Hi hello dear friends! We’re starting our second year as part of the Tom’s of Maine Goodness Circle, which means we get to preview new products, review their classics, and let you know all our thoughts on them. Last year we got to go to Kennebunkport, Maine, to see their facility (and experience legit fall foliage for the first time!), and that trip solidified our excitement to be aligned with a brand whose products and values we can get behind.   While we were there we got a sneak peek of their new Natural Prebiotic Personal Care line. You’re probably familiar with probiotics, but maybe not prebiotics. We weren’t either, but we were lucky enough to get a run down straight from the Tom’s of Maine team. While probiotics add good bacteria, prebiotics help promote existing good bacteria we already have (in your mouth, underarms, and on your skin) and crowd out bad bacteria that can cause bad breath and body odor. We’re all about maintaining a healthy, folks!   And here’s the less sciencey reason we like these products: they smell / feel SO GOOD. The “soft rose” scent is actually amazing, and, like… no big deal but its packaging was basically designed for our Instagram feed (it wasn’t really, but it’s so cute). We’re also crazy about the “fresh apple” and “blood orange” scents. The new prebiotic line includes toothpaste, deodorant, body wash, beauty bar, and hand soap. We’ve got a little bit more in-depth reviews on two products we’ve been using a lot—the hand soap and toothpaste—below!   Blood Orange Prebiotic Moisturizing Hand Soap   For starters the smell is incredible. It’s like juicy orangey goodness. The cute bottle looks great on the counter and I’m usually the one on dish duty, so I love that the Prebiotic hand soap is gentle and retains my skin’s natural moisture. Like a lot of Tom’s of Maine’s products, this bottle is a part of their TerraCycle program, which means it can be dropped off at a TerraCycle center or shipped to their facility for recycling.       Peppermint Prebiotic Fluoride Toothpaste   We’ve been diehard fans of Tom’s of Maine toothpaste for a while, and this newest edition of theirs meets our Very High Standards. It’s got prebiotics to support the good bacteria and help crowd out the bad to keep your mouth in healthy balance while reducing the odor associated with bad breath, fluoride to protect against cavities, all while whitening your teeth and fighting tartar build up—plus it feels nice and cool just like a toothpaste should. Loves it. If you’re also already a fan of Tom’s of Maine toothpaste, this toothpaste won’t be a big change for you, but just has the added benefit of prebiotics. Definitely worth a try!       We’re still working our way through trying all of their new products, but so far we’re huge fans. Whether you’re new to Tom’s of Maine or have been using their sustainable & cruelty free products for a while now, we highly recommend giving this newest addition a try.   Thanks for stopping by the blog! Let us know if you give any of these products a try :)

Beauty isn’t just about expressing our natural external beauty. It’s about showing our inner personality while caring for the world God created. Here are 6 beauty companies that are making a difference in the environment through natural ingredients, packaging and earth care…  

1. Lush has a “less is more” philosophy for packaging. Your body will love their ingredients, your heart will love their handmade goods and the earth loves their minimal packaging. Available in store and online.
2. Meow Meow Tweet’s products, if used properly, go a long way and their products and cardboard packing are biodegradable. Available online and at Target.
3. Love Beauty and Planet packages their products in post-consumer recycled plastic to reduce waste. Our favorite products are their fast rinsing conditioners (which help save water during showers) and their aerosol free hairspray. Available online, at Target and
4. Seed Phytonutrients uses shower safe cardboard that can be separated from their minimalist plastic containers for easy recycling. Their paper packaging is compostable, and every product includes a seed packet that you can plant in your backyard! Available Online.
5. Ethique knows that bar products are safer on the environment than products stored in plastic bottles. All their products (including their shampoo) are in long-lasting bar form. Available at Amazon.
6. Splat Naturals Semi-Permanent Hair Color offers anything but natural colors, but they use minimal packaging and healthy ingredients, so have fun picking an outrageous shade to express your vibrant personality. Available online.

  Here are a few other tips for “going green” when it comes to your beauty products.  

Buy the biggest bottles possible.

Purchasing one extra-large bottle saves a lot of plastic compared to buying multiple smaller bottles.  

Not all packaging is recyclable.

Terracycle.com allows you to recycle your beauty products for free. Just join, collect your used beauty products, download a free shipping label and send in your waste to be recycled.  The following beauty brands are a part of their program:  

• Burt’s Bees
• Gillette and Venus Razors
• Tom’s of Maine
• Garnier
• EOS

The beauty industry is embracing innovative solutions for tackling waste–and winning more customer loyalty in the process.   There’s no doubt that the beauty industry does a lot of good, from enhancing personal hygiene and contributing to self-esteem, to giving back through charitable causes. There is also no way to ignore the environmental impact packaging from such a massive business has on the Earth. With plastic taking some 400 years to degrade and filling what’s believed to be more than 70 percent of landfills, the prediction that there’ll be more plastic in the ocean than fish by the year 2050 seems devastatingly plausible.   According to TerraCycle, a company that helps brands and individuals recycle and upcycle to reduce the level of unnecessary landfill waste, the global cosmetics industry produces 120 billion units of packaging annually, contributing to the loss of 18 million acres of forest each year.   Motivating consumers to recycle personal care items has challenges. For one, it takes extra effort since these products are often housed in bathrooms, away from the standard kitchen recycle bin. TerraCycle reports that 50 percent of people don’t recycle bathroom waste including shampoo and shower gel bottles because they feel it is inconvenient. That said, the industry has taken responsibility in the past and made an impact. “While statistics are dire, the beauty industry has had success stories with the banning of plastic microbeads in the U.S., U.K. and Canada but has plenty of room for improvement to become environmentally friendly,” says Alex Payne, a spokesperson for TerraCycle.   While swapping plastic for eco-friendly packaging may increase manufacturing costs initially, the increase can likely be offset with potential government subsidies and more customers who prefer sustainable packaging. In fact, the decision to "go green" in formulation, manufacturing practices and packaging could pay off big. Fifty-five percent of people polled in a recent report by J. Walter Thompson Intelligence titled The New Sustainability: Regeneration stated they are more likely to buy beauty products if the company claims to be sustainable. Interestingly, the same report found that 77 percent of people think products with a negative environmental impact should cost more.   Recycling and Reusing   A handful of beauty brands including Burt’s Bees, Eos Products, LimeLife by Alcone and L’Occitane have teamed up with TerraCycle to offer consum- ers easy and free options for recycling. Customers can access a prepaid shipping label from TerraCycle’s website, fill any box with the brand’s cleaned waste and ship it out to be remolded into new products. Herbal Essences, Josie Maran, Garnier, Tom’s of Maine and Weleda are also part of TerraCycle’s free recycling solution. For a fee, TerraCycle offers an option for other cosmetic brands in the form of their zero-waste box. Empty eye shadow palettes, lipstick tubes, makeup brushes and deodorant sticks can be shipped to the company, and thus saved from the landfill.   Just this year, TerraCycle launched an intiative called Loop to introduce a new circular shopping system in Paris and select states within the U.S. designed to eliminate plastic packaging. “The world is in a waste crisis and we can’t recycle our way out of it. We must attack the issue at the root cause, which is single-use packaging,” explains Eric Rosen, spokesperson for Loop. The concept of Loop is like a modern-day milkman delivery system, rebooted with loads of items from personal care to household. Consumers go online and choose the products they’d like to order, which arrive in durable, reusable containers inside Loop’s exclusively designed reusable tote. “Consumers will no longer own the packaging, only the product,” Rosen explains. Beauty brands with products available from Loop include Soapply, Herbal Essences, The Body Shop, Love Beauty and Planet, Ren Clean Skincare and Pantene.   After use, consumers schedule a pickup time and send Loop’s containers to be cleaned, sanitized and reused again and again, removing plastic and shipping cardboard from the equation completely. Loop is currently available in select states and planning on expanding to new cities in 2020. Loop is made possible with the help of partner retailers like Walgreens and Kroger in each market launched. There is no membership or subscription fee; the only cost a consumer incurs is for the product and a refundable deposit for containers, tote and shipping. Brands big and small are stepping up and making commitments to change. Both Unilever and L’Oreìal have promised by the year 2025 to convert plastic packaging to reusable, recyclable or compostable. Esteìe Lauder Companies are on board too, aiming to have 75 to 100 percent of packaging recyclable, reusable or refillable by 2025 and increasing postconsumer recycled material in packaging by up to 50 percent.   Procter & Gamble (P&G) plans to offer 100 percent recyclable packaging by 2030 and has partnered with Loop to offer refillable options. Just this year, P&G’s brand Pantene launched an aluminum bottle for shampoo and conditioner through the service.   Green Materials and Rethinking Plastic   Alternative material options are gaining popularity in the beauty packaging world as brands shift into a “greener” mindset. Bamboo, for example, is biodegradable, compostable and one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. Cosmetic companies like Antonym are using bamboo for eyeshadow and blush palettes and as the base for makeup brushes. Reusable and refillable, glass is an ideal alternative for companies looking to stay clean and minimal, such as RMS Beauty. Like glass, metal is another smart option. Kjaer Weis uses quality metal in makeup palettes meant to be kept and reused as part of the company’s refill system. Already recycled solutions such as paperboard made from recycled paper pulp and recycled plastic are widely used alternatives. Garnier Fructis has adapted this practice for its shampoo and conditioner bottles, with 50 percent of the material coming from postconsumer recycled plastic.   Since plastic isn’t going away overnight, savvy solutions for repurposing are key. The Body Shop recently launched Community Trade recycled plastic from Bengaluru, India, an initiative in partnership with Plastics for Change: “We don’t think plastic–as a material–is bad. In fact, it’s one of the most versatile materials ever made and, if used responsibly, can be sustainable. The problem is when we don’t value plastic and see it as trash, rather than something we can recycle and reuse,” says Lee Mann, global community trade manager for The Body Shop.   With this initiative, The Body Shop also recognizes the human side of the plastic story. The program helps to empower the marginalized waste pickers in Bengaluru, who can receive a fair price for their work, predictable income and access to better working conditions. By the end of the year, The Body Shop will have purchased 250 tons of Community Trade recycled plastic to use in the brand’s 250 milliliter haircare bottles, with plans to scale up purchasing to 900 tons within three years. The bottles created contain 100 percent recycled plastic (excluding the bottle caps) with 15 percent derived from Community Trade recycled plastic. “Brands are starting to be more sustainable and aware of their plastic use. We absolutely want to encourage other brands to start using recycled plastic picked by waste pickers,” Mann says.   It appears that all generations, not just millennials and Generation Z, are taking a stand on sustainability. According to J. Walter Thompson Intelligence’s recent sustainability study, 90 percent of adult consumers think companies and brands have a responsibility to take care of the planet and its people. The same report concluded 91 percent of adults think companies and brands that pollute the environment should be fined.   We have officially entered the age of “less is more.” Retailers must factor sustainability into the brands they work with–and they may even want to go a step further and green their own business. Manufacturers and retailers alike will win by delivering big on product, but light on packaging.

They’re brushing away their carbon footprint.   Colgate launched a new recyclable toothpaste tube — with toothpaste that the company says has been certified by the Vegan Society.   The product, called “smile for good,” launched in Europe in the U.K., Colgate-Palmolive Co. said in a statement. The company has not announced plans to bring the product to locations outside of that area as of Wednesday.     The toothpaste is made from 99.7% natural ingredients, the company said, which are “listed clearly and explained on the front of the package.”   Parent company Colgate-Palmolive first launched the recyclable tubes under its brand Tom’s of Maine in the U.S. in a November 2019 announcement, with plans to transition packaging to the Colgate brand in 2020, according to a press release.   Colgate-Palmolive announced it would also share the recyclable toothpaste tube technology with competitors, which Noel Wallace, Chief Executive Officer and President of Colgate-Palmolive said is a “win” when standardized across all companies.   “We want all toothpaste tubes — and eventually all kinds of tubes — to meet the same third-party recycling standards that we’ve achieved. We can align on these common standards for tubes and still compete with what’s inside them,” Wallace said in a statement.   Around 1 billion toothpaste tubes are sent to landfills each year, according to climate activist group 1 Million Women.   Most toothpaste tubes are produced using a combination of plastics with a layer of aluminum “sandwiched” in between, according to Colgate-Palmolive.   The new recyclable tubes, however, are made from a combination of High Density Polyethylene plastics — which are used to make milk jugs — the company said in a statement.   Colgate previously established a partnership with TerraCycle — a company that creates national recycling programs — to recycle oral care product packaging and toothbrushes.

Lillian and Pearl Lassen are chipping in to make their corner of the world a greener place — one potato chip bag at a time.   The mother/daughter duo last year started a grassroots effort in Sandpoint to recycle certain products that are not accepted as part of the curbside blue bin recycling programs seen in towns across the country.   “This is not your traditional recycling program,” Lillian says.   Those who participate in the program can drop certain materials at Winter Ridge Market, 703 Lake Street.   Lillian and her daughter Pearl, 7, made boxes listing the items that are to be placed in the designated containers. They used biodegradable tape and recycled paper to decorate the boxes which are marked for Late July brand potato chips, as well as personal hygiene products made by Toms of Main and Burt’s Bees.   When the boxes are full, the Lassens ship them to TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based firm that collects non-recyclable consumer waste, and then partners with corporate donors or municipalities to turn it into raw material to be used in new products.   TerraCycle recycles virtually anything, from cigarette butts, to used chewing gum to certain plastics that cannot be put in the blue recycling bins, Lassen said.   “I wanted to share activities with her daughter to help benefit others in need and the environment,” she said. “Pearl wanted to cut back on buying products in bags that could not be recycled. The idea is to reduce, recycle and reuse.”   The environmentally conscious duo aims to reduce waste that is thrown out.   “There is just so much was waste in packaging,” Lassen said. “This is an effort to take baby steps to increase awareness and create memories with my daughter.”   Lassen said the program has been a success and she plans to eventually expand the materials that are accepted at Winter Ridge Market.   “The boxes in the store have done really well,” she said. “People are really thankful for the opportunity to recycle (materials) that would otherwise end up in the dump.”

Well timed for National Recycling Day, which is today, Tom's of Maine has begun shipping a first-of-its-kind recyclable toothpaste tube recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers. The tube is designed to be compatible with the #2 HDPE plastic stream. Toothpaste tubes typically haven't been recyclable because most are made of a mixed material that doesn't have a second life and has to be landfilled. The #2 plastic continues to have a strong recycling stream and is the same material used in most laundry detergent bottles. The new Tom's of Maine recyclable tube is designed to be circular, so that the material can be re-processed into new products and packaging. "We're thrilled to offer a first-of-its-kind recyclable toothpaste tube that's been recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers, which sets the standard for North America. There is no oral care or personal care tube on the market with this APR recognition," said Esi Seng, general manager at Tom's of Maine. "We're already hard at work engaging with The Recycling Partnership and their network to communicate with recycling centers and win their acceptance of our recyclable tube. We're proud to be blazing a trail for other toothpaste brands to follow," Seng added. Tom's of Maine Antiplaque & Whitening Peppermint Natural Toothpaste will be the first variant in the new tube, available on shelves in the coming weeks, with all full size Tom's of Maine toothpastes in the new recyclable tube by the end of 2020. "When it comes to recycling, shoppers interested in natural products are also more committed, active participants in working to keep waste out of landfills," said Julie Sprague, stewardship manager at Tom's of Maine. "This is another commitment we're making as a company guided by a rigorous set of standards called our Stewardship Model, which ensures we're operating sustainably and responsibly every day. Taking care of the planet is a goal we all share and this exciting launch is a new way we can work together in this ongoing effort," Sprague added. To recycle the tube at home, consumers should check the back of their tube for the blue "flag" that tells you what to do: once empty, replace cap and recycle with #2 plastics. Tom's of Maine tubes without the blue flag haven't yet transitioned to the new recyclable material. Recycling practices vary by municipality and if a town doesn't accept #2 plastic, the Tom's of Maine Natural Care Recycling Program, a partnership with TerraCycle, is a recommended option for recycling all personal and oral care packaging regardless of the brand. Tom's of Maine, which is part of Colgate-Palmolive, recently became a Certified B Corporation.  

Do you have a stash of old manual toothbrushes, in case they may come in handy for cleaning? How many do you really need? Liberate the rest and Terracycle® them! Just put them in the yellow bin at the Littleton Transfer Station, near the tires, behind the cardboard collector. This is where you may recycle your empty toothpaste tubes, empty floss containers, empty mouthwash bottles, empty deodorant containers, and manual toothbrushes, as well as any of their outer packaging. Please note that all items should be emptied, and that no aerosols or electric toothbrush parts will be accepted. Terracycle® and Tom’s of Maine® are sponsors of this recycling stream, but containers may be of any brand. More information may be found at https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/tom-s-of-maine-natural-care-brigade/brigade_faqs. Still have questions? Please leave a message at 978-501-5336.  

What’s trending in the oral care category From flosses to paste formulations that tackle key issues and contain unique ingredients like hemp seed oil and cacao, oral care brands are pulling out all the stops to garner consumers’ attention in this category that straddles the line between health and beauty. It is the latter attribute, however, that has witnessed a dulling of late as consumers seem to be slowing down their use at-home products that promise whiter smiles without dentist intervention. According to data from Information Resources, sales of tooth bleaching and whitening products such as strips fell 4.2% to $282.2 million during the past year. In contrast, toothpaste sales overall rose 2.5%, and SKUs that offer brightening benefits fared well in the market too, an indication that having a bright white smile still matters. Pain relief appears to be another main issue, as shoppers spent more money on treatments to dull tooth pain than in the previous year. According to IRI, oral pain relief sales jumped 5.5%, and toothpaste products that addressed sensitivity posted gains as well. For example, several Sensodyne toothpaste SKUs recorded gains over the past year, which is one reason why GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is the No. 3 manufacturer in the toothpaste category overall, trailing leader Procter & Gamble and Colgate (No. 2). The major players continue to up their game when it comes to toothpaste formulations that deliver multiple benefits. Last month, GSK rolled out Sensodyne Rapid Relief Whitening, a toothpaste that helps “beat” sensitivity in as little as three days with twice daily brushing, while also helping to whiten teeth by gently lifting stains and preventing new stains from forming. According to GSK, the formulation has been engineered to address sensitivity pain by quickly creating a protective barrier over the sensitive areas of teeth to keep outside triggers from reaching the nerves. According to GSK, sensitivity pain occurs when dentin, the softer inner layer of the tooth, becomes exposed revealing small canals known as tubules. Consuming hot or cold food and drinks can trigger the nerves inside the teeth when they reach the exposed dentin tubules, resulting in pain. Similar to  Sensodyne Rapid Relief, which launched in the US last year, this new whitening formula also includes stannous fluoride that starts to form a gel-like scaffold over exposed dentin tubules, according to the firm. “At GSK, we pride ourselves in creating multi-action products that hit on all consumers’ oral care needs,” Adam Sisson, head of oral health research and development at GSK Consumer Healthcare, said in a press statement. “With the success of Sensodyne Rapid Relief, the team worked to ensure sensitivity sufferers who need fast relief, but want to maintain a white smile, have a product that works for them.” Earlier this year, Procter & Gamble’s leading Crest brand expanded its line with Crest Gum and Sensitivity, which targets the gum line to provide healthier gums and provides fast sensitivity relief. This formulation, which hit retailers in June, also contains stannous fluoride and targets the gum line to help neutralize plaque bacteria. Competitive Spirit While the marketplace is dominated by big brands like Crest, Sensodyne and Colgate, smaller players also actively pursue periodontal consumers with their own formulations. For example, there’s New Orleans-based Theodent, which contends it has clinicals to prove its products provide relief better than market leaders thanks to Rennou, an active ingredient comprised of theobromine, calcium and phosphate. “The ratio of these three ingredients in our formulation is proprietary and only efficacious in a specific combination,” said Jantzen Hubbard, director of operations and media. According to Hubbard, with Rennou, the theobromine combines with calcium and phosphate to remineralize the surface of teeth. “Saliva naturally has calcium and phosphate in it, aiding in tooth remineralization. Introducing theobromine into the mix enhances enamel strength through natural remineralization,” he said. The brand, which has been on the market since 2012, offers two formulations, Theodent Classic and Theodent 300, the latter of which is a clinical strength, professional product with a much higher price point. The formulations have different concentrations of its proprietary ingredient, Rennou, which traces its origins back to the 1980s when Dr. Tetsuo Nakamoto and Dr. Malektaj Yazdani collaborated on research that analyzed the effect of caffeine on pre-natal bone growth. “Because of their research, we know now that pregnant women shouldn’t ingest caffeine because it stunts the bone development of the growing baby. As that research portfolio grew, variant molecules of caffeine were studied, namely theophylline (found in tea) and theobromine (found in chocolate). The original hypothesis proposed that all members of this molecular family, called methylxanthines, would have a similar effect, being harmful to pre-natal bone growth,” noted Hubbard. Further research, however, led to an unexpected discovery: theobromine did not have a shrinking effect on enamel crystals; instead it increased enamel crystal size. According to Hubbard, this previously unknown property in cacao “revealed an ironic truth: a component of chocolate actually enhances enamel strength.” In the mid 2000s, Dr. Arman Sadeghpour looked at Nakamoto’s research in a new light; he applied a neural network analysis of enamel hardness responses to both theobromine and fluoride. He found that the theobromine treatment produced harder enamel than a similar treatment of fluoride. Sadeghpour, Nakamoto and Joseph Fuselier together founded Theodent in 2007, and five years later launched its first toothpaste. Today, the brand can be found in places like Whole Foods, and Theodent’s true point of differentiation is the science that backs up its claims, according to Hubbard. “We have quite a lot of research dating back to the early 1980s. Our big clinical trial conducted at the University of Texas San Antonio Health Sciences Center was conducted using Theodent Classic, which out-performed prescription strength Sensodyne NuPro5000 and Colgate in remineralization and hypersensitivity reduction,” he told Happi. Ingredients and Ideas Elsewhere in the oral care category, the NPD pipeline is filled with new, more naturally-focused ingredients and flavor profiles designed to pique consumer’s fancy. Last month, indie oral care company Hello Products released its new collection with hemp seed oil. The on-trend range includes Hemp Seed Oil + Coconut Oil Extra Moisturizing Mouthwash, Hemp Seed Oil + Coconut Oil Extra Freshening Fluoride Free Toothpaste, Hemp Seed Oil + Coconut Oil Extra Freshening Fluoride toothpaste, and Hemp Seed Oil + Coconut Oil Infused floss, which is non-GMO, no PFAS, no shred and features natural vegan wax formulated with xylitol. Another naturals brand, Schmidt’s, has made a foray into child oral care. The company’s new Kids Tooth+Mouth Pastes are plant-powered, fluoride-free formulas that include vitamin E, aloe, coconut oil, and tea tree, and come in three flavor profiles—Watermelon+Strawberry, Mint+Berry and Coconut+Pineapple. While the latest news from market behemoth Colgate is a new partnership with Sarah Michelle Gellar who will pitch the Colgate Optic White line, the brand’s biggest endeavor is designed to have a more lasting and meaningful impact. Colgate’s “Save Water” Campaign, which commenced in 2016, has by some calculations, led to an estimated 99 billion gallons of water saved. This September during the UN’s Climate Change Week, Colgate convened leaders in sustainable water for a panel discussion on the cumulative impact that individual action has on water conservation and climate action. In addition, Colgate has been recognized as a “Lead” company by the UN Global Compact—a designation given to companies that represent the highest level of engagement with the compact. And just as this issue was heading to press, Colgate was set to promote “Imagine a Day Without Water” by partnering with the American Water Works Association and the Value of Water Campaign to further behavior change. Whether with formulation enhancements, familiar faces or forward-thinking initiatives, leading marketers make sure their oral care brands stay on the tip of consumers’ tongues.    Brushing Up According to IRI, sales of manual toothbrushes were $814.1 million (a decline of less than one percent) and power brushes were $569.2. million, a 5.4% gain, for the 52 weeks ended Aug. 11, 2019. In this category, brush makers are making advancements in both sustainability and design. For example, Tom’s of Maine, which is owned by Colgate-Palmolive, has released its new Whole Care Toothbrush, which has a handle made from 80% post-consumer recycled plastic. It is designed with cross-angled, multi-height bristles, is BPA-free and colored with food-grade mineral based pigments, to help remove plaque between teeth and gently clean down to the gum line. In addition, the brush is recyclable through the Tom’s of Maine collection program with TerraCycle. Also, pushing for less plastic is WooBamboo, a company that offers what it calls a selection of “environmentally- and panda-friendly” bamboo toothbrushes. The firm was recently named the “Official and Exclusive Eco Oral Care Brand” for the 2019 Forbes Travel Guide. (Formerly known as Mobil, this long-standing guide created the nation’s original star rating system for the luxury hospitality industry.) Each year, the guide provides a list of companies that provide luxury accommodations, wellness and health-related products or services; this was the first year it tapped any oral care product for the list. The designation is more than welcome by the six-year old Cape Coral, FL-based company, which has grown from startup phase to being stocked in more than 18,000 stores in more than 56 countries—and made a cameo in the 2018 Stella Artois-Matt Damon commercial during the Super Bowl. WooBamboo has also expanded its roster of products to include floss and a toothpaste formulated with bamboo and green tea extracts that is fluoride free and comes in flavor profiles like marshmallow and bubble berry and for kids and sweet cinnamon and for vanilla mint for adults. In the power brush area, a new option is Gleem, a sonic brush with a minimalistic design and a two-minute timer that pulses at 30-second intervals to help users track brushing progress so they know when to switch quadrants for a consistent clean. Powered by a single AAA battery (no plug-in needed), it has a suggested retail price of $25 and is exclusive to Walmart and gleem.com.