Do you use all-natural ingredients?

Yes! We use only natural, organic, wildcrafted, or non-GMO ingredients — plant-based or bee ingredients. We make every effort to use ingredients as close to nature as possible. We never use synthetic chemicals or artificial fragrance. We are obsessive about only using plants.

Are you certified organic?

We are not Certified Organic as a brand, but we do use as many certified organic ingredients as possible. To obtain USDA Organic certification requires a big investment and rigorous process for our micro-business. Although we would love to obtain this certification in the future, it's not as important to us as providing quality, clean, and beneficial products and being transparent about our practices. For example, we can currently only obtain wildcrafted marula oil — an amazing ingredient we don't want to omit. Starting in September 2023, we began listing the percentage of organic ingredients used in each product.

Where do you source your ingredients from?

The lion's share of our plant oils are sourced through our local Maine botanical distributor, or reputable trusted sources such as Eden Botanicals, Organic Infusions, or Mountain Rose Herbs. We prefer to source most of our ingredients from Lotus Garden Botanicals in Maine, due to the meticulous quality standards their founder has implemented. Founder Karen Yarnold sources direct from distillers, with regular visits ranging from small artisan producers to large ones, ensuring premium quality aromatherapy products backed by GC-MS testing. We source some of our hydrosols from the suppliers above, but also artisan-distill our own hydrosols for our Rare Native Collection, using locally grown or sustainable ingredients.

We have several independent gurus, distillers, and enfleurage artisans we work with for special ingredients such as our Sustainable Frankincense and Peony Enfleurage. We've been impressed by the care they bring to the plants and to their craft.

We source our herbs from a range of local organic herb farms throughout Vermont & Maine, such as Foster Farm Botanicals and Meeting House Farm Herb Collective, as well as through our local herb shop right here in Nottingham, NH. We also supplement with reputable organic herb distributors and our own plants, which we grow organically on our land.

We source our honey from three suppliers:

• Granite State Apiaries, here in our home of Nottingham, NH — a small family-owned business dedicated to raising honey bees and producing raw, natural honey.
• Bee the Change, a Vermont initiative that plants pollinator habitats in the unused space surrounding solar fields — installing habitat in fields as small as an acre and as large as 50 acres across the region. Since Wilder North is solar powered, supporting Bee the Change is a natural fit.
• New Zealand Honey Co. — traceable back to the hive, UMF™ certified, and free of GMOs, glyphosate residue, antibiotics, or additives. Just as Champagne can only come from the Champagne region, authentic Manuka honey can only come from New Zealand.

Do you test on animals?

Absolutely not. We love animals and would do anything to protect their well-being. We are certified cruelty-free by PETA and part of their Beauty Without Bunnies program.

Are all your products vegan?

No, but the majority of them are. It's more important to us to create quality, natural, ethical, and sustainable products than to exclude animal products altogether. That said, the only animal products we use, or will ever use, are honeybee ingredients. All our products are vegetarian and gluten-free. If you'd like to read more about why we chose to use honeybee ingredients, click here.

What is the shelf life of your products?

We always produce our products in micro-batches, which lets us serve the freshest and most potent skin care possible. Since our products are 100% all-natural and we don't use any unnatural preservatives, they do have a shelf life — typically 9–12 months unless otherwise noted. Kept out of direct sunlight, untouched by water, and at room temperature or below, they'll stay fresher longer. We also use radish root ferment and Vitamin E in some products to extend natural shelf life and prevent oxidation. In the rare case a product isn't fresh when you receive it, please email us so we can handle it case-by-case.

Shelf life can be extended by keeping products below 70°F, free of moisture, tightly sealed, and away from direct sunlight.

• All oil-based serums, cleansing oils, body oils, oil roll-ons: 9 months from date of purchase
• All honey-based masks: 9–12 months from date of purchase
• All oil-based masks: 9 months from date of purchase
• All oil and honey-based balms: 9–12 months from date of purchase
• Hydrating mists: 6 months from date of purchase
• Rare Native Hydrosols (unpreserved): 3–6 months from date of purchase (best kept refrigerated)
• Dry powders and dry masks: 12–18 months when kept free of moisture

We don't recommend stockpiling — order what you need for a 3–6 month period at a time.

Why is the product I received different than the color on your website, or different than the last one I bought?

The color and texture of our products can change batch to batch. Natural ingredients vary in color and texture due to factors such as plant environment, harvest time, weather, region, and more. A change in color or even slight scent does not affect the quality or benefits of our products.