Tom’s of Maine launches prebiotic toothpaste and personal care

The brand sees this first step into microbiome personal care as an opportunity for consumer education (and perhaps as a proof-of-concept exercise as well).

“We know most people appreciate the importance of balancing the bacteria in the gut, but often don’t realize there are other unique microbiomes across the body to support, as well”​ Justin Boudrow, personal care brand manager at Tom’s of Maine, says in this month’s media release about the launch.

“As with all of our products,” ​he explains, “this line is designed to keep you feeling clean and fresh using naturally-derived ingredients – with the added benefit of a prebiotic nutrient that selectively feeds good bacteria, helping to promote a healthy balance.”​

Products and places

The new Tom’s of Maine prebiotic product line is retailing at Target, CVS, and Whole Foods as well as on Amazon.

And the line comprises a handful of products: Prebiotic Toothpaste, Prebiotic Deodorant, Prebiotic Body Wash, Prebiotic Bar Soap, and Prebiotic Liquid Hand Soap. The prebiotic ingredients Tom’s is using are inulin from chicory root and/or agave in the toothpastes, hand soap, body wash, and bar soap; and xylitol from birch trees or corn in the deodorant.

Consumer education and awareness

The Tom’s of Maine site includes a fair amount of informational content on prebiotics, including this explainer of just what a ‘prebiotic’ is: “Good and bad bacteria naturally exist in your gut, mouth, and on your skin. Prebiotics are nutrients that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in and on your body by feeding them, while starving and crowding out the bad bacteria that cause bad breath and body odor. Promoting their growth will help support a healthier balance of bacteria with more of the good and less of the bad.”​

Tom’s has also teamed up with Gen X actor Ellie Kemper (perhaps best known for her role on The Office) to promote the launch of the new products. In the brand’s media release, Kemper is quoted as saying, “Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is all about finding the right balance….I love that the Tom’s of Maine Prebiotic Personal Care line helps inspire a healthy balance in my daily routine with a variety of effective, natural products from a brand that shares my values.”​

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Deanna Utroske is a leading voice in the cosmetics and personal care industry as well as in the indie beauty movement. As Editor of CosmeticsDesign.com, she writes daily news about the business of beauty in the Americas region and regularly produces video interviews with cosmetics, fragrance, personal care, and packaging experts as well as with indie brand founders.

Deanna will be traveling next to the Personal Care Product Council’s annual meeting; if you’ll be there too and have beauty business news to share, feel free to contact her at qrnaan.hgebfxr@jeoz.pbz​