WHERE ARE APOTERRA PRODUCTS MADE AND SHIPPED FROM?

Although we operated in NYC since we were founded in 2012, as of March 2019 we now handcraft all our skincare products in Waterbury, CT (USA).  We also ship all orders from the same location.  

 

WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE YOUR PRODUCTS?

We feel confident you will love our products, but if you don't for any reason, you can return your products within 30 days for a refund or exchange.  Often times chosing the right product for you skin can be difficult and confusing - so to make sure that you will love your products, we recommend taking our skin quiz before making your purchase. 

 

I'M FEELING OVERWHELMED - I DON'T WHERE TO START OR HOW TO BUILD A NEW SKINCARE ROUTINE.

We're here for you!  We recommend you start by taking our skin quiz. You can also reach out to us with any questions - we're here to help and guide you. 

Lastly, if you want to read more about skincare basics, we encourage you to explore our Skincare 101 Blog which is filled with useful information.  You can also follow us along on Instagram for how-to videos and more educational content. 

 

IS NATURAL SKINCARE ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE?

Natural ingredients are much more complex than processed ingredients, and for this reason they are more difficult to study, and can be less stable.  On the other hand, their complexity is what can make natural ingredients incredibly effective, and nourishing to the skin.  The key to natural skincare being effective is not only smart formulations, but high quality, fresh ingredients that retain their potency. This is why we have a freshness guarantee for all our products, including all products sold in stores. If you aren't convinced, check out what customers are saying about the effectiveness of our natural skincare products!

 

EVERYTHING YOU MAKE NATURAL?

We handcraft our products from whole plants and minerals, as well as oils, essential oils and natural extracts. Some ingredients, such as vitamin E and CoQ10 are naturally derived and naturally found in nature.  The only ingredients that we use that are not always derived from natural sources are our Vitamin C and Vitamin B3.  We chose to integrate these into our skincare products as they are extremely effective, they have a proven safety record and they are naturally occurring vitamins. You can learn more about our ingredients here.

 

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS CRUELTY FREE?

Absolutely.  We are Leaping Bunny Cruelty-Free certified since 2015 and most of our products are vegan (we use honey and beeswax in some products). We never test on animals and don't source from suppliers that do.

 

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS VEGAN?

Many of our products are vegan but not all. We use locally sourced raw honey and beeswax in some of our products (Hibiscus Exfoliating Mud and Vitamin C Regenerative Balm)

  

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS 100% CERTIFIED ORGANIC?

Our products are made with certified organic ingredients (either USDA or Ecocert certification).  Although many of our products are in fact 100% organic, some contain wildcrafted or conventional ingredients. Please refer to your batch # for more details about each ingredient in your product.

 

HOW DO I FIND MY BATCH #?

To find your batch #, go to the product listing page (for instance, if you purchased a Neroli Clarifying Complexion Mist go the the Neroli Mist product page).  Under each product page, there is a tab to look up batch #s.  Click on the tab to view the available batch #s. Here you can find the date of production and note where all ingredients were sourced from.  We keep batch #s on our website for up to two years from the production date.

 

WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR INGREDIENTS?

We try to be as transparent as possible about our sourcing.  We source from small farms, family-owned businesses and independent distilleries when we can.  We also try to source within the USA but many ingredients such as cupuacu butter, orange blossom water and coconut oil need to be imported from all over the world.  For more information about the country of origin of the ingredients in your product, look up your batch #.  You can also read more about our ingredient here.

 

HOW DO I REDEEM MY BLOOM REWARDS?

To redeem your bloom rewards, first log in.  Then go to the Bloom Rewards Dashboard. Once on the dashboard, click on "Get Rewards" on the left hand side.  Then choose the reward you would like to claim using your petals. You will be given a code or other instruction on how to claim your reward.

**To apply your rewards towards a subscription order please contact us at info@apoterra.com so we can manually apply them for you!

 

WHAT IS A SKIN "TYPE" VS. A  SKIN "STATE"?

Skin "type" refers to what your skin is naturally prone to (dry, oily, etc) and skin "state" is the current state that your skin is in. For example, you may be an oily skin type; however, in dry climates your skin becomes dry and oil production decreases. Although skin type is determined partly by genes, we believe skin changes with the climate/seasons, diet, and age. Reassessing the state of your skin on a seasonal basis will help you find the best skincare ritual.  

 

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS GLUTEN FREE?

Sort of.  Most of our products are not made with any ingredients that contain gluten and therefore are gluten free.  Our Hibiscus Exfoliating Mud and Mineral Purifying Mask both contain colloidal oats, which are not certified gluten free. None of our products are themselves certified gluten free. 

  

WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF YOUR PRODUCTS?

Unopened, our products can last up to 2 years if stored in ideal conditions (cool, dry and dark room).  Once opened, your product should be used within the time indicated on the packaging (usually 6 months). Look for the small jar symbol on your packaging (will say "6M" to indicate use 6 months once open). Alternatively you can look up the shelf life of you product under the "Details" tab found in the product listing. The batch # on your product can be looked up to discover the date your product was made.   

 

CAN I STILL USE YOUR PRODUCT IF IT IS PAST THE USE BY DATE?

Because everything we make is 100% natural, the potency of the ingredients in the product diminishes with time.  Although your product may still be in good condition past the use by date, we cannot vow for its effectiveness. 

 

WHY USE DARK GLASS BOTTLES VS. CLEAR ONES?

Like heat and time, light degrades the quality and potency of natural ingredients. This can lead to a shorter shelf life and a possibly ineffective or irritating product.  Since our skincare products are natural in nature, we choose to use dark glass with a UV filter for best protection and to ensure that you receive the highest quality product.

 

IS YOUR PACKAGING ECO-FRIENDLY? 

We aim to package as sustainably as possible.  All of our liquid products are packaged in glass bottles which are easily recyclable and reusable.  For our boxes, we use eco-friendly printers and opt for paper made from post-consumer recycled content (which is often times the most expensive!). 

We ship plastic-free and purchase padding made from post-consumer recycled content as much as possible.  We also sometimes use biodegradable peanuts to pad order -  enjoy dissolving the packing peanuts in water at home :)  Kids love this "experiment"!

Learn more about our Environmental Commitment here.

  

WHICH PRODUCTS ARE SUITABLE FOR SENSITIVE SKIN?

All of our products are formulated with sensitive skin in mind, although if your skin is extremely sensitive or irritated, we recommend sticking to our most gentle products. We have currated this collection of skincare products for those with very sensitive skin. 

 

CAN I USE YOUR SOAPS BARS ON MY FACE?

Yes!  We recommend it! All our soaps are solid facial bar cleansers. They will not dry out your skin like commercial "soaps" as they contain moisturizing oils. We do, however, recommend that you only use the soaps to cleanse 1x per day, preferably in the evening.  Check out this blog post about cleansing to learn more.

 

WILL ESSENTIAL OILS IRRITATE MY SKIN?

We like to compare essential oils to salt.  Too little and there will be no effect, too much and it can be very dangerous to your health, but just the right amount can improve your health and overall wellbeing. All our products are formulated by a certified aromatherapist who understands the delicate balance between an essential oil-containing formulation that might irritate your skin vs one that will be beneficial to skin health while also improving the aromatic experience of products.

This attention to detail is not evident in the ingredient list. If a skincare product irritated your skin in the past and may appear to have a similar ingredient list - this may not be a clear indicator that essential oils are not a good fit for your skin.  Potency and the nuances of a formulation can vary substantially from one product to another, even if the ingredient list is similar or the same.   Rest assured that all our essential oil containing products are not only safe to use topically, but formulated to nourish and benefit the skin.  

If you prefer to use essential oil free products, the following products are essential oi free:

Neroli Clarifying Complexion Mist

Rose Essential Hydration Mist

Hibiscus Exfoliating Mud

Mineral Purifying Mask

 

WILL A FACIAL OIL  MAKE ME LOOK GREASY?

Nope :)  Our facial oils and serums are designed to absorb into your skin quickly, delivering nutrients deep within the skin without leaving your skin looking oily or greasy.  We recommend massaging 2-6 drops (depending on your skin's needs).  We like to apply the drops by placing them in our palm and then using our clean fingers to press the oil onto our face. For faster absorption and deeper hydration, liberally mist your face with one of our hydrosol-based facial mists and apply your facial oil on wet skin. 

 

IS IT SAFE TO USE OIL AS A MOISTURIZER IF I HAVE OILY SKIN OR BREAKOUT PRONE SKIN?

Absolutely.  Our Herbal Clarifying Facial Oil and Sea Berry Balancing Facial Oil are lightweight and will help tame an oily complexion and breakouts especially when used in combination with our Neroli Clarifying Complexion Mist.  If you have never tried a facial oil, you are in for a treat!

 

CAN I USE YOUR FACIAL OILS OR FACE BALM AS AN EYE CREAM OR EYE SERUM?

Customers have reported great results using our Vitamin C Regenerative Balm and Rose Nourishing Facial Oil as an eye serum/cream!  It is important to note that all of our facial oils and our balm are made with essential oils.  Essential oils may cause irritation and a slight stinging sensation if they come in contact with your eyes.  For this reason, we advise that if you would like to use one of our products around the eyes, only apply it on the sides and below the eyes in such a manner that the product will not come in contact with your eyes.

 

CAN I USE YOUR PRODUCTS IF I AM PREGNANT?

Most of our products are safe to use during pregnancy although we highly recommend checking with your doctor or midwife.  Ingredients that we use in our products that might be considered unsafe for use during pregnancy are essential oils and willow bark extract.  Although we consider the essential oil levels in our facial care products to be at a safe level - to be extra safe,  here is a list of our products that do not contain essential oils or willow bark:

Rose Essential Hydration Mist (can be used as a cleanser with a cotton ball as well)

Hibiscus Exfoliating Mud (can be used as a mask, scrub or cleanser)

 

Here is the skincare ritual our founder Dominique used during her pregnancy: "My skin was pretty dry/sensitive during my pregnancy.  So in the mornings I cleansed with our Rose Hydrating Mist, followed by misting on the same mist and then applying our Rose Nourishing Facial Oil. In the evening I cleansed with our Aloe + Rose Clay soap and/or an oil cleanser. I followed by misting on our Rose Hydrating Mist and then applied either our Rose Nourishing Facial Oil or our Vitamin C Regenerative Balm. Once a week I did a steam followed by our Hibiscus Exfoliating Mud."

  

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS BIODEGRADABLE?

Yes.  All our products, including our soaps, are biodegradable.  However, please keep in mind that all biodegradable soaps need to be in contact with soil to biodegrade (soap does not biodegrade in water alone).

 

WHERE CAN I BUY YOUR PRODUCTS LOCALLY?

Check out our stockists here.  If you are looking for a specific product, we recommend that you call ahead as not every store carries our entire line.

 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR ME TO GET MY PRODUCTS ONCE I PLACE AN ORDER THROUGH YOUR ONLINE STORE?

We will ship your order within 1 business day.   Travel time will depend on your shipping address.  We ship all orders from Waterbury, Connecticut from the same location we handcraft all Apoterra skincare products.  You can read more about our shipping policies and estimated travel times here: Returns + Shipping page.   Please note that once your order is shipped, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with a tracking #.