Delivery, the trial, what order to put things on, and what these products are and are not. Answered properly, without the marketing voice.
Delivery
Free on every order, no minimum, no surprise fee at checkout. We ship within the United States only.
How long will my order take to arrive?
Five to fourteen days. That window is on every product page, and we would rather put it there than bury it at checkout.
It is longer than you are used to because orders come from our manufacturing partners rather than a warehouse down the road. That is also why a ten percent niacinamide serum costs what it does here. If you need something by a particular date, order with a week in hand.
Do you ship outside the United States?
Not yet. US addresses only, and we would rather tell you here than let you fill in a full address and hit a wall at checkout.
Can I change my address after ordering?
Usually, if you tell us quickly. Email support@elstena.com with your order number and the new address. Once it has shipped we cannot redirect it.
Trial & refunds
Thirty days to decide, and you never post anything back.
What is the 30-day trial?
Use it for thirty days and see whether it earns its place. If it does not, tell us and we refund you in full.
Thirty days rather than a fortnight because skin turns over in roughly a month. Anything you judge in week one you are judging on texture and smell, not on whether it did anything.
Do I have to send it back?
No. There are no returns at all. We refund you and you keep the item.
That is arithmetic rather than generosity. Opened skincare cannot be sold to anyone else, so asking for it back would cost us both the postage and get you your money no faster.
What if it arrives damaged or leaking?
Email us with your order number and a short video. A cracked pump, a leaked box, a seal that was already broken. Once we have seen it we will refund you or send a replacement, whichever you prefer, and you keep the original either way.
Using it
What order do these go on in?
Thinnest to thickest, which in practice means cleanse, then treat, then seal.
Cleanser or pads first. Serum next, onto skin that is still slightly damp. Moisturizer last, to keep the rest of it where you put it. Patches go on at the very end, after everything else has sunk in.
How long before I notice anything?
Hydration you notice in days. Anything to do with tone or marks takes closer to eight to twelve weeks, because that is how long the skin takes to cycle several times.
We do not publish before-and-after photos. Lighting, angle and a different foundation can produce any result you like, and you have no way of checking ours. What we will tell you is what is in the bottle, and the strength wherever the maker publishes one.
Should I patch test?
Yes, and especially with the serums. Put a small amount on your inner forearm or behind the ear, leave it a day, and see what happens before it goes anywhere near your face.
If anything stings persistently, goes red, or itches, stop using it. That is not a product settling in.
Can I use the niacinamide serum and the retinol patches together?
Not on the same night, at least to begin with. Introduce one new active at a time and give it two weeks before adding another, or you will have no idea which one caused what.
Do I need sunscreen with these?
Yes. Anything working on tone or texture leaves skin more sensitive to sun, and daylight will undo the work faster than the product can do it.
We do not sell sunscreen. In the US it is regulated as an over-the-counter drug rather than a cosmetic, and we are not set up to meet that standard. Buy one from a brand that is.
Is any of this safe in pregnancy?
Ask your doctor or midwife, not us. Retinol in particular is usually advised against, and we are in no position to give you an answer about your own pregnancy.
What these are, and what they are not
Are these medicines?
No. Everything we sell is a cosmetic. None of it is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition, and nothing on this site is medical advice.
We describe what a formula contains and what it is for. We do not tell you what it will fix, because we do not know that about your skin and neither does anyone else selling you something on the internet.
What about acne, melasma or a rash?
Those are things to take to a dermatologist. A cosmetic may sit alongside actual treatment, but it is not a substitute for it, and if a skin problem is bothering you enough to go searching for a product, it is worth getting looked at properly.
Where do these come from?
We are an independent stockist. The products we carry are made by Hoygi, we are not affiliated with or endorsed by them, and every product page names the maker.
Ingredients & care
Where do I find the ingredients?
The actives are listed on every product page, with the percentage wherever the maker publishes one. Not every formula has a published percentage, and we would rather leave it off than invent a number.
The full list is printed on the carton. If you need to see it before you buy, email us and we will get it from the maker and send it to you.
How should I store them?
Somewhere cool and out of direct sun. A bathroom windowsill is the worst place in the house for anything with an active in it. Close the lids properly, and keep droppers off the sink.
How long do they last once opened?
Check the small open-jar symbol on the packaging, which gives the months after opening. Most serums are six to twelve.
Still stuck?
If your question is not here, send it to support@elstena.com. A real person reads it, and if others ask the same thing it ends up on this page.