Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions about Medicine Mama's products that you don't see below, we invite you contact us to ask.

Can one product really be that versatile?

Finding good honest affordable skincare is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack and several needles at that. One for this and one for that you know the routine. The BEE-a-uty about Medicine Mama’s products is easy. Versatility. If you’re the average person just looking for an effective moisturizer you can trust, or someone who needs help healing and revealing their troubled, dry or imbalanced skin we've got that covered too!

Here's a list of our customers top 23 favorite uses for Sweet Bee Magic:
moisturizer • acne • scarring • fine lines wrinkles • cuts • scrapes • aftershave • eczema • rosacea • cracked heals • itching • burns • rashes • chaffing • make up remover • dry cracked cuticles • after-bikini-wax soothing • dry cracked winter nose • after-sun care • extreme weather facial skin protector • sunburns • stretch marks

“I love how my family and I use Sweet Bee Magic for just about everything from a moisturizer to soothing razor rashes to putting it on my son’s scrapes. I no longer need a bunch of different products cluttering up my bathroom”

What is Melexylem™?

Honey and Propolis are so powerful in themselves imagine what they could do together… After four years and several hundred experiments, Donna Steinmann the founder of Medicine Mama’s Apothecary perfected the formula, temperatures and curing times to bind ancient forest honey and propolis together in a 28 day Flavonoid Compound curing phase, creating Melexylem™: a super concentrated substance that is far more than the sum of its parts with extremely heightened prebiotic, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

So how did we come up the name you ask? Well, Melexylem™ is kinda like the powerhouse name Brangelina (Brad Pitt + Angelina Jolie) but instead of calling it something like Honopilis we went a little deeper than that and combined 3 words Xylem (the inner most sap or resinous fluid of the ancient forest trees), Mel (honey and bee in many languages) and Melezytos (crystalline balls of aphid dew full of protein and enzymes that bees harvest from the aphids) and came up with our signature trademark Melexylem™.

Do we test on animals?

No! We are proudly certified cruelty-free by the Leaping Bunny Program!
The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics’ (CCIC) Leaping Bunny Program administers a cruelty-free standard and the internationally recognized Leaping Bunny Logo for companies producing cosmetics or household products. The Leaping Bunny Program provides the best assurance that no animal testing is used in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories, or suppliers.

Read more about the Leaping Bunny Program at leapingbunny.org

Did we mention you can eat it too?

Yep, that's right! All of our creams and even our Honey Facial Scrub is 100% edible, made with the highest food grade quality ingredients we can find and a whole lot of L-O-V-E. Our motto is; if you can't put it in your body you probably shouldn't be putting it on your body!

What is the difference between Sweet Bee Magic & Ultra Beauty Balm?

Ultra Beauty Balm is formulated with 2 ½ times the amount of our proprietary Melexylem™ blend and the added ingredient, sea buckthorn oil. Ultra Beauty Balm is very high in enzymes and formulated specifically for ultra-thirsty and stressed facial skin.

Both contain pure, honest, simple ingredients that moisturize, balance, heal and maintain beautiful glowing, healthy skin from head to toe!

Can I purchase your products in stores?

Some, not all of our products are in stores so we recommend calling ahead of time and asking if they carry the specific product you are looking for. If they don’t carry what you are looking for feel free to ask them to.

What is the MMA 100% Satisfaction Guarantee?

We offer a 30 day 100% money back Satisfaction Guarantee on purchases made on our website. If for any reason you don’t love our products you are welcome to return your product within 30 days of receipt for a complete refund of your purchase price (less S&H), no questions asked.

Where do I find the expiration date?

Our expiration/batch date is heat-stamped on our label on the back of the jar above or below the barcode. The first four digits of the code indicate the month and year of expiration.

Is oil really the secret cure for ACNE?

For so long we have been told to stay away from oil and anything oil derived because of the misunderstood role of oil and it’s supposed propensity to cause breakouts. Many think that surface oil leads to clogged pores, when in fact, dehydration is the culprit. Using an organic plant derived oil, like olive oil, or an oil based product like Medicine Mama’s Ultra Beauty Balm actually balances and restores the skins moisture and prevents congested pores which cause acne.

“This stuff is freaking awesome! I saw a review on it in a magazine and tried it just for giggles. It completely changed my skin. I went from having to get my cystic acne injected almost weekly to now only getting a zit like once a month!! I use it every morning and every night and I have crazy oily skin. I love it. I'd give it 12 stars if I could” –JLA22

What does ORGANIC really mean?

Organic means that no chemical fertilizers, various synthetic substances, irradiation, sewage sludge, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were used in our around the raw materials or the facility they were manufactured in.

MMA is proud to offer a line of certified organic skincare products, made with organic oils, beeswax, and honey, with ZERO parabens, sulfates, fragrances and chemical synthetic fillers.

Proudly Certified Cruelty Free by the Leaping Bunny Organization. Made in USA.

Our tip to you:
We understand reading the ingredients list on beauty products is like trying to read a foreign language. And let’s be honest most of us just skip it completely and trust the big bold letters on the front that say, ‘organic’, ‘natural’, ‘beautifying’, ‘perfecting’, etc… while these are nice, safe and comforting words they are not always the truth. Many of the ingredients in the fine print on the back are actually counterproductive to our skins beauty and health. So buyer beware and don’t fall for the hype take your time to know what’s in your products.

What to do?
There is only the middle way here, read the label, remain skeptic until proof is clear and keep a chemical and herbal compendium handy at all times, or your smart phone to translate the 25 letter chemical compounds on the label.

Did you know?
The FDA allows cosmetics and personal care to self-regulate on an honor system so don’t compromise your health, check your products for toxicity and stay healthy.

Is there sunscreen in MMA products?

We do not manufacture sunscreen nor do our products contain sunscreen, however, below you will find some tips on choosing the best ones.

Our most important advice here is: Wear an organic sunscreen free of chemicals, parabens and sulfates. “Sunscreen is the best tool we currently have to lower the incidence of skin cancers and wrinkles,” says Dr. James Spencer, a dermatologist in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Here are some simple dos and don’ts for purchasing a healthy sunscreen that will protect your skin while also not bearing it down with a heavy chemical load:

Don’t buy a sunscreen that uses oxybenzone, this chemical could disrupt hormones. It acts like estrogen in the body and is associated with endometriosis in women.

Do look for a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays, which means finding a brand that uses the phrase “Broad Spectrum.”

Don’t use aerosol sprays or powders. With these types of sunscreen, you can accidentally inhale nano-size titanium dioxide, a possible carcinogen.

Do look for the USDA Organic Seal. This seal means that your natural sunscreen has no harmful pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, and no genetic engineering is involved.

I'm allergic to bees, can I use your products?

That is actually a great question and we get it often. Allergies to bee stings actually bear no relation to honey and hive products, bee venom is a complete different chemical compound. If you are concerned you are allergic to honey and hive products we do suggest you try a tiny dab first.

[We are lab tested 100% Zero allergen non-irritant.]

Did you know the average honey bee’s wings flap over 183 times per second? Pretty amazing huh, we thought so too!

What do you recommend for people who suffer from excess, dermatitis and blotchy, rashy skin issues?

All of Medicine Mama’s Apothecary creams are safe to use on all ages and skin types. We rigorously lab test and continuously receive 100% zero irritant rating on all of our creams. While we cannot advise on medical issues we can with certainty guarantee satisfaction for soothing, calming and moisturizing even the most irritated skin.

Healthy happy skin everyday should be simple just like our ingredients. Get your skin balance back!

“I have had trouble with eczema ever since I can remember, this time of year is so rough on my hands they are usually cracking and splitting. This stuff has done wonders and I don't even have to apply it through the day, I just put it on once in the morning and once at night and my skin is softer then it has been in years. Thanks so much for a great product!” -Mary

What type of packaging do you use?

When packing peanuts are used, Medicine Mama's uses "BACK TO NATURE PEANUTS"

They are:
· 100% biodegradable
· Decompose-able without residues
· Rapid organic recycling
· Made from annually renewable resources
· Water soluble, does not pollute groundwater

When will my order arrive?

We ship all our orders through USPS. You will receive a tracking number in an email after you place your order, so that you’ll be able to track your order on the USPS website. Most orders arrive within seven days.

How do I return my product

Please return your merchandise with your original invoice to the address below. If you don't have your original invoice, please make sure to include your name and shipping address, as you believe it appeared on the invoice.

Ship all returns to:
Medicine Mama’s Apothecary
Attn: Returns
205 Bryant St
Ojai CA 93023

What is the difference between the Vmagic Balm & Cream?

Rest assured, all Vmagic products (aside from the Vmagic Feminine Wash) are created with the same formula and are just in different packaging. There is absolutely no difference between the Vmagic Balm and the Vmagic Cream aside from their label.

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The Healing Power of Sweet Bee Magic

Made with 100% natural & organic ingredients, Sweet Bee Magic works to heal and reveal your radiant skin. Our multi-purpose Sweet Bee Magic skin cream is recommended by dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons, and burn centers for troubling skin conditions form head to toe.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Healing Power of Sweet Bee Magic