The team at Indigo Herbs are always happy to answer any questions
Q. If I order today when will I receive my order?
- Dispatch Promise
We always aim to dispatch all of our orders the same day however sometimes there is a delay if a product needs to be produced.
Therefore our customer promise is that all orders will be dispatched within 1 working day. This means that if you ordered today, we would dispatch your order tomorrow at the latest.
- Shipping Time
Once we have shipped your order how long it take to arrive depends on the shipping option you have chosen.
You can view the shipping times and conditions click here
Q. I ordered last week and my order hasn’t arrived (UK Standard Delivery)?
Our Standard free over £45 delivery method is Royal Mail 1st Class
The Royal Mail, aim to get their first class mail to the customer within 3-5 working days, but they only guarantee that the first class mail will be there within 15 working days.
If it does not arrive in this time, we do provide a full postal guarantee which for the UK comes into effect after 15 working days.
Therefore if your parcel has not arrived after the 15 working days we will be happy to re-send your order.
Q. I ordered last week and my order hasn’t arrived (International)?
Our Standard delivery method for non UK orders is Royal Mail Airmail.
This service by Royal Mail aims to:
Deliver to Europe in three to five working days
Deliver to the rest of the world within five to seven days
However sometimes it can take up-to 20 working days and unfortunately this is service does not provide a tracking service.
We do however offer a full postal guarantee so if your package still has not arrived after 20 working days from the day it was dispatched then we will send a replacement.
Q. If I order with Royal Mail 1st Class Delivery will it arrive the next day?
While very often Royal Mail 1st Class post does arrived the next day this is not guaranteed by the Royal Mail.
There only guarantee with 1st class post is that it will arrive within 15 working days.
In our experience though most of the time however it does not take this long.
If it does not arrive in this time, we do provide a full postal guarantee which for the UK comes into effect after 15 working days.
Therefore if your parcel has not arrived after the 15 working days we will be happy to re-send your order.
Q. Do you ship to Europe and the Rest of the World?
Yes we can ship to anywhere in Europe and most countries In the Rest of the world.
For full details full details of where we ship and the services available please click here
Q. How much will the postage on my order be?
Postage to all UK Mainland addresses is free over £45. Below this it will depend on the weight of the order.
Postage to all other countries is based on the weight of the order and the service chosen.
For full details of the costs and services available to your country please click here
Q. Do you offer next day delivery?
Yes we offer 2 services for next day delivery to UK addresses
Interlink Next Day
Royal Mail Next Day Special
With our next day services all orders must be received before 10.30am to be guaranteed to arrive the next working day.
We do not currently offer any Saturday or Sunday delivery options
Product Questions
Q. How do I use a Herbal Powder?
Herbal Powders are very easy to take. They can be mixed with a little bit of juice or milk, made into a herbal shot or blended up in a smoothie. They can also be packed into capsules or wrapped in an edible wrapper and swallowed. Most delicious of all they can be blended into a Raw Chocolate recipe.
Most herbal powder can also be brewed in a herbal tea infusion or decoction.
For further details on how to make a herbal shot or a smoothie please click here
Q. How do I use a Herbal Tincture?
Herbal tinctures and fluid extracts are really easy to take. The tincture or the fluid extract can be taken by measuring the recommended amount in a small measuring cup.
The tincture or fluid extract can then be added to filtered water or fruit juice, alternatively it can be taken directly. Often it is recommended that the tincture or fluid extract be take 2-3 times per day. In some cases it is preferable to evaporate the alcohol before taking the tincture or fluid extract. This is advised with babies, children, the elderly and if someone is sensitive to alcohol or recovering from an alcohol addiction.
This can be done by putting the measure of tincture or fluid extract into a pan of boiling water, allow this to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat and leave for 10 minutes to let all the ethanol in the tincture evaporate. This can be added to fruit juice or taken directly.
Tincture or fluid extracts are a liquid herbal preparation in alcohol. On each bottle it states the percentage of alcohol present, it also states the strength of the tincture. 1:3 means 1 part herbs to 3 parts liquid. Herbal extracts are often stronger.
Q. How do I make a Herbal Tea?
- How to make a perfect herbal decoction
A herbal decoction is made from the roots, bark, seeds or other tough woody parts of a plant. These herbs won't yield their active ingredients as easily as leaves, flowers or aerial parts and need prolonged heating in order to extract them.
To make a perfect cup of herbal tea decoction for one person you will need a saucepan or coffee pot that can be heated in a stove, 500 ml of spring or filtered water and the required amount of quality cut, dried herbal roots, bark etc.
1. Add all the water and the herbs to the pan or pot. The exact quantity of herb will vary but a good amount for the average herbal tea is roughly 2 teaspoons
2. Place on a stove and bring the mixture to the boil. Once boiling turn down the heat and allow to simmer for 10 to 30 minutes.
3. Allow the mixture to cool a little then pour through a tea strainer into a cup
4. Drink and enjoy
Herbal tea decoctions can also be made in larger quantities and will keep for 3 days or so if covered and refrigerated.
- How to make a perfect herbal tea infusion
The word 'tea' here is a bit of a misnomer. Tea in this context refers, not to camellia sinensis (who's various leaves are used to make make black tea, green tea and white tea) but to what a herbalist would call an infusion, tisane or ptisan. Making a herbal tea is effectively a method of extracting the active ingredients of a herb into an easy to digest form.
To make a perfect cup of herbal tea for one person, you will need a teapot or cafetiere, 750 ml of spring water (or filtered water will do) and enough top quality cut, dried herb depending on your herb of choice and how strong you want your tea to be.
1. Bring all the water to the boil
2. Add roughly a third of the water to your empty, clean teapot or cafetiere, replace the lid and allow the vessel to warm for a few moments.
3. Empty the teapot of its warming water and add the herbs. The amount you add will depend on which herbal tea you are making and how strong you want it but a good amount is usually about 2 heaped teaspoons.
4. Immediately pour over the remaining boiling water (make sure it is still boiling) and quickly and calmly put the lid on the teapot and cover with a tea cosy or other insulating cover.
5. Leave the tea for between 5 and 15 minutes allowing the herbs to infuse into the water.
6. Pour your delicious herbal tea into a clean cup, through a tea strainer and drink.
Larger volumes of herbal tea infusions can be stored for up to 3 days if kept covered and refrigerated
Q. The colour, taste and smell of my product seem different?
Here at Indigo Herbs we take the quality of our products very seriously and try to make sure that everything that is sent out to our customers is of the highest quality possible.
We do however ask that you keep in mind that with these being natural product the taste, smell and colour can vary sometimes considerably between batches depending on lots of different factors when the product has been grown and these appearances being slightly different does not always mean there is any issue with the quality of the product.
If you do have concerns over the product you have received please don’t hesitate to call or email us and we will do everything we can to help.
Q. How long will my product last?
All of our products will have a best before date on the back of the pack when it is sent out. How long is on the product varies on the batch of the product.
We do however guarantee the products will have the following time before they expire at a minimum when we send them to you:
Tinctures – 12 months minimum
Powders- 6 months minimum
Wholefoods – 3 months minimum
Raw Chocolates – 3 weeks minimum
Tea Blends and loose teas – 6 months minimum
Oils blends and rollers – 6 months minimum
Essential Oils – 12 months minimum
In our experience however lots of our products have a much longer before they expire than these minimums.
Q. Where does your Spirulina Powder come from?
Our Organic Spirulina is grown on a peninsula in the South China Sea. This location is ideal for Spirulina cultivation as it offers consistently warm temperatures and long hours of sunshine, which are essential for productive growth rates. The farm is surrounded by pristine natural forests and is completely isolated from urban areas and sources of agricultural pollution. Our Spirulina is routinely tested for the presence of mercury, lead and other contaminants to ensure that the finished product is completely pure and poses no risk of heavy metal poisoning.
It is Organic, and the way Organic certification works across a supply chain is that each agent in the supply chain needs to ensure and document that their supplies and processes comply with the relevant organic standards. These standards are comparable across certification bodies.
Q. Where does your Chlorella Powder come from?
Our Chlorella is grown and harvested on a small island in the South China Sea. The freshwater ponds are filled with water extracted from deep below the ground, which is carefully filtered before use to ensure it is completely pure. No chemical pesticides or herbicides are used in the growth of our organic Chlorella, and it is allowed to grow outside under natural sunlight whilst being gently mixed to ensure an even distribution of the newly generated Chlorella cells as it rapidly reproduces.
It is Organic, and the way Organic certification works across a supply chain is that each agent in the supply chain needs to ensure and document that their supplies and processes comply with the relevant organic standards. These standards are comparable across certification bodies
Q. Where does your Wheatgrass Powder come from?
Our Wheatgrass is grown in the EU and New Zealand,
It is grown outside where it benefits from natural sunlight and nutrient rich organic soil. The water used to irrigate the fields is extracted from deep below the ground and guaranteed free from fertilizers and pesticides.
It is Organic, and the way Organic certification works across a supply chain is that each agent in the supply chain needs to ensure and document that their supplies and processes comply with the relevant organic standards. These standards are comparable across certification bodies.
Q. Where does your Barleygrass Powder come from?
Our Barleygrass is grown organically in the EU and New Zealand. The seeds are planted in the autumn of each year and allowed to grow over the next 4-5 months, giving the barley plants time to extract the maximum amount of nutrients from the fertile soil. As our Barleygrass is cultivated outside the developing shoots benefit from exposure to many hours of natural sunlight each day, and the long growing season gives the young barley plants ample time to assimilate all of the minerals extracted from the nutrient rich soil. No chemical pesticides or fertilisers are used to grow our organic Barleygrass, and all of the water used to irrigate the fields is extracted from deep below the ground and guaranteed free from pollution or agricultural runoff.
It is Organic, and the way Organic certification works across a supply chain is that each agent in the supply chain needs to ensure and document that their supplies and processes comply with the relevant organic standards. These standards are comparable across certification bodies.
Q. What is the difference between a pure Herbal powder and a herbal extract?
Our pure powders are the Whole Plant preparation.
This means that the part of the plant that is used (e.g.: the bean, the root, the leaf, the bark etc.) is used completely.
It is not an extract of this plant. This means that the chemical constituents that are present in the plant occur in their natural proportions rather than in a standardised percentage.
The benefits of taking whole part plant preparations are numerous.
Many people believe that taking the whole plant brings with it the naturally occurring "holistic" balance of medicine that nature provides.
An extract is when a powder is processed, to extract the active phyto-chemical constituents from the plant matter, this means that the bulk matter is greatly reduced and it is more condensed. This means that a smaller quantity can be taken.
Q. What is the Bacoside content in Brahmi powder?
Our Brahmi Powder is the whole part plant preparation.
This means that the part of the plant that is used (e.g.: the bean, the root, the leaf, the bark etc.) is used completely.
It is not an extract of this plant. This means that the chemical constituents that are present in the plant occur in their natural proportions, and therefore we cannot accurately give a percentage of Bacoside in the product.
The benefits of taking whole part plant preparations are numerous.
Many people believe that taking the whole plant brings with it the naturally occurring "holistic" balance of medicine that nature provides.
An extract is when a powder is processed, to extract the active phyto-chemical constituents from the plant matter, this means that the bulk matter is greatly reduced and it is more condensed.
This means that a smaller quantity can be taken and a specific percentage of the active ingredient can be given.
Q. What is the L-Dopa content of the Kapikachu (Mucuna Pruriens) Powder?
Our Mucuna Pruriens (Kapikachu) Powder is the whole part plant preparation.
This means that the part of the plant that is used (e.g.: the bean, the root, the leaf, the bark etc.) is used completely.
It is not an extract of this plant. This means that the chemical constituents that are present in the plant occur in their natural proportions, and therefore we cannot accurately give a percentage of L-Dopa in the product.
The benefits of taking whole part plant preparations are numerous.
Many people believe that taking the whole plant brings with it the naturally occurring "holistic" balance of medicine that nature provides.
An extract is when a powder is processed, to extract the active phyto-chemical constituents from the plant matter, this means that the bulk matter is greatly reduced and it is more condensed.
This means that a smaller quantity can be taken and a specific percentage of the active ingredient can be given.
Q. Can I take the Bentonite Clay Powder internally?
The Bentonite Clay we sell is not sold for the purpose of being taken internally and stipulated by the Food Standard Agency guidelines. We do not advise any of our customers to take our Bentonite Clay internally.
Q. Are all of your products Organic?
Where possible we try to source products which are Certified Organic. In some cases however this is not possible so not all of our products are Organic.
For the non-organic product we do offer our quality assurance on them. For further information on our Quality Assured Standards click here
Q. How is your MSM made and what is it derived from?
Our MSM is expertly produced by one of the leading manufacturers of MSM in China. The production of MSM is designed to replicate the chemical reaction occurring in the upper atmosphere that generates MSM in nature.
Once the MSM has been synthesized, it undergoes centrifugal separation in order to eliminate most of the existing water in the mixture. The remaining solution is then filtered to ensure there are no foreign particles, before it is allowed to cool and form solid particles. This crystallization process is essential for the purification of MSM: as most impurities do not fit into the lattice structure of the crystals, they remain part of the separated liquid solution and do not make it into the final product.
The MSM crystals are dried and carefully screened once more for any contamination. The resulting product is a white, odourless crystalline material resembling sugar, which is highly soluble and mixes easily into water or juice.
Other
Q. Do you sell your products Wholesale to businesses?
Yes we do sell our products wholesale to businesses. For more information on these please call us on 01458 831447 or email us at wholesale@indigo-herbs.co.uk
Q. Do you offer discounts to practitioners?
Yes we offer a 12.5% discount for practitioners. To register as a practitioner click here.
We will email you a discount code to use at the checkout.
Q. What are the benefits of opening a practitioners account with you?
The benefits of becoming a practitioner scheme account holder with Indigo Herbs are
- 12.5% on-going discount off all products with no minimum order.
- Gold standard Customer service.(Fast delivery)
- A choice of 450 Natural Health Product lines for clients and personal use.
- Access to our online traditional herbal information pages
- Free advertising on our online practitioner directory
Many customers ask us for personal health advice, however we cannot diagnose health issues or provide advice as we are not a registered medical health practitioner.
So in response to this we have an online Practitioner directory of Complementary & Alternative Medicine practitioners, so our customers can search for an expert health practitioner in their area.
It’s free for all registered and insured CAM practitioners to join and publish a professional profile and practise address details on the directory. This means that our customers can find your services in their area, and connect up with the health advice they are looking for.
Q. What are the benefits of signing up to receive your newsletter?
You will receive our Monthly Newsletter, with our Special Monthly discount code and news about new products, great offers and interesting facts about nutrition, health and wellbeing. Its our way of keeping you up to date and sharing with you what’s new at Indigo Herbs.
Q. VAT charges for customers outside of the UK and VAT registered companies
Unfortunately we are currently unable to offer VAT deductions from orders for customers who live outside of the EU or for customer inside of the EU who are VAT registered.
We hope that we may be able to offer this in the future.