FAQ

☾ Q: Are your fragrances & products vegan?
While the majority of our products and fragrances are free of animal byproducts, there are some exceptions! For example, we might use local, ethically-sourced honey or beeswax, or a honey extract. Our leather accord is 100% botanical, and while the majority of our musk accords are as well, some products may contain hyraceum.

Our products are never tested on animals.

☾ Q: Do you offer refills? Can we return old vials, jars, or perfume bottles to the store?
We offer refills at our brick & mortar boutique on select items, during opening hours. Before coming by for a re-fill, please send us an email at info@lvnea.com so that we can make sure we have the bulk product available. Your bottle should be empty, and we do not recommend refilling a vial more than a couple of times within a year of the original purchase, as this could cause residue from previous fills to accumulate and turn rancid. 

We are always happy to accept empty bottles, jars, etc - but please know that we are unlikely to re-use them due to safety and hygiene concerns. We will, however, always make sure to dispose of them responsibly! 

PERFUME

☾ Q: What is natural perfume?

Natural perfume first and foremost is art to be smelled. Its raw materials are plant essences that have been used since ancient times for pleasure, ritual, and romance. These plant essences are distilled and extracted from flowers, herbs, leaves and grasses, spices, roots, gums and balsams, wood, and citrus. They possess a compressed vitality that can potently affect our emotions and state of consciousness, and  contain a vibrant spiritual energy and inherent life force obtained from the plant life they are made from.  Only nature can create the true smell of jasmine blooming at midnight, and it was only less than a mere century ago that synthetics were used in the construction of perfumes.

Natural perfumes will evolve over time, with each note giving way to the next; contrary to the one-note persistent synthetic based perfumes which contain chemical fixatives making the perfumes stick often for days and loudly announcing their presence.

☾ Q: Are all of your fragrances (and apothecary products) unisex?

We firmly believe that scent does not have a gender! Throughout history, a perfume was simply a perfume, not a men’s perfume or a woman’s perfume, and only in the 20th century did dividing perfumes into gender categories begin, purely as a marketing strategy. So, we operate under the firm belief that pampering yourself and that indulging your senses through rituals of scent and care are not exclusive to any one gender on the spectrum, and invite people to follow their noses, to challenge the limitations typically imagined around perfume and self-care, and not to stick to the beaten path of beauty, fragrance, or self-expression.

☾ Q: What are the different types of perfumes that you carry, and how do they compare?

Parfum Botanique - Botanical Oil-Perfume Roll-On
A complex blend of absolutes, essential oils, and other plant extracts diluted in a fractionated coconut oil base at a 20% dilution strength.

Generally, oil-based perfumes offer a subtler sillage than an Eau de Parfum, with the scent sticking closer to the skin. The durability of each perfume will vary in accordance to the wearer’s unique skin chemistry, but can last anywhere from a couple of hours for lighter notes, such as citrus and needle oils, to between 6 to 8 hours for heavier notes like incense, smoke, and leather. 

For those looking to make a bolder statement with an oil perfume, we recommend applying a generous amount to the neck, the décolletage, as well as the crooks of the arms or any place on the body which exudes heat. Always apply your oil perfumes on clean, hydrated skin.

Parfum Crème - Botanical Solid Perfume
The Parfum Crème is an oil and floral wax based perfume balm. These tend to be more intimate scents that stay closest to the skin, offering an incredibly rich but discrete olfactory experience for the wearer and their loved ones. They are composed of floral waxes, plant infusions, and essential oils and are made at a 20-25% dilution strength.

These fragrances bloom best when applied to clean, warm, hydrated skin, and perform magnificently in high heat and when applied on parts of the body that exude warmth.

Eau de Parfum - Botanical Alcohol-Based Perfume
Our Eaux de Parfum are made using traditional French perfumery techniques and are composed of essential oils and handmade tinctures of aromatic resins and plant extracts in a base of pure alcohol at a 20% dilution strength. They have a generous sillage and can be liberally applied onto the body and hair, lasting on average between 4 to 8 hours. 

For those looking to extend their wear, Eaux de Parfums can also be applied to clothing as a mist (rather than directly, which could cause stains on delicate fabrics due to the natural pigments of the botanical ingredients found  in our perfumes).

Eau de Cologne - Botanical Spirit Water
While often mistaken for an inherently masculine perfume, an Eau de Cologne is traditionally unisex and composed of fresh or herbaceous notes made from citrus oils, herbs, and flowers. Historically, they were used not only as perfumes, but also as powerful cure-all tonics that combined aspects of herbalism and medicine with perfumery. Our line of colognes clearly draw inspiration from these traditional formulae and can be used not only as perfume but also as a room spray, uplifting aromatherapy mists, or in ritual.

Our Eaux de Cologne are diluted at an exceptionally high 10% to 14% dilution strength and provide a strong sillage comparable to that of an Eau de Parfum, especially when applied onto clothes rather than skin.

☾ Q: How do I know which perfume is right for me, or my loved one?
Scent is a highly personal experience for each individual, so the best way to make an informed decision before purchasing a signature scent is by trying a sample! For those looking to purchase a gift, we also offer digital giftcards.

It is always highly recommended to patch-test a new fragrance when first integrating it into your self-care routine! Even with natural perfumes, irritation, sensitivity, or allergic reactions may occur.

☾ Q: How should I store my perfume?
Perfume should always be kept away from light, humidity, and extreme or varying temperatures, as these factors will accelerate the speed at which your perfume will naturally degrade.

Perfumes should not be stored in the bathroom, as this area is unavoidably subject to high heat, bright light, and moisture, which will cause your perfume to deteriorate.

Our specialty violet glass packaging will protect your perfume blend from light, but should still be stored in a cool, dry area. Clear vials should be stored away from light, or can be placed back into their box when not in use. Caps should always be screwed back on after each use to prevent evaporation or cross-contamination.

☾ Q: What is my perfume’s expected lifespan?
How long an oil-based product, such as an oil perfume or a parfum creme, keeps is entirely dependent on how it is stored (see above). However, we recommend using them within a year of purchase, after which their oil bases will slowly start to degrade,  compromising the integrity of a perfume’s scent.

Alcohol-based perfumes, such as our Eau de Parfum and Eau de Cologne lines, do not expire but can continue to evolve and change in scent over time. This is the nature of using botanical matter in perfume.

APOTHECARY - PLANT-BASED BODYCARE & HOUSEWARES

☾ Q: How do I properly store my apothecary products, and what are their expected lifespan?

Though our specialty violet glass packaging will protect your products from light, they should still be stored in a cool, dry area away from extreme or varying temperatures. Natural products free of artificial preservatives are susceptible to these factors, which accelerate the speed at which their scent and carrier oils will naturally degrade.

Oil-based products  should not be stored in the bathroom, as this area is unavoidably subject to high heat, bright light, and moisture, which will cause your product to deteriorate.

Our face and body serums should be used within a year of purchase so as to assure the integrity of their aromatic and healing properties.

Our natural, preservative-free all-over creams should be used within 6 months of purchase, and stored outside of the bathroom, as well, as they are susceptible to temperature changes and bacterial growth. 

☾ Q: How do I know which body-care is right for me, or my loved one?
Scent and self-care are highly personal experiences for each individual, so the best way to make an informed decision before purchasing a full-size product is by trying a sample! For those looking to purchase a gift, we also offer digital giftcards.

It is always highly recommended to patch-test a new product when first integrating it into your self-care routine! Even with natural bodycare, irritation, sensitivity, or allergic reactions may occur.

☾ Q: How do I take care of my Essential Oil Candles?
Always allow the top layer of wax to melt evenly across your candle before blowing it out! Otherwise, your candle will begin to tunnel and burn unevenly, causing the wax to extinguish the wick during use.

Make sure to keep candle wicks clean and trim to avoid ‘blooms’ (hardened, black bulbs) using a wick-trimmer, or household scissors. Wicks should be kept at ¼ inch length, and gently recentered should they start to migrate towards the sides of your candle.

Always burn your candles on a heat-resistant surface, while supervised, and away from children, pets, drafts, drapes, etc. Discontinue use once your candle is down to less than ½ inch from the bottom.

Looking to recycle or re-use your candle jar? You can stick used candles in either the freezer to then gently chip away at the remaining wax with ease, or try melting it using the double-boiler method!

ESSENTIAL OILS, ABSOLUTES, & OTHER PLANT EXTRACTS

What is an essential oil, and how are they used?
Essential oils are a by-product of distillation, a method of extraction used for various aromatic leaves, barks, seeds, stems, roots, and flowers. They are a high-potency, generally mobile liquid with a strong aroma and a multitude of uses which will vary depending on the plant matter. All of our essential oils are perfumery-grade, undiluted (unless otherwise specified), and available in either 5ml or 15ml vials. For larger quantities, send us an email!

As a general rule, essential oils should not be taken internally, and should be diluted before being applied to the skin. When purchasing an essential oil for the first time, we recommend gathering as much information about each individual one from a multitude of different, trust-worthy sources to learn how to use them safely and efficiently.

Curious if an essential oil is suited for use in a diffuser? Look it up, or send us an email! The majority will be, but some may be too thick or viscous to properly diffuse. Remember that household pets can be very sensitive to scent, so please diffuse responsibly!

Other uses for essential oils can be: creating your own perfume or aromatherapy blends, creating bath and body care products, creating household cleaning products, scenting laundry / bath / ironing water - the possibilities are endless.

What is an absolute, and how are they used?
Similar to an essential oil, an absolute is a byproduct of plant extraction, and is primarily used as a perfumery ingredient. Absolutes are pure, fragrant plant matter, often viscous or semi-solid, and can require a transformative process in order to be used.

It is not recommended to use an absolute in an essential oil diffuser. Like essential oils, absolutes should not be taken internally, and must be diluted before being applied to the skin.

We encourage those interested in natural fragrance and body care product making to gather as much information about how to use an absolute from a multitude of different, trust-worthy sources in order to do so safely and efficiently.