FAQ
How do I know which lotion and oils will work best for me?
A little of our lotion goes a long way!
What should I do when my lotions arrive?
What’s the best way to care for my lotions? Do I have to store my lotions in the fridge?
What should I do if the oil and water separate in the lotion?
Do I need to refrigerate the lip balms, shea butter or ximenia jelly?
How do I care for my sponges?
Do I need to throw out my lotions after the expiration date?
What do you mean by a patch test?
Why are Farm to Girl lotions better than the rest? Why don’t you add preservatives to the lotions?
Why does Farm to Girl use glass versus plastic jars?
How do I know which lotion and oils will work best for me?
Every person has different skin type and body chemistry. If you or your kids have sensitive skin, try our unscented sensitive skin and baby lotions first! If not, we recommend trying a few different lotions to find what works best for you. Farm to Girl’s product chart will give you a head start, but don’t let that limit your experimenting! We think you’ll find a range of Farm to Girl lotions your skin will love, from our everyday all-over moisturizing Kokolotions to our exotic face and anti-aging creams blended from the finest ingredients and traditional African oils on the planet!
A little of our lotion goes a long way!
Farm to Girl lotions are different from the rest. Because we don’t dilute our lotions, they are rich in natural and organic oils that provide healthy nutrition for your skin. No need for super-sizing your lotion bottle here. A little goes a long way. Our luxurious lotions will sink in quickly to hydrate and feed your skin—naturally!
What should I do when my lotions arrive?
Especially in the hot summer months, separation of the raw oils may occur during transport. This is a normal process (think natural peanut butter!). Simply open the lotion, stir gently and place the lotion in the fridge for a spell. If the lotion is still cold but water is separating from the oils, simply let the lotion warm up a bit, stir with a clean utensil or applicator, and then refrigerate.
What’s the best way to care for my lotions? Do I have to store my lotions in the fridge?
Farm to Girl lotions are the creamiest, thickest lotions you’ll find anywhere. They are also the freshest lotions around. Because of this, they will last longest when kept cool. We suggest refrigerating them versus keeping them in the bathroom where temperature and humidity can vary widely. If you choose to store them outside the fridge, they may expire earlier than the stated date. We also recommend trying to use something other than your fingers (cotton swab, applicator, clean spoon) to remove lotions from the jar, since this can introduce contaminants. If the lotions change color or smell different then it’s time to discard them.
What should I do if the oil and water separate in the lotion?
Due to the extremely pure, fresh and minimally processed nature of Farm to Girl products, some separation can occur. Separation is normal when products contain oil and water and are free of synthetic emulsifiers (just like when the oil separates in natural peanut butter!). If separation occurs, simply stir the lotion and keep cool in fridge. This will also give you the optimum thickness and creaminess and ensure your products last longer. If temperatures are cool or you notice the water separating from the oils in the lotion, you can either pour off the excess water or let the lotion warm to gently stir the water back in. Once done, simply put your lotion back into a cool place for storage.
Do I need to refrigerate the lip balms, shea butter or ximenia jelly?
No. However, in the hot summer months, because Farm to Girl uses no extra thickeners or synthetic emulsifiers, it is a good idea when first receiving these products to pop them in the fridge for a short spell before opening!
How do I care for my sponges?
To maintain the life of Farm to Girl sponges, simply wash occasionally with warm soap and water and allow to sun dry. Unlike synthetic and loofah sponges, Farm to Girl sponges are resistant to mold and mildew and will soften in water after cleaning.
Do I need to throw out my lotions after the expiration date?
Once a jar is opened, we recommend you use the lotion before the suggested expiration date—it’s basically food! As with all fresh products, the expiration date is simply a guide to the product’s maximum freshness and quality. Remember to always leave the lid on, refrigerate for maximum longevity, store your lotions in a cool place and use a clean applicator (rather than your fingers) to get the lotion from the jar. After the expiration date, we can no longer guarantee its quality. But, we’ve found that when care is taken, your lotions can last weeks to months past the expiration date. All we suggest is to please rely on common sense and caution. Be aware that if contaminants are introduced or if your lotion is past its expiration date, the smell and color may change, or if you keep it too long it may go moldy. These are all natural processes in non-preserved, fresh products.
What do you mean by a patch test?
As with any product you put on your skin, we always recommend a patch test as a precaution. Every person’s skin type and body chemistry are different and everyone reacts differently to new products. We recommend that you try our lotions a few days on a small unexposed area (for example, your arms) before applying it to exposed or sensitive areas like your face. Allergies to coconut oil and shea nut butter (esp. for those sensitive to latex), while rare, are not unknown. Discontinue use if irritation occurs. If one oil or lotion doesn’t work for you, try another one at a time until you find the right combination and regimen (morning only, night only, morning and night) that works best for you.
Why are Farm to Girl lotions better than the rest? Why don’t you add preservatives to the lotions?
Your skin is your body’s largest living organ and, like your digestive system, is host to millions of beneficial bacteria. Because what goes on your body goes in, we at Farm to Girl think it is as important to give your skin a break with gourmet nutrition free of harmful chemicals and full of vitamins, antioxidants and premium plant oils as it is to eat fresh and healthy food.
Like blending up a fresh organic smoothie, we make our lotions fresh from the purest oils and raw ingredients. As much as possible, we buy unrefined and unprocessed ingredients. We think this optimizes our ingredients’ benefits (vitamins, minerals, enzymes) and the nutrition they provide. We also add no extra chemicals or preservatives to our lotions, since we think this alters their chemistry and nutrition. They don’t last as long (which is why we make them in small eco-friendly glass jars rather than supersize them), but you will see and feel the difference and your skin’s living microcosm (its good bacteria!) will thank you!
Why does Farm to Girl use glass versus plastic jars?
We know our thick glass jars are not as convenient as plastic, and that nothing in this world is environmentally perfect (glass can use more water in manufacturing). But, even though they cost much more for us to buy, we have decided on glass jars over plastics for three reasons:
1) unlike plastic containers, glass jars will never leach harmful chemicals with unknown health effects into your skin or baby care;
2) glass is made from renewable resources (not petroleum products, like many plastics) and is recyclable forever (most plastics, even recycled ones have a limited recyclable lifetime); and,
3) glass decomposes back into the basic elements found naturally on earth (i.e. sand, See Glass Beach in California!), while many plastics simply break down into smaller ‘micro’ particles (that most living things cannot process) that can litter our beaches and oceans and pose harm to marine life and you.
Keeping costs low is just as important to us as any other company. Our eco-friendly and sustainable principles guide our product packaging design, in contrast to other companies, where environmental and health impacts from packaging are secondary or just an afterthought. That’s because, as scientists, nurses, moms and sisters, the health of our customers and the health of the planet—in our minds, the true product costs—come first and mean more to us than making and packaging products like most other companies do.
