FAQ

How should I store my products?
We recommend storing our products in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight, and not above room temperature, as high temperatures might age the product. We do not recommend refrigerating the creams. Since our products do not contain any added preservatives, they should be handled with clean fingers or a spatula to avoid contamination. 

What are the products shelf life?
Shopping from our site ensures that you receive the freshest products available. We recommend using our products within 6 months after opening. 
If unopened, they will remain good for 12-18 month from batch date. They have been tested for shelf life of 18 months unopened and another year opened providing usage of clean fingers and/or spatulas. 

When was my product made?
You can easily determine when your HGO product was made, just look for the batch number on the bottom of your jar or bottle, starting with an H. You will need to look at the 5 digits after the H, and here is how you can determine the date of the product being made:

H10115 - this product was made on January 15th, 2021.
H1 = 2021 (H0 = 2020)
01 = the first month of the year (January)
15 = the 15th of the month

Are your products vegan?
The majority of our products contain certified organic honey and beeswax and are therefore not considered vegan.

Are all your products USDA organic certified?
All our products are USDA Organic Certified (95% organic or more), except the following:

• After Sun Lotion and Foaming Facial Wash are 70% organic (Made with Organic Ingredients)
• Facial Scrub and Rejuvenating Mask are 100% natural
• Protect Stick contains 20% zinc oxide and 80% organic and wild crafted ingredients 

What does USDA organic certified mean?
There are different classifications of “organic” products.  If you want something that is truly organic, that is, non GMO, all natural, no synthetic chemicals, no pesticides, then you need to make sure that your products are certified organic, and certified by the proper bodies.
USDA certified organic skin care is one of the highest grades of organic certification that you can get. You can learn more here. 

Are your products safe for pregnancy?
As far as we know, our products are safe to use during pregnancy. The biggest issue customers sometimes have is a sensitivity to a particular essential oil. Even though the quantities of EO are very small, some customers are sensitive to them. Depending on how your body is responding to being pregnant (i.e. nausea) our products should be fine. If you have any concerns you can try our Extra Sensitive line which does not include essential oils. The Mom & Baby Butter has been used by many pregnant and nursing moms. It helps to minimize stretch marks and is very mild. Every person and every pregnancy are different, so we recommend discussing products with your physician if you have any specific concerns. 

Are your products gluten free?
We do our best to source materials that are able to provide a certificate of being gluten free. However, for customers with gluten sensitivities we cannot guarantee that the raw materials and ingredients we use are 100% gluten free.

What is the pH in your products?
The products pH range between 4.25-6.5. The variation is due to the various harvests of beeswax and honey. Each harvest is slightly different depending on what the bees were primarily feeding on while they were making their honey and beeswax. 

What preservatives are used in your products?

We do not add any artificial or chemical preservatives to our products. The only preservatives that we use are USDA organic honey and non-GMO vitamin E derived from sunflower seeds - both natural preservatives. 

How are the products preserved?
Our creams are preserved by:

1. packaging that prevents light from breaking down the ingredients. We use mostly glass with aluminum casing and dark glass that eliminates the light and chemical contamination
2. using raw unfiltered honey and beeswax in the creams that have natural antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
3. vitamin E, which is a natural preservative.

My cream looks like it's separating - what can I do?
Since we are not using any emulsifiers, separation of the oil can happen. If separation occurs in your cream jar, just stir the product with a clean spatula. If separation occurs in your lotion bottle, just shake the bottle. Some of our thicker products should not be stirred, including Night Crème, Night Crème Extra Sensitive, Super Skin Food, Foot Balm, Cuticle & Nail Crème and Mom & Baby Butter. 

The cream feels a bit heavy and leaves my skin greasy, is that normal?
Our creams are very concentrated and a little goes a long way! If you find that the product does not soak into your skin, you probably used too much. Start out with a tiny dab - you will be amazed at how little you actually need. 

I've heard that Christmas Berry is toxic?
Although the Christmas Berry tree’s berry itself is toxic when consumed in large quantities, the honey is made by bees collecting nectar from the tree's blossoms, which are nontoxic. No negative side effects have ever been reported from the consumption of Christmas Berry honey.

What packaging do you use? 
Most of our products come in the 'gold jars' which are aluminum lined with glass. The facial toner & hair serum are in dark glass bottles. All our plastic bottles are PET and the plastic jars are double walled polypropylene. 

Is your packaging recyclable? 
All our 'gold' jars, bottles & plastic jars are recyclable! The only items that cannot be recycled are the pumps on our Facial Cleanser & Makeup Remover and the mist sprayer on our Facial Toner. Please check with your local community's recycling program to ensure that you can recycle glass, aluminum & plastic