null

Face Product FAQ's

If you don't see the answer to your question, get in touch with us at customer service.  

What makes Qi Botanics different from other companies?

Our products are developed by an acupuncturist and herbalist in private practice for over 20 years, working with skin conditions and allergies along with performing a variety of holistic cosmetic treatments that help her patients look and feel their best. This knowledge went into the Qi Botanics products and protocols. Qi Botanics offers nutrient dense products using natural, herbal and organic ingredients. Our goal is to offer the cleanest products available to nourish and feed the skin, naturally. Each product has been developed with the health of the skin being the driving force. Nature is amazing and offers so many wonderful natural ingredients, we just helped put them together into products that work great. We are here to help educate people about the wonderful properties of herbs and all that they can do for health, wellness and beauty. We are excited to help you care for your skin (and body) with skincare that includes natural, clean, nutrient-rich ingredients, that only nature can offer.

 

Why does Qi Botanics use herbs in their products?

Herbs have been used on and in the body for thousands of years. They are safe and offer amazing therapeutic benefits to the skin and body. For us, it is a no-brainer to add herbs to ALL of our products. We have been working with herbs for almost 30 years and they really do make a HUGE difference in the results of any given product. We are excited to share products that contain herbs with our customers, so they can achieve fabulous results with our products and experience how amazing herbs can be when used regularly.

 

What are the steps for the Qi Botanics the facial products?

Using the Qi Botanics Facial Line Products | Watch Video Here

Our facial products are designed to be used together, as each product has a separate function to maximize results. This simple 4 step process gets great results. 

We wanted to develop an easy and all-natural facial routine that gets results. We understand that people are busy, so they want something that is fast and easy to use, but also works great. You do not need a ton of steps in your facial routine for great skin, you just need steps that work.

 qib-face-collection-930.jpg

Will the Qi Botanics facial products still work if they are not used all together? 

Yes, of course. You can absolutely use any of the products on their own, as an addition to what you are currently using. They were designed to work together, but can certainly be used with other products.

 

How do I use the facial products?

The facial products were developed to be used together. Each product is formulated to support and achieve a specific function for healthy and happy skin that is balanced and nourished. The 4-step process, and the order of use is below. 

1. Cleanse (Renew Facial Cleanser) This is a great cleanser because is can be used as a cleanser, exfoliant or a mask.  It all depends on how much water is added before use.  Need a quick wash? Use more water.  Skin a bit dry today and need to exfoliate a bit more? Use less water.  Need a skin pick me up or a skin detox? Try it as a mask.  It is very versatile. It was designed to nourish and moisturize while decreasing inflammation and dull complexion. 

2. Serum (Restore Balancing Serum) This is an amazing serum, that is chock full of ferments, Hyaluronic Acid and botanical extracts.  This step is to balance the microbiota of the skin, nourish, support collagen growth and offer a deep hydration.

3. Toner (Refresh Hydrating Mist) This is a delightful alternative to a normal toner.  We are not fans of traditional toners as they are alcohol based, which is not good for the skin. This is an organic hydrosol with 72 trace minerals to help support and nourish the skin, while prepping it for the facial oil.

4. Moisturize (Nourish Nutrient Oil) This is an unbeatable facial oil.  Facial oils are a great way to moisturize the face and a lovely alternative to a moisturizing cream. (NOTE: ANY facial oil must go on the skin AFTER the face has been moistened.) This facial oil is packed with nutrient dense organic oils, extracts and pearl powder for amazing nourishing and skin-loving benefits your skin needs to ensure a healthy glow.

 

Does Qi Botanics use Certified Organic ingredients in the products?

We do our very best to only use Certified Organic herbs in all our products.  However, they are not always available. Some of the extracts are just not available in an Organic option, yet. For all our products, we are constantly striving to source the cleanest, fair trade, and organic ingredients available. Our goal is to be 100% Organic, and we are getting close. We continually monitor our ingredients to insure we are staying on top of any new Organic options available that can replace any of the non-organic ingredients. We have spent countless hours researching our ingredients to find the best options for each product, to ensure we will get the best results from our products. All of the Certified Organic ingredients are marked with an asterisk in the ingredient list on each product.

 

Are all of the products 100% natural?

Yes! We NEVER use any synthetic ingredients in anything we make. All of our ingredients are 100% natural. This is incredibly important to us. The skin is the largest organ in the body and we need to be careful of what we are putting on it. Using natural ingredients helps to support the health of the skin, without the nasty chemicals. When working with the healing benefits of herbs, you don’t need to use anything else.

What herbs are used in the products and why?

Visit our product pages for a complete breakdown of the herbs, along with their function and why we use them.

 

Are Qi Botanics products cruelty free?

YES! We would NEVER test on animals. None of our products or their individual ingredients have been tested on animals. We love animals and animal testing is fundamentally against our principles and ethics. Animal testing is completely unnecessary. Our products (and ingredients) have been tested on people.

 

How does Qi Botanics ensure the products are 100% natural?

We go to great lengths to ensure that all of our ingredients are as clean, organic and pure as possible. Before we work with any raw material (herbs, extracts, ferments, etc), we extensively investigate the source of the material (how it is grown, how it is extracted, where it is from, how is it farmed, etc), to ensure that the ingredient meets our high standards. If it makes the cut, it gets to be included in the product. If not, we don’t use it. The best and most vitality rich ingredients will lead to the most nutrient dense products, which will promote the most Qi to the face.

 

Why use ferments in a product?

Ferments are fabulous for supporting the microbiota of the skin, which is essential for healthy skin. During the fermenting process, natural Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces are created, which help to maintain and support a healthy microbiota. Fermenting also breaks down ingredients into smaller sizes so they can easily penetrate the skin for better absorption of the nutrients. It helps to produce minerals and nutrients that are good for the skin, thus helping to increase the nutrient density of a product, making the product’s natural ingredients more powerful. Plus, the fermenting process reduces the chance of skin irritation, so it is perfect to use on even the most sensitive skin.

 qib-balancing-serum-651.jpg

Are any synthetic ingredients used in the products?

No. We only use natural oils, herbs, extracts and ferments. All our products are FREE of synthetic preservatives, fragrances, colors, or artificial anything!

 

Are artificial colors or fragrances used in the products?

No! Our products are naturally colored and fragranced with the herbs, hydrosols and extracts that make up each product. We don’t add any color or fragrance to any of our products. Plants are naturally beautiful; we don’t need to improve on nature.

 

Why use nut, fruit and seed oils in the Qi Botanics products?

We love plant oils! Oils derived from nuts, fruit and seeds are fabulous for nourishing the skin. Plant based oils help to support and balance the skin’s moisture, many of which are close to the skin’s natural makeup. They are rich with nutrients like fatty acids, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, which your skin needs and loves to stay healthy and beautiful.

 

Are the Qi Botanics Products Certified Organic?

Our products are not Certified Organic. However, most of our natural ingredient are Certified Organic. For us to claim the products are Certified Organic, we would need to go through a lengthy certification process which would mean our prices would be much higher. We LOVE providing truly natural, effective and nutrient rich products to our customers at affordable prices. Since most of our ingredients are Certified Organic already, we have not done the certification for the finished product.

 

Are Qi Botanics Products safe for all skin types? What about sensitive skin?

Yes! All of our products are plant based and non-irritating. They are formulated without the use of any harsh chemicals or artificial ingredients. Because we do not use any fragrance and many of the herbs have a history of promoting a calming effect on the skin, the products are perfect for sensitive skin. However, if you are concerned or have a history of skin reactions with any product, we recommend doing a small patch test on the inside of your arm before using the product. This will ensure that you are not reacting to any of the all-natural ingredients.

 

Why does the skin need to be wet before oil is applied?

We get asked this question all the time. A moisturizing cream contains water and oil. It also has emulsifiers to keep the water and oil mixed, along with preservatives and other ingredients that help to keep a product shelf stable for up to 2 years. A facial or body oil, is just the oil part of this mix. Oils are amazing, but to drive them into the skin, you need water. So, if the face or body is wet (with water or a hydrosol), there is your water element. When you apply the oil, the oil and water can emulsify directly on the skin to drive the nutrients deeper and give the skin a moisturizing and protective benefit. Since oils don’t require preservatives, there is no need to add all of the extra crap that most moisturizers need, thus a cleaner product.

 

Why use a preservative in a product?

This is a great question. Some products need preservatives and some products don’t. It depends on whether they are water based or oil based. An oil-based product typically doesn’t require a preservative, as it is unlikely that any mold, bacteria or yeast will grow in it, but the oil can become rancid if left for a really long time. Water based products are a different story, they absolutely require some type of preservative to prevent mold, bacteria and/or yeast from growing.  We see many companies online and ‘do it yourself’ blogs telling people to avoid preservatives, use caution with this. Yes, many preservatives are nasty and should be avoided due to the ingredient in the preservative. But, a good natural preservative is absolutely imperative for any water-based product for safety reasons.

 

Does Qi Botanics use preservatives in their products?

For the most part, no, we don’t use preservatives in our products except for one, the Renew Balancing Serum. Almost all of our products are oil-based formulas, requiring antioxidants not preservatives. However, for our water-based products, we need to use preservatives. Any water-based product can grow mold, bacteria and yeast and for safety purposes needs to be preserved properly.

The last thing anyone wants is to have mold growing in their skin care products. We have seen many companies claim to not use preservatives for their water-based products, then promote this as a marketing angle, but this is not a safe practice. 

Since we have chosen to ONLY use natural ingredients in our products, this includes the preservatives that we use in our Renew Balancing Serum. We do not use any synthetic preservatives in our products, only natural preservatives are used. 

The other two non-oil based facial products are 1) Renew Cleansing Powder, which does not require a preservative as it does not have any water, thus the need to add water before using it. By adding water at the customer’s end, it allows for a longer shelf life without preservatives.  2) Refresh Hydrating Mist, which is a hydrosol with minerals. Hydrosols are naturally preserved from the nutrients in the plant and cleaned during the steam extraction, so no preservatives are needed for this product.

 

What is a hydrosol and why is it used in the Refresh Hydrating Mist?

A hydrosol is typically made as a byproduct of essential oil distillation. In the distillation process, steam is passed through plant material and the condensation is collected. The oil is separated from the plant and will float on top, making the essential oil. The water portion that is distilled is the hydrosol.   Hydrosols share many of the healing properties of essential oils, but are safer to use, as they can be used directly on the skin, where most essential oils need to be cut in a carrier oil. They also smell delicious! Our organic hydrosol is made specifically for the hydrosol and is not just a by-product of essential oil production. 

Hydrosols are about 30 times stronger than herbal teas, but gentler than essential oils, which makes them perfect for hydrating the face and body. During the distillation process, minerals, bacteria, and toxins are naturally removed. We re-mineralize the hydrosol with 72 trace minerals that your skin loves and needs. Minerals are vital to healthy skin - for increasing cellular communication, strengthening cellular structure and for keeping the pH levels balanced on the skin.

 qib-hydrating-mist-cucumber-22.jpg

 

How long is the shelf life on the Qi Botanic Products?

We want to ensure that our products stay as vitality rich as possible, so we recommend a shorter shelf life to optimize results with our products. Our products have a shelf life of about 12 to 14 months, with the exception of the Renew Balancing Serum. This product has a shelf life of about 7 to 9 months.  Since this is a water-based product and we are using an all-natural preservative, we are more conservative with our recommendations.

As a note: Consumer demands for longer lasting products have driven the body care industry to adapt and comply, but it comes at a cost. Most body care products need to have a longer shelf life since they may be on the shelf for quite a while before they are sold. In order to make something shelf stable for up to 2 years, especially if it has any water in it at all, it needs to have synthetic chemicals added to it. But, just because the item will not spoil on the shelf, doesn't mean that the active ingredients are still active and/or beneficial when you get it, it just means the product is safe to use. Many of the chemicals added to products are not added for this purpose, but are just cheaper, faster or easier to use.

 

How does Qi Botanics make its soap?

People have been making soap for thousands of years.  The basic recipe is surprisingly still the same, mix fatty acids (fats, oils) with an alkali (soda ash, potash, sodium hydroxide).  Simply put, when the oils and alkali are mixed together, they make soap.  Yep, it is that easy.  What happens after they are mixed together is called saponification, which is from a reaction between the ingredients.  This process allows for 100% of the alkali (sodium hydroxide is used today)to be used up when the soap is fully saponified and cured so there is none left in the finished soap, only the fabulous oils and glycerin. 

The glycerin is one of the best parts about making soap and it is naturally created during the soap making process.  Glycerin is super moisturizing for the skin.  Our skin loves it!   Real soap will contain glycerin.  But, most commercial ‘soaps’ do not.  

 

What type of soap does Qi Botanics make?

We only make cold processed soaps. Once we mix the ingredients, the mixture is poured into molds and left to cure for about 6 to 8 weeks. During the initial stages, right after the soap is poured, the mixture goes through a chemical reaction that typically heats up the soap as things start to saponify.   Many soap makers like this step, called ‘gel phase’, but if things get too hot, you lose the benefits of any herbs, essential oils or extracts in the soaps as they can be destroyed with heat.

We are a bit different in our cold process soap making. We don’t allow our soaps to heat up during the saponification process because we want to keep the temperature as low as possible to protect and preserve as many of the properties of the ingredients as possible.  So, we don’t go through “gel phase”.   The saponification process fully happens, it’s just slower.  We start with all of our oils and sodium hydroxide at room temperature and then refrigerate our molds as soon as they are poured to keep the temperatures low during the entire saponification process.  Some of our soaps, especially the ones with honey in them, have to go into the freezer instead of the refrigerator to keep them even colder during the process so they don’t burn.  This process takes longer but the soap can normally be unmolded after about 48 – 72 hours.  This doesn’t affect the overall cure time so it’s still 6 to 8  weeks before they can be shipped out. Cold process takes longer for sure, but the longer cure times allow for a much harder bar, which last longer. 

 

Why is glycerin so important to have in soap?

Because Glycerin is so moisturizing!  The skin loves it and leaves the skin super soft.  Unfortunately, the commercial ‘soap’ manufacturing companies remove the glycerin from the soap and then sell it to other companies within the cosmetic industry to use as a moisturizing ingredient in other products.  This makes their ‘soap’ not soap at all, it is now a detergent bar which is very irritating, drying and harsh on the skin.  A soap without glycerin will dry out the skin.  Companies are not allowed to label their products as a ‘soap’ if the glycerin has been removed and can only use words like ‘beauty bars’ or ‘bath bars’, but not soap.   Real soap contains glycerin and is a naturally produced substance made during the soap making process.     

 

Why does each soap bar look a little different?

All of our soaps are hand crafted in small batches so there may be some variation in the cosmetic appearance of the soaps from batch to batch.   This makes them unique.  The beautiful colors are naturally occurring from the ingredients we use in the soaps.  Nothing is added to color our soaps.  

 

My soap has a white coating on it, what is it?

Due to the ingredients and the cold process style of soap making we use for our soaps;  a white ash can form on the surface of the soap but will wash off with the first use.  This can be a natural aspect of the soap making process, it is normal and does not affect the quality of the soap.  Personally, we like the look of the ash, but some people may not be used it.  It washes off with the first use and is 100% totally safe.    

 

Do you use Palm Oil or artificial ingredients in the soaps?

NO!  We only use all-natural ingredients for our soaps and we NEVER use Palm oil, artificial colors, additives or fragrances.   

 

My soap is shrinking faster than it should, what do I do?

We recommend keeping your soap dry between uses.  Don’t let the soap stay in the shower and have water dripping on it.  It needs to be kept dry between uses.  Make sure your soap can drain, so don’t let it sit in water.  Check your soap dish to make sure this isn’t happening.  Keeping it dry will help extend the life of the soap.

 

Is Palm Oil used in any of the products?

No, we don’t use Palm Oil, EVER! We have made a conscious decision to NOT use palm oil in any of our soaps or products because it is detrimental to the environment. It is one of the world's leading causes of rain forest destruction, which causes multiple environmental issues. Many of the species living in these environments are severely threatened due to habitat loss, including the orangutan which is now on the brink of extinction. 

For more info on why we don’t use Palm Oil:

Orangutan.org.au

ran.org/palm

 

Why Clean ingredients are so important:

It is so important to use clean natural products on our skin. Our skin is the largest organ in the body, and we need to take care of it. The skin is certainly able to maintain a normal barrier with the outside world, but it is not impenetrable.  While some chemicals are too large to be absorbed through the skin, many are small enough to easily penetrate and make it past the skin’s protective barrier to get into our blood stream and our body. The skin is being used more and more as a way to get medications into the body, via a trans-dermal patch, because the skin is such an effective delivery system. 

Many of the ingredients that are currently used in today’s body care products will make it into the blood stream and the body, so it is extremely important to choose body care products carefully to minimize any possible exposure to unwanted ingredients. 

Did you know that women use an average of 9 to 12 body care products per day and that men use an average of 4 to 6 products per day? Each of these products contain an average of 6 to 15 ingredients. This quickly adds up to quite a few different ingredients that people are being exposed to on a daily basis. Body care products can include soaps, lotions, creams, sunscreens, cleaners, body scrubs, deodorants, shampoos, toothpastes, hair conditioners, shaving creams, make up, etc. 

We may not have control over what we breath in, in terms of toxins, but we do have a choice of what we put on and, in our bodies, so let’s choose wisely.

 

What ingredients to avoid in skin and body care products and why:

Many ingredients used in some of today’s personal care products are known carcinogens, neurotoxins or reproductive toxins, as well as endocrine disruptors.  Endocrine disruptors upset the body’s hormonal balance by mimicking estrogen in the body, which can lead to other issues. We have enough exposure to toxins in our everyday environment, so we don’t need to coat our skin with more personal care products that contain them. 

We NEVER use any synthetic preservatives, additives, synthetics, parabens, phthalates, foaming agents, fragrance, DEA, TEA, butylated compounds (BHA), petroleum derived ingredients, artificial colorants, formaldehyde, sodium lauryl sulfate, coal tar dyes, PEGs, octinoxate, polyacrylaminde, talc, the list goes on and on…

We ONLY use 100% natural ingredients, now and forever. We use high quality herbs, oils, and extracts, most of which are organic.

 

Get Educated… this is your health!

Read past the hype and claims on the front of products. Don’t be fooled by common claims like “Organic”, “herbal”, “non-toxic”, “all natural”, “hypoallergenic”, etc: these claims have no legal meaning since the FDA doesn’t regulate the health claims or labeling for personal care products. As the consumer, it’s up to you to read the ingredient lists to find out exactly what you are using on your body, remembering that those ingredients can end up in your body. 

Please do your research on product ingredients. If you are not using Qi Botanic products, we urge you to read the ingredient list on the products you currently use to make sure they are as clean as possible and don't contain any unwanted ingredients. Remember, the ingredients that are listed at the beginning of the list are those with a larger percentage of the overall content and the items listed towards the end will be the least amount contained in the product. 

There are numerous sites online that will help you become more informed about the chemicals used in body care products. A good place to start is the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics where you can find information on individual ingredients that are used and why certain ones should be avoided. 

You can find a cheat sheet that will make it really easy for you to avoid some of the worst chemicals by using 'The Red List' which will give you the top chemicals to avoid in the most common products. It can be found HERE. 

Another great website is Environmental Working Groups site under the Skin Deep section, which can be found HERE. From this page people can check specific brands to see how they stack up in terms of safety.