A. Why Organic & Ayurvedic?
1. Are your products USDA Organic?
USDA ORGANIC CERTIFICATION: There is a great deal of misinformation on this subject, as USDA certification is often subject to deceptive marketing practices. In order for a product to be organically certified, it must be 93% chemical and pesticide free, and must be grown on US soil. This means that a USDA certified "organic" product can have up to 7% chemicals or adulterants. At PuraVedaOrganics, we have ZERO tolerance for chemicals, pesticides, petroleum, GMO's, or any other thing you don't want in/on your body. Further, because we use many Ayurvedic ingredients not grown on US soil, we source our ingredients from Fair-Trade environmentally sustainable reputable brokers the world over. Many of our botanical plant sourced actives come to us are sustainably wild-gathered from remote areas, by indigenous local harvesters who help support their families in this traditional way.
2. Are your products Cruelty Free?
In a word.. Yes!
We work hard to ensure that our products not only meet our customer expectations. This includes not using any ingredients which have been tested on animals. Many products use the 'cruelty-free' seals, but doesn’t guarantee that the component ingredients have not been tested on animals.
Our ingredients are sourced from the best all natural wholesalers globally and are all either hand-gathered or fair-trade farmed (or USDA certified if sourced within the USA) when they come to us..no synthetic chemicals allowed!
We formulate our by hand in small batches in our production facility here in Asheville NC, where they are then packaged with glass and recyclable PETE plastics and shipped directly to you. We have consistently refused invitations to export to countries who require animal testing of individual products and will continue to do so.
3. Are your 'wild-gathered' ingredients sustainable and free trade?
A) Most of our wild-harvested ingredients literally grow in the wild, and cannot be grown on massive plantations; (or in the USA for that matter) and as such are not subjected to pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. They are hand gathered in remote regions globally, and brokered through responsible all natural ingredient suppliers. Some of our non-USA ingredients are grown on small family farms which have been sustainable for generations under Fair Trade rules. Please see our ingredient glossary for sourcing information.
4. What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade is a movement of individuals and organizations working to ensure that producers in poor countries receive a greater percentage of the price paid by consumers. While there are several definitions of fair trade, they all include:
Fair Trade Price - base price for raw ingredients or goods is adjusted higher than the open market price
Price Premium - a percentage above the base fair trade price is paid into a separate account for development projects in producer communities.
Working Conditions - Fair Trade operators must adhere to basic human and labor rights - including the right to organize, no child labor, access to health care, and so on.
Environmental Stewardship - Fair Trade organizations must minimize environmental impact.
5. What's an Ayurvedic Dosha?
In it's simplest terms, a 'Dosha' is one of three body types according to ancient Ayurvedic medicine. The dosha system encompasses every aspect of that body type, including recommendations for diet, extercise, rest, herbs, skincare.. and so forth. For our purposes, we'll keep it pretty basic and only address your skin type dosha.
The first dosha we'll address is called 'Vata'. Vata type skin is typically thin and fine, almost poreless, but prone to being dry and rough and ages faster than other types.
' Pitta' dosha refers to skin that is thicker than Vata, but also has a tendency towards redness & freckles, as well as being very sensitive and allergy prone, and is often plagued with rosacea, adult acne, psoriasis and eczema.
' Kapha' dosha is the thickest skin type and ages the slowest, but is also prone to being oily, and having enlarged pores. Kapha types can also suffer acne eruptions and breakouts.
It's rare for someone to be a pure type dosha, but most people will definitely have a predominant type, and that is what should guide you in making your skin care selections.(TEST YOUR DOSHA)
At PuraVedaOrgnics, all our products are based in this-time tested Ayurvedic skin care system, using all organic and/or fair-trade sustainably sourced wild-gathered botanicals (which we steam extract in house) and essential oils. The most exciting part of all this is that modern science is daily proving the efficacy of these time-tested ingredients in laboratory settings!
In the upcoming weeks and months, we will be bringing you regular blog posts detailing each and every ingredient we use, why we use it, where it comes from and what it can do for your skin. We are building an interactive glossary for easy reference on our new website at www.puravedaorganics.com so you can refer back to it anytime and see which products have the ingredients best suited to address your unique skin care challenges.
6. How do I determine my Ayurvedic Dosha?
Take the short quiz here and find out!
7. What's the difference between Ayurvedic and Western Skin Care?
At first glance it would seem that these systems are as far apart philosophically as they are geographically, but closer inspection shows us this simply isn't true!
Western scientifically based skin care (the effective kind anyway) is proven by lab based research, and is a relatively modern phenomenon.. whereas Ayurveda grew out of centuries of shared compiled observation of what works and what doesn't for various conditions system wide.
Ayurveda takes this a step further by classifying people into three different physical genotypes which encompass almost every aspect of their being. These types are Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
For the purposes of skin care, you can read more about these types here. To learn more in general (it's a huge subject!) the Internet has tons of great info. However, these three types fit nicely into the 'Dry/Normal', Sensitive, Blemished & Rosacea, and Oily, large pored skin types that western skin care also recognizes.
What excites us most here at PuraVedaOrganics is how western scientific double-blind studies are proving the efficacy of centuries old herbal/botanical lore handed down by the founders of the Ayurvedic tradition. Every one of our ingredients has proven skin actives both by Ayurvedic tradition and western science. We feel that is truly the best of both worlds!
B. Product & Ingredient Questions
1. Is your SunProtect SPF30+ waterproof?
With summer upon us, most of us pack up for a day at the beach or the pool, and dutifully grab a bottle or two of our sunscreen(s) of choice. But you might want to think about what exactly factored into that choice? Was it price? Or convenience? Or maybe it was an ad in a magazine or a billboard. But.. Let's be clear. All sunscreens are definitely NOT created equal! Think about this... your skin is your largest organ who's main function is not only bodily barrier protection and system cooling, but is also your largest organ of elimination and uptake.
And what you put on your incredibly precious skin really does matter! Have you turned your bottle of sunscreen around and looked at the ingredients on the label? This is something most people neglect to do and yet is the single most important information about any product we put into or on our bodies. You see, that unpronounceable chemical stew often contains a lot of stuff that literally gets into, and even under your skin! Depending on permeability and particle size, some of these scary toxins can even make it to your bloodstream, and get transported throughout your body.
Once upon a time even I (considering my line of work) never gave much thought to sunscreen.. beyond it's ability to prevent a burn, but a life-threatening allergic reaction to a 50+ SPF baby! sunscreen on the part of my 8 y/o son (applied by a well-meaning camp counselor) changed all that. The fact is, most commercial sunscreens contain some extremely questionable ingredients, many of which have been implicated in certain cancers. This is too big of a topic to cover in one small blog, but if this topic interests you, don't take our word for it..begin doing your own investigative research. (SkinDeep.com is a good place to start).
Our own research led us to develop our SunProtect SPF30+, which is 100% non-toxic and all-natural mineral barrier protection. We are proud to say you will be able to pronounce and understand every last ingredient on our label! With a concentration of over 20% micronized (but NOT nano-particulated) Zinc Oxide, when applied consistently and allowed to dry before getting in the water, this is the safest, most effective sunscreen available. Utilizing micronization, we have overcome the problem of diaper rash ointment like pasty sunscreens that leave you looking like a ghost. With skin nourishing shea butter and steam distilled essential oils and soothing botanicals, our SunProtect is actually good for your skin, leaving it in better condition after a day poolside than before. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this topic coming later this week to find out more about why PuraVeda Organic's SunProtect 30+ keeps winning awards and editor picks!
2. Does your SunProtect SPF30+ contain nano-particles?
In a word: NO! The Long Answer: Nano particles are micronized (crushed) Zinc Oxide to the point that they are small enough to cross the skin:bloodstream barrier. The consequences of this are still unclear, but certainly not desirable. This is why non particulation of Zinc Oxide in Sunscreens has been banned in most countries, but unfortunately not here in the USA. Many sunscreens containing the word "ZinClear" are still being sold here with the long term health consequences being unknown. We do not find this acceptable.
3. What is the Zinc Oxide concentration in your SunProtect SPF30+ ?
Here at PVO we have experimented with amounts from 15% to 24% and have settled at 20% as being the most effective without causing difficulty in application. Ie; the 'ghostly' white sheen which is often cited as the reason many people resort to chemical sunscreens.
4. Are any of your products tested on animals?
Our products are never tested on animals and our component ingredients have not been tested on animals. Period.
5. Why don't you have the leaping bunny seal?
Most of the major certification seals are quite expensive and do not always tell us the truth about the product. For instance, many companies who have bought a "Leaping Bunny" seal do not disclose the fact that their component ingredients have been tested on animals. Many countries, (such as China) require animal testing. For that reason, we do not wholesale or retail in those countries.
6. Why are your products so small?
Most commercial products contain large amounts of water (often called ‘Aqua’) as evidenced by that ingredient often appearing first on the ingredient label (ingredients are listed by law from greatest to least. Our products are very concentrated, and contain no added water.. We use Aloe vera gel when water is necessary. Only a tiny amount of product is needed as a result, which also means smaller bottle sizes and less packaging, as well as a serious financial benefit. Ie; you need far less product to product fabulous results!
7. Why do you use Potassium Sorbate in your products?
Many people in their quest for 'totally natural' products become upset at the idea of any sort of preservatives, but honestly, this is just not smart! Especially when it comes to a natural preservative such as Potassium Sorbate. Our P/S is sourced naturally from birch bark, but P/S itself is a natural component of many fruits and vegetables that we eat on a regular basis. The lack of any sort of preservative agent, whether natural or not, is actually quite dangerous. Very few of our products are contained in an open jar, as this can lead to finger contamination, where all sorts of bad bacteria and dangerous fungal overgrowths can happen. Remember that botulism is 'all natural' too!
8. Do your products contain Phythlates, BPH, perfumes, dyes, petroleum or silicones?
Emphatically NO.
C. Skincare Questions
1. Can you explain the differences in your serums?
Our 'flagship' serum is our BioScience Peptide Serum, and as the name implies, it's primary function is to infuse your skin with peptides and peptide co-factors (naturally sourced vitamins and botanical infusions) that increase the wrinkle-reducing efficacy of the 2 primary (argireline and matrixyl) "topical Botox" peptides. For people under the age of 35-40, we recommend either our SBR (sensitive skin) or ReJuv Serums which are meant to add extra moisture as needed as a followup to the peptide serum, as too many moisturizing ingredients compete with peptides for receptor space deep in the skin. By using moisture serums after the peptides have penetrated deep into the dermis, we get the best of both worlds. Our Collagen Boost serum is a more highly concentrated after serum designed for the older, more mature skin that needs more Collagen regeneration. Our Aloe Eye serum is a light daytime serum, designed specifically for the delicate tissue around our eyes, as is our roll-on Eye Line Prevention Serum, but is meant for an overnight wrinkle therapy.
D. Account Related & Shipping Questions
1. Why should I sign up for an Account?
It’s easy to sign up for an account, at this point we will ask you via popup at some point during your visit. We never (ever) sell your information and we don’t retain any payment information as all our financial transactions are done via a Secure Socket offsite. However, all your other customer information, shipping, past order history and even wishlist are retained. A very important aspect is that you are signed up automatically for our 1X p/wk Newsletter which not only contains helpful information regarding Skin & Hair Care, but also a weekly discount of anywhere between 10 - 25%. In this way, we reward our existing customers and encourage word-of-mouth rather than spend that money on external advertising. Win;Win!
2. Change Your Password
To change your password on Puraveda Organics if you're already logged in: Click on "My Account" in the top right corner of the website and select 'Account Settings'. Enter your new password and current password. Click Update Details.
Reset Your Password To reset password if you're not logged in to Puraveda Orgnanic: Click here and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. What is your guarantee?
We GUARANTEE everything we make and sell 100%. If you don't love it, we will refund your purchase price within 30 days after delivery.
4. How do I return a product?
Please read our return and refund policy - Click Here
5. What if my product is damaged when I receive it?
If your package arrives damaged, or some of the items inside are damaged/broken/leaking, please take a picture of the item and email it to us, and we'll get another item out to you ASAP!
6. Do you accept international credit cards?
Yes. We accept almost every form of payment including all credit cards, Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, Google pay and and so on.