Frequently Asked Questions
We’re committed to honesty and transparency. Here you can find answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.
Ordering
and shipping
More than likely, yes! Shipping rates vary depending on destination but you can see this information whilst you’re checking out.
It depends where you are located and which shipping option you choose. This information is visible in the checkout.
We use Australia Post which means all of our deliveries are carbon neutral.
Get in touch with us as soon as you can. We’ll do our best to update your address before your order is shipped. Please note that once your order has been shipped, we are unable to re-route it or change the address.
The production process usually begins almost immediately after you place your order, so unfortunately we can’t offer refunds or exchanges if you change your mind.
If you receive the incorrect order, let us know and we’ll fix it.
If you’re unhappy with your order, please reach out to us. You can find our Customer Satisfaction Policy here.
Formulations
and Ingredients
The beauty industry is full of misinformation and marketing gimmicks. What’s natural isn’t always safe and what’s made in a lab isn’t always toxic (some of the most toxic things on Earth are natural). We all want to stay safe, but it’s difficult to know who to trust. So what do we do differently to ensure the ingredients we’re using are safe?
Well, first things first. All of our ingredients comply with Australia’s, the USA’s and the European Union’s regulations relating to safe cosmetic ingredients. That means we comply with Australia’s Poisons Standard, the USA’s Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients list and the European Union’s List of Substances Prohibited in Cosmetic Products. Together, these regulations prohibit usage of 1600+ ingredients with scientifically established safety issues.
We take it one step further though. If an ingredient has warranted safety concerns but needs more research to make solid conclusions, we err on the side of caution and use alternatives. We love to use our own products, so we’ll never include an ingredient we wouldn’t be happy to use on ourselves everyday (and we’re a cautious bunch).
If you have any specific concerns about the safety of our ingredients, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We’re always happy to chat.
It depends on the ingredient! We’ve given our specific thoughts on some of the most controversial ingredients in other questions found in this FAQ, if you’re interested.
In general, though, here’s our philosophy:
- If an ingredient has scientifically established safety issues, we won’t include it in our formulations.
- If an ingredient has warranted safety concerns but needs more research to make solid conclusions, we’ll err on the side of caution and use alternatives (parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate [SLS] and sodium laureth sulfate [SLES] fall into this category).
- If a highly effective ingredient is the subject of completely unwarranted controversy or has been attacked purely as a marketing gimmick, we will include it in our formulations and aim to educate our customers (non-volatile silicones fall into this category).
Generally speaking, yes; however, children may have unknown allergies or be more sensitive to certain ingredients than adults. For that reason, we recommend consulting a doctor before commencing use if you have any concerns.
First of all, congratulations! Generally speaking, yes, our formulas are safe for use during pregnancy. With that being said, we always recommend consulting a doctor before commencing use if you have any concerns.
No.
Want to know why? To begin with, we want to say that we don’t think parabens are particularly dangerous when used correctly. Parabens are very effective preservatives that are widely used to prevent bacteria and mould from growing in cosmetic products. Despite this, we’ve decided not to include them, and here’s why.
In recent years, parabens have been the subject of much controversy. Several in vitro (‘test tube’ or ‘petri dish’) and in vivo animal studies have shown that parabens have a weakly oestrogenic effect (they mimic oestrogen) and can disrupt reproductive systems. A 2004 study titled Concentrations of Parabens in Human Breast Tumours detected parabens in human breast tumour tissue and sparked fears that they may be carcinogenic. Despite these alarming findings, there is a lack of evidence suggesting adverse effects of parabens when used correctly in the context of topically applied wash-away cosmetics. The correct usage of parabens in cosmetics is mostly accepted as safe by regulators around the world.
We believe that more research is needed to conclusively rule out potential safety concerns and until then, we’ve decided to err on the side of caution and opt for alternatives.
No.
Want to know why? To begin with, we want to say that we don’t think SLS and SLES are particularly dangerous or problematic for most people when used correctly. We decided not to include them anyway, and here’s why.
SLS is a very effective cleaning agent but whilst there’s no evidence to suggest that SLS is dangerous or problematic when used correctly, it can be irritating for some people when it’s used at higher concentrations or for longer exposure times. We like to be cautious and so we’ve opted to use gentler (but still effective) cleaning ingredients.
SLES is also a very effective cleaning agent and is less irritating than SLS but is controversial because of its production process. SLES is made from SLS through a process called ethoxylation that uses the chemical ethylene oxide. 1,4-dioxane is a known by-product of this process. Both chemicals are thought to be carcinogens and have been found as contaminants in some SLES products (albeit in very small concentrations in the final product). Whilst the risk associated with this is probably quite low, we like to be cautious and so have opted to use alternative cleaning ingredients which are just as effective.
No.
There is limited scientific evidence to suggest that gluten-containing products that are not ingested are harmful to people with celiac disease. Despite this, there seem to be anecdotal reports of sensitive individuals having reactions to topically applied cosmetics containing gluten. Since shampoo and conditioner are used on the head, it isn’t unimaginable that some could end up on the lips or in the mouth. For those who are concerned, we’re happy to clarify that our products do not contain gluten.
It depends on which goals you select, but yes, some of our formulations contain silicones. Silicones are safe and effective conditioning ingredients that can dramatically improve the look and feel of your hair.
It is important to note that there are a vast array of different silicones and silicon-containing molecules. Not all of them are bad for you or the environment, although the marketing departments of many cosmetic companies would have you believe otherwise. It’s fair to say that there’s a lot of undeserved controversy surrounding silicones, but if you have specific concerns, feel free to reach out – we’d be happy to chat about it with you.
Our formulas are vegan, and we do not test on animals. We believe in contributing to a cruelty-free beauty industry.
We’re happy to check for you! Reach out before placing your order and we’ll let you know.
Packaging
and Sustainability
Our bottles are made from 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic and are themselves recyclable. This means that our bottles are made entirely from plastic that has already been used and can be recycled again.
Our bottle caps are made from aluminium and are recyclable. Aluminium is an infinitely recyclable material; it’s estimated 75% of aluminium ever produced is still in use today.
All our orders come with pumps by default. Most pumps are made with several different materials which makes them difficult to recycle. Since our pumps aren’t recyclable, we want to incentivise our customers to reuse them with their next orders. If you have pumps from a previous order and would like to reuse them, let us know when you checkout and you’ll receive a small discount.
Our boxes are made from sustainably sourced 75% recycled cardboard and are themselves recyclable. We designed our bottles with a rectangular shape that packs compactly and minimises the amount of cardboard that needs to be used to package them.
Our leaflets are made from sustainably sourced 100% recycled paper and are themselves recyclable.
Yes. You can learn more about what we’re doing in the way of sustainability here.