FAQ's

Where is First Element located? We are a Canadian company located in Midland, Ontario.

When will my order ship? Our orders are processed internally within 1-3 business days from the time of order. Please note that this does not include shipping time. Please allow an additional 1-7 business days, depending on your geographic location.

What are my shipping charges? Shipping is automatically calculated prior to submitting your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the Checkout page. Please note that we reserve the right to correct shipping charges should our estimate software experience problems. If this should be the case, we will notify you of any changes to ensure that you would still like to place the order.

Do I have to pay sales tax? Taxes are calculated based on where products are shipped to, not where they are ordered from. See the below chart for the appropriate tax amount. Customer orders to be shipped to the United States are not subject to Canadian taxes. British Columbia - 12% HST Alberta - 5% GST Saskatchewan - 5% GST Manitoba - 5% GST Ontario - 13% HST Quebec - 5% GST Newfoundland and Labrador - 13% HST Nova Scotia - 15% HST New Brunswick - 13% HST Prince Edward Island - 5% GST Northwest Territories - 5% GST Nunavut - 5% GST Yukon - 5% GST

Do you ship internationally? Yes, we can ship internationally and ship to Amazon in the USA on a regular basis. Items are shipped small tracked packet via Canada Post. Please note this may take additional days for delivery. (based on geographic area).

Who is responsible for customs, taxes and/or duties? Import duties, taxes, and brokerage fees are not included in the product price or shipping and handling cost and will be collected upon delivery from the carriers for certain packages. These charges are the recipient’s responsibility as we are only charging the transportation fee for the packages. You may check with your country’s customs office to determine what these additional costs will be.

When will my credit card be charged? Your credit card will be charged within 24 hours of your order.

If I buy something and don’t like it, can I return it? First Element offers a 100% 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee (less shipping charges) to all customers.

• A product return form MUST accompany the returned product. A form will be sent by email upon request. 
• If the product is defective First Element will cover 100% of shipping.

Please note: If the product return is based on preference, the original shipping fees are not refundable. You are responsible for return shipping charges. We cannot accept COD deliveries and we highly recommend you insure your return shipment.

My order has not arrived yet, Can I have a refund? We can't control shipping delays from couriers and refunds are not issued based on late or delayed shipping times. 

Where can I find more information about your products? The best place is right here! Each product page contains in-depth information about that product and an ingredients list.

Are your products hypoallergenic? We do not like to position our products as hypoallergenic. A list of ingredients is available for each product. There is no defined methodology to test for allergic reactions in personal care products, nor does the FDA regulate use of the term "hypoallergenic."

Are your products non-comedogenic? This term refers to ingredients in beauty products that clog the pores and can cause blackheads, pimples or cosmetic-related acne. We use beeswax and plant oils instead of potentially comedogenic, non-natural ingredients like mineral oil, petrolatum, and paraffin that are commonly found in other personal care products and cosmetics.

I am concerned that I may have had a reaction to one of your products. What do I do? If you are concerned that you may have a reaction or did have a reaction to one of our products, please contact us. In the case of life-threatening emergencies, please dial 911 or call your health care provider.

I am chemically sensitive. What are the pH values of your products and what products I can use? First Elements products are recommended for all skin types, even sensitive skin. Our products maintain a healthy skin balance.

Are any of your products certified organic? At First Element, we are striving to meet 100% natural on our products instead of 100% organic because we feel the organic standards for personal care products leave too much room for interpretation.

The standards and requirements that currently exist for organic products require that only 70% of the product is made with certified organic ingredients. The issue is with the remaining 30% of the product. This remaining 30% could include synthetic ingredients. At First Element we don’t agree with these standards and regulations, and vow to continually evaluate our ingredients and will use only those ingredients that are of natural origins.

How long will my First Element products stay fresh and what is the best way to store them? Our products are made with natural ingredients. We purposely present our products in smaller portions so you finish them while their ingredients are still fresh and providing their maximum effectiveness.

As such, we recommend you store creams and oils in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat. Creams may be stored in the fridge for ultimate protection.

Our products should be in good quality condition for 1-2 years. We recommend that our products are used within 12 months after opening since they are natural products. This includes keeping them out of extreme temperatures and direct sunlight. In general, any difference in texture or consistency of one of our products is often associated with it being a natural product. 

Do you test on animals and do your products contain animal-derived ingredients? First Element does NOT conduct product or ingredient tests of any kind on animals. A few of our products contain ingredients derived from bees such as beeswax.

I am allergic to bees. Can I still use your products? We do not use actual bee venom in our products – only bee by-products such as beeswax. However, if you are allergic to bee by-products, then we do not suggest using our products. We recommend that you contact your health care provider when changing your skin care regimen to find out which products are best for you.

Do your products contain synthetic fragrances? At First Element, we now offer a Natural line of scents and a synthetic line (Mens Grooming items only). We prefer to use All Natural scents where we can, although we had a high demand in our Private Label Services for more variety in our scents options.