As part of my ongoing quest to explore all the eco-friendly toiletry products out there, I’ve recently taken the Tom’s of Maine company for a spin. Read on to see the products tested, and my thoughts on each.

Since I am actually from the state, Tom’s has been an institution for as long as I can remember. They’ve been doing “all natural” since way before its recent explosion in popularity. Interestingly enough, I’d never tried their products. When a recent situation forced further reflection upon me, I decided it was time to give them a whirl.  Here’s what I test drove:

The toothpaste. 

I’m digging this product thus far. It works well and while pricier than other regular brands, it’s not completely out of reach. I like knowing it’s a bit healthier for me.  The taste? Well, it’s not quite as yummy as what you might be used to using. However, I would still put it in the “not bad” category with regards to flavor. If you are looking to switch to a more natural toothpaste, I would consider it worth the splurge.

The deodorant.

I hate to be negative, but I have to be honest and say I was more than a little disappointed with this particular item in their product line. Unless I was just sitting still working at the keyboard all day, the deodorant did not protect me odor-wise at ALL. My friend who is also a huge Tom’s of Maine fan had a similar problem. Even a short walk out to get the mail will result in a case of body odor on ‘roids.  No joke. Now, in all fairness to Tom’s of Maine, this is a product many companies apparently have trouble getting right with all natural recipes. And, perhaps the body chemistry of different people will result in a different experience.  All I know is, it absolutely did not work for me.  If any of you have had other experiences, please feel free to share below.

The mouthwash.

Again, not the yummiest. Effective? Absolutely.  Definitely a quality product. However, at around four bucks per pint it is definitely out of the price range for those on a shoestring budget.  If you are OK with paying a premium for such things, then I can definitely attest that I am more than comfortable with the mouthwash’s quality. However, as I mentioned in my green on a shoestring piece, one strategy to stay on track with your green budget is to know what you absolutely need to purchase from this category of store bought products and what you don’t.  Since the price of their mouthwash isn’t something I can justify spending on a regular basis, and the toothpaste contains xylitol anyway, I will probably make due with a homemade salt and warm water mouth rinse and put my regular toiletry monies into the toothpaste itself.

So that’s it. A two out of three for quality verification, and a one out of three for shoestring affordability.  However, I still have a great deal of respect for the company, their products and their community involvement programs. There are also other items in their inventory like bar and pump soap, as well as dental floss. Feel free to sound off if you have experience with any of those items or the Tom’s of Maine company in general.  As for me, while I’m currently focusing on only one or two of their products for our home, I’m still a huge Tom’s fan.