FAQs

Are your products really "natural"?

Flower Fairy products do not contain synthetic fragrance; there are no chemical preservatives, no colours, dyes, additives or ingredients not identified on the label. The healing and medicinal components of natural aromatherapy, (which are non-synthetic scents), have been found scientifically in numerous studies to have positive mind and body healing effects, both emotionally and physically.

 

Are your essential oils strong smelling?

Flower Fairy essential oils are pre-blended in carrier oil and can be used more safely than straight essential oil that do not have carrier oil added. The combinations have complementary essential oils blended to work in synergy.

 

Do synthetic, non-natural, fragrant scented products or oils have the same qualities as natural?

There are no studies that have proven this to be the case in synthetic, non-natural, fragrant scented products or oils. In fact the synthetically reproduced products have been molecular modified and are made with numerous artificial scents, colours, dyes and solvents, which can cause negative reactions in individuals. Some individuals when they are exposed to artificial scents and perfumes, which we may think smell nice, can cause ill effects. Individuals who are chemically sensitive, have asthma, allergies, respiratory problems and have challenges with their immune systems can react the worst to these artificial chemicals. The artificial scents and fragrant oils which are synthetic and the chemicals used to produce them have been known to cause nausea, headaches, light-headedness, and breathing problems.

 

How are your products made?

They are in a base of actual healing herbs, macerated (soaked) in oil to extract the healing properties of the herbs.

• By using an actual healing therapeutic herb in the base of a moisturizing product you get many additional benefits besides the high quality moisturizing.
• Using base oils such as olive oil (scientific studies stated olive oil helps reduce damage from the sun) and grape seed oil (helps capillaries, veins, inflammation and free radical damage)
• "I think a healing agent is important to a moisturizing day and night creams because it can reduce skin sensitivity and at the same time heal chapping, scratches and dry skin problems."
  "I have found natural herbal agents are the best ingredients of this type. One of the most out standing is allantoin, which is obtained from comfrey root."
  "Herbal healing agents such as extracts of calendula blossoms, chamomile flowers, echinacea and St. John's wort also have important place in moisturizers and cell therapy creams and lotions." Quote from Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care by Aubrey Hampton(5)
• An Olive Oil base is used in all the Flower Fairy creams/salves that are not coconut/coco butter based
• An Extra, Extra virgin olive is always used that is cold-pressed (meaning no solvents were used to express the oil and this is due to that fact it is the first press of the olives and naturally comes out without the used of solvents).
• Properties of olive oil include: it is an emollient, restorative, and helps repair some sun damages, lasted scientific studies have stated.
• Olive oil soothes, heals and lubricates the skin. It has very therapeutic properties that are very beneficial to skin.(12)
• It is very stable nutritive oil which stays fresh and rancid-free, longer than most other oils.
• It has anti-inflammatory, protective properties.
• An olive oil base has most often been used, historically by herbalists over the centuries.(1,2,6,9)

 

Do you accept returns?

Returns are accepted in the unlikely event they are damaged in transit and claims must be made on the day of receiving the product or in the event of clerical error.

Due to health regulations opened products can not be accepted for returns.

We do not guarantee all products to work the same or react the same in all individuals and this may vary from person to person and we do not consider this to be reasonable cause for return.

We are not responsible for return charges associated with any improper shipping information the buyer has given us and returned parcels and the costs of these are the buyers responsibility.

Please contact the Flower Fairy if you have more concerns or questions.

 

Why use tinted glass containers instead of plastic and clear glass packaging?

Flower Fairy Herbal Healer always uses tinted glass containers for the increase potency, integrity and longevity of products and for the safety of the consumers' health.

Plastics: "Many health studies have indicated there may be a link to products packaged in plastic containers and the mimicking and or disruptive effects of the plastic products on endocrine hormones of animals and humans. Certain plastics, such as modified styrene (PS2's) in labs have shown unusual biological changes in cell tests." Taken from Omega Nutrition literature. Studies have also shown there may be a suspected migration of hydrocarbons into the oil and transmission of oxygen through the plastic.

Tinted-Glass Bottles: "light is the greatest enemy of all vegetable oils the more nutritious the oil the more vulnerable it is to degeneration due to the fact they have a strong absorption of light. The energy in the light that penetrates clear bottles manifests itself in rapid, irreversible chemical reactions called phyto-oxidation. Any exposure to sunlight or interior lighting, especially fluorescent, can cause immediate reactions. Prolonged exposure to light will eventually turn an oil rancid, regardless of whether an oil is in a sealed container". In a quote from the of Head of 22nd Century Nutrition. Unrefined/unprocessed oil absorbs 82%of the light spectrum without proper protection from tint. Taken from Omega Nutrition literature.

Metal Containers: "Metal containers were not recommended because reactions that severely degraded polysaturated oils were catalyzed by metal ions." (Omega Nutrition)

 

How can I improve the integrity and shelf life of natural products?

• Store in a cool dark place when you are not using them. The fridge is perfect!
• Always buy products in tinted, dark glass bottles.
• Keep out of direct sunlight and heat.
• Have clean hands and/or spoon if scooping out of jar directly.
• Usually the guide-lines for cosmetics eye make, up throw out every 3 months. Body care products natural or not should be tossed out within 3 years even with the ones with synthetic preservatives
• Try for products with an all oil, no water bases. Buy 100% natural oil bases to reduce the bacterial content that increases with addition of water in it.
• Flower Fairy Products DO NOT contains any water so if the oil does not smell rancid you can use them perhaps for several addition years

Why not synthetic petroleum/mineral bases or water in products?

Flower Fairy Herbal Healer never uses any water in any of their products. The less water in a product, the less chances of bacterial growth. The use of natural oils as a base instead makes them a more concentrated, nutritive and therapeutic product. You are not paying for the mere water in products.

Natural oils are much more expensive to use in products than water, but much more beneficial.

Flower Fairy Herbal Healer never uses: Petro-chemicals, Synthetic Oils or Hydrocarbons. Examples of these are: Mineral oil, paraffin, ozokerite, ceresin, silicone waxes / oils and parabens.

• Mineral oil and petroleum products are all bi-products of the oil manufacturing industry.
• Not only hard on the skin but also the environment.
• "Petroleum products go as far as to harm the skin by inhibiting its ability to absorb moisture, water and nutrients. This causes a moisture loss on the skins surface.
• They do cause skin to hydrate temporarily; however the moisture supplied from the under lying tissues is prevented from evaporating to the environment by the hydrocarbon barrier it makes.
• Due to petroleum/mineral oils large molecule size, it makes it impossible to penetrate the skin's surface and therefore, unable to allow the essentials to benefit you, by making them unable to penetrate the skin manner." It sits on top of the skin in a suffocative. "
• These hydro-carbon oil and waxes actually interrupt the therapeutic benefits of the natural oils and essential oils, by not carrying them through to the dermal layers to facilitate the moisturizing and healing effects." (5,12)
• The National Brain Tumor Foundation states on their web site, under possible causes of brain tumors; "There has been compelling evidence that workers in petrochemical/petroleum have greater risks of brain tumors".

 

Are these synthetic additives and chemicals safe in my body care products?

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has said over 900 chemicals are available for use in cosmetics that have toxic substances and are dangerous to your health and well-being.

On September 6th, 1997 the Boston Globe said "the General Accounting Office, the investigative branch of Congress, has identified more than 125 cosmetic ingredients suspected in causing cancer.

Preservatives are to some degree, a cellar toxin. That is why they destroy microbes.

 

How can I be an informed consumer?

The most informed and safe consumer always reads the label. If you do not know the ingredients listed, how do you know they aren't harmful to you?

Inform yourself by doing your own research. For more consumer information, reference books will be listed below to help inform you on what you do and do not want to see in your skin care products.

 

If products say "Natural", are they really?

No, not necessarily. It is a marketing buzz word. Look at the ingredients yourself. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you recognize them?
• Even if they have natural ingredients in them are the synthetic?
• Are they in a base of chemicals such as laurel sulfate and preservative?
• Are you paying for water mostly? Therefore needing more chemical preservatives?
• Are they in non-beneficial bases of petroleum, mineral oil etc?
• Do they contain drying ingredients like alcohols?
• Does it say the term "derived from"?

 

Do you list ALL your ingredients?

All the ingredients are stated on the labels of Flower Fairy Herbal Healer products. The first ingredient is the most concentrated in amounts and the subsequent ingredients are listed in descending order to indicate the approximate amounts in each product. Medicinal amounts of ingredients are used to achieve therapeutic benefits and are added in sufficient amounts to facilitate optimal benefits from product. Other companies can use an ingredient on the front label or in the "may contain" portion of the ingredients and may only contain a drop of it, for marketing and cost reasons.

No regulatory body requires full or partial disclosure of ingredients in products in Europe and Canada.  (12) That is why identical products in the USA have much longer and detailed ingredients list and do not use catch phrase "May Contain". 

 

What is Ocoamide DEA?

Some manufactures list a chemical such as cocoamide DEA and then insinuate it is a natural or organic substance, by adding the phase it is derived from coconut oil. In order to turn it into this, it had to be synthetically extracted with the use of chemicals and is therefore it is now either organic or natural. Also it no longer necessarily keeps it's original natural benefit, because it is no longer the full plant, that was initially proven as a whole to have these positive attributes benefits. Labels say sodium laurel sulfate TEA, laurel sulfate etc. all coconut derivates, but are now chemical additives really. The list goes on. Unfortunately when they start isolating components from a natural item they can make it than into a dangerous substances like the ones mentioned above. For example cocomide DEA contains nitrosamines that are know carcinogens. Sodium laurel sulfate have been said by some authors to degenerate cell membranes and can change the genetic formation, thus have mutagenic properties. Many books list some of these altered products as now cancer causing agents due to their alteration. (5, 15-26).

 

How can I learn more?

For Additional Information Please See Suggested Readings:

(These also indicate the source of the numbered and quoted material in these descriptions)

1. The New Holistic Herbal by David Hoffman

2. The Herbal Handbook A User's Guide to medical Herbalism by David Hoffmann

 3. The Healing Power Of Herbs by Michael T. Murray, ND.

 4. The Illustrated Herbal by Phillippa Back

 5. Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care by Aubrey Hampton

 6. Jeanne Rose's Herbal Body Book by Jeanne rose

7. Naturopathic Handbook by herbal Research publications

8. Herbs of Grace by Farida Sharan

9. Herbal Exchange Magazine, article Flower Salves by Carol McGarth

10. Feeling Good With Natural Remedies by Terry Willard

11. The Weiner's Herbal by Michael Weiner

12. A complete Guide to Understanding and Using Aromatherapy For Vibrant health and beauty by Roberta Wilson

13. A Consumer Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients by Ruth Winter

14. Natural Body Care Products by Feather River Pub Co.

15. The Book of Practical Aromatherapy by W. Lee, D.Sc.,R. Ph. And Lynn Lee, CN.

16. Beauty To Die For, Judi Vance ISBN 1-57901-035-0

17. Creating Your Own Cosmeceuticals-Naturally, Niklaus J. Smith ISBN 0- 9637755-37

18. Don't Go To The Cosmetic Counter With Out Me, Paula Begoun 4th Edition ISBN 1-877988-23-5

19. Your Natural Health Makeover, Dr. Lauri Aesoph, Nd Isbn 0-13-628652-6

20. Heath News New Letter, Triple R Publishing Inc., Oregon, Usa.

21. Health Naturally Magasign Feb/Mar 1997, Page 2021, Byzoltan Rona, Md Msc.

22. The Safe Shopper's Bible, David Steinmann, Dr. S. Epstein, Isbn 0-02-082085-2

23. The Consumer Dictionary Of Cosmetic Ibngredienrts, Rurh Winter, ISBN 0-609- 80367-0

24. Literature From Activin Grape Seed Extract Manufacturing Co.

25. What Is Really In Your Health Products? By Klaus Ferlow.

26. Family Matters, Aromatherapy, by Julie Sadler.