Natural-in Plus

Natural-in Plus is a line of soaps and body washes, made and distributed by a three-member business team that currently operates out of Seaforth, St Thomas.

Superior Product Distributors' line is not necessarily the new kid on the block, as the line has been on the market for approximately three years, according to Horvil Coghiel, managing director, but for the most part they have not had much publicity.

Coghiel said, however, they are not short on quality. The ingredients used in the two bars of soap and the six herbal-infused shower gels in the line were well researched and the formulations used were expertly blended by a trained chemist. The products are also passed by the Bureau of Standards and the Ministry of Health.

The herbal bar, one of the two bars of soap, has a combination of calendula, which is a variety of marigold, as well as aloe vera, spearmint and rosemary.

"Our main purpose for developing that bar was for the female's intimate hygiene," Cogheil said, indicating that it reduces unpleasant vaginal odours and the incidence of yeast infections.

"Over time, we realised that there are other things that it can assist with," Cogheil said. In addition to it being appropriate for use by men, it also reduces fungus and alleviates eczema, liver spots and rashes.

The six shower gels are liquid variations of the herbal bar, with the same benefits. The six scents are baby powder, green apple, minty fresh, spring fresh, ginger and nutmeg.

They also produce a beauty bar that can be used generally.

Cogheil said they aimed to minimise the amount of chemicals used in their products.

"During our research we were surprised to see the amount of chemicals that were in similar products."

Available locally

Their shower gels and soaps retail for $350 each directly from Superior Product Distributors. They are also available in Fontana Pharmacy and MegaMart Montego Bay. However, sales are mostly done person to person, mainly in St Catherine and Kingston. They also sell the products wholesale, with these individuals receiving discounts for purchasing by the case.

The soaps are made by a contract manufacturer and the shower gels are made by Superior.

Coghiel said he and his two other partners, one of whom is his wife, Caren, came up with the idea to produce the line.

"We realised that other bars like this existed over the world, but just not in Jamaica. None of us in the company are chemists, so we got an external chemist who assisted us in putting the formula together," he explained.

Currently, they are working on other products to add to the line. One is a mist to treat athlete's foot.

Coghiel admitted that one of their challenges is the lack of acceptance for the product by some potential customers, because it's local.

But he said those who have used the products are pleased with the results, and he believe in them.

"I'm a person who believes that whatever complaints we have, one of our main answers lies in what the earth has to produce."

Contact information: Horvilcoghiel@yahoo.com, 999-3915 or 445-2419.