What do you know about aromatherapy?
All of our products are formulated in-house by a professionally qualified, Clinical Aromatherapist who is a member of the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA). So if you're ever uncertain about one of our products, just give us a call or drop us an e-mail and we'll be very happy to advise on suitability.

I have sensitive skin so can I use your products?
We started the business because we also have troubled skin, and created a range of products which helped to manage our eczema and very sensitive skin. Our products contain only gentle skin-kind ingredients, and have been carefully formulated to suit all skin types. Over the years we've received some wonderful feedback from customers who have been delighted to find that our gentle products help their sensitive skin too. 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).

Do you really make everything yourselves?
Yes, right from the start we wanted to do things right. So we formulated the products ourselves so we had control over which ingredients went into each product. We know that some companies buy in cosmetic creams and bases and then add fragrances and colours to make them their own. We couldn't see the point of that since it was still basically a commercial product, and our research found that many base creams and lotions contain ingredients that can cause problems for sensitive skin. So instead we've used our know-how and experience to create products from scratch, carefully selecting each ingredient for a specific purpose within the product, to create something unique. Each product is then extensively road tested by us before its ever put on the market - we're perfectionists when it comes to our products! So to this day, everthing continues to be handmade by ourselves at our Stourbridge workshop - so if you call in to see us don't be surprised if you find us busy making soap and that our workshop and shop smells beautiful!

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 definitely be avoided during pregnancy (particularly in the first few months). We'd suggest that our Frankincense and Myrrh products should be avoided during pregnancy, and some items are better used later in the pregnancy but many other products will be safe to use. We'd suggest that you seek advice from your GP or midwife if you have any concerns. Our in-house Aromatherapist will also be happy to advise you on which products are more suitable to use, and we can specially manufacture them at half essential oil strength if required. Simply contact us by e-mail or telephone for further details, since aromatherapy during pregnancy can be beneficial and soothing.

Are any of your products beneficial to use during pregnancy?
Our butter balms are particularly good, and should be applied after bathing or showering to keep skin supple and try to prevent stretch marks. Relaxing baths using our organic cocoa butter bath bombs can also help with keeping the skin in good condition and also help with aching backs and legs as pregnancy progresses. The important thing is to seek professional Aromatherapy advice on the suitability of products, so if you contact us we will ask a few health questions to ensure we offer the correct advice.

Are your products tested on animals?
Absolutely not - we strongly oppose any form of animal testing so rest assured, our products are only tested on human volunteers! Our products have been certified under the Humane Cosmetics Standard operated by Cruelty Free International (previously BUAV). This means that our products carry the Leaping Bunny logo, and we only select suppliers who do not conduct animal testing on the ingredients they supply. Most of our products are suitable for vegetarian/vegan customers since our ingredients are botanical in origin (The exception is for those items containing honey and goats milk). Rest assured you won't find tallow (rendered animal fat) in any of our handmade soaps!

Do your products contain parabens or other 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 most of our Natural Soapworks products have 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 these very natural products are ideally used within 6 months of purchase, although many have a 12-18 month shelf-life. Our Natroma products do contain a small amount of a preservative thats approved by the Soil Association. Theres more information about this on the Natroma website, but we believe that it's important to use some sort of preservation in cosmetic products that contain water.

Why don't you use more glass bottles, aren't they better for the environment?
Glass bottles are heavier and more prone to breakage in transit, so plastic can be a better option for mail-order. So we do use some glass packaging, but also use the greenest possible PET plastic and aluminium bottles too since these are completely recyclable. Our Natroma skincare range uses the exceptional Miron violet glass which protects the product from light.

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 aromatherapy products, and our essential oils are sourced from quality suppliers many of whom are members 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 by our Clinical Aromatherapist 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 an Aromatherapist has formulated our products, so safe concentrations are always used. Certain oils have more issues than others, so we tend to keep these to a minimum. If you have epilepsy we'd advise you to avoid our Detox products, since they contain a small amount of Rosemary 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 stimulating oils. The exception is Rosemary essential oil, so we'd advise anyone with high blood pressure to avoid using our Detox products.

Have your products been tested?
Yes, all of our products have been laboratory tested and comply with all amendments of the former EU Cosmetics Directive and the revised Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.

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 and you are protected under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 (DSRs).

What do you mean by natural ingredients?
Our products contain 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 chemical colours, so we only use botanical extracts and herbs/spices to add 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.