Frequently asked questions.

It means there is no water in the formula — at all. Most skincare products are 60–80% water, which is cheap but inert. When you remove water, you have to fill that space with something else — and we fill it with botanical oils and plant extracts. Every millilitre is active.

No. No synthetic fragrance is added to any homeApothec formula. Synthetic fragrance is one of the most common causes of skin sensitisation, especially on reactive and eczema-prone skin. The formulas have a natural botanical scent from the infused oils, but nothing added for scent.

The Relief Balm is specifically formulated to be baby-safe — no fragrance, no steroids, no harsh preservatives. The other products are adult-formulated. If you want to use them on a child, message Tracy first and she'll advise based on age and skin condition.

Synthetic fragrance is one of the most common causes of skin sensitisation. We don't use it because we can't guarantee it won't cause a reaction, especially on reactive or eczema-prone skin. The formulas have a natural botanical scent from the infused oils, but nothing added for scent.

Unopened: 24 months. Once opened: 12 months. Because the formulas are waterless, they don't need the heavy preservative systems that water-based products do — but the carrier oils will eventually oxidise. Store in a cool, dark place and use within a year of opening.

Most moisturisers are mostly water — they hydrate the surface briefly, then evaporate, sometimes taking some of your own moisture with them. If tightness returns within hours no matter how much you apply, the issue usually isn't quantity — it's that the barrier underneath, the lipid layer that locks water in, has been depleted by over-cleansing, aircon, or years of harsh product. No amount of water-based cream rebuilds that layer from the outside. Restoring the lipids the barrier is actually made of — not adding more water on top — is what lets skin start holding its own moisture again.

The skin barrier is the outermost lipid layer that locks moisture in and keeps irritants out. When it's healthy, it's tightly packed and holds water on its own. When it's depleted — by over-cleansing, stress, aircon, or harsh actives — moisture escapes and irritants get in more easily. Signs include tightness that returns soon after moisturising, flaking or rough texture, redness or new sensitivity, and products that used to feel fine suddenly stinging. None of these are dramatic on their own, but together they usually point to a barrier that needs rebuilding, not just more cream.

Most botanical extracts are processed in hours using heat and pressure, because that's faster and cheaper. Heat destroys many of the delicate plant compounds that make an ingredient worth using in the first place. homeApothec formulas are cold-macerated instead — slow-infused for 8 weeks with no heat and no pressure, just time. The wait is what lets those compounds transfer intact, so the concentration in the bottle is something you can actually feel, rather than a diluted trace of what the plant offered.

This is the most common question Tracy gets. Oily skin is almost always dehydrated skin — it produces excess oil because its lipid barrier is compromised. The right oils (specifically linoleic-rich ones like those in the Oily Skin Power Serum) signal to the skin that it doesn't need to produce more. It feels counterintuitive, but it works.

Stripping oily skin — with harsher cleansers or by skipping moisturiser — tells skin it's short on oil, so it produces more to compensate. The way out isn't a harsher routine, it's the right oil: one like jojoba that's almost identical to skin's own sebum, so it signals that production can slow down. Oily skin is also often low in linoleic acid, the fatty acid that keeps sebum balanced and non-congesting. Restoring that balance — rather than fighting the oil — is what lets skin stop overproducing on its own.

Hyaluronic acid is a humectant — it draws water toward itself rather than creating moisture. In humid air, it draws that water from the environment. In dry air — aircon, winter, altitude — there's no environmental moisture nearby, so it can draw water from your own skin instead, which then evaporates from the surface. This doesn't mean skipping it; it means always sealing it in immediately with an oil layer, rather than leaving it exposed to dry air.

Most people notice improved comfort within 1–2 weeks of consistent use. Visible changes to texture, dryness, and sensitivity typically develop over 6–8 weeks, since that's roughly how long it takes a compromised skin barrier to meaningfully rebuild. This is also why homeApothec formulas don't use actives that force fast visible change, like retinols or strong acids — those work by creating controlled damage the skin then repairs. Slower, but built to last rather than to fade the moment you stop.

Yes — the range is built to layer. The general rule is water first, oil second: a water-based hydrating step (like HydraShield) prepares and hydrates the skin, and an oil-based serum applied right after seals that hydration in and delivers the lipids a depleted barrier needs. Applying oil before water, or leaving a water-based product unsealed, reduces how well either step works. Each product page lists the specific step it plays in a routine.

Generally yes, but it depends on what you're using. homeApothec formulas layer well under or over most products. What to avoid: strong actives (high-strength retinols, AHAs) on the same application — they work against what the botanical oils are trying to do. If you're not sure, message Tracy.

Most of the formulas are safe during pregnancy, but some botanical oils have restrictions during the first trimester. Message Tracy with the specific product and she'll advise. Don't take our word for it — check with your doctor too.

West Malaysia: flat rate RM8, usually 2–4 business days. East Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak): RM15, 4–7 business days. We're working on international shipping — message Tracy if you're outside Malaysia.

We accept FPX (all Malaysian banks), DuitNow QR, GrabPay, and Touch 'n Go eWallet via HitPay. Card payments are also accepted.

If your product arrives damaged or there's an issue with the order, contact Tracy and she'll make it right. Because the products are skincare, we can't accept returns of opened products for hygiene reasons — but if something is wrong, we will fix it.

Glass bottles and aluminium caps where possible. We avoid single-use plastic. The outer packaging is recycled cardboard. It's not perfect yet, but we're moving in the right direction.

Tracy makes every batch herself, by hand, in Kuala Lumpur. Small batches. 8-week infusion process. No outsourced manufacturing.

Because Tracy only makes products she actually uses. Six formulas plus a bundle covers the main skin concerns without being overwhelming. She'd rather have six products that really work than twenty that are mediocre.

Message Tracy on WhatsApp. She's based in Kuala Lumpur and local pickups can sometimes be arranged.