Ever since the early to mid-2000s when household cleaning brands began rolling out concentrated liquid laundry detergent products in an effort to reduce the size of their packaging, companies in a range of markets have adopted this tactic to reduce the environmental footprint of both their products and their packaging. One recent example is GuruNanda, a Buena Park, Calif.-based company that recently introduced a concentrated mouthwash product that eliminates 98% of the water and 99% of the plastic used for a traditional oral rinse product, while at the same time removing all the “nasties” from the product’s formula as well.
Founded by Puneet Nanda, a certified expert in Ayurvedic medicine and a yoga instructor, GuruNanda is “devoted to helping people lead productive and stress-free lives through aromatherapy and Ayurvedic principles.” Among its offerings are bath, beauty, and oral care products formulated with essential aromatherapy oils.
Says Nanda, oral care has been in his DNA since he founded Dr. Fresh, an oral care company that he sold in 2012. After a hiatus from the business world during which time he learned about and taught yoga and holistic living, Nanda returned to the market with a new perspective on oral care products.
“I learned that most plastic is wasted in big bottles of mouthwash transported across the nation, which are 98% filled with water and a small quantity of artificial flavor, color, saccharin, and menthol alongside either alcohol or any other bactericide,” he says. With that in mind, Nanda decided to marry sustainable packaging with a natural mouthwash formula, creating a concentrated, essential oils-based rinse packaged in a 2-oz amber glass bottle with dropper.
“You just add a few drops [four, to be exact] to water in a cup and rinse,” Nanda explains. “The formulation was done in such a way that it dissolves immediately in water and gives a natural, minty clean that doesn’t harm your natural mouth microbiome even after giving you all the major benefits of a regular mouthwash.”
The tiny bottle holds 300 doses, which is equivalent to 160 oz of non-concentrated mouthwash, resulting in the elimination of 10 16-oz plastic bottles. “That means fewer packaging materials, less shipping, and a smaller carbon footprint,” says the company. “Good for you, good for the planet.” According to Nanda, glass packaging was selected for the concentrate due to the material’s sustainability and because the product’s essential oils stay stable in amber glass.
The mouthwash is available in one variety, Wild Mint, that’s formulated with what GuruNanda says are seven purpose-driven, sustainably harvested, pure and natural essential oils. These are peppermint, spearmint, tea tree, oregano, clove, cardamom, and fennel. The mouthwash contains no alcohol, fluoride, preservatives, gluten, or toxic chemicals, and is not tested on animals.
According to Nanda, when the product was initially introduced, it was not widely received by consumers. “But then we changed the packaging to be see-through, which has been very helpful and has communicated our message better,” he explains. “We also implemented a free sampling program of 50,000 bottles, which helped make people more aware of the product.”
GuruNanda’s Wild Mint Concentrated Mouthwash in a 2-oz bottle is available through the company’s website for $12.78 for a one-time purchase and for $11.50 on a subscription basis. The product is also sold at Walmart and on Amazon.
Watch a video on GuruNanda’s concentrated mouthwash.
