Frequently Asked Questions
SKINCARE
What is a full skin care routine?
A full skin care routine begins with an effective cleanser to completely wash your face. After cleansing, use a toner to remove excess dirt and oils off your face. After toning comes application of serums and eye treatments, and then use a cream or moisturizer. Finish your routine with an SPF - always!
What are the benefits of the Retinol Serum, Vitamin C Serum and Hyaluronic Acid Serum?
Retinol is made from vitamin A, and it's in many non-prescription skin care products. Retinol's stronger counterpart is tretinoin, which is the active ingredient in Retin-A and Renova, available by prescription only. If your skin is too sensitive to use Retin-A, retinol is an alternative. Retinol is used to improve mottled pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, skin texture, and skin tone and color.
Vitamin C helps to minimize fine lines, scars, and wrinkles. It's the only antioxidant that is proven to boost production of collagen, which is a key part of skin's structure. Hyaluronic acid is often used with vitamin C products to assist in effective absorption.
Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally (and quite abundantly) in people and animals and is found in young skin, other tissues, and joint fluid. Hyaluronic acid is part of the body's connective tissues, and is known to cushion and lubricate. Aging destroys hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acids are most frequently used to treat wrinkled skin although they don't replace anything the body has naturally lost. It is a very effective moisturizer.
In what order should I use Vitamin C Serum, Hyaluronic Acid Serum, and Retinol Serum?
In the mornings after cleansing and toning, apply the Vitamin C Serum and allow to dry. Next, apply the Hyaluronic Acid Serum and allow to dry again. Then follow with your moisturizer, cream, eye treatment and sunscreen.
In the evenings, you may repeat this process (cleanse, tone, Vitamin C Serum, Hyaluronic Acid Serum), and add Retinol Serum after applying Hyaluronic Acid. Because Retinol is a strong product, we recommend incrementally building Retinol usage to allow your skin to develop tolerance for the product. Apply the serum in the evenings 1-2 times a week when beginning to use retinol, then add in days as weeks pass and your skin’s tolerance increases.
Can I use Retinol Serum During the day?
It is essential to remember to only use the retinol serum in the evenings as exposure to sunlight will cause the product to deteriorate and may cause irritation. Retinol is a powerfully effective product if used correctly so the best thing you can do for your skin while using retinol treatments is to keep it moisturized, hydrated, and always shielded with SPF!
Can I use the Retinol Day Cream and Retinol Serum together?
It is important to remember not to over use Retinol. It is a very powerful ingredient that can lead to skin irritation if used incorrectly. If you are using Retinol Day Cream in the mornings, then do not use Retinol Serum in the evenings.
How much serum should I use?
Our serums are concentrated and potent. Only 3-5 drops are needed.
What are the effects of topically applying vitamins on my skin?
Vitamins are used in our products primarily to provide antioxidant defense against free radicals.
The incidence of these reactive, airborne compounds is growing, and when they attach to your skin they oxidize, causing damage. A simple analogy is a sliced apple. Left unprotected, the flesh of the apple quickly turns brown as it reacts with the air, but lemon juice (a potent antioxidant) squeezed over the apple will dramatically slow this process.
While providing anti-oxidant protection, some vitamins can also assist in hydrating and softening the skin.
Do I really need to tone my skin after cleansing?
Yes! Toning after cleansing is one of the most important parts of your daily skin care routine, because toner lowers the skins pH level, calms the skin and helps prepare it for any of the day creams, night creams or serums that will follow. It helps to balance the skin after cleansing and before applying a moisturizing cream.
Hydrosols such as orange blossom or rose water make excellent toners because they are totally natural and bring you great skin-conditioning benefits
Is there a difference between the 72% organic Vitamin C Serum and the 76% Organic?
For those of you who have been a part of the Eve Hansen family long enough to remember and have used our 72% organic Vitamin C Serum, you might notice a difference in serum consistency and labeling with new orders of Vitamin C Serum. Eve Hansen as a company upgraded slightly our formula to be more effective and made it 76% organic versus 72%. This is why you’re seeing a difference in the consistency and texture of the serum, but they are still essentially the same premium ingredients – just a different formulation.
OILS
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are extracted from different plants, mainly through a process called steam distillation. In this process, a plant is placed in a device over heated water. As steam forms, it passes through the plant and the “essential compounds” vaporize and condense back into a liquid. Essential refers to the core or beneficial properties of the plant. It can also refer to the fact that these oils can be used in so many different ways, from facial creams to massage oils to cleaning products. They have properties that can help with fatigue, stress, nausea and acne, just to name a few. Most essential oils are clear, but some oils, such as patchouli, orange and lemongrass, are amber or yellow in color.
What is the difference between a high quality pure essential oil and the synthetic counterpart?
A pure essential oil is 100% true to the plant from which it is sourced. It is a pure plant extract; a volatile liquid taken from a single botanical source mostly extracted by steam distillation. A fragrant synthetic oil is made by blending synthetic chemical compounds in a laboratory in an endeavor to duplicate the texture and scent of the pure essential oil. The end result is an oil which is not recognized or used by those seeking to benefit from essential oils or to practice the principles of Aromatherapy.
Why are some oils so much more expensive than others?
Essential oils are aromatic extracts from specific plant parts such as petal, heartwood, peel, stem etc. There is only a very small amount of oil in the plant part from which the oil is taken. Some oils such as Eucalyptus produce a high yield of oil whereas Rosa Damascena (Rose) requires 30 rose heads to produce 1 drop of pure essential oil. Hence the cost of pure Rose makes it an investment and a worthwhile one at that.
Other factors which contribute to the final delivery and price of pure essential oils include cultivation, farming methods, distillation and finally storage.
What is the shelf life of essential oils?
The shelf life of an essential oil varies as oxygen, heat and light affect the overall degradation of the oil, so storage is critical to its preservation. For example, Orange oxidizes very quickly and has a shelf life of about 18-24 months while Patchouli which is thick and viscose gets better with age. Pure essential oils have expiry dates recorded on the bottle. Despite this date, use your own judgment before discarding an expired oil. You just may be discarding a perfectly good oil which has matured over time!
What are the commonly used carrier oils?
Below is a list of carrier oils and their specific benefits. Some are better geared to certain skin types and conditions.
Almond: One of the most useful, practical and widely used oils. Soothes, softens and re- hydrates the skin in face and body care lotions and potions.
Argan Oil: Excellent skin moisturizer for both sensitive and prematurely aged skin. It is extremely rich in beneficial nutrients including fatty acids and vitamin E. Its properties make it particularly beneficial for both hair and skin
Castor: Used for acne, scar treatment and to minimize the signs of aging. Treats shingles, calluses and athlete’s foot. Wonderful hair thickener and conditioner.
Grapeseed: Quickly absorbs into the skin. Doesn’t leave a greasy film. It has hypo-allergenic properties making it suited for allergy prone or sensitive skin.
Jojoba: Close to the natural sebum of the skin, Jojoba makes a perfect moisturizer for all skin types. It’s very effective in treating psoriasis, eczema, sunburn and chapped skin.
Sunflower: Easily absorbed into the skin, sunflower is well suited to treating dry, aged and weathered skin.
Is there a difference in the extraction process of carrier oils and essential oils?
Our essential oils are steam distilled, while our carrier oils are cold pressed.
Will plant extracts make my skin oily?
Botanical oils closely resemble human skin in terms of their physical and chemical composition. This means formulations containing these extracts are easily absorbed by the skin.
There are three key types of plant extracts we use in our products: freeze-dried extracts, steam and CO2 extracted oils and crushed or total extracted oils.
All of the oils obtained by these methods are light and grease-less (and more volatile) when compared to synthetic mineral oils.
WHOLESALE
Can I make a wholesale account with Eve Hansen?
We currently do not have a wholesale program in place, but we do offer a 30% discount on orders over $1,000. If this is something that is of interest to you, please reach out to us at support@evehansen.com, and we will give you the code to apply during checkout.