Shop local? Shop Handmade? Shop Rural?

Don't buy from us just because we're handmade, rural or local (though we are!). 

You've probably seen the 'buy local' memes about small businesses doing a happy dance when you order.  In our case it's a smile, then a quick walk towards the packing area where we wrap with care and tuck in little bonuses as though you are a friend we haven't yet met.

But I've been thinking about this lately and my strong point of view is that buying local is not enough reason on its' own.  Yes, your purchase will definitely be helping us grow employment in our area and rural communities like ours are very grateful for your support. 

But that's all about us, which is not our focus. We believe purchasing from Washpool should be about you.  We believe you should expect that the products you receive stand up well against some of the biggest, best and brightest brands in the land (or across the seas). 

It should NOT be a compromise when you buy local, handmade or rural. That should be the bonus!

So here are the top reasons to keep in mind when purchasing from Washpool:

1) Your purchasing dollar will go further. 

We make our own products and sell direct to our customers which means that you don't pay for all the steps in the typical supply chain - manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers.  

It is common to see soap bars made on palm for peanuts retailing for up to $20. The price does not reflect the quality, it reflects all the hands it had to pass through to get to customers. 

Voting with your wallet makes good sense but we like to leave you with more, so together we can make a difference where it counts.

2) We're rural, not on another planet, so expect us to be up to date.

She doesn't talk about it much, but Melissa has an academic background with a first class honours degree and was granted a scholarship to undertake a PhD.  (We'll save the end of that story for another day).  The commitment to study and learning, however, has never gone away. 

We make it our business to keep informed about what's happening in the natural skincare field.  The products we make are not the result of a google search, they are the result of ten years personal experience, collaboration with a qualified, innovative, cosmetic chemist and study with Formula Botanica, The Institute of Personal Care Science and the Tisserand Institute. We travel to trade events (Naturally Good Expo), workshops (distillation masterclass) and conferences in our field (Aromatica Australia) - 2019. 

3) Formulation brings out our competitive streak, so expect good quality, innovation and efficacy.

Have you ever known someone who doesn't have a competitive bone in their body when it comes to sport but suddenly displays intense determination in other areas? Ahem. 

While originality is super important to us and we like to adapt our products to represent our rural roots and unique resources, we believe our customers should be getting the best quality and effectiveness.  So, before we formulate we conduct a review of the natural products that are already on the market that we admire the most (think top shelf natural brands). We get a bit fancy about the data and put it in a spreadsheet so we can see all the active ingredients and take that into account when we design our own products. 

Copying is not cool but being inspired...well that's a timeless thing, like Andy Warhol being inspired by Leonardo da Vinci.

In summary, we're like a well-kept secret that you're in on.  You have a direct source of thoughtful, high-quality products at a fraction of the price of products with similar ingredients.  

Reason enough on its' own but you'll also be supporting a small, handmade, rural business. Bonus!!

PS.  It's ok to share the secret.  If we run out of anything, we'll make more!!

xx Melissa