Welcome to Diana's F. A. Q.

This is the website for my little Hubbard, Ohio Vintage & Gift Shop

Here are answers to some Frequently Asked Questions

What makes "Diana's" handmade soap so special & why is the weight approximate?

Due to evaporation, some loss of weight is to be expected of handmade soaps.    It is difficult to gauge as you have to factor in your soap formula, humidity, amount of time,  etcetera.       
The store-bought soaps don't have the ingredients - qualities - nor the benefits of a good handmade soap so they don't have to worry about shrinkage and can state the exact weight of their products.   That is their only claim to fame however.  

One of the reasons that store-bought soaps tend to strip the skin of its natural oils is because these commercial "soaps" (more aptly called detergents) have the natural glycerin removed from them.  This is why these products are sometimes very irritating (and aging) to the skin.  These "soaps" also usually contain artificial ingredients such as fragrance oils, "perfumes" and dyes.

My handmade soaps are left intact and do not contain artificial additives. My handmade soaps are loved because of their extra oils, their luxurious qualities, their herbal combinations, and the fact that they are usually well tolerated (even welcomed) by our sensitive skin.  

For those with extra sensitive skin, I even offer an unscented soap.

Why do you only have unscented goat milk lotion for sale at your shop?

In my opinion, there are enough choices out there for scented lotions so I didn't need to add yet another one.   
Also, If someone wanted to add a few drops of essential oils to the lotion it is very easy to do.    I would put some E.O. in if desired, but I will not add "fragrance oils" or artificial perfumes.   
I have had many customers comment on how pleased they were to finally have a TRULY unscented lotion.   
As we all know, many companies call their products "unscented" - but if you look at the ingredients, you usually will see so-called "masking" fragrances (or some other nonsense) added.    For those with sensitive skin and/or noses, this seems unacceptable and deceptive.

What is included in your gift baskets ?

My gift baskets range from $5.00 for a mug filled with my handmade potpourri or bath salts..., to over $25.00 depending on what you would like included.

I have baskets with just about any combination of:  my handmade soaps, unscented goat milk lotion, incense with an incense burner, handmade potpourri, handmade bath "Teas" & bath salts, home spa gadgets, teas, books, and gift certificates for my shop "Diana's".    I am sure that I am forgetting something, but you get the idea.

If I have it in my shop, I can probably add it to a gift basket to suit your needs.

Why do commercial brands use so many preservatives - if we really don't need them ?

Any product that is sold to the public that has water/liquid has to have some in it for your protection.

We choose not to add more than the required amount of preservatives to any of our products.
We do not care to use artificial ingredients (anymore than we HAVE to) in our products because we feel it is not the healthiest course of action.   We would avoid using them if it were at all possible.

Commercial OTC products are designed to sit on the shelf for years with no ill effects.
These manufacturers also choose to add extra of these and to use other artificial ingredients to their products so that can produce large quanities and therefore make a larger profit.

Whereas, the following is true of our products:

Whenever possible, we use all natural ingredients in our products such as:
A few essential oils that are known ( or have been shown) to help with fighting certain bacterial growth and to aid in other ways as well.
Vitamin E is also helpful in slowing down the process of oils going rancid.

This product (My goat milk lotion) isn't meant to have an extremely long shelf-life once opened.
It is made in small batches and packaged in air tight containers.

Please be sure that only clean hands touch this product (lotion ...).   Also, be sure to keep the lid tightly closed after each use.   If desired, you may refrigerate this product (lotion) - this has an added benefit of having a skin cooling effect which is quite nice during a summer heatwave.

* I will soon be offering facial/body mask kits for your home use. This way you can avoid the heavy use of preservitives.
You can have a wonderful facial treatment at YOUR convenience. My kits will contain the basic mask ingredients allowing you to add a few extras of your choosing such as mashed fruits, egg whites or milk... .

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How can I shop online for your soaps and other things ?

I now have a virtual store. You can shop online or just see what is in stock and ready for purchase at my shop. Here it is:
http://organicgiftsbydiana.mybisi.com/

* If you choose to order online and have your package shipped to you, see the terms on my shopping page :
Shopping/Products Page