Earthsong Botanicals

Are your soaps made with lye? TOP
Yes. Soap cannot be made without lye. However, there is no lye remaining in the finished product. In the soap making process, lye is combined with water and oils, which causes a chemical process called saponification, to take place. This process results in the soap you use.

Are your products all natural? TOP
Our products are as natural as we can make them while still having them be attractive and--most importantly--safe for your use. For consumer safety, we insist on chemical preservatives in our lotions, sprays and some other products. Preservatives inhibit the growth of bacteria and mold which may otherwise be present. No preservatives would mean the need for refrigeration, reduced shelf life and would not be cost effective for you, the consumer. So far, effective natural preservatives are not available and products other than soap, that contain water but no preservatives, are just not safe. We do use fragrance oils and FD&C colorants in some products; however, we never use alcohol, fillers or artificial foam enhancers. We believe our products to be the best of both worlds!

Can herbal remedies replace the medicine I'm taking? TOP
Mankind has used herbal remedies for millennia and there are cultures that still use them exclusively. Herbal remedies are extremely effective for a good many ailments but they are not necessarily intended to replace allopathic medicine. Please consult your doctor before discontinuing any medication or starting any herbal protocol.

Are herbal remedies safe, especially for children? TOP
Herbal remedies are quite safe, however there can be exceptions. Any safety issues would be addressed under each product listing. If you ever have any questions or concerns about any product, please send us an email and we will be happy to help. As with any substance, if you are pregnant or nursing please consult your practitioner before using.

The short answer is, not always. The longer explanation is this: much of our soap is made with a certain amount of animal fat. Lard, to be specific. For several different reasons. The first and most important being that lard makes a wonderful, conditioning, hard bar of soap, with absolutely no "piggy" odor whatsoever. The second part of the reason is because lard is here. As long as there are meat eaters, it will be available for use. We feel like we're helping to reduce potential waste by utilizing a product that, in our health concious society, serves very little other purpose. In our minds, it's a perk that lard helps make such an outstanding bar of soap! We also use beeswax in some products.

Do you take special orders? TOP
We are always happy to talk with you concerning special needs and requests. It is possible that we may ask that certain requirements be met, such as a minimum order for a soap scent we don't normally carry, but we're easy to work with, so let us know if there's something you don't see on our site. It may be something that others have also expressed interest in and could be a future addition to our current product line.

Due to the limitations of my cart, I've figured shipping as close as I can to actual costs. It comes out pretty close--usually within $.75. The worst case scenario is if by chance you order only one item--for example a tube of lip balm or a cuticle butter. Shipping is high in that instance, but if you send me an email about it, I am willing to put the item in a padded envelope and paypal you an invoice. I'm very easy to work with!

When can I expect my order? TOP
I ship on the Monday following the day I recieve your order. So if receive it on a Monday, it would be shipped out the following Monday. In most cases, I ship priority mail, the only exception being if you have emailed me previously and arranged to have me invoice you through PayPal and have requested another form of shipment. I think that Priority is supposed to have a 3-5 day delivery time and it's anyone's guess about how long it takes First Class mail to be delivered! Plan on extra delays through the post office during the holidays.

I live in town...can I just pick my order up? TOP
Definitely! This is addressed on the home page--when you get to the checkout portion of the shopping cart, just select "local pickup" and then send me an email, telling me when you'd like to pick your order up.