Hi, I'm Becca, I make things smell, and I like shiny things. I don't really know what all to write here, so in the meantime, let's treat this like a FAQ section!
*I want to buy _______ perfume oil/solid scent/other things but I can't find it in your shop when will you have more?
-You can buy pretty much every fragrance I offer using the "choose your scent listings I have in the shop; these should never be out of stock except maybe during very busy times of the year. Here's a couple for starters:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/202485890 <---solid scents
https://www.etsy.com/listing/202497635 <---perfume oil
And the rest can be accessed via this link:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/OHWTO/search?search_query=choose+your+&order=date_desc&view_type=list&ref=shop_search
*Do you sell samples?
-I sure do! I sell 2mL mini vials of all my "private stock" (still trying to come up with a better name for that list after all these years) fragrances, and I also try to always include AT LEAST one sample (usually a solid scent perfume sample) in every order. Feel free to request a couple fragrances in the "notes to seller", and IF I have them on-hand at the time of filling your order, I'll be more than happy to send them to you!
*What is the shelf life of ______?
-I can't really say for certain exactly how long a product will last- it all depends on the final storage and usage of said product. The products I offer are mostly, if not all, natural, so their shelf life will not compare to the products made by laboratories with immortal petroleum products and filled with preservatives. I use antioxidants to extend shelf life and stave off oil rancidity, and I do use preservatives when necessary, but part of the appeal of indie is the lack of unnecessary preservatives that really only comes with buying freshly-made small-batch cosmetics. A company which needs to produce 10,000 units/month can't (and shouldn't) get away without using them, but us little guys can :) An unused, unopened lip balm that's only ever been in your bedroom and stashed in a drawer will last longer than one which has been used a few times and left in your car and brought to the beach, etc. In optimal storage conditions, meaning, "a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight", you can expect your unused, unopened OHWTO products to last at LEAST this long, if not longer:
~Solid Scents: 1 year
~Lip Balms: 9 months
~Bar Soaps: 1 year
~Cream Soaps: 1 year
~Snake Oil/National Treasure: 1 year
~Perfume Oils: 5 years
~Body Butters: 1 year
~Scrubs: 1 year
~Flower Balm/Cuticle Balms: 1 year
These products will likely last longer than stated with proper storage, and you can also extend their shelf life by putting them in the fridge or even the freezer, but the times listed are the **minimum** shelf life you can expect from my goods though they will most likely last a whole lot longer. I have a Solid Scent I made in 2010 which I still use occasionally and which has not gone "off" despite less-than-optimal storage, so, you know... always assess your older products before using, but if a balm or oil goes bad, you'll know it; it will have a rancid "old french fries" kind of smell that makes it unbearable to use. It won't hurt you, but don't use it anymore if you experience this. Bar soaps may occasionally display what's called "soap bloom" which looks like mold, but it is not mold. I don't put anything in my soaps which could grow mold (mold needs organic material to grow on), and the soap itself keeps that kind of thing away. Soap bloom occurs when water in the air (yes, even in a wrapped bar of soap) reacts with trace salts and minerals in the soap and then this solution "crystallizes" on the soap's surface. It is completely harmless and should rinse right off. There's also the matter of "sweating", which is just the glycerin in the soap attracting water in the air to itself. It will look like your soap has just finished running a marathon, and in the case of Black Magic soap, the sweat tends to be yellow because of the calendula infusion. Again, this is completely harmless and will rinse away. If a product you purchased from me goes off ("off" as in "it smells like something died in rotten fryer oil", not "I just don't like the way it smells anymore") before its estimated shelf life is up, please contact me at once to discuss a replacement.