A Letter Before the Fine Print
Dear Friend,
Before the details, a note on who we are and why this policy reads the way it does.
Our name comes from two old traditions. “Dear” is how every letter between pen pals once began: personal, patient, and written by someone who meant it. “Alchemist” honors the early scientists who worked by hand, in small batches, chasing breakthroughs. Dear Alchemist exists to bring both back to skincare.
Most skincare on the shelf today is imported or owned by global conglomerates. Every Dear Alchemist formula is formulated, manufactured, and filled in the USA, in a facility that operates under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and follows ISO 22716 cosmetic manufacturing standards. Every batch is controlled, consistent, and traceable from formulation to fill.
We are a small company, and we stand behind what we make. Skin is personal, and even a great formula isn’t right for everyone. So we built this policy around one idea: we would rather help you find the product that works for you than simply take the bottle back.
One honest note. For your safety, opened skincare can never be resold. Every opened return is destroyed, and a small business absorbs the full cost of that product. That is why this policy is generous for customers who give us a fair try, and firm for the rare few who don’t.
Yours truly,
Dear Alchemist
The Alchemist’s Promise
Try any Dear Alchemist product for up to 60 days from delivery. If it isn’t right for your skin, choose how we make it right:
| Exchange | Store Credit | Refund | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return shipping | We pay | We pay | You pay |
| Shipping on your new product | Free | Free on your next order | N/A |
| Amount | Full price paid | Full price paid | Price paid, less original shipping |
Exchanges are our most generous option because they give you the best chance of finding your match. Your exchange ships as soon as your return is scanned by the carrier, so you’re never left waiting. Exchanging for a higher-priced product? You pay the difference. Lower-priced? We issue the difference as store credit.
What “Lightly Used” Means
To qualify, a product must have at least 75% of its contents remaining, with its original bottle, cap, pump, and packaging. We ask for a photo of the remaining product when you start your return, and we verify the remaining amount by weight when your return arrives.
Promise Limits
- The Alchemist’s Promise covers the first unit of each product you try when you choose an exchange or store credit. Refunds on opened products are limited to one product per customer. Additional units of the same product, including multi-packs and quantity-discount orders, may be returned only if unopened.
- Subscriptions: your first shipment of each product is covered by the Alchemist’s Promise. If a renewal was charged but hasn’t shipped, contact us and we’ll cancel it and refund you in full. Renewal shipments that have already been delivered may be returned only if unopened and within 60 days of delivery. You can skip, pause, or cancel anytime from your account. Returns of delivered renewals follow the same shipping terms as all returns above.
- Each product may be exchanged once. Your replacement is covered for damage or defects but is not eligible for a second exchange or refund.
- Refunds and credit reflect the amount you actually paid after discounts.
- Samples and free gifts are yours to keep.
Damaged, Defective, or Wrong Item
Email us within 7 days of delivery with photos of the item and packaging. We’ll send a replacement at no cost. No return needed. Limited to one replacement per order.
Marked Delivered but Not Received
Please check around your property and with neighbors, and contact your local post office within 7 days of the delivery date. If it still hasn’t turned up, email us and we’ll help with a carrier claim or a one-time replacement.
Skin Reactions
Stop using the product and email us within the 60-day window with a photo of the product and a description of the reaction. We’ll cover return shipping on your exchange, credit, or refund. Reaction refunds count toward the one opened-product refund per customer. If your reaction is severe, please seek medical care.
Not Eligible for Return
- Requests made more than 60 days after delivery
- Products with less than 75% remaining, or that are empty, refilled, or tampered with
- Items marked final sale
- Gift cards
- Purchases made anywhere other than dearalchemist.com (please return to the original retailer)
- Orders shipped outside the United States
Fair Use
We keep this policy generous by protecting it. We review return history across accounts, addresses, and payment methods, and we may decline returns or future orders when we see a pattern of excessive returns or misuse. Returns sent without authorization, or that don’t meet the conditions above, are not eligible for a refund. Because opened skincare cannot be safely shipped back out, those items are disposed of after we notify you.
How to Start a Return
- Email support@dearalchemist.com with your order number, the product, your choice (exchange, store credit, or refund), and a photo of the remaining product.
- We reply within 2 business days. Exchanges and store credit include a prepaid label. Refunds include a return address and authorization number. We recommend a tracked shipping service.
- Ship within 14 days of approval.
- Exchanges ship as soon as your return is scanned by the carrier. Store credit is issued within 2 business days of receipt. Refunds are issued to your original payment method within 5 business days of receipt; your bank may take an additional 5 to 10 business days to post it.
