Now more than ever, people are more socially conscious and live their life with a global view in mind. Places that seemed so far away can now be viewed from your phone screen with a tap of a button. Questions that used to require going to a library to find an answer to can now be answered by simply asking Siri. With this ease of access to information also comes more choices. We are no longer beholden to only buying what is on the shelves at the store or what we find in a catalog. For example, if you were buying a moisturizer in the 90's you probably bought it from an Avon rep, the Sears catalog, or a local department store. You also probably used what your mother used and didn't have access to too many options – or even know of other options! Most likely you also didn't know what was in the products or where they came from, and only ever really paid attention to the marketing of it and what they promised you their products could do. So in a sense, we were kind of at the mercy of mass advertising and limited availability when it came to purchasing skincare products in the 90’s.
However, that as all completely changed. With the onset of the internet and online shopping becoming more mainstream people have access to more products and more information than ever. Also we are living in a time where there are now more beauty companies and brands than ever! This new wave of indie brands is taking over a huge share of the beauty industry and giving our mother’s skincare choices a run for their money! But with all these choices and unlimited access to information, come new decisions to make. We now live in a society where a product is no longer simply a product, but a choice. Take ingredients for example. Consumers are paying more attention to what is in the product before they put it on their skin. They are educating themselves on what are good or “clean” ingredients versus what are bad or “toxic” ingredients. People want the best for their skin and if a brand is not providing that, they WILL shop someplace else.
Because we are more socially aware on a global scale, most people now take into consideration the company behind the product when they are making a purchase. Consumers are paying more attention to how a company operates in the USA and overseas, what their values are, how they treat their employees, how they give back, how they are mindful of the environment, and who they align themselves with – basically their overall reputation. For some people, a few things on this list can be subjective, like you might buy from a company because a specific celebrity or political figure supports it but others might not want to support that company because those same celebrities/political figure supports it. But that is part of the freedom of choice and the fact that there are so many options now to choose from! If you don’t like something about a company, you simply vote with your dollar and shop elsewhere.
But with all these options now, choosing one essentially all comes down to is trust. People want to know that they are using a product/brand that is made from a company that they trust. And consumers now are not blindly trusting, they are doing their research! They watch how you are on social media, they check your ingredient list, they will hear about any major employee issues your company has (mostly thanks to social media), and they look to see what your giving back and environmental initiatives are. They also are going to make sure your product works, is within their willingness to pay, and is attainable, because let’s be honest, people won’t spend $100 on a product if it doesn’t work, just because they like the company ethics.
All of those factors work together now to help consumers make their purchasing decisions. If a company has a product with similar ingredients and provides similar results but completely different ethics, the more socially conscious one will likely be the product many consumers today would choose.
True North Beauty takes that all into account as we run our business and make our products.
We use only sustainably sourced ingredients from reputable sources to formulate its products. We wild and sustainably harvest our own Chaga, and we work with American companies (and as many Maine companies as possible) to get our packaging, labels, marketing materials, etc from. We believe in giving back and that is why a portion of each and every sale goes toward ROX, and supporting the community (did you know TNB sponsors a girls lacrosse team and once a week our team serves meals to kid and families?). We run on the belief that you should treat others the way you would want to be treated and that kindness and compassion should be part of the foundation of every company. We believe in making products that work, that are good for the skin, and don’t harm people, animals, or the environment. TNB operates on transparency by giving you a look into our facility, openly talking about ingredients, sharing our beliefs, and responding to every single question that is sent to us. We aim to be a company that celebrates people and encourages them to embrace and love themselves. We want you to life a life full of confidence and we can’t do that if you are not confident in our products or us as a company.
So please know that we work hard to be a company that you can trust and to provide you products that you can trust. If you ever have any questions, reach out to us at info@truenorthbeauty.com or if you have suggestions about anything, please let us know! We believe in listening to our customers because without you, there would be no True North Beauty.
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