FAQ's
Clean, Zero Waste, Vegan, & Cruelty Free Cosmetics
The Zerra Ethos
Does Zerra & Co. have any certifications?
Yep! We're Leaping Bunny Certified Cruelty Free and a proud 1% for the Planet member with our 1% benefiting Blue Water Baltimore.
How do you define "clean ingredients"?
We get it, this is really a BS marketing term so we try and avoid it. On our products you'll see us use specific wording noting what our products are free of and how we consider each one "clean".
As a company, we never use the following in our products:
- Parabens & Phthalates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Silicones
- Micro-plastics (nylon, PVA, acrylic, etc)
- Animal products
Do you have a container take back program?
Yes we do! We take back all of our containers free of charge as part of our Container Return Program. You can read all about our Container Return Program for retailers on our blog here.
Are your products plastic free?
No, but our products are single-use plastic free.
Our goal isn't to create perfect products for a small group of people, but to create products that make significant progress for a large group of people.
Sometime this means using plastic to make our products easy to use and familiar to customers. An example is using plastic pump tops on skincare bottles or plastic bristles in our mascara wands.
Clean ingredients without the frills or bullsh*t
Ingredients, Packaging & Manufacturing
Where are your products made?
All of our products are manufactured by us right here in our Baltimore, MD warehouse.
Our ingredients and packaging come from all over the world. Want a country of origin on something specific? Browse the commonly asked about ones below, or send us an email at wholesale@zerraco.com.
Want to tour the studio and get a look behind the scenes? Send us an email to schedule a time to stop by and say hi. We'd love to meet you!
Where does your packaging come from?
All of our custom packaging such as product boxes, lip balm tubes, and bamboo products come from china.
Our generic glass packaging and metal lids are US made and often made from recycled materials.
Are your products vegan and/or cruelty free?
Yes!
All of our products are vegan and we are Leaping Bunny Certified Cruelty Free.
Is your mica ethically sourced?
Yes. Mica is a mineral that can be found all over the world. We source our Mica from a variety of countries but never India or China due to child labor issues.
Do you use palm oil or palm oil derivatives?
Yes, but we only use RSPO certified palm oil products. While we understand this isn't the perfect solution, we feel it's the best solution available. You can read more about our stance on Palm Oil here.
Are your products preservative free?
Some are, but most aren't. All of our products that contain water have a preservative of some kind in them.
We know some consumers get nervous about preservatives, but sometimes it's unavoidable to provide safe products to consumers.
Do any of your products have a SPF rating?
No. Products with an SPF rating are considered drugs by the FDA and we do not have the facilities or resources to produce products considered drugs.
Are your products free of major allergens?
Our products are gluten free but are not produced in a gluten free facility. We do use nut oils and coconut oil in a some of our products. We always recommend you read the ingredient label for each individual product.
If you have any questions about ingredients or allergens, please email us at wholesale@zerraco.com.
Are your ingredients food grade or organic?
"Food grade" ingredients do not and have never existed. It's a term created by companies who needed to create artificial value for their products. Either something is edible or it is not. The Avocado Oil we receive in the lab is just as edible as the kind you see in the grocery store as they're both pure Avocado Oil.
We avoid using organic ingredients as we feel organic foods are already priced inaccessibly. By putting them into cosmetics we would be continuing to drive up demand and thus their price. Organic foods have the highest impact to our health when ingested and it's important to us to leave them for just that.
Need more help? Email us at wholesale@zerraco.com
Ordering & Using the Portal
What's your order minimum?
Our order minimum is $100.
I'm a new customer, how do I order?
If you haven't asked us for free samples to try yet, we strongly recommend you send us an email at wholesale@zerraco.com requesting them!
If you're not interested in samples and want to place an order right away, go for it! We'll email you after we see your opening order to check in and get your sales and use tax exemption form so we can refund your sales tax paid.
What's your return policy?
A this time we do not allow returns of products purchased at wholesale pricing.
If you're unsure about a product we strongly recommend you send us an email at wholesale@zerraco.com requesting a free sample so you can try before you buy.
What kind of payment options are available?
We currently accept all major credit cards, PayPal, and Shop Pay Installments. We can accept ACH on request. We do not accept checks or cash.
We do not offer NET terms at this time. If you're looking for NET terms we recommend you order from us on Faire.
All order ship from Baltimore, MD
Shipping & Delivery
How much is shipping?
Shipping is FREE on all orders with the option to upgrade shipping at checkout.
How quickly will my order ship?
Our processing time for orders that contain only retail sized products in 2-5 business days.
Orders with bulk products ship in 5-10 business days. Longer lead times should be expected for 5 gallon buckets.
Pre-order items will either be clearly marked with a ship date or we will email you with an ETA after your order has been accepted.
How long are shipping transit times?
Free shipping will either be USPS Ground Advantage or UPS Ground and arrive in 3-5 business days after shipping. This is in addition to our 2-5 day processing time.
If you need your order sooner we recommend you upgrade shipping at checkout and notify us you need your order rushed. We'll do our best to lower our processing time, but of course cannot make guarentees.
Who do you ship with?
We ship with USPS, Canada Post, and UPS only.
We can ship with DHL on request, however we do not have discounted pricing with DHL so expect higher shipping costs.
How will my order be packed?
We use 100% biodegradable starch packing peanuts, paper padding, and cardboard boxes to ship your order.
You may receive an order in an up cycled cardboard box or with up cycled paper packing materials. This helps us keep our footprint low.
You will never find single use plastic shipping materials in your order.
What countries do you ship to?
Currently we can only ship to the US & Canada.
I'm local to Baltimore, can I pickup my order?
Absolutely! We'd love to see you. Just select pickup in store at checkout and you'll get an notification when it's ready for pickup.