My 10 Criteria for a Perfect Product
Shopping for a new product can be challenging or even straight-up stressful. There are so many options and so many people suggesting their “faves”, but how do you choose which one to try first? In this post, I am sharing the #1 criteria – plus everything else I consider “bonuses” – that I look for in a product before deciding to buy.
First, I suggest figuring out what is most important to you. For example, I strongly believe in animal rights so I always look for a cruelty-free symbol or “not tested animals”; although the latter can be misleading since many companies’ suppliers test the product ingredients on animals. Maybe you want a cruelty-free product, but are also allergic to a certain ingredient. Look for that on the packaging. Everything you need to know is usually on the packaging, commonly on the back of the bottle/box and below the ingredient list. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, Google it real quick! There have been times when I really want to try a product, but had never heard of the brand and the packaging says nothing about animal testing. This is when I do a quick Google search. I have discovered so many cruelty free brands this way, so highly encourage the Googling.
Next up, make a list of your criteria in order of importance to you. Once you know what is important to you in a product and company, it is much easier to see that you, for example, value cruelty-free and vegan products over all natural ones. Great! Put those things on the list in that order.
Below is an example of my list of criteria for finding the perfect product. Don’t get me wrong – I love trying new products all the time, and by no means do I only use this list when I am looking for a “staple” product or something completely new. I definitely use this list for everything, and I hope it helps you form yours.
Absolute Must:
Cruelty-Free – I will not buy a product that is not cruelty free.
There are so many awesome brands out there that don’t torture animals to make money, so why would you choose to support one that does? For everything cruelty-free, I suggest checking out Cruelty Free Kitty. Her blog contains so much information that I have found incredibly helpful over the years!
Bonuses (in order of importance to me):
- Vegan
- Biodegradable (usually refers to the chemical makeup of the product)
- Compostable (usually applicable to things such as sheet masks, face wipes, etc.)
- Package is recyclable (preferably glass, not plastic) (and remember to take all your empty containers to Origins for recycling!)
- Made in the USA (or wherever is local for you)
- Organic
- All Natural
- Benefits a worthy cause (such as Pacifica, which supports clean water)
- Gluten Free (not important to me, but it is to some people so I wanted to include it)
In a perfect world, I would be able to find products that meet all of these criteria. But sadly, this is not the case. When finding a new product, take time to do your research and read all of the labels on the packaging. You don’t only want the product to work, but you want to feel good about using it and supporting the company you choose to buy from.
I hope this post will help you find great products that align with your values! If you found this post helpful or have any questions, please use the comment section below.
XOXO