Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Grace of Me products made?
We make all of our products in the USA. Our natural ingredients are sourced from all over the world. Where possible, we purchase raw ingredients from large brands who manufacture or package the raw ingredients in the USA, Canada, Western Europe, or the UK - regions where quality standards are very high. We support the use of sustainable growing and harvesting practices and source from suppliers that value human & labor rights. Some of our products use RESPO palm oil. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RESPO) promotes the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards. All of our products are shipped from the Maine coast about 2 hours north of Boston.
Are there ever discount codes or coupons?
No. We use neither. Pricing is the same on all channels (e.g. Walmart, Amazon, Ebay, etc.).
What is your return policy?
Our return period is 30 days from the purchase date for domestic orders (e.g. orders shipped inside the USA).
Do you ship outside of the USA?
Yes. We ship to most countries. We exclude regions that have lots of fraud and where shipping carriers have high rates of poor delivery.
How quickly will my item ship?
We process waves of orders throughout the day and ship Monday - Saturday. The official cutoff time for shipping is 3:00 pm Eastern every day. In practice, most everything received before 6:00 pm is shipped the same day. Shipping carriers are closed on major holidays. Orders originate from Portland, Maine. You'll receive a tracking number by email once we've processed your order.
How do I track my package?
Log in to the store to view orders and check the status of your shipment(s). If you deleted or did not receive an email with tracking information, contact us and we'll be glad to help.
Do you have a storefront? Can I buy in person?
Grace of Me product is available on popular Internet-based marketplaces (e.g. Walmart, Amazon, Ebay, Etsy, and Bonanza). We do not operate retail walk-in stores.
How can I add a gifting option to my order?
Our products make great gifts! We do not offer any gifting options on the graceofme.com website at this time. If you'd like to send Grace of Me products as a gift, your best option is to order by phone at 1-800-827-3730. We support gifting on orders placed at Etsy.com.
Are Grace of Me cleansing products natural?
We favor ingredients derived from nature. We don't use artificial fragrances or colors. We do not use ingredients deemed unsafe by The Environmental Working Group (EWG). We don't use ingredients derived from animals or insects with the exception of goats milk, honey, and beeswax. Nothing is tested on animals. Most products are free from sulfates, MPG, parabens, and PEG. We support sustainable growing and harvesting. We do our best to always source from suppliers that value human life and pay fair wages. We believe that the climate is changing and that humans should make an effort to protect our planet for future generations.
A natural product is a chemical compound/substance, generated by living organisms found in nature. Soaps don't meet the strict 'natural product' definition because they're manufactured using modern techniques. That said, our products are as natural as possible - made from less with nothing extra, because less matters.
Are the products cruelty free?
Grace of Me products are not tested on animals, nor do they contain any animal ingredients (with the exception several products that contain honey and/or beeswax). All of our products are cruelty free. We are passionately committed to producing only cruelty-free products.
Are Grace of Me products sulfate-free?
Some Grace of Me branded products contain sulfates (they are: Grace of Me Milk & Honey Soap, Grace of Me Lavender Flower Soap, and Grace of Me Shampoo Bars). The offending ingredient in these Grace of Me products is sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). We have optimized these formulas to ensure both safety and efficacy. We believe that the use of SLES in these products is safe. And we're not alone - thousands of brands safely use SLES.
When does my product expire?
All of our soaps have a shelf life of 3 years from the date of production while unopened. After shampoo/soap has been opened, we recommend using it within 6 months. Shampoo bars are incredibly long-lasting, but, bars will dry-out and crack with age in certain conditions. Most all shampoo bars are engineered for 3 years of shelf life. It's the industry standard. We set our expiration date to less than 3 years.
Always store soap and shampoo bars in dry and cool conditions.
Why does my shampoo bar sweat or weep?
Sweating is simply a phenomenon that happens between moisture and a humectant. The humectant is typically glycerin. Glycerin is a natural byproduct of saponification and it is sometimes added as a moisturizing agent. Glycerin in soap (and shampoo bars) attracts moisture from the air which form on the surface of the soaps - this is so-called soap 'sweating'. The moisture is not coming from inside the soap or shampoo. This is moisture from the air being attracted by the glycerin in the soap. The more humid the environment, the more likely the humectant will attract moisture on to the surface. Sweating is not an alarming phenomenon. There's only one way to prevent sweating. Lower the humidity by using an air conditioner or dehumidifier. If it's really humid, just let the bar sweat.
Why is your soap less expensive than many of your competitors?
We set out from the onset to be reach as many customers as possible. Our mission is NOT to get rich. Affordably is paramount to reaching everyone. We use the highest-grade ingredients and work hard to manufacture quality efficacious products.
Is your packaging ink petroleum based?
Most pigments used to print packaging are derived from petroleum. We use plant based inks. The black offset ink used to print our packaging is Algae Ink made by LivingInk.co. The ink has a negative carbon footprint.
Is your packaging eco friendly?
This is a complicated subject. We think, yes.
Our normal shampoo bar packaging is made from kraft paper with an inner plant-based PLA lining (ASTM D6400 certified). PLA stands for polylactic acid. It is made from sugar (corn starch, cassava, sugar cane, or sugar beet). ASTM D6400 certifies that the PLA is compostable in municipal and industrial aerobic composting facilities. Check locally to make sure your industrial waste facility handles this compostable material. PLA is not for typical backyard composting. To biodegrade, PLA requires oxygen, a temperature of 140+ degrees, and a 2/3 cocktail of organic substrate. Collectively, these are absent in any scenario outside of industrial composting facilities. PLA is recyclable, biodegradable and compostable. But that doesn’t mean the ocean — or the natural environment — can easily handle PLA. In the wild, it takes ~100 years for PLA to decompose.
We package the bars in a sealed PLA bag to prevent sweating in humid conditions and to make the packaging tamper-proof. The PLA bag will being to breakdown in ideal warm humid conditions. It important to store your unopened shampoo bars in cool/dry conditions.
We offer an eco packaged version of our shampoo bars on Etsy. We consider this packaging type to be loose. Buying loose means that you are buying unwrapped goods. We'll place the shampoo bars into a glassine bag for shipping after the purchase.
Glassine is a smooth and glossy paper that is air, water, and grease resistant. Glassine is a smooth, translucent paper made from a manufacturing process called supercalendering. Paper pulp is beaten to break down the fibers. After pressing and drying, the paper web is passed through a stack of hard pressure rollers. Glassine is not coated with wax, paraffin, silicone or any other substance. Glassine paper is 100% recyclable and can be composted in your backyard. Store your unopened eco-packed shampoo bars in cool/dry conditions.