completely safe; however, if you are still concerned you should avoid them
June 17, 2009 at 2:58 pm |
OK, I’m convinced — I’ll give mango-coconut a try. BTW, the coconut oil is just wonderful — I admit to wondering why it wasn’t actually oil, but your explanation sorted that out — and it turns to oil as soon as I put it in my hand — it’s lovely. Olive oil goes that funny cloudy way if it’s cold, so I guess it’s similar, although I love the way the coconut oil absorbs into my skin — no oily or greasy residue — thanks again for a great product!
June 16, 2009 at 2:43 am |
Round One Samples
Going out this week….
· 2 Lotions
· Repairing Shampoo
· Repairing Conditioner
June 11, 2009 at 5:50 pm |
One of my favorite things to do with my soaps is keep them in my drawers before I use them (putting on underpants gently scented with tuberose is a delightful thing!).
Drawer sachets, perhaps?
One of my favorite soaps is the grapefruit (Yuzu, I believe), but I always wondered if it was drying out my skin. Was I imagining that?
June 11, 2009 at 8:18 pm |
That’s a very popular thing to do with our soaps; they’re in drawers around the world. I’ve never heard that any of our soaps have dried anyone’s skin and certainly not from just being exposed to the fragrance in a drawer; however, there is always the possibility that you are sensitive to it. We’ve put close to a million bars of glycerin soap into circulation and I honestly don’t recall anyone ever having a bad reaction. If anyone reading this blog has had a negative experience with our glycerin soap I’d certainly like to know about it.
June 12, 2009 at 12:41 am |
Thanks Richard,
No…not a bad reaction at all! I just wondered if the grapefruit being astringent (isn’t it?) might not be as moisturizing as the others–not from the drawer but from using it exclusively in the shower.
June 12, 2009 at 3:29 am
Hi Laurie,
The way we make the soaps I would be surprised if that was the cause. They should all be equally gentle; however, you may want to try an experiment: Switch to our traditional cold processed soaps for a while and see how your skin like it
June 11, 2009 at 5:46 am |
I have been using mostly the soap products and the coconut body lotions for about 5 years. I am currently using the plumeria soap in my bathroom which is hands down the nicest smelling soap ever. Anyone that tries it asks where I got it. Might you consider making liquid soaps? It may be nice to have a bottle instead of a bar of soap sometimes, but I am very happy with all the products I have tried so far.
I look forward to trying some of the hair products as well.
June 11, 2009 at 7:53 pm |
We do have a liquid alternative to bar soaps. Our Hair & Body Wash is very gentile on both body and hair and it comes in 3 fragrances including your favorite….Plumeria. With a pump it becomes a very handy soap by your sink.
Our Hair & Body wash is every bit as gentle on treated hair as our Replenishing Shampoo; however, the shampoo is more moisturizing.
June 16, 2009 at 6:14 pm |
Thats great, I will certainly order some of it.
I was thinking of a liquid hand soap. I have been buying the method hand soaps and they are great, but they don’t hold a candle to the smell of your products. I would certainly put in an order for it if it was available!
I will in the meantime ceratinly get some of the hair and body wash for my shower. Thanks!
June 9, 2009 at 5:09 pm |
I would recommend improving the coconut oil. It is wonderful other than the fact that it doesn’t stay liquid at 70 degree room temperature! =)
I need to warm it up every day in hot water to be able to use it.
I also love anything coconut mango and tuberose and have tried almost all of your products. I’m looking forward to being a part of your focus group.
June 9, 2009 at 6:56 pm |
Natural, unrefined coconut oil has a melting point of 76 degrees Fahrenheit, which means below that temperature, where most of us prefer to live, its solid. It’s a wonderful light oil and comes from what pacific islanders refer to as “The Tree of Life.” Its often underrated due to its relatively low cost, but don’t be fooled by the price; this stuff is amazing on your skin. By comparison, Kukui Nut Oil costs over $150 per gallon.
We use this oil because of its superior healing and moisturizing properties and we put up with the inconvenience of its melting point. Placing it in a sink of warm water for a few minutes brings it back to liquid (do NOT microwave).
On behalf of Mother Nature I apologize
June 17, 2009 at 5:55 am |
No apology needed on behalf of Mother nature… I can deal with it!
I would love to see not only linen sprays but also body mists and / or perfumes. It would make me feel like I’m in Hawaii on a permanent vacation and what could be better than that!
Powder is also a great idea, especially during the hot summer months … it gives you an alternative product to use to help you keep your cool.
June 9, 2009 at 4:49 pm |
What is the number one issue you think we should address?
Should we look at improving an existing product or at a completely new product?
June 15, 2009 at 10:54 pm |
I don’t feel as though you could make any improvement on your glycerin soaps! Those are the BEST!!!! My second fav is the body lotions…what about considering a body butter (thicker consistency in a jar). While Maui has warm tropical breezes, I know the reason I don’t use your lotions in the winter (here in Massachusetts) is because they are not moisturizing enough for my skin that time of year. The coconut oil is wonderful but b/c it is so solid I find myself not using it b/c I forget to put it in warm water and I am usually in a hurry. The only other thing I think a lot of women (and men too!) might be interested in is a face/night cream. That is the only thing (other than makeup) that I don’t use from MTS. But I am sure that is hard with all the millions of products to compete with that are on the market with anti-oxidants, anti wrinkle, yada yada in them BUT I think all natural ingredients would be inviting…I know a lot of my friends avoid products with petroleum bases in them. Other than that I think fragrances (perfume-like) products would be nice…but not cheap body sprays. I think it would “cheapen” your line. Didn’t you used to have frangrances in solid form in a jar??? Just ideas really. Thanks.
June 16, 2009 at 2:31 am |
Thanks for the vote of confidence. I hate to dispute that our soaps couldn’t get better, but our new CRYSTAL and goat milk soaps are much better, and we’ll send samples out very soon.
We’re sending out lotion samples this week and we think we’ve solved the final piece to the feel puzzle. This formula is thicker, creamier and has better glide. We’ll see what our testers think.
We have been making body butter for nearly 2 years, and it has a rather fanatical following; however, it had an Achilles’ heel….In warm it could melt and in a cooler room it would get hard. We’ve solved the temperature problem now and will get some samples out soon.
We’ve got all sorts of creams, sun care products, even pet shampoo, and much more. We make a very high end professional salon line too. I probably forgot some things, but you get the idea. Stay tuned for samples
June 18, 2009 at 5:49 am |
Since I haven’t tried any of your products that I think need improving, I’d say add to your products with something new. The linen sprays that have been discussed or maybe add some new scents for existing product….
June 9, 2009 at 1:29 pm |
I just joined the blog, and wanted to know if there’s interest in two new product areas:
– this is a very good marketing idea.
1) Aromatic or Blended Fragrant Oils, and
2) Floral Body Mists
Thoughts?
June 11, 2009 at 5:25 am |
We’ve considered everything from reed diffusers and room sprays to aromatherapy massage oils and body sprays. Before we commit we’d like to heve our customers weigh in on the topic.
June 8, 2009 at 11:05 pm |
I started using MTS products the first time (and I’ve been 5 times) I went to Maui. I LOVE them…especially the Coconut Mango and Tuberose. I look forward trying the products…I hope they improve upon the hair conditioner which I was never THRILLED with however nice it did smell. I even feel safe using these products on my kids…my 5 year old thinks she smells like the ocean.
June 9, 2009 at 12:23 am |
When did you try the conditioner and why were you not thrilled?
June 15, 2009 at 10:36 pm |
I tried it 2 times…the last time being about 2 years ago. I found it smelled wonderful but didn’t really condition well. My hair felt limp and dry afterwards. At that time I also noticed that the shampoo didn’t foam very well and I had to use a lot of it. I haven’t ordered either one since. That was awhile ago though. Have you revamped it? I liked to use the powder on my kids in the summer after a bath. When its too humid and hot for lotion that was a nice alternative but the bottle was large so it took me a LONG time to go thru it.
June 17, 2009 at 7:50 pm
We began offering our shampoo and conditioner a little over a year ago. I’m confused about what you were using, because our hair care products (sold under a different brand of ours) are among the top performing products in high end salons, so…….
……..Please try them again, and if you aren’t completely thrilled I’ll gladly buy them back.
NOTE: These products are extremely moisturizing and rejuvenating and will certainly make your hair looking fabulous; however, some people may find that they are too conditioning for long term use.
These products are not only safe for chemically treated hair, they will repair all but the most damaged hair, which must be fixed by our professional salon treatments.
By the way, our Hawaiian Hair & Body Wash is perfectly safe for your hair and is less conditioning.
We could offer a complete selection of our professional beauty products through Maui Tropical Soaps if there is enough interest.
June 8, 2009 at 8:25 pm |
Actually I first found this product – a soap – at a little store in the Up Country, many years ago. Did so research and found the ’shop’ in Wailuku. I met Barbara, had faxed her my order to take aboard my flight home and was hooked. Love the products I have tried: soaps, lotions with matching powder (a must in summer here in CALIF), shampoo/conditioner.
Great stuff!
June 9, 2009 at 12:58 am |
We dropped the powder several years ago because sales on it were slow. As soon as we let it go we started to hear people missed it. I’m curious how many people would like to see it come back???
June 8, 2009 at 5:41 pm |
I have to agree with Tiffany. I have used your soaps and lotion in my home, and given them as gifts ever since discovering them on a trip to Maui in 2000. I have to admit limiting myself to the coconut mango recently; I am looking forward to trying new products and am happy to provide a consumer critique as new products arrive.
June 9, 2009 at 12:54 am |
Coconut Mango is our top selling fragrance and my personal favorite.
June 3, 2009 at 4:44 pm |
The products are wonderful, I have used both the cold processed and the glycerin soaps and found nothing compares. The lotions are great especially the Coconut Mango!
Thank you for producing such magnificent products!
Tiffany Rhoades
June 26, 2009 at 2:01 am |