Here you will find answers to our most frequently asked questions. Please feel free to Contact Us with any question you have not seen the answer to on this page. Also, check our Terms and Conditions, as it contains many answers to frequently asked questions.
Q. Do you ship internationally?
A. Yes, we ship only by DHL to most countries worldwide. We do not ship to Mexico, Cuba, North Korea, Russia and a few other countries. Please refer to our Shipping Page for additional information.
Q. What is essential oil for aromatherapy?
A. Aromatherapy uses natural oils from plants, like flowers, bark, and leaves, to improve mental and physical health. People believe that breathing in the scent of essential oils can help the brain work better. Essential oils can also be absorbed by the skin, where they can promote healing throughout the body. This form of alternative medicine is becoming more popular. People use essential oils for many reasons, such as relieving pain, boosting mood, and enhancing thinking. Our descriptions of each essential oil, absolute, and Co2 extract include information about their aromatherapy uses, general uses, and any contraindications.
Q. Do you offer sample sizes of essential oil?
A. We offer 1 mL and/or 1 gram vials of our 100% pure essential oils, absolutes, Co2, and carrier oils. A small sample is an excellent way to familiarize yourself with the product before purchasing a larger size. We hand pour all oils, so please allow additional processing time when ordering more than six samples.
Q. Do you give free samples?
A. YES! Free essential oil samples are supplied for conducting olfactory evaluation before making a future purchase. Please see our Free Sample Policy page for more information and examples.
Q. How do I contact Lotus Garden Botanicals customer support?
A. Please refer to our Contact Us page. Our friendly and knowledgeable customer service department stands ready to assist you with our essential oils and aromatherapy products. You may also phone us at 207-685-0167 for assistance M-F between 9:30 AM-4:30 PM EST.
Q. Can customer support provide blending recommendations when purchasing essential oils?
A. For perfumery yes. For aroma-therapeutic purposes we recommend you contact a certified aromatherapist or other health care professional local to yourself. We also have our downloadable Harmonious Blends Chart located at the bottom of this page.
Q. How do I make appropriate calculations for blending or diluting essential oil, absolute oil, or Co2 extracts?
A. EASY, go to our Essential Oil Blending Charts page here as a resource to assist you with making calculations.
Q. Do you accept returns?
A. Due to the hygienic nature of most of our products, we cannot accept these items for return once the hygienic seal has been opened. We do not accept Hydrosol returns. For non-hygienic products, our return period lasts 30 days. If it has been more than 30 days since your purchase, we can not offer you a refund or an exchange. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for claims arising from products received damaged during transit and products of a non-hygienic nature.
Q. How soon will you ship my order?
A. We hand-pour essential oils and a wide variety of aromatherapy products. Some essential oils, Co2 extracts, and Absolutes are very thick and must be gently warmed in order for us to hand-pour them to order. These oils may require 2-3 days from purchase before they are ready to ship. Please refer to our Shipping Policy for detailed information, which is also contained within our Terms and Conditions.
Q. Can I buy shipping insurance for my order?
A. Yes. USPS and UPS automatically cover orders up to $100.00. An option to purchase additional insurance with orders over $100.00 is provided. During the winter holidays, when couriers are overloaded, insurance is mandatory and automatically added to all orders over $500.00. International shipments are offered insurance during checkout.
Q. How do I make a purchase using PayPal?
A. Click on the PayPal button from the shopping cart to complete your purchase. You will automatically be taken to the PayPal website, where you complete payment.
Q. Can I place my order over the phone?
A. We accept telephone orders Monday-Friday, 9:30A-4:30P, EST at 1-207-685-0167. We do not charge a fee to quickly place a telephone order. Please have a list of all products to be purchased compiled and ready to provide staff when calling to place a telephone order.
Q. What is the difference between a fragrance oil & pure essential oil?
A. A fragrance oil is a lab created synthetic to mimic an original aroma. A pure essential oil is not synthetic, is natural and derived from particular plant parts, such as its flowers, bark, leaves, seeds or roots. We do not offer synthetic fragrance oil.
A. Aromatherapy uses natural oils from plants, like flowers, bark, and leaves, to improve mental and physical health. People believe that breathing in the scent of essential oils can help the brain work better. Essential oils can also be absorbed by the skin, where they can promote healing throughout the body. This form of alternative medicine is becoming more popular. People use essential oils for many reasons, such as relieving pain, boosting mood, and enhancing thinking. Our descriptions of each essential oil, absolute, and Co2 extract include information about their aromatherapy uses, general uses, and any contraindications.
Q. Do you offer sample sizes of essential oil?
A. We offer 1 mL and/or 1 gram vials of our 100% pure essential oils, absolutes, Co2, and carrier oils. A small sample is an excellent way to familiarize yourself with the product before purchasing a larger size. We hand pour all oils, so please allow additional processing time when ordering more than six samples.
Q. Do you give free samples?
A. YES! Free essential oil samples are supplied for conducting olfactory evaluation before making a future purchase. Please see our Free Sample Policy page for more information and examples.
Q. Do you offer Gift Cards?
A. YES! We offer e-Gift Cards from $25 up to $1500 that can be the best choice when unsure of selecting specific aromatic products for a gift. Select from our e-Gift cards.
Q. How do I contact Lotus Garden Botanicals customer support?
A. Please refer to our Contact Us page. Our friendly and knowledgeable customer service department stands ready to assist you with our essential oils and aromatherapy products. You may also phone us at 207-685-0167 for assistance M-F between 9:30 AM-4:30 PM EST.
Q. Can customer support provide blending recommendations when purchasing essential oils?
A. For perfumery yes. For aroma-therapeutic purposes we recommend you contact a certified aromatherapist or other health care professional local to yourself. We also have our downloadable Harmonious Blends Chart located at the bottom of this page.
Q. How do I make appropriate calculations for blending or diluting essential oil, absolute oil, or Co2 extracts?
A. EASY, go to our Essential Oil Blending Charts page here as a resource to assist you with making calculations.
Q. Do you accept returns?
A. Due to the hygienic nature of most of our products, we cannot accept these items for return once the hygienic seal has been opened. We do not accept Hydrosol returns. For non-hygienic products, our return period lasts 30 days. If it has been more than 30 days since your purchase, we can not offer you a refund or an exchange. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for claims arising from products received damaged during transit and products of a non-hygienic nature.
Q. How soon will you ship my order?
A. We hand-pour essential oils and a wide variety of aromatherapy products. Some essential oils, Co2 extracts, and Absolutes are very thick and must be gently warmed in order for us to hand-pour them to order. These oils may require 2-3 days from purchase before they are ready to ship. Please refer to our Shipping Policy for detailed information, which is also contained within our Terms and Conditions.
Q. Can I buy shipping insurance for my order?
A. Yes. USPS and UPS automatically cover orders up to $100.00. An option to purchase additional insurance with orders over $100.00 is provided. During the winter holidays, when couriers are overloaded, insurance is mandatory and automatically added to all orders over $500.00. International shipments are offered insurance during checkout.
Q. What happens if my order arrives damaged?
A. Do not throw out the shipping box. Take detailed photos showing the condition of the box and its contents when delivered. Contact the courier to initiate a claim and notify us when you have done so. Our policy for goods received damaged is located within our Terms and Conditions.
A. Do not throw out the shipping box. Take detailed photos showing the condition of the box and its contents when delivered. Contact the courier to initiate a claim and notify us when you have done so. Our policy for goods received damaged is located within our Terms and Conditions.
Q. How do I make a purchase using PayPal?
A. Click on the PayPal button from the shopping cart to complete your purchase. You will automatically be taken to the PayPal website, where you complete payment.
Q. Can I place my order over the phone?
A. We accept telephone orders Monday-Friday, 9:30A-4:30P, EST at 1-207-685-0167. We do not charge a fee to quickly place a telephone order. Please have a list of all products to be purchased compiled and ready to provide staff when calling to place a telephone order.
Q. What is the difference between a fragrance oil & pure essential oil?
A. A fragrance oil is a lab created synthetic to mimic an original aroma. A pure essential oil is not synthetic, is natural and derived from particular plant parts, such as its flowers, bark, leaves, seeds or roots. We do not offer synthetic fragrance oil.
Q. I will pay by personal check. How do I ensure you receive my payment?
A. At one time we accepted checks, we no longer accept this form of payment. Additional payment information can be found in our Terms and Conditions.
Q. Why do you list certified organic for some products with no display of organic symbol (logo)?
A. Many of our products noted Certified Organic have been certified by either:
International 3rd party agency (EcoCert®); and/or,
NOP (National Organic Program-USDA) by worldwide suppliers who hold the particular certification.
*Lotus Garden Botanicals is not yet certified as a USDA-certified organic reseller (handler). When we resell an oil noted as certified organic, it loses its organic status because we do not have official USDA organic reseller (handler) certification. If your formulation requires organic certification paperwork, we are not currently the supplier for you. When we note that a product is certified organic, it was organically grown and produced by a certified organic producer. Still, when we open the canister, it was shipped in, its organic certification is lost, and we cannot pass on any official organic certification documents. We are preparing for the possibility of obtaining certification in the future.
Some of our oils are from organically grown crops and processed by remote organic farmers. Although they adhere to organic farming practices, many of these small farmers/distillers simply do not have the resources to pay for organic certification. Becoming certified is an extremely costly process and one that smaller farms in remote areas find difficult to pursue given the already high cost they endure to grow and process their plants by organic methods.
Q. Do you offer health care professional discounts?
A. YES! We are pleased to extend a 17% professional discount to those using essential oil and essential oil products in their health care practice. Please contact us for application information and requirements. You will be asked to submit a copy of your current license, so please make sure you have this before contacting us.
Q. I am studying for aromatherapy certification. Do you offer a student discount?
A. If you have documentation of your currently enrolled status in the aromatherapy certification study, you can submit it to us by email to [email protected] for consideration to receive a student discount.
Q. How do I obtain a catalog?
A. Our products change batch/lot dates too frequently to provide an up-to-date catalog. You may find our Product Index to be quite useful in the place of a catalog.
Q. I can't find where to leave a product review. Where is it?
A. We accept product reviews from verified buyers only. To leave a product review, you must first log in to your customer account. If you checked out as a guest, you must set up a customer account and then email us so we can link your previous purchase to your customer account. The image below may be helpful as a guide.
Q. Is shelf life exact?
A. No. We provide shelf life dates noted as 'Minimum Shelf Life' on applicable product pages. Minimum Shelf Life refers to the least (not most) amount of time based on the production date. This date should not be construed to represent an exact expiration date. Many products are still within usable limits far beyond the listed minimum shelf life period, particularly when stored and handled with the utmost care and caution as we do at Lotus Garden Botanicals. To increase the shelf life of purchased products, we suggest customers store in optimum conditions, void of direct light, keep cool or refrigerate, and limit exposure to air. Always keep caps tightly closed when not in use.
Q. Where do I find technical documents such as GCMS or COA's?
A. You can now view, download, print any of our documents by opening it from the green tab on each product page.
Image: GCMS-Tab to Click on
Q. Where do I enter a discount/coupon code?
A. We have two places to enter a discount code that can be used either in the shopping cart or on the final checkout page. Either place can be used to enter the code. You do not need to enter it on both, it is up to you where you enter it. The following images will show you exactly where to enter the code. Images A, B, and C relate to entering it while viewing your shopping cart. Image D shows where to enter it when on the final checkout page.
