FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions

What is in your products? We would say that we are a “natural products” company, but there is no mandatory regulation for what that means. The Natural Standards for Personal Care Products states that all products labeled as “natural” must be 95% all natural. Any chemicals must be specifically allowed under this standard and not pose any suspected health risks. Khataji’s standards are stricter than that. All our products are ALL natural. We don’t use ANY ingredients, natural or synthetic, with suspected health risks. We don’t “hide” ingredients that are not required to be listed. We don’t use anything that we wouldn’t want to be put in or on our own bodies. If we can’t find a natural way to make a quality product, we don’t make it. For a list of what we use and what we don’t use and why, click here.

Do I have to keep products in the refrigerator? No. While the natural preservatives we use won’t give you the extended shelf life that artificial preservatives do, our products are designed to hold up well under room temperature for at least 6 months. Most products are packaged in reasonable sizes so that with regular use, they will be used in that amount of time. If you are concerned about freshness, keeping them in a cool, dry place will help maintain freshness.

Which is the best product for (fill in the blank)? Each product label tells which skin type the product is best suited for. I would start there. If you have a skin problem, I’d check under testimonials for what customers have said about each product as we are not legally allowed to make “medical” claims about any of our products. However, it is well established that essential oils have a wide variety of therapeutic uses. Since we create specific blends to heal, moisturize, and protect skin, you are sure to find something in the testimonials section that will clue you into what you should try.

Are your products hypo-allergenic? This is a term that is not legally defined, so this could mean different things to different people. Our products do not contain the chemical ingredients that tend to cause allergic reactions, but people can have sensitivities to natural products too (like hay fever). We use safe ingredients that have stood the test of time, so most people will not have any problems with any of our products. If you tend to have sensitivities, test the product on a small area before applying it to a larger area.

Are your products Vegan? Most are; however, we do use goats milk, tallow, honey and beeswax. A list of ingredients for each product is on the label.

Where does your goat milk, beeswax and honey come from? The goats milk comes from the Nubian goats in my back yard. We use the same milk for our products that my family drinks. The bees are also in my back yard and produce the same honey that my family eats. The bees have never been treated with pesticides. All animals live on 18 acres that was previously undeveloped, so I can say with 100% certainty that they are on ground that is 100% pesticide free. As we are on well water, it always will be.

Are your products certified organic? No. We strive to use as many organic ingredients as possible, but it is not always possible or cost effective to obtain organic ingredients. This is another area where labeling may not accurately reflect what you are getting. The current standard is that to earn the “certified organic” label, only 70% of the contents of the product must be organic. This means that you can have chemicals and pesticides in the remaining 30%! That isn’t company we would be proud to be in, so we haven’t pursued it.

(Fill in the blank) is my favorite scent. Why don’t you have that? It’s so popular! We only scent our products with essential oils. Some plants do not produce essential oils, so the only way to create those types of scents is to use a synthetic scent. Since synthetic scents do not have the same beneficial properties as essential oils, we choose not to use them. Terms like “perfume” and “fragrance” mean the scent was artificially created. These terms can legally be used and hide the dangerous chemicals that were used to create them. Since we use the products we create and don’t want them in or on our bodies, we wouldn’t make them for you either.

Do your products contain artificial colors? No. We only use natural oxides and plants, like rose petal powder, to provide color for our products. This may mean that we don’t get the eye popping power of some other products, but it’s a trade off we are willing to live with.

Many companies proudly declare that they use synthetic chemicals that some website say are dangerous. What is your stand on that? We understand that the safety of some chemicals are still being debated. We understand that the risk of side effects are acceptable to some companies, but we do not want to risk your health or ours by using chemicals to make products last longer, bubble more, or feel more creamy. Bubbles, cream, and profit are not worth it to us. Khataji was started because we could not find products that met our standards for safety. We have family members with allergies, sensitivities and auto immune diseases, so this isn't something we can compromise on. If there is a reasonable doubt that an ingredient is harmful, we will not use it. Period.

How is your soap different from say, Dial or Coast soap? Most of all, people say that natural soap feels cleaner. It rinses away better. It has a better slip that makes it feel better in your hands. There can be less lather than you are used to, but this is because we don’t use sodium lauryl sulfate, a chemical that has been shown to cause cellular alterations in animals. Our scent washes away. This is also because we don’t use chemicals to make it stay with you.

Can I use this soap on my face? The average person with normal skin can use any of our soaps on the face and body; however, if you have problem skin, mature skin, sensitive skin, dry skin or oily skin, you may wish to use a bar that is specifically designed for that on your face and body.

Are you ever going to make those cool see-through soaps? Those soaps are made with melt & pour glycerin. They usually add detergents, artificial colors, artificial fragrance, alcohol which dries the skin and makes the soap clear. They really do look cool, but this isn’t soap. This is detergent. It's really pretty and artistic, but we don't have a way of doing this that meets our standards for being naturally created, cleansing, and moisturizing.

How long will my soap last? Natural soap can retain more moisture than other soaps, so it’s important to keep it dry in between uses. If you do that, it should last between 3-4 weeks if one person is using it regularly.

Do you wholesale? Absolutely! Drop us an email and we will be glad to send you details.We also do private label and dropshipping.

What ingredients do you avoid? Artificial Colors- Synthetic colors (labeled as FD&C or D&C) are believed to be cancer causing agents.

Fragrance- “Fragrance” is a synthetic odor made in a test tube by blending chemicals. These chemicals can accumulate in your organs causing unpleasant symptoms. They are cheap imitations of real scents.

Imidazolidinyl and Diazolidinyl Urea- These are the second most commonly used preservatives after parabens. The American Academy of Dermatology has established that they are a cause of contact dermatitis and release formaldehyde, which is toxic.

Parabens- The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology have reported that parabens, commonly used in skin care products, cosmetics and foods as an antimicrobial preservative, are potentially carcinogenic. The Cosmetics Data Base reports this as a “high hazard.” Although parabens occur in nature and some studies show that they are harmless, we like to be on the cautious side since quality products can be made without the use of parabens.

Propylene Glycol- This is used as an emulsifying base in creams and lotions to make the skin look smoother, but the Materials Data Sheet reports that you should avoid skin contact because it’s a skin irritant.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphates (SLS)- This is commonly used in toothpaste, shampoos, body wash and conditioners to give products a foaming action and works as a degreaser. The Materials Safety Data Sheet says that SLS is “hazardous in the case of skin contact, of eye contact, of ingestion, of inhalation. Severe over-exposure could result in death.” Some report that SLS causes mutations in the DNA.

Triethanolamine (TEA)- This chemical is often used to adjust pH. The Cosmetics Data Base (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com) reports that this is a known human immune system toxicant, has caused mutations in animal cells in in vitro tests, and shows endocrine system disruption at high doses.

What sort of plastic do you use in packaging? Our shampoo bottles are PET plastic which are not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected to cause cancer or disrupt hormones.

Our shrink wrapped products are wrapped with Cryovac film or polyolefin film, which is 100% recyclable.