We realize that samples of skincare products have become almost an industry standard. Add to that the abundance of minis and subscription sampling boxes creating expectations that customers should ‘try out’ a brand before fully committing to it. We do understand that and perhaps as our brand grows we will offer samples. At this time we feel 100% positive that our product will benefit your skin far beyond the serums you are currently using. We do always ask people to test a sample on their skin for 24 hours before using fully to ensure they are not sensitive to any of the natural ingredients that we use. Although each person’s skin is unique and varies throughout their lifetime, we proactively worked with women of all ages, skin types, lifestyles and locations to accurately establish the full spectrum of efficacy and safety of our serums before offering them for sale to the public. We’ve also created serums that are 50 ml. In contrast to many serums that are only 30 ml. We wanted to not only offer more at a competitive price for our customers, but ensure that less bottles are used and less waste is created. Although samples can be helpful, we feel they can be wasteful and also not fully capable due to their limited size, of indicating our products’ long-term capabilities in the short window of time that a sample will last (which is usually one week). 

Our products are guaranteed to have a shelf life of one year from purchase. We fulfill each order as they are received to ensure the freshest, most potent products for you. As we do not use any chemical additives or preservatives (we use natural preservatives when necessary) we ask that you think of our serums as you would anything fresh that you buy, using them frequently and keeping them properly closed and away from extreme weather fluctuations and light to ensure the longest shelf life possible. Each 50 ml serum will last between 18–20 weeks with daily use of 6–8 drops.

Every person’s skin is different. Depending on the condition of your skin prior to using our products and depending on what other products you are using in your self-care ritual, such as cleansers, toners, etc., you can expect to see a positive change within 10 days to two weeks. Our testers began seeing results such as deeply hydrated skin, softer, smoother, less dry texture and a brighter, more even skin tone within two weeks of twice daily use.

To be honest, I can’t even imagine that anyone ever did that. So the answer is a big NO. We have tested all of our products on ourselves first and foremost, then with our carefully selected testers who have used our products for 10 weeks so that we could ensure their safety and efficacy in addition to receiving invaluable feedback.

Each person’s skin is different, just as each woman’s pregnancy is. We always recommend testing on a small area of skin for 24 hours to see if there is any type of sensitivity. Also with fluctuations of hormones, sensitivities that someone never had before can occur. While each ingredient we use is safe, we feel it’s important to take care when trying any new product when your body is going through so many changes. 

We have been growing organically here at Stonegate Farm for over twenty years. Our land has never been previously farmed so our soil has not been depleted, or contaminated by previous farming activities. Small farms such as ours often eschew the rigorous and often prohibitive process of receiving and maintaining Certified Organic status. We feel we have exceeded that status through our environmentally sensitive approach to caring for our farm and its inhabitants. We never use chemical or toxic pesticides or fertilizers. We maintain the highest standards for our farm and everything we grow on it. For those few items that we are unable to produce here at the farm, they need to match the following criteria: Are they Certified Organic; are they sustainably sourced; are they grown or sold within the United States. It is difficult to find certain Certified Organic essential oils created in the United States, and for those few, we do have local representatives that we use that source from overseas. In some instances we carefully source oils that have come from ‘wild-crafted’ plants which also adhere to the highest organically grown standards.

Although we do not have a formal recycling program in place at this time, it is at the top of our list for future integration into our company. As of now, we have sourced all of our packaging, labels, void fill, etc. to be of recyclable content. We chose our amber, flint glass bottles not only for their highly protective quality to maintain the efficacy of our products, but also to be recycled more easily. We welcome ideas from our customers as to how they have re-purposed their beautiful serum bottles. We’ve also created serums that are 50 ml, In contrast to many serums that are only 30 ml. We wanted to not only offer more at a competitive price to our customers, but to ensure that fewer bottles are used and less waste is created. 

Everything we do at Cultivate Apothecary starts with the focus of sustainability and low-carbon footprint. We wanted to offer our customers the ease of complimentary shipping while still being environmentally sensitive. We offer complimentary “green shipping” with every order over $100. We know receiving purchases within one or two days can be alluring. We are asking our customers to reflect on the impact that has on the environment and its resources. We offer this alternative for those that aren’t in need of receiving our products within two days, but are happy to receive them within one week of purchase ~ our way of taking care of you and our planet. We ship within the US exclusively with UPS and are a part of their Carbon Neutral program. We also understand that our customers may need to receive our products more quickly, and for those, we offer a flat rate for two-day shipping.

We hope you love the skincare we’ve formulated for you, but if for any reason you’re not completely satisfied, please let us know. Send any concerns or questions you may have within 30 days of purchase to care@cultivateapothecary.com, and we’ll work with you to ensure your satisfaction, either through a consultation, exchange, credit, or refund.

If you ultimately decide to exchange or return your product, please contact us within 30 days at care@cultivateapothecary.com, and we will issue a free exchange or a refund to your original payment method. Customers are responsible for return shipping.

*International shipping charges, customs fees, or taxes are not eligible for refund.