Frequently Asked Questions
Do Alchemilla products contain parabens?
No.
Do Alchemilla products contain preservatives?
Without an adequate preservative system, the product cannot be stored for any length of time without spoiling. Alchemilla's product formulations are preserved using a minimum amount of safety-tested and internationally approved plant-derived preservative ingredients.
Can you send me free samples before I buy your skin care products?
We no longer provide free skin care samples without a purchase, however we understand that every person's skin is different and what works for one, may not work for another. To take the guess work out of which Alchemilla natural products work best for you, we have created our Natural Skin Care Trial Kits, which are modestly priced and contain a large selection of trial-size products right for every skin type.
What is the Shelf Life of Alchemilla Products?
Expected shelf life of Alchemilla products is 12 months after opening, sometimes longer. If longer shelf life is desired we suggest storing the product in the refrigerator. Your product should be stored at less than 75 degrees (about room temperature). It will not meet its minimum shelf life if it is kept in overly warm conditions or direct sunlight.
We take our motto of "Purity, Integrity and Excellence in the Art and Science of Natural Skin Care" seriously. To maintain ultimate "purity", Alchemilla natural skin care products are made frequently in small batches and contain the least amount of preservative possible to maintain freshness. We do not resort to high percentages of alcohol or irritating essential oils and, in line with our policy of "Integrity", do not employ hidden preservatives (eg. undeclared ingredients or those found in some raw materials). You can be assured Alchemilla skin care products have the highest amount of natural ingredients possible while maintaining their freshness over the required period of time.
Do Alchemilla Skin Care Products Contain Alcohol?
Currently we do not use alcohol (ethanol) in our products.
Including alcohol in products that are to be regularly used on the skin is a questionable practice. Alcohol is dehydrating to the skin at best and, although it can effectively kill bacteria and fungal cells, it can just as effectively kill normal skin cells(1).
Although alcohol is used in some skin care brands as a preservative, and as a penetration and fragrance enhancer, researchers suggest that it should only be used topically in a solution of up to 1:1000, and for a short period of time only (2). Unfortunately alcohol is used in much larger quantities (over 12%) when employed as a skin care preservative ingredient and anywhere from 1% upwards in a product containing herbal tinctures (plant extracts made in an alcohol solution).
Typical ingredient labels may disclose alcohol as many things, but unless it is benzyl alcohol (a preservative) or cetearyl alcohol (a fatty acid), then ethanol is what you are getting.
Ethanol can be labelled as many things, eg. Alcohol, SD Alcohol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Lavender Alcohol (SD), SD38, SD40, Specially Denatured Alcohol, however they are all in essence Ethanol, and it is detrimental to use these regularly on skin, no matter how harmless they sound.
The best way to figure out if alcohol is in a given product is to check where it appears on the ingredient list (the higher up the list, the more there is in the product).
A word of warning: Contrary to law, some manufacturers do not disclose the alcohol used in their herbal extracts, so you might see 'tincture' on the ingredient label, or nothing at all. If you suspect a product contains alcohol but it isn't on the label, contact the manufacturer to find out.
Does Alchemilla offer Private Labelling services?
No, we do not offer Private Labelling or Custom Manufacturing. We manufacture for the Alchemilla brand only.
Can I sell your natural skin care products in my boutique/spa/retail store?
Yes. As long as you run a legitimate business with current reseller's license, and your business fits with the categories outlined in our wholesale eligibility page, you can sell Alchemilla skin care products.
Information and an application form to apply for an Alchemilla wholesale account is available by scrolling down on any MyAlchemilla.com page and clicking 'Wholesale'.
We do not offer Private Labelling.
Can you recommend a product for my skin type or concern?
Absolutely! For help in selecting the right product for your skin type, feel free toCONTACT US . Alternatively, you can check out our skin care routines/recommendations pages, shop by skin type, or go directly to our natural skin care product pages. Every Alchemilla product has a comprehensive description about its benefits and the skin types for which it is most suitable.
Can I pick-up my order?
Currently our physical location is unable to accommodate visitors. However, the Alchemilla vision is to create an educating, exciting and inspiring organic herb garden, with an on-site customer reception and store that inspires and intrigues visitors from everywhere.
If you are in a hurry to receive our exciting natural skin care products, our list of physical retailers is steadily growing and there may be one in your area who stocks the item you are looking for. If not, we do offer various express shipping options. Either choose one of these express options at checkout orCONTACT US if you would like to discuss getting an order to you quickly.
Are your skin care products cruelty free?
Yes, all of our products are Certified Cruelty Free by PETA. We do not test our products or ingredients on animals, nor do any of our ingredient suppliers. Our skin care products are 100% vegetarian and most are vegan. The small number of Alchemilla natural skin care products that contain ingredients from animal origin do not involve harm or death to the animal (that is: Lanolin, beeswax and honey).
Do Alchemilla skin care products have a strong fragrance?
Alchemilla skin care products are formulated with aromatherapy principles in mind, therefore many contain pure essential oils, which are naturally aromatic. The small percentage of essential oils found in our products makes them effective without being aromatically over-powering or irritating.
Essential oils provide a psychologically healing aromatherapy dimension while having a positive impact on the skin's physiology. However, for those sensitive to all aromatic ingredients, we offer a cleanser and two moisturizing products that are fragrance free: Calming Cleansing Milk, Calendula Cream and Rosebay Willowherb Cream.
Can you tell me more about an ingredient in your product?
In line with Alchemilla's principles of purity and integrity, it is our policy to be always up-front and open about our ingredient choices. We strive to create the cleanest, purest skin care possible while maintaining a world-class quality of product that natural skin care customers have come to expect.
Visit our Skin Care Ingredient Dictionary for answers to our most frequently asked questions about our ingredients - including preservatives, antioxidants, allergy concerns, and more.
Why have Alchemilla Prices Changed?
Over the years we have maintained extremely competitive prices compared with competing brands. The intense level of manual effort we put into producing our hand-made natural skin care products is truly a labor of love; however, the continued inflation of organic and natural raw material costs over the past 5 years have resulted in a dramatic increase in production costs. In order to continue producing products with the highest level of integrity and effectiveness our customers have come to expect, it was necessary to increase prices across many items in our product range beginning January 2013.
Be assured, we will always continue to produce our unique, artisan-style range of natural skin care products with an integrity, quality and effectiveness our discerning customers have come to truly value.
If you have any other questions about Alchemilla products, pleaseCONTACT US .
Citations:
(1) 1995, Pyo H et al, Korean J Dermatol, 33(5)
(2) 1998, Biology 1030, Dept of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University
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