WHY USE PETE BOTTLES?
Some plastics such as HDPE and PVC actually have a smell and we did not want any transfer of smell to our product. Since PETE bottles are widely used for bottled water with excellent results, we thought this was the ideal bottle for all our products. Unfortunately 4 Litres are only available in HDPE.
WHAT IS A MASK?
Odor masks are more or less perfumes or fragrances that are often used in hair sprays and hand sanitizers to hide the smell of the alcohol or other harsh ingredient(s) in the product. Unfortunately once the alcohol evaporates you can smell the mask. What is very ironic is that these commercially available products are often labeled "Unscented".
WILL I BE SENSITIVE TO YOUR PRODUCTS?
Possibly. While we look for mild ingredients, we can not know what all individuals are sensitive too and therefore can not make any guarantees with respect to sensitivities or allergies. All our products are free of dyes, fragrances, perfumes and masks. All soaps are vegetable based.
WHAT DOES SLS / SLES FREE MEAN?
SLS stands for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and SLES is Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate. These ingredients would not be in our products. These inexpensive ingredients are widely used in many soaps, detergents and shampoos. Some people are sensitive to sulfates. Some companies claim to be SLS or SLES free since they too moving away from these ingredients but still use sulfates such as TEA-sulfate, ammonium sulfate etc. Esscents Specialty Products are sulfate free.
WHAT DOES AMINE FREE MEAN?
All Esscents Specialty Products products are amine free (no monoethanolamine or MEA, diethanolamine or DEA and triethanolamine or TEA). Amines and their derivatives are inexpensive detergents, thickeners or foam boosters added to various products. Some people are sensitive to amines. The "chemical" smell of some unscented shampoos and hand soaps often comes from the amines since they are not odorless. Cocoamide DEA (from coconut) is a suspected carcinogen.
WHY THE ALLERGY ALERT ON THE SHEA BUTTER CONDITIONER?
Since the Shea butter is derived from a nut and there is little information for nut allergies on shea butter, we are recommending people with nut allergies avoid our Shea Butter Conditionner but rather use our Basic Conditioner. While the chances of allergy to shea is small since few people have been exposed to it, we are erring on the side of caution.
CAN I USE YOUR PRODUCTS DURING E.P.D.?
Our shampoo and hand soap can be used during EPD (Enzyme Potentiated Desensitization). The formulas have been assessed and accepted by Dr McEwen from the UK. However both conditioners should not be used for one week before and three weeks after your EPD shot?
CAN I PAY USING PAYPAL?
Yes, you can pay with confidence using your paypal account.
HOW MUCH IS SHIPPING?
Shipping is largely based on weight and dimensions of the box being shipped. A single box is usually $7.50 or less and two products are $14.50 or less.
ARE YOUR PRODUCTS AVAILABLE IN BULK?
Yes, we have two convenient sizes available for all four products. All are available in 1 litre refill and 4 litre sizes. Both sizes offer some savings over the standard packaging. Please email for prices since not availabe in most retail stores.
11 ARE YOUR PRODUCTS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?
Yes, all products are biodegradable. They are also recommended for all outdoor activities since they will not attract bugs / flies that might be attracted to the smell of fragrances. Hunters will not have any residual odors that animals might detect. Great for the cottage or lake.
12 ARE TRAVEL SIZES AVAILABLE?
Yes, we have recently introduced travel sizes. All of our products are available in 60 ml (2 oz) plastic PETE bottles. Great for traveling and easily fit in your purse or pant pocket. Unscented hand soap is hard to find when traveling so you can take your own. These bottles are approximately double the size found in most hotels.
13 WHERE CAN I BUY YOUR PRODUCTS?
All products can be bought directly off the website under the ORDER tab. Follow the instructions. For retail outlets, click on the LINKS tab then DEALERS to find a retail outlet nearest you.
If you help establish a new retail outlet in your area, you will win a complete set of our products (one each of shampoo, conditioner, conditioner with shea butter and hand and body soap) a value of over $43 including free shipping.
14 IS THERE DYE IN YOUR PRODUCTS?
Absolutely NOT. Our shampoo and hand soap have a natural straw or honey colour due to the nature of the ingredients. While our products do not contain oils, they are vegetable based. Vegetable oils such as coconut, palm, canola or sunflower have a natural straw colour. No colours of any kind are added to our products.
15 WHAT IS PF?
PF simply stands for Paraben Free. The Shampoo PF and Hand and Body Soap PF are now preserved with natural grapefruit seed extract and potassium sorbate. Both products have the same foaming ability and the same "feel" as the original formula.
16 CAN I USE THE HAND AND BODY SOAP ON MY FACE?
The Hand and Body Soap ingredients are very mild and can be used to wash and cleanse the face. So mild in fact that it can be used daily without drying.
17. WHAT CAN I USE AS A MILD UNSCENTED HOUSEHOLD CLEANER?
Our Hand and Body Soap can be used to wash all water safe hard surfaces such as ceramic tile, terrazzo, linoleum, vinyl tiles and hardwood floors. Mix approx 2 - 4 tablespoons (30 - 60 ml) in 1-2 gallons (4-8 litres) of hot water. Not recommended for cleaning carpets.
18. WHAT CAN I USE AS A BATHROOM CLEANER?
While the choices for unscented bathroom or bowl cleaners are practically non existent, there are a few choices. For floors see question #17. For counter tops, glass and mirrors, try using any blue windshield washer (yes the winter one for your car). The blue version is usually unscented and can be used indoors. The summer version usually has a perfume. As for bowl cleaners, not aware of any unscented products and there are no plans to develop one at this time.
19. WHY IS SHAMPOO SILICONE FREE?
Silicones coat the hair, can build up and then weigh the hair down. Silicones are often used in "2 in 1" Shampoos under the name "dimethicone" or sometimes "cyclomethicone". Ingredients with siloxanes are also silicones. They help give the shampoo tangle free properties, sometimes give the hair shine and make combing easier. For optimal results, best to stick with separate Shampoo and Conditioners.
20. WHAT OTHER THINGS ARE SILICONES USED FOR?
Silicones have a lot of uses. Industrial silicones can be used for mould release since not much sticks to silicone or as a lubricant. Hair sprays sometimes use silicone to give the hair shine and ensure a flexible hold. Hair spray is usually easily washed off with shampoo so build up is not likely. Some hand creams use silicones to give a lubricant / slippery feel.
21. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNSCENTED AND FRAGRANCE FREE?
This is can be confusing since a label indicating unscented does not always mean it is scent free. Some products usually hair sprays may be unscented (no fragrance) and yet have an alcohol mask (see FAQ #2). Always read the label to look for ingredients such as "parfum" which is a french word for perfume. Several botanical products may include tea tree, lavender or other natural ingredients that add a significant smell to the product. As a precaution, open the bottle and smell before you buy it especially if you have fragrance allergies. Fragrance free is the term used by other retailers to indicate no smell. All Esscents products are scent free (no parfum or fragrance) and have virtually no odor.
22. Do you have an unscented shaving cream?
Not at this time. This is a hard product to find since many botanical products have a smell. However, you can use our Hand and Body Soap to create a luxurious lather. Mix the soap with equal amounts of water, lather with a shaving brush and apply to face. Shave as usual.
23. Can I use your hand and body lotion on my face?
Yes our lotion can be used on all body parts including your face and of course down to your feet.
Some plastics such as HDPE and PVC actually have a smell and we did not want any transfer of smell to our product. Since PETE bottles are widely used for bottled water with excellent results, we thought this was the ideal bottle for all our products. Unfortunately 4 Litres are only available in HDPE.
WHAT IS A MASK?
Odor masks are more or less perfumes or fragrances that are often used in hair sprays and hand sanitizers to hide the smell of the alcohol or other harsh ingredient(s) in the product. Unfortunately once the alcohol evaporates you can smell the mask. What is very ironic is that these commercially available products are often labeled "Unscented".
WILL I BE SENSITIVE TO YOUR PRODUCTS?
Possibly. While we look for mild ingredients, we can not know what all individuals are sensitive too and therefore can not make any guarantees with respect to sensitivities or allergies. All our products are free of dyes, fragrances, perfumes and masks. All soaps are vegetable based.
WHAT DOES SLS / SLES FREE MEAN?
SLS stands for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and SLES is Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate. These ingredients would not be in our products. These inexpensive ingredients are widely used in many soaps, detergents and shampoos. Some people are sensitive to sulfates. Some companies claim to be SLS or SLES free since they too moving away from these ingredients but still use sulfates such as TEA-sulfate, ammonium sulfate etc. Esscents Specialty Products are sulfate free.
WHAT DOES AMINE FREE MEAN?
All Esscents Specialty Products products are amine free (no monoethanolamine or MEA, diethanolamine or DEA and triethanolamine or TEA). Amines and their derivatives are inexpensive detergents, thickeners or foam boosters added to various products. Some people are sensitive to amines. The "chemical" smell of some unscented shampoos and hand soaps often comes from the amines since they are not odorless. Cocoamide DEA (from coconut) is a suspected carcinogen.
WHY THE ALLERGY ALERT ON THE SHEA BUTTER CONDITIONER?
Since the Shea butter is derived from a nut and there is little information for nut allergies on shea butter, we are recommending people with nut allergies avoid our Shea Butter Conditionner but rather use our Basic Conditioner. While the chances of allergy to shea is small since few people have been exposed to it, we are erring on the side of caution.
CAN I USE YOUR PRODUCTS DURING E.P.D.?
Our shampoo and hand soap can be used during EPD (Enzyme Potentiated Desensitization). The formulas have been assessed and accepted by Dr McEwen from the UK. However both conditioners should not be used for one week before and three weeks after your EPD shot?
CAN I PAY USING PAYPAL?
Yes, you can pay with confidence using your paypal account.
HOW MUCH IS SHIPPING?
Shipping is largely based on weight and dimensions of the box being shipped. A single box is usually $7.50 or less and two products are $14.50 or less.
ARE YOUR PRODUCTS AVAILABLE IN BULK?
Yes, we have two convenient sizes available for all four products. All are available in 1 litre refill and 4 litre sizes. Both sizes offer some savings over the standard packaging. Please email for prices since not availabe in most retail stores.
11 ARE YOUR PRODUCTS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?
Yes, all products are biodegradable. They are also recommended for all outdoor activities since they will not attract bugs / flies that might be attracted to the smell of fragrances. Hunters will not have any residual odors that animals might detect. Great for the cottage or lake.
12 ARE TRAVEL SIZES AVAILABLE?
Yes, we have recently introduced travel sizes. All of our products are available in 60 ml (2 oz) plastic PETE bottles. Great for traveling and easily fit in your purse or pant pocket. Unscented hand soap is hard to find when traveling so you can take your own. These bottles are approximately double the size found in most hotels.
13 WHERE CAN I BUY YOUR PRODUCTS?
All products can be bought directly off the website under the ORDER tab. Follow the instructions. For retail outlets, click on the LINKS tab then DEALERS to find a retail outlet nearest you.
If you help establish a new retail outlet in your area, you will win a complete set of our products (one each of shampoo, conditioner, conditioner with shea butter and hand and body soap) a value of over $43 including free shipping.
14 IS THERE DYE IN YOUR PRODUCTS?
Absolutely NOT. Our shampoo and hand soap have a natural straw or honey colour due to the nature of the ingredients. While our products do not contain oils, they are vegetable based. Vegetable oils such as coconut, palm, canola or sunflower have a natural straw colour. No colours of any kind are added to our products.
15 WHAT IS PF?
PF simply stands for Paraben Free. The Shampoo PF and Hand and Body Soap PF are now preserved with natural grapefruit seed extract and potassium sorbate. Both products have the same foaming ability and the same "feel" as the original formula.
16 CAN I USE THE HAND AND BODY SOAP ON MY FACE?
The Hand and Body Soap ingredients are very mild and can be used to wash and cleanse the face. So mild in fact that it can be used daily without drying.
17. WHAT CAN I USE AS A MILD UNSCENTED HOUSEHOLD CLEANER?
Our Hand and Body Soap can be used to wash all water safe hard surfaces such as ceramic tile, terrazzo, linoleum, vinyl tiles and hardwood floors. Mix approx 2 - 4 tablespoons (30 - 60 ml) in 1-2 gallons (4-8 litres) of hot water. Not recommended for cleaning carpets.
18. WHAT CAN I USE AS A BATHROOM CLEANER?
While the choices for unscented bathroom or bowl cleaners are practically non existent, there are a few choices. For floors see question #17. For counter tops, glass and mirrors, try using any blue windshield washer (yes the winter one for your car). The blue version is usually unscented and can be used indoors. The summer version usually has a perfume. As for bowl cleaners, not aware of any unscented products and there are no plans to develop one at this time.
19. WHY IS SHAMPOO SILICONE FREE?
Silicones coat the hair, can build up and then weigh the hair down. Silicones are often used in "2 in 1" Shampoos under the name "dimethicone" or sometimes "cyclomethicone". Ingredients with siloxanes are also silicones. They help give the shampoo tangle free properties, sometimes give the hair shine and make combing easier. For optimal results, best to stick with separate Shampoo and Conditioners.
20. WHAT OTHER THINGS ARE SILICONES USED FOR?
Silicones have a lot of uses. Industrial silicones can be used for mould release since not much sticks to silicone or as a lubricant. Hair sprays sometimes use silicone to give the hair shine and ensure a flexible hold. Hair spray is usually easily washed off with shampoo so build up is not likely. Some hand creams use silicones to give a lubricant / slippery feel.
21. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNSCENTED AND FRAGRANCE FREE?
This is can be confusing since a label indicating unscented does not always mean it is scent free. Some products usually hair sprays may be unscented (no fragrance) and yet have an alcohol mask (see FAQ #2). Always read the label to look for ingredients such as "parfum" which is a french word for perfume. Several botanical products may include tea tree, lavender or other natural ingredients that add a significant smell to the product. As a precaution, open the bottle and smell before you buy it especially if you have fragrance allergies. Fragrance free is the term used by other retailers to indicate no smell. All Esscents products are scent free (no parfum or fragrance) and have virtually no odor.
22. Do you have an unscented shaving cream?
Not at this time. This is a hard product to find since many botanical products have a smell. However, you can use our Hand and Body Soap to create a luxurious lather. Mix the soap with equal amounts of water, lather with a shaving brush and apply to face. Shave as usual.
23. Can I use your hand and body lotion on my face?
Yes our lotion can be used on all body parts including your face and of course down to your feet.
