When will my order arrive?
All online orders are shipped daily Mondays through Fridays. However, as a very small company- sometimes there is a delay, and orders are therefore shipped within two days of receiving the order at the latest. We currently do not ship orders Saturdays or Sundays. We use priority and first class mail through USPS. We offer multiple shipping options at checkout. If you need your package by a certain day or want to pre-order please contact us and we can make that happen!
Do you accept returns?
We do not allow any returns for items purchased. However, if you have any issues with your order, please contact us and we guarantee a satisfactory resolution. If a product is damaged during shipping, please contact us within 30 days of purchase and we will will replace the item or offer you credit.
Do you offer samples?
Yes! We have sample sizes available for all facial care, lip scrub, body butters, body scrubs, and body oils. Samples can be purchased in bulk for special occasions.
You will receive multiple free samples with every purchase. If there is a particular item that you would like to try please leave a note with your order. If we are out of that sample we will do our best to substitute a like item.
is there a pickup option for local customers?
Yes! You can preorder online and pickup your order at the farmer’s markets where we sell. You can find us every other week at Chapel Hill Farmer’s Market, and almost weekly at the craft market at Durham Farmer’s Market. Click here for our market schedule, and select local pickup at checkout for free shipping and so we know how to pack your order.
Wow that container looks small, will it really last?
Yes, we guarantee that our products will last a very long time. We do not use any fillers like water or alcohol - just pure ingredients, each having a specific purpose and benefit for the skin, so a little goes a long way!
Are your products really all natural and handmade?
Yes! We only use plant- based ingredients. We literally do not use any synthetic ingredients in our products. Every product is handcrafted and made fresh in small batches daily by our team.
Our products do not contain any; parabens, alcohol, petroleum, artificial fragrances, artificial preservatives and no sulfates (except naturally occurring in Epsom salt in our bath soaks.)
Do you use preservatives?What is the shelf life?
The products are preservative free except for body scrubs made with food grade citric acid, and the face toner and aftershave which are preserved with radish root ferment (leucidal liquid). We preserve these items because they either come into contact with water or have a water base of hydrosols, and therefore are more likely to spoil. We also add antioxidants vitamin E and rosemary extract to many of our products. These ingredients both have nurturing benefits and act as natural preservatives, extending the shelf life of many of our other ingredients.
Every product has a shelf life of at least one year. To prolong the shelf life of our products, always use clean and dry hands when applying products to reduce bacteria growth or a small spoon or brush. We especially recommend the small spoon with the cleansing balm, and you should also avoid getting water into the cleansing grains or face masks, as these are preservative free. To extend the shelf life beyond one year, store items out of direct sunlight and in the refrigerator if desired.
Are the products vegan and cruelty free?
Every product is vegan except for the lip balms, cuticle cream, and hand salves (which contain USA beeswax). The lip scrub also contains beeswax and local honey.
Yes of course we are cruelty free! We love animals and would NEVER test anything on them!
Are all the ingredients certified organic and locally grown?
While this is our focus when sourcing ingredients, no not every ingredient is. We do use a lot of certified organic ingredients, but for several reasons, we choose a mix of conventionally grown ingredients as well. Not every botanical that we want to use can be certified organic, such as clays, USA beeswax, or wildcrafted hydrosols and herbs. This decision also allows us to maintain lower prices and offer more financially accessible products. We also prioritize partnering with small local farmers, who cannot always afford the organic certification process. We do focus on using mostly certified organic ingredients for the facial care line.
We love partnering with small farmers to get locally grown herbs and flowers but unfortunately ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter cannot be grown here in NC! In addition, sometimes we cannot source enough local herbs and flowers to meet the demand! In the instance that a farmer cannot grow enough for our production demand we substitute those ingredients with certified organic herbs and flowers when needed.
are the products gluten free?
Everything is technically gluten free and we do use certified gluten free oat flour and rice bran flour. None of our other ingredients would come into contact with gluten during processing. However, if you have a severe gluten allergy please use caution or do a test patch before using our products. Our production facility is not certified gluten free. No customers have had any issues with this, but we like to be extra cautious when it comes to allergies.
Are the products okay for sensitive skin and allergies?
We carefully formulate every product to work gently for extra sensitive skin. Even the witch hazel in our facial toner is alcohol-free to ensure it will not irritate sensitive skin. We are proud to have helped hundreds of customers with their eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. We particularly recommend the Coconut & Cocoa Whipped Body Butter, Neroli & Chamomile Facial Serum, all the hand salves, and the Chamomile & Ylang Ylang Bath Soak for these types of issues. If you are at all hesitant please contact us and we will be happy to help you decide what is best for your sensitive skin needs.
The products are also designed with allergies in mind! We do not use any nut oils- with the exception of Argan oil in our facial serum and beard oil. Many products contain coconut, which is not a botanical nut and is usually safe for those with tree-nut allergies.
Are the products safe during pregnancy and for use on babies?
Yes, our products are safe for the whole family, we offer a lot of healthy options for young children and for use during pregnancy. It is very important to educate yourself and be cautious when using essential oils during pregnancy or for use on infants. We intentionally avoid oils like juniper that are not safe during pregnancy. However we do use clary sage in the Lavender Fields Oil and Lavender Scrub which is not to be used during pregnancy as it can induce labor.
We recommend discussing essential oils with your physician or midwife. Please contact us if you have further questions or want any guidance at all.
Are the lip balms only for lips? What about the body care items? Can I use butters and oils, or scrubs and salves on my face?
We designed everything to be versatile, all the scented lip balms double as aromatherapy balms! Rub the lavender or peppermint balm on your temples, neck, and forehead to ease tension and headaches. The holy basil balm is grounding, Espresso is energizing, and all the citrus balms are uplifting! The tinted lip balm also doubles as a cheek tint or eye shadow.
The body oils, scrubs, salves, and balms are all very gentle. Therefore they are suitable for facial use. However, they are quite different than the facial line. Not all the carrier oils in the body oils are certified organic whereas every oil in the serum is organic and non-comedogenic as well. The body oils are not infused with highly beneficial herbs, and contain essential oils designed for their scent rather than healing properties. Therefore if you use the body oils on your face you will be moisturized BUT you will not experience the incredible positive results that you would with the face serum. The body butters are very gentle and contain shea, cocoa and mango butters which offer entirely different moisture than the serum. They are very popular for facial use, especially during the winter.
The butters and salves are quite thick so we recommend using them at night for facial use. If you want to use the body scrubs on your face we recommend only using them once or twice a week, as sugar can be harsh on your face and the other ingredients are very moisturizing, so depending on your skin type it might feel greasy. We love the body scrubs as a once and a while facial product, not daily like the cleansing grains or face masks.
Wow, your scents are so interesting and your labels are so pretty, tell me more!?
Each product is designed with the scenting attention of a fine perfume. These unique aromas are created with essential oils, NO SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES, and are never overpowering. If you are one of those people who hate scents ( I used to be you, I know you!) we promise we will change your mind!
All of our labels are locally designed by Suzy of Davie Paper Co. and feature both her artwork and original artwork from Raleigh based artist Amy Richards Illustration. We love partnering with local artists, and love that you get to see the ingredients and look at something extra pretty when using our products.
You employ youth, what does that mean?
In 2015 we began to partner with former Durham based non-profit Partners for Youth Opportunity. PYO was created to more effectively address the growing “opportunity gap” resulting from the chronic disconnection of Durham youth from economic and educational opportunities. PYO worked with a small group of students, about 100 - 115, beginning in middle school and following them all the way through college. They provided academic support, workforce development, helped students connect with mentors and other opportunities, and took the students on a variety of trips, exposing them to new experiences.
PYO helped students gain economic stability and workforce skills by partnering with local businesses and organizations for summer and year long internships and employment opportunities. All the internships were paid and students were encouraged to save their income for college. Studies show that students who enter college with $500 in savings are four times more likely to graduate.
Lo & Behold became a work site through PYO. We provided professional experience and helped young people save for college and other future goals. Summer interns worked 10- 20 hours a week helping make and package products and assisting with sales at summer markets. Since 2015, we have hosted a total of six student interns through the summer program. Three of the six high school interns were later hired as year round employees.
In addition to interns, in 2019 and 2020 we hired college aged students from the PYO program for more full time positions. Juliana, joined our team in 2019, and worked as a full time employee for almost 5 years. Our business was transformed with Juliana’s help. She managed the production studio, our other team members, was head of production, and basically ran the company with Lizzie. Juliana, as well as the other students we hired, have moved on to pursue full time education and other work opportunities.
Our relationship with the program changed a lot over the years, as well as the program itself. In 2020 PYO merged with Durham Children’s Initiative. Our focus on summer interns shifted to maintaining and supporting long term and seasonal employees. While we currently do not employ youth, we have a lasting appreciation for our partnership with PYO and everything our former employees contributed to our company.
What does your company do to promote sustainability?
We do as much as we can! We only use recyclable and environmentally friendly packaging, primarily glass and aluminum, with minimal use of plastics. We have deliberately chosen not to use boxes for external packaging for the products, as to reduce waste. All online orders are packed and shipped using recycled or recyclable materials.
All our store and market displays are reusable, handmade locally with reclaimed wood by Five Fork Studio in Chapel Hill. So yes, even our displays are environmentally friendly!
We offer a deposit program for local customers, bring back your glass jars and bottles and we will sanitize and reuse them! We also partner with a few local companies to offer refill stations for our best selling bug spray, facial toner, facial serum, and face masks. You can find refill stations at; The Fillaree, Freehand Market, and Spa Retreat Cary.
All of our ingredients are carefully sourced with a focus on certified organic or pesticide free growth, fair trade, and cold pressed processing. We do not use any ingredients that are harmful to the environment such as, absolutely no palm oil in any formulation. When handcrafting our products we produce as little waste as possible. For example we use reusable pipping bags rather than disposable.