The Money's in the Product

I'm home today with a sick kiddo so I figured I'd take the time to write another post.

Last night I was making a custom fragrance for my cousin who is also my sister/best friend. She loves vanilla and has been using body sprays and eau de toilette from a well-known bath product store for years.

We mixed up the most delightful blend for her that included vanilla, brown sugar, a hint of maple and a hint of chocolate. She was ecstatic!

She could feel the difference in the spray immediately. She pulled out the bottle of the other stuff she had been using out of her handbag and we compared ingredients. Then we took a sniff of it and literally all we could smell was the pungent odor of the alcohol. It was so amazing to compare the two scents side by side.

Then she pulled out a glass bottle of the eau de toilette she had in her handbag (I told you, she loves this stuff she doesn't leave home without it!). She was commenting on the packaging. Wouldn't you know it - the "other" stuff was less ounces but that had been camouflaged by a heavy glass bottle.

She then said, "Urban Botanic obviously puts their money into the quality of product and ingredients. They don't waste it on packaging."

So true! Now, being a graphic designer by trade, I am a HUGE sucker for aesthetics and pretty packaging is something I fall for time and time again. I might not even want the actual product but if it's packaged beautifully, I'll buy it.

Now don't get me wrong - the U.B. label design is fresh and lovely. The products all together in a row look great. But comparing the U.B parfum spray packaging to other fancier shaped bottles, you can't help but notice a difference.

BUT the bigger (and more important) difference is in the product. Every time I spray the parfum spray on someone for the first time, I get the same reaction to how different it feels (it's those silk amino acids - they are amazing!). Then in explaining the ingredients - how there is no alcohol, fromaldehyde, or other questionable chemicals - I can see people have this "a ha" moment.

Then, if you really think about the U.B. price point in comparison to the department store brands with their (expensive) fancy bottles...well, it's pretty clear where a lot of their money is going.

U.B. puts the money in the product. She summed it up perfectly. And as much as I love a pretty glass bottle, I will take the better quality product over something inferior any day of the week.