I have sensitive skin so can I use your products?
Our products contain only natural ingredients, and have been carefully formulated to suit all skin types. We're getting some great feedback about our products from customers who have sensitive skin, but as a precaution, we'd recommend that you perform a patch test prior to first use if you have any concerns (for products that will be applied to the skin).

I'm pregnant and I've heard that I shouldn't use essential oils - is this true?
Essential oils are very potent and some should be avoided during pregnancy (particularly in the first few months). We'd suggest that our Detox, Frankincense and Myrrh and Herb Garden products should be avoided during pregnancy, but our other products can be very soothing. We'd suggest that you seek advice from your GP, midwife or a qualified aromatherapist if you have any concerns. We'll also be happy to advise you on which products are more suitable to use, and will specially manufacture them at half essential oil strength if required - please contact us for further details.

Are any of your products beneficial to use during pregnancy?
Our massage oils and butter balms are particularly good, and should be applied after bathing or showering to keep skin supple. Cocoa butter does help to prevent stretch marks for some women.

Are your products tested on animals?
Absolutely not - we only test on human volunteers. Most of our products are suitable for vegetarian/vegan customers since our ingredients are botanical in origin (The exception is for some items which do contain organic beeswax, honey and goats milk powder).

Why don't your products contain preservatives?
After a great deal of research, we're not comfortable with using parabens preservative systems (these are the most commonly used) due to the possible links to cancer and other dermatological issues. Instead we have developed oil-based formulations since these are less susceptible to micro bacterial contamination. (Very few microbes can live in pure oils, and this is why a bottle of cooking oil will remain fresh for several months without the use of preservatives or refrigeration). To protect against oil rancidity we use vitamin E as a natural anti-oxidant. We'd recommend that our products are ideally used within 6 months of purchase, although many have a 12-18 month shelf-life.

Why don't you use glass bottles, aren't they better for the environment?
Glass bottles are heavier and more prone to breakage in transit, so plastic is a better option for mail-order. Instead we use the greenest possible PET plastic and aluminium bottles which are completely recyclable.

Why did my order arrive with polystyrene packaging in the box?
We want your order to reach you in perfect condition, but we do not purchase loose fill polystyrene chips ourselves. We buy bio-degradable cellulose based chips instead. If you receive a box with polystyrene chips inside, it's because we're re-cycling them after receiving them from one of our suppliers. (We'd suggest you do the same, and save them for when you need to send a parcel).

Why don't you sell larger sized bottles of oils?
We think that it's best for our customers to receive products that are as fresh as possible. That's why we manufacture in small batches and only sell items in small volumes. It's better to buy in smaller quantities and use the products ideally within 6 months, so the ingredients are fresh and still contain their full potency.

So what's so bad about Sodium Laureth Sulphate?
SLS is a common detergent used widely in cosmetics and other cleaning products, and was originally created for industrial use. It has been in use for many years now and has a generally good safety record, but it has been linked to some adverse effects such as contact eczema in some individuals. Prolonged skin contact such as soaking in a foam bath, can cause skin irritation and can inflame the mucous membranes. (American studies have suggested that SLS can damage children's eyes). You will never find SLS in our products.

Why are so many botanical oils in your products?
Many commercial products contain mineral oil (baby oil is often 100% mineral oil). This is a petroleum by-product that coats the skin and can clog the pores leading to spots and other skin disorders. Larger manufacturers use petroleum by-products since they are very cheap, but they do not have any of the nourishing skincare properties of the high quality botanical oils we use in our products. We want our customers to enjoy real skin-care benefits when using our products, so we select ingredients because of their skin-care benefits - NOT cost!

Why do you only use essential oils?
We want to only produce high quality natural products, and our essential oils supplier is a member of the Aromatherapy Trade Council. Essential oils give a wonderful natural fragrance to our products, and have therapeutic qualities too, so are far superior to man-made fragrance oils which often appear in other skincare products. The essential oils have been carefully blended and are used in safe concentrations within our products.

I have epilepsy - is it safe to use your products?
Some essential oils should be avoided if you have epilepsy. The good news is that we understand essential oils, and our formulations avoid most of the oils that may cause a problem. The exception to this is Rosemary, so if you have epilepsy we'd advise you to avoid our Detox products, since they do contain a small amount of this essential oil.

I have high blood pressure - is it safe to use your products?
Some essential oils should be avoided if you have high blood pressure since they can be over-stimulating. As with epilepsy sufferers, the good news is that we have avoided using most of the oils that may cause a problem. The exception again is Rosemary essential oil, so we'd anyone with high blood pressure to avoid our Detox products.

Have your products been tested?
Yes, all of our products have been laboratory tested and comply with the EU Cosmetics Directive.

Do you have to comply with any other legislation?
We also comply with weights and measures legislation (using trade verified balances) to ensure that you receive the correct weight of product as stated on its packaging.

What do you mean by natural ingredients?
Our products contain only botanical oils and butters, pure essential oils, marine salts, honey and dried herbs and spices. These are nourishing to the skin, and are either cosmetic or food grade ingredients.

Why aren't your products brightly coloured?
The simple answer is that we prefer not to use chemicals, so we only use botanical extracts and herbs/spices to colour our products. Our formulations are deliberately simple and while chemical colours are pleasing to the eye, they offer no benefits to your skin. We hope that you agree that products with natural (or no added) colours are the best choice.