Shelf Life and Storage Information for Our Products and Ingredients

Finished Products - generally don't need to be refrigerated as they are preserved, but you can refrigerate them to extend their shelf life. The shelf life for most products is 9-12 months. Vitamin C Serum(s) and VitaResurface products should continually be refrigerated to extend their shelf life.
Sample Sizes - do have a shorter shelf life (generally 3-6 months), and items in jars can dry up quicker than this if the lid is not tightened well enough (Vitamin C Serums - use within 90 days).

Please keep your products out of humidity, heat, direct  light and in a dark cabinet when possible:

Exfoliating Acid - products have a shelf life of 9-12 months. The only things we don't suggest refrigerating are the Mandelic Acid Serums or Salicylic Acid Serums, as they can crystallize in the refrigerator. If this happens, you can set the product into a hot water bath to see if the crystals will dissolve.

Additional Items That Require Refrigeration and/or Kept in the Dark:

Hydrosols and Distillates - remove 1 ounce of hydrosol and add it into a separate,sterilized spray bottle and spritzer. Keep the larger bottle in the refrigerator.
Carrier and Exotic Oils - generally, you can refrigerate all carrier oils, although some very rich oils will solidify. This is fine. All you have to do is take it out, warm it up at room temperature and it should liquefy. If not, set the bottle in a hot water bath and occasionally shake the bottle, which will hopefully turn into a liquid. There are some oils with a super long shelf life, like Coconut Cream and Jojoba Oil.          

Refrigeration is not necessary, but it surely won't hurt:

Essential Oils - essential oils are best stored in a cool, dark place.   
Co2 Extracts - these should continually be refrigerated.
Butters - we suggest refrigerating our "skincare" butters. You can remove
what you need and keep the rest in the fridge.
Clays - keep in a dry, dark place. Shelf life is at least 2 years.
Herbs - all herbs (whole or ground) should be kept in a dark, cool and dry location.
Herbal (liquid) Extracts - these are created using alcohol. The alcohol pulls the constituents (properties) from each herbs - root, trunk, leaves, and flowers. They have a shelf life of 3-5 years. They can be kept in the refrigerator or a dark place.
Other Raw Ingredients - i.e., Sodium PCA, Honeyquat, Oat Beta Glucan, etc.
will all have a different shelf life.

Witch Hazel Distillate (does not contain alcohol) soothing, cooling, free radical scavenger, gentle, natural toner

Wild Plum Hydrosol lovely, intoxicating scent, skin balancing, anti-bacterial,  antifungal

Oat Beta Glucans healing, anti-aging, anti-irritant, since it can work through the Cellular Lipid Matrix (the matrix of the lipids) lends itself to diminishing the appearance of fine line and wrinkles, excellent moisturizer with film forming moisturizing properties, stimulates collagen synthesis (meaning to create a matrix by combining actual dermis properties synergistically)

Seamollient binds moisture to the skin, hydrates skin, acts as an emollient

Matrixyl is palmitoyl-pentapeptide 3 and this is a peptide that specifically stimulates collagen synthesis and skin repair. This means it qualifies as a long-term aging system. Scientist's discovered that by isolating fibroblast cells that had aged, they could literally stimulate the cells [peptides] and they were able to start producing collagen again!

Enteromorpha Compressa Extract (and) Caesalpinia Spinosa Extract through an innovative process, these extracts working synergistically will recover and maintain homeostasis in the dermal extra-cellular matrix to produce a better moisturized, more elastic, firmer skin with noticeably fewer wrinkles. This unique complex is derived from the seeds of the Andean tree Caesalpinia Spinosa and the algae known as Enteromorpha Compressa Extract. Homeostatine activity is due to the combined action of galactomannan from Caesalpinia Spinosa and marine pentasaccharide (MPS) from Enteromorpha Compressa Extract. Within this novel hydro-colloidal three-dimensional matrix, these two components function at two different levels. Galactomannans are high molecular weight polysaccharides with natural hydrating functions. The hydrocolloid, galactomannan structure provides the moisturizing matrix and maintains contact with the stratum corneum for the release of the MPS. The MPS molecules are very small and can penetrate the epidermis to promote the synthesis of collagen and function as metabolism mediators within the dermis. Within the dermis, the MPS will function to inhibit the synthesis of Metalloproteinases (MMP) as well as the synthesis of pro-inflammatory mediators such as cytokines. When MMP is inhibited, the degradation of collagen and other extracellular components is reduced. The result is less wrinkled, rejuvenated, and firmer skin.

Homeostatine Activity increases the production of dermal collagen and other ECM components in fibroblasts, inhibits the synthesis of metalloproteinases (MMP), inhibits the synthesis of pro-inflammatory mediators

Resveratrol antioxidant full of polyphenols (this is good to be full of), a modulator of gene expression via signal transduction, an inhibitor of inflammatory mediators, phytohormonal effects, 95% efficient at preventing lipid peroxidation, compared with 65% for vitamin E and 37% for vitamin C

Borage Co2 Extract anti-inflammatory, emollient, softening, healing (great for eczema)

Galactoarabinan (polysaccharide) humectant, helps to stop transepidermal water loss, binds moisture to skin

Cosmocil CQ (Polyaminopropyl Biguanide) preservative, non-paraben   and does not release formaldehyde