A good word for…Smile and prosper
A good word for…Processing aids
Processing aides (or fillers) used in detergent formulations often get a bad rap because folks assume that they’re only in there to cheapen the product. Now for sure that’s the case with many low-end products, but for the most part even the best product you can buy contain some.
And there’s a good reason why.
Take a liquid machine dishwashing detergent. Even if the formulator of that product eliminates every drop of unnecessary water, he’ll still end up with a minimum quantity in the formula. That’s because there’s a solubility limit to the quantity of active ingredients that can be dissolved in water and remain in solution.
In the case of granular formulas, the situation is a bit different. There it’s possible to create 100% active blends, but there’s a hitch. If the product is 100% active, the problem may lie in controlling it’s use since the miniscule concentrations required will probably be outside the range at which a dispenser can control.
There are a few liquid exceptions (such as Autograph) where a liquid product is a 100% blend of ingredients that are already liquid – and where only small quantities of “dry” components must be dissolved. However even those liquid ingredients contain a small amount of water – and generally for the same processing aid reason as that liquid machine detergent.
In the end, processing aids are a valuable part of most formulas and add value, as well as effectiveness in their practical use. Maybe “filler” is a word that needs to be used less and processing aids appreciated for the important role they play in most formulations.
Smile and prosper…It pays off
Ever notice that people who elicit the best initial reaction from others seem to be happy types? Of course, it’s easy to think that the popularity they seem to automatically engender might be the cause. “Hey, if everybody loves you, what’s not to be happy about?”
But what if the “automatic” popularity they seem to enjoy is the really the result of their projection of happiness and confidence and not the other way around?
As the saying goes, a frown is just a smile upside down. And the result of wearing one can create more of a negative reaction in others than we might ever imagine. Alternatively, a bright sunny disposition can be just as contagious and do a lot to engender that positive reaction in others that we’d like to enjoy. And that’s an outcome that can be especially positive in those we’re trying to sell.
So maybe we all need to dig out one of those yellow and black smiley face stickers that were so popular back in the 80’s, put it on the dash prominently to remind us to put one our kisser as we open the car door and prepare for battle!