A: AJA Naturals Body Creams are All Natural; they each contain a combination of hydrating butters, oils and essential oils (Sensual Chocolate and Citrus Radiance have essential oils. SheaCoCo Love does not). These products are water-free creations that are made with high quality butters that already have a high Vitamin E (natural preservative) content. We also add additional natural Vitamin E (D-alpha tocopherol) just to ensure that your cream has the protection that it needs. We believe in providing you with the best products without utilizing chemical preservatives, therefore the shelf-life of your AJA Naturals creation is shorter than the average beauty cream that consists of parabens and other harmful preservatives.
AJA Naturals is Chemical Free, Cruelty Free, Paraben Free and Naturally preserved.
Q: There is a disclaimer on the back of the sweetiepie sugar scrub stating that the scrub will make the bathtub slippery and to use caution. It doesn't seem to make my skin feel oily so why does it make the bathtub so slippery in the first place?
A: SweetiePie Sugar scrub is created with natural oils (Sweet Almond Oil and Organic Jojoba Oil). These oils, like most oils, will make a surface very slippery and caution should be taken when using this product. Also, it is recommended that the shower (and any other surface which comes into contact with the oils) be cleaned so as to remove any oily residue and to prevent anyone from slipping.
The reason why these oils do not make your skin feel very oilly is because Jojoba oil is known to be one of the oils closest to resembling the natural oils (sebum) produced by your skin. Therefore, while the sugar is buffing away the top layer of dead skin cells, the oils are working to nourish the new skin that is being revealed. Once the scrub is rinsed away, your skin is left feeling soft and well hydrated. It is recommended that a body scrub be used a maximum of 2-3 times per month to maintain soft and healthy looking skin.
Q: I love the super hydrating SheaCoCo Love that I recently bought from you, but since my skin isn't always super dry I don't intend to use it everyday, how do I go about preserving it so that it last longer?
A: To better preserve any AJA Naturals creation; simply stick it in the refrigerator. The cooler temperatures of a refrigerator will help to extend the shelf-life for about 2-3 months from the original expiration date (i.e: If the expiration date says January 2011 and you put the product into the refrigerator the freshness can be maintained until the April 2011 time frame). If you intend to use your product even more sparingly we recommend putting them into the freezer, which will extend the shelf-life for another 6-8 months. If the freezer is the best option for you, please defrost your product prior to using by setting it out to thaw at room temperature for 8-12 hrs; once the cream returns back to its supple consistency feel free to dig in!
*NOTE: Please refrain from freezing the body scrubs as they do not thaw as well as the creams.*
Q: I have the Sensual Chocolate body cream, and it smells divine! I want to rub it all over but thought twice about putting it on my face although my skin is very dry. Should these creams be applied to the face? Thanks!
A: Sensual Chocolate is a great choice, we're happy that you're enjoying it! Although we have received positive feedback about folks using SheaCoCo Love on their face; we still feel that these creams are too heavy to be applied to one's face. Our Body Creams are safe to hydrate any part of your skin, but we find them better suited for the body. However, if you do choose to use an AJA Naturals Body Cream for your face, (as with most beauty products), please avoid the eye area especially since Sensual Chocolate and Citrus Radiance both consist of high quality essential oils.
Q: Why did my AJA Naturals products come with popsicle sticks? They're cute, but not sure of their purpose.
A: Great question! Popsicle sticks (or "beauty wands" as we fondly refer to them) will accompany all of your AJA Naturals purchases. The purpose of the beauty wand is to encourage a cleaner product. Fingers (which are usually dipped into beauty products) usually have some bacteria on them; when bacteria is introduced into a natural product that is minimally preserved that product is now compromised and the bacteria will continue to 'eat away' at the product until mold or a foul odor is detected rendering the product spoiled. For the longevity and the safety of your products, please use the beauty wands to dispense. However, even though we provide the beauty wands, I must admit that when I am lotioning up after a nice, warm shower I am a 'finger user'; so, to ensure the integrity of the product, I make sure that my hands are freshly washed and dried, then I dip my fingers in. Whatever the object is, as long as it's clean then your products will be fine.
Q: Your SheaCoCo Love and Citrus Radiance are two of the best all natural body lotions that I've ever tried! I have 3 children ranging in age from 6 months to 8yrs old. My 8yr old absolutely loves the smell of the citrus radiance and I love how well both of the lotions hydrate, however I know that the citrus radiance contains essential oils which are known to be naturally potent; for this reason I'd like to know, is it wise to put these lotions on my children's skin?
A: Although essential oils are all natural you are correct, they are simply too potent to be applied to the skin of a baby (even if they are diluted). It is our belief that no fragrances should be applied to the skin of infants (0-12 months old) or toddlers (12-24 months old), as their skin is so soft and too delicate to be treated with such ingredients. I would certainly not apply fragrance oils to any child's skin as fragrance oils are known to be comprised of harsh synthetics in order to mimic the scents that they produce; this is also the very reason why AJA Naturals does not incorporate fragrance oils into it's creations. So, in short my answer for your younger children is No. Please avoid applying products with fragrance (whether it be essential oils or fragrance oils) to your young child's skin.
As for your 8 year old, I would say that using the Citrus Radiance isn't a problem at all. This child's skin has developed more and is able to accept fragrance a lot better than that of a younger child. Feel free to share any of AJA Naturals scented products with your older children. Also, you can feel confident with using the SheaCoCo Love on all of your children. SheaCoCo Love does not contain any additional fragrance (only the natural scent of Shea butter) and is our most gentle cream, I fondly refer to SheaCoCo Love as AJA Naturals 'family friendly cream'. It is my favorite and the only one that I use on a regular basis. I put it in my hair as well as on my skin. Lastly, AJA Naturals is currently developing skin care products for children, when they are debuted there will be a line for infants and toddlers, as well as one for older Children. Each creation will provide each age range's skin with the type of nourishment it requires.
Q: My sister uses SheaCoCo Love for her ridiculously curly hair, and everytime she uses it it seems like her hair gets softer and easier to manage. I would like to use it as well but I know that Shea butter is derived from a nut, and unfortunately I am allergic to Nuts! It may sound like a silly question, but is it possible to use SheaCoCo Love even though I have this allergy?
A: Thank you for your question, and please note that there is no such thing as a silly question. If it pops into your head, then it needs to be addressed. I enjoy providing clarity, as I am a big question asker myself.
Shea butter is certainly a wonderful hairdress, and I use the SheaCoCo Love on my natural hair to keep it hydrated as well.
However, we do not recommend anyone with a nut allergy to use any AJA Naturals body creams. All of our body creams are created with butters and oils derived from tree nuts. Since you have this allergy, I would suggest possibly moisturizing your skin with pure Aloe Vera gel.
Q: I purchased a body scrub in August 2010, but the expiration date is for October. I remember mentioning this to you and you explained something to me about natural product's expiration dates and how I could extend the shelf life of the scrub. I can't remember what your explanation was. Could you provide me with this information again?
A: Absolutely! We put a short shelf life on our scrubs mainly because we only preserve them with Vitamin E and we also understand that scrubs are usually introduced to some pretty compromising conditions; for example: it is second nature for most folks to take their body scrubs into the shower with them where the scrub can easily be exposed to water. The problem here is that water carries microscopic organisms within it. Our bodies are used to these organisms and most found in water are of no health concern to us at all. However, if these organisms are introduced into a natural product (that is minimally/naturally preserved) they will begin to eat away at the product; when this happens the product may begin to slowly change colors, smell foul or actual mold can be seen within the product. We try to encourage our customers to not introduce water into their products. The best way to go about this for the scrubs is to scoop out the amount of scrub that you will need from your AJA Naturals jar, place it into a plastic cup or other container and take that portion into the bathroom with you. This way you can feel free to use the scrub as desired and know that the amount that you do take into the shower is either going to be used at that moment or thrown out when you are done. Less scrub is wasted and the jar of scrub is still protected because you took the time to remove the portion you decided to use and did not compromise the entire jar by allowing water to get into it. Also, if you do not intend on using your scrub regularly it is suggested that your jar of body scrub be placed into a cool dry place or into the refrigerator to help prolong shelf-life.
Q: I know that I should scrub at least once a month, but I like to scrub less often and therefore I put the scrub in the refrigerator, as suggested, to extend the shelf life. When I did this the scrub was very solid and the oils were sitting on top of the sugar and was very thick. I can not use it like this, what should I do?
A: The body scrub can be refrigerated for up to 3 months after the expiration date. When you remove it from the refrigerator it will be as you described, however there is a quick and easy fix for that. Simply set the scrub out, at room temperature, for a few hours. Once the oils have returned to their original state give the scrub a few stirs to ensure that the oils & sugar are well blended. Now you may continue to enjoy your scrub as normal! Enjoy.
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TERMS and CONDITIONS:
Our products are guaranteed for 30 days. If you are not satisfied for any reason, simply return the merchandise.
- Refunds or exchanges are gladly accepted, in their original packaging, within 30 days of receiving your order.
- Return shipping is the responsibility of the buyer and any returns or exchanges must include the original packing slip.
- Returned merchandise will be processed within 30 days from the date we receive it for an exchange, credit, or refund.
- Exchanges, credits, or refunds are processed for the amount of the actual purchase price, less any applied discounts and Shipping & Handling charges.
- Please allow 2 billing cycles for your credit card statement to reflect your refund.
- Payments received via PayPal will be refunded via PayPal. Buyer understands they must complete PayPal refund procedures in order to receive a refund.
- Any manufacturer’s defects of product will be exchanged immediately at our cost. Please call for instructions.
- The status of your return/exchange and additional information can be confirmed by emailing orders@ajanaturals.com
