ASK THE DOCTOR

• Which products do you recommend for combination and oily skin?

In general, Dr Jackson’s products were designed for All Skin Types, however some of our products will have especially good results for specific skin types and problems.

Our 07 Face Wash is an uplifting, gently foaming cleanser that helps to clarify and moisturise the skin and help tackle excess oil, with a refreshing citrus scent to awaken the senses. You can use the 07 Face Wash once in the morning and once at night – massage gently onto the wet face in an upward and outward motion and then rinse off with lukewarm water. Adjust the amount of product to your skin type: a little more with oily skin, a little less on the dry areas. 

We recommend the 01 Day Cream SPF 30 to protect your skin from the hazards of sun damage and pollution, and to keep your skin nourished through all that you do in the course of the day.

In the evening, use our 03 Everyday Oil for your combination skin. This is a lightweight and incredibly versatile product with a myriad of powers – moisturisation and rehydration included. It can be used every day and everywhere – on your face, lips, nails, hair, cuticles or scars. A few drops in your palms and pat into the skin. It’s an amazing product that brightens and moisturises while calming redness and breakouts. We have evaluated this product in clinical trials and confirmed it is suitable for acne-prone skin.

• Which products do you recommend for aging skin?

Almost all of our products contain our two key ingredients, Baobab and Kigelia. Both have properties that make them well suited for our skin as we age. Baobab is prized for its moisturising properties - it is exceptionally nutrient-rich which helps to improve skin firmness and strength. Kigelia was the subject of Dr Jackson’s research and PhD studies. His research showed that it improves skin elasticity and firmness and contains compounds that are melanin inhibitors which help even out skin tone and prevent skin pigmentation. 

With these key ingredients, our 01 Day Cream, 02 Night Cream, 05 Face and Eye Essence and 06 Body Perfecting Gel are stand-outs for aging skin with important benefits including sun protection, hydration, tightening and toning. 

• What’s the difference between natural and organic?

A product is considered “natural” when it contains ingredients that are sourced from nature rather than produced synthetically.

The term organic refers to how the ingredients were farmed; they must be grown and prepared without use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics and synthetic growth hormones. The main distinction between organic and natural is that organic products undergo more rigorous standards and certification processes. 

While it is important to strive for 100% organic, in reality it is not always possible to attain 100%. In some instances, an ingredient may not be certified organic, but still be of organic standards. For example, many farmers in developing countries aren’t able to go through the certification process due to issues of cost or logistics but no chemicals are used in their farming.

• Are products made with natural and organic ingredients safer?

Not necessarily. Products with natural ingredients can still contain nasty chemicals so it’s important to read the ingredients listing.  An organic or natural product can still contain the “dirty” ingredients like Polysorbate 20, EDTA, Dimethicone, BHT, Polyacrylamide, Isoparaffin and Sulphates which we don’t use in our formulations. 

At Dr Jackson’s we make sure all our ingredients are safe for you. Many companies just throw in as many natural ingredients as they can because they think most consumers think “natural” or “organic” means “safe”. We go much further to conduct scientific research on each of our ingredients to make sure they are both safe and effective. We then test the formulation to confirm that the final products are of the highest standard and are beneficial for the skin. We continuously update our products based on research to create the highest quality, most effective products using the best ingredients available.

• Do your products contain parabens?

There are no parabens in any of Dr Jackson’s products.

• Do you have any products suitable for acne prone skin?

We recommend our 03 Everyday Oil which has lenitive properties (it calms the skin). The 03 Everyday Oil contains Arnica and Calendula Flower Extract – both provide a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. Arnica is also renowned for its healing properties, and Calendula soothes inflamed skin and refreshes. The 03 is liquid at room temperature and therefore doesn’t block pores while soothing inflammation and redness. 

Our customers report that the 03 Everyday Oil actually helps acne, and has improved the appearance of bruising, brown acne marks, and inflammation. Clinical trials have shown that this product is suitable for acne-prone skin. However, each person is different and the best thing to do is to test it and see if it works for you. As always, we recommend you do a patch test before using any of our products.

• Do you have any products suitable for those suffering with eczema?

Clinical trials and customer testimonials have confirmed that our 05 Face and Eye Essence is suitable for eczema-prone skin.

Customer reports have also indicated that our 03 Everyday Oil may also be suitable for eczema-prone skin, but it’s important to remember that each person is different and the best thing to do is to test it and see if it works for you. As always, we recommend that you do a patch test before using any of our products.

• What are the physiological benefits of Dr Jackson’s teas?

Our Expedition Tea is an ideal fluid replacement beverage. Rather than consume water, give yourself a boost in minerals and electrolytes with this organic herbal tea blend after exercise or just a busy day. Consumed cool or hot, it is a great low tannin and caffeine-free beverage. Baobab funicles, a unique tea ingredient rich in flavonoid antioxidants, work with immune-boosting honeybush and rooibos leaves to revitalise the body and enliven the mind. Rooibos is known to ease nervous tension and settle the stomach, while liquorice is soothing and sweet, ensuring your scales are always perfectly balanced.

Our Relax Tea is the perfect tension tamer. This organic herbal tea blend is based on a time-honoured German pharmacopoeia recipe. Valerian root and lemon balm combine with other natural ingredients which have been traditionally used to relieve feelings of stress or anxiety, helping with restlessness and sleepless nights. 

Our Detox Tea is a gentle laxative. Digestion-boosting fennel works in synergy with elderflower and aniseed fruit to soothe the stomach, while senna gently flushes toxins from your system. Spanish liquorice, known for its calming properties, lends a naturally sweet taste to revive the senses. 

• What is pharmacognosy?

It is the study of natural products and the traditional uses of plants. Pharmacognosy is one of the most traditional forms of medicine.

• Which products are suitable for use on babies?

Our 04 Coconut Melt is suitable for use on a baby’s tender skin. It can be used to aid with nappy rash and to help soothe the skin and scalp.

As babies have more sensitive, delicate and often more reactive skin compared to adults, it is always our recommendation that you consult with a doctor prior to use of any cosmetics products on young children and babies.  

• Do your teas contain mugwort or ragweed allergens?

All of our teas are free of ingredients from the mugwort and ragweed family (e.g. chamomile).

• Where can I obtain a full list of product ingredients?

Every Dr Jackson’s product is labelled with a detailed ingredients list and our product leaflets give in-depth details on specific natural ingredients. You can also find the product ingredient lists by consulting the individual product pages on our website.

• Do Dr Jackson’s have official certifications? 

Dr Jackson’s is Vegan certified. 04 Coconut Melt and all of our teas are certified organic by Soil Association Certification. Our teas are Fairwild™ “Fairwild™ certified” means that at least one of our ingredients is sourced from the wild and sustainably harvested, while following socially responsible and Fairtrade principles. Learn more about Fairwild™ at http://www.fairwild.org.

All of our own brand personal care products are approved under the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny programme, the internationally recognisable gold standard for cruelty free products. We adhere to a fixed cut-off date policy and proactively monitor our suppliers to ensure that our products continue to adhere to the Leaping Bunny criteria. Our supplier monitoring system is also independently audited.

• Are the natural ingredients in Dr Jackson’s products perishable?

At Dr Jackson’s, whenever possible, we are removing the synthetic emulsifiers and stabilisers from our products that have been traditionally used to ensure shelf-life and stability of cosmetics, and are replacing them with naturally-derived or non-toxic ingredients. These are equal to the task but safer for the customer and the environment. Once the formulations are approved, they undergo the same stability testing as required of all cosmetics. It’s all part of the testing required before the product goes to market.

• How should I store my Dr Jackson’s products?

One should avoid extreme heat or direct sun as one would with any product to maintain shelf life.

• Why are some of Dr Jackson’s products housed in glass containers?

A great number of our products are packaged in apothecary style pharmaceutical-grade amber glass, as many of our formulations contain a high concentration of active botanical extracts which can react with plastic. Such a reaction could alter the chemistry of our formulation and introduce unwanted chemicals that can leach from the plastic. 

• Sometimes the ground glass stopper in the beautiful apothecary bottle gets stuck. How do I get it open?

If this happens, try three taps with a wooden spoon – it’ll break the suction and they should come apart right away.

• Are Dr Jackson’s products tested on animals?

Dr Jackson’s is committed to formulating products in a responsible, sustainable and transparent manner and can confirm that we never test our products or ingredients on animals, and have not done so previously.

• Do Dr Jackson’s products contain animal derived ingredients?

Dr Jackson’s products are certified vegan – there are no animal-derived ingredients in any of our formulations. 

• What is Dr Jackson’s position on sustainable packaging? 

At Dr Jackson’s you won’t find foil printing, plastic wrapping, artificially coated or bleached papers or polyester ribbons in our packaging. Our plain kraft boxes and glass jars can be recycled or upcycled and you won’t find our ingredients destroying the coral reefs. We give back to nature all we can.

We take a “more than just a pretty face” approach to everything we create, putting as much thought and care into our packaging as we do the product within. At every stage of our production chain, we work closely with a network of green suppliers so that we can avoid the use of plastic whenever possible.

• Are your products considered safe for use during pregnancy?

Generally, our products are considered safe for pregnancy. However, it is always a good idea to ask your healthcare practitioner if particular products are suitable for you. Our teas contain liquorice which can be a problem if you suffer from hypertension. Our skincare products contain less than 1% of essentials oils which is considered safe, but again, always good to check with your physician if you have further questions.

Here are a few measures we’ve taken to make your skincare regime greener:

Recyclable materials, zero waste - as much of our packaging as possible is made from materials that can be recycled, right down to our compostable teabags. We’ve reduced the size of our boxes to cut down on unnecessary waste.

Green printing - we don’t print on bleached or dyed card, we print on unbleached materials using responsibly sourced soy ink. An alternative to petroleum-based ink, soy ink is much more environmentally-friendly and allows our packaging to be recycled.

Keeping consumers informed - we’ve rebranded our packaging to include messaging that educates our customers, encouraging them to recycle and steer clear of products that are tested on animals.

Sustainable seals - we avoid the use of glues and foils, which are full of harmful chemicals, often used in the beauty industry. Instead, our tea jar seals are made from biodegradable eucalyptus wood pulp. We mean it when we say every last detail!

Designs you’ll want to keep - our glass jars and boxes have been designed with longevity in mind. Upcycle your pre-loved empties into vases, plant-holders, candles and more. We’d love to see your creations!

We’re always on the lookout for alternative technologies and materials to make our packaging kinder to the planet.