cleopatrasboudoir web store FAQ section

Contact Us for a Private Consultation (504) 377-9710 Please fill out the form below to be added to our customer list. Someone will contact you shortly. Also see below for a list of frequently asked questions about our hair care products. Thank you! Your information has been submitted successfully. One of our representatives will contact you as soon as possible. There was an error submitting the form. First Name: Last Name: Company: Email: Phone: Address 1: Address 2: City: State: Zip: Comments: Frequently Asked Questions about Moéa Hair Care Products Q. Can products be used on ethnic hair? Are the results the same? A. Yes. Many have found that the Smooth and Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner system works best for ethnic hair types. However, if the hair has been relaxed, we suggest using the Smooth and Hydrate shampoo and the Strength and Rejuvenate conditioner. Q. Can I use Moéa® products when using relaxers? A. Yes. Our products are pH balanced to be gentle and effective cleansers and conditioners. The natural oils in Moéa products also help level out the porosity in the hair for a more even, stabilized application. Q. Does the Finishing Spray have alcohol in it? A. Yes, it does contain a very small amount of alcohol—much less than most aerosol hairsprays, in fact. Alcohol is an important ingredient for the high-function performance of Moéa Finishing Spray. However, we formulated the Finishing Spray to use the minimum amount necessary and only use a pure, grain-source alcohol. Our level is significantly lower than most hairsprays on the market. Q. Can men use the Moéa hair care line? A. Absolutely. Moéa hair care products are an excellent choice for men. The three color-coded systems are easy to use, and Moéa products gently cleanse and protect all scalp and hair types. Q. I have extremely coarse hair that requires a lot of moisture. What products do you recommend, and what is the best way to use them? A. Our Smooth and Hydrate system adds moisture to and protects course, unruly hair. The shampoo and conditioner work in a restorative manner: the more you use them, the more benefits they provide. We recommend leaving the conditioner in your hair for five minutes before rinsing. Do this the first three times you use Moéa products and your hair will feel and appear healthier and more manageable. Q. What is the best system for dry scalp and brittle hair? A. The rejuvenating properties of Moéa Strength and Rejuvenate Shampoo and Conditioner are especially good for dry scalp and brittle hair. Q. Do Moéa products help control frizz? A. Moéa® Smooth and Hydrate Conditioner is especially good for helping control frizzy hair. Q. The products don't foam or lather; are they cleansing my hair? A. Most manufacturers use cheap sulfate ingredients to create all that foam and lather—Moéa products do not contain any of these low-grade ingredients. Our low-foam shampoos provide gentle and mild cleansing, which is much better for the hair. Moéa shampoo formulas are also concentrated, so a little amount goes a long way. Q. What is the best system to use for dry, thin hair? A. We recommend a combination of Fullness and Volume and Smooth and Hydrate. Q. What are sulfates and why don't you use them? A. Sulfates are, by definition, complexes containing sulfur. Sulfates cause concern when used as detergents in shampoo and other personal care cleansers. For instance, when combined, sulfuric acid, lauryl alcohol, and sodium carbonate yield a detergent known as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). SLS is easily absorbed into the skin and can cause scalp irritation and may denature skin cells. In fact, SLS is actually used on test subjects to deliver an irritation reaction for comparison purposes. One would expect similar effects with ammonium lauryl sulfate. And sodium laureth sulfate is essentially sodium lauryl sulfate that has been modified with a chemical known as ethylene oxide. While these are less irritating than SLS, they are still chemicals of concern in personal care products and you will never find them in any Moéa products. Q. What do you use instead of sulfates? A. The key surfactant that we use as a replacement is decyl glucoside, a naturally derived material made from corn and sugar. Q. Is Behentrimonium Methosulfate considered to be a harsh sulfate? A. No. Even though it has "sulfate" in its name, it isn't a cleansing sulfate. It's chemically changed to be a conditioning ingredient that is good for the hair. Q. What are parabens and why don’t you use them? A. Parabens are esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid that have been extensively used for many years to control microbial growth in personal care products. However, parabens have been documented to be irritants and potential sensitizers in many individuals—this fact alone would be reason enough not to use them. But research is also showing that parabens are implicated as endocrine disrupters, compounds that can interfere with the way hormones are managed in the body. If proved true, the consequences would be quite serious. Because of these unknown research results, you will never find parabens in any Moéa hair care product. Q. What do you use to preserve Moéa products? A. We use methylisothiazolinone in our Moéa shampoos and conditioners. Q. Why don't you use keratin proteins in Moéa products? A. While some companies will try to convince you that their keratin protein is plant derived, it is not—true keratin protein is derived from either human or animal sources, including hydrolyzed human hair and bird feathers. These are not sources we are comfortable using because Moéa hair care products are considered to be vegan, meaning we do not use any animal-based ingredients in any of our products. Examples of animal-derived ingredients include proteins such as collagen, elastin, gelatin, and keratin. Additionally, lanolin and many emulsifiers and waxes currently used in many hair care products are animal-derived.

At Cleopatrasboudoir.com we have a commitment to quality products and authenticity. We guarantee that all products in our store are original niche and designer fragrances and that your information is 100% secure. We take pride in our reputation for quality and excellent value in discount fragrances, cosmetics, skincare, hair care and related products. All items are genuine. If your item becomes out of stock after you have sent payment, your payment will be returned.

To be perfectly honest, I am a very small online business, consisting of just me who runs it. I do not have the resources like the larger companies to do buy the items at wholesale and in bulk. Many distributors want you to buy at LEAST 500 items per sku per order. I cannot financially afford to buy that many items. I have a high overhead, whic means I buy items at retail cost, and almost always have to pay taxes, sometimes I eat shipping and processing fees, and for internationally imported items, I have to pay the VAT taxes. So please understand that all these associated costs are built into the price. Please do not ask for a price reduction, all prices are fixed and will sometimes have to be increased as inflation grows. For these reasons, Cleopatra's Boudoir does not offer complimentary products or samples of items. Sorry

It depends on what my supplier's use. Many of them ship via either USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, or Postal Service Ground. Orders to PO Box, HI, PR, AK, APO, FPO are shipped via USPS FedEx, UPS and DHL do not ship to PO Boxes. For express next day shipping only for USA items. This does not apply to any items which need to be internationally imported. Not all of my USA suppliers offer this feature, please check with me first. PLEASE NOTE THAT WHEN YOU PLACE AN ORDER, Google Checkout performs industry-standard Address Verification System (AVS) and Card Verification Value (CVV) checks to prevent credit card fraud.--THIS CAN TAKE SEVERAL HOURS. THEN GOOGLE SENDS THE FUNDS DIRECTLY TO MY BANK, WHEN IT CLEARS MY BANK--THIS PART TAKES A FEW DAYS--THAT IS WHEN I ORDER YOUR ITEM, THEN I CAN CHOOSE YOUR SHIPPING METHOD--WHETHER STANDARD OR EXPRESS MAIL. Some of my suppliers have overnight shipping, rush shipping, but many do not. So definitely check with me first.

Arrives in 2-3 weeks or earlier, processing and delivery occurs on business days (not weekends or holidays) after order has been placed. Some products may ship after this time. International shipments -please add extra time for delivery as items may be held up in customs. Some items may be backordered.

Yes, we do. We can ship to APO/FPO destinations via USPS Postal Service. You may have customs duties and taxes that may be collected at the time of delivery.

Not at this time. With all the restrictions regarding what we can ship and what we cannot ship for each country, it is getting too difficult to handle.

The differences are simply a matter of the amount or concentration of oils in the fragrance. The highest concentration is in pure perfume (or parfum/extrait). Next would be Eau de Parfum, then Eau de Toilette, and finally Eau de Cologne. Some manufacturers make a solid perfume, solid perfume is as strong as a pure perfume however it is in a gel or wax-like consistency. Eau De Toilette and Eau De Cologne are generally interchangeable, especially in Men's fragrances. After Shave has the least amount of oils. The higher the concentration the longer your fragrance will last, and the less you need to apply. Use this easy chart Splash or Aftershave (usually 1-3% perfume oil) Eau de cologne (2 - 5% perfume oil) Eau Fraiche (Usually 3% or less perfume oil) Eau de Toilette (4 - 10% perfume oil) Eau de parfum,also called parfum de toilette,eau de perfume or millésime (8 - 15% perfume oil) Soie de Parfum (15 - 18% perfume oil) PARFUM or Pure Perfume (15 - 25% -- also sometimes referred to as extract or extrait) Perfume oil (15-30% perfume oil in an oil rather than alcohol base) You may also see the term Parfum de Toilette. Most companies use this term to describe a concentration that is either the same as Eau De Parfum, or between Eau De Parfum and Parfum. Other companies use the term to describe an Eau De Toilette concentration The intensity and longevity of a perfume is based on the concentration, intensity and longevity of the aromatic compounds (natural essential oils / perfume oils) used: As the percentage of aromatic compounds increases, so does the intensity and longevity of the scent created. Different perfumeries or perfume houses assign different amounts of oils to each of their perfumes. Therefore, although the oil concentration of a perfume in Eau de Parfum (EdP) dilution will necessarily be higher than the same perfume in Eau de Toilette (EdT) from within the same range, the actual amounts can vary between perfume houses. An EdT from one house may be stronger than an EdP from another. Men's fragrances are rarely as EdP or perfume extracts. As well, women's fragrances are rarely sold in EdC concentrations. Although this gender specific naming trend is common for assigning fragrance concentrations, it does not directly have anything to do with whether a fragrance was intended for men or women. Furthermore, some fragrances with the same product name but having a different concentration name may not only differ in their dilutions, but actually use different perfume oil mixtures altogether. For instance, in order to make the EdT version of a fragrance brighter and fresher than its EdP, the EdT oil may be "tweaked" to contain slightly more top notes or fewer base notes. In some cases, words such as "extrême", "intense" or "concentrée", that might indicate aromatic concentration are sometimes completely different fragrances that relates only because of a similar perfume accord. An example of this would be Chanel‘s Pour Monsieur and Pour Monsieur Concentrée.

Fragrances are comprised of many different scents, these scents are called "notes." Top notes are very light and last just a few minutes (5-10 minutes). Middle notes become apparent in about 15 minutes after application. These can last up to an hour or more. Bottom notes are the heavier ingredients. These last the longest, usually for several hours.

Fragrances contain a certain amount of natural ingredients, which are expensive. To make a pound of rose oil, it takes well over a ton of flower petals, and this cost can range from three to four thousand dollars. The same is true for most essential oils.

Keep all fragrances in a cool, dry area, and away from windows as sunlight can unbalance the various ingredients. An opened bottle should be kept in its box to insure a longer shelf life. Heat can also destroy a fragrance so keep it from extreme temperatures. Colognes and eau de toilettes (not parfum) may be kept in the refrigerator in order to maintain their freshness, but this is not neccessary. Fragrances usually last 3 years from the date they were manufactured, not the day you buy it.

Here is a quick conversion chart: 750 ml - 27 oz 500 ml = 18 oz 450 ml = 16 oz 400 ml = 14 oz 350 ml = 12.3 oz 300 ml = 10.5 oz 250 ml = 8.8 oz 200 ml = 7 oz 150 ml = 5.2 oz 100 ml = 3.3 or 3.4 oz 90 ml = 3.2 oz 80 ml = 2.9 oz 75 ml = 2.5 oz 60 ml = 2 oz 50 ml = 1.6 or 1.7 oz 30 ml = 1 oz 15 ml = 1/2 oz 10 ml = 1/3 oz 7.5 ml = 1/4 oz 5 ml = 1/6 oz 3.7 ml = 1/8 oz = 1 dram Note that all of these are approximate; strictly speaking, 1/2 oz is 14.787 ml. A standard perfume sample is in a 1/32 oz (1 ml) vial.

Alcohol makes the fragrance emanate from your skin. Without alcohol, you would be the only person who knew you were wearing any fragrance at all.

Body chemistry, diet and age affect fragrances on their skin. Also, fragrance consists of many essential oils. Certain essential oils have affinity to our skin, and they may be absorbed while other may not. This creates an imbalance on the skin and accounts for the difference.

Fragrance should be applied to pulse points. This is where the blood vessels are closest to the skin giving off more heat and acting like mini fragrance pumps. Pulse points are the wrist, behind the ear, crook of the arm and knee, base of the throat. Also, for long lasting fragrance spray at the ankles, it allows the fragrance to blossom up. For a sexy twist, apply perfume to your cleavage or spray perfume on your nude body before dressing. The nape of the neck, is a very romantic area, whenever your hair moves it might swish theperfume around, nice little subtle trail of perfumed loveliness. Apply perfume right after you take a shower or bath. Your pores are more open then and will more easily soak up the scent. Some people say that rubbing the wrists together will crush the scent, I tried this with different perfumes over the course of two weeks, just to see if its true, it seemed to me that the friction of rubbing the wrists together actually heated up the fragrances and made them seem more potent. I have read though that the perfume can react not so nicely to the first layer of skin..and give off a smell that isnt pleasant. Others say that to spray the perfume in the air and then walk into it, I have done this before, and it seems that it is a waste of a fragrance. I spray perfumes on my clothes when I want to make the scent last longer, I wont spray perfume on fragile fabrics like silks or lace. You can spray your coat with perfume. Also an old tip is to apply pure parfum extrait to your furs. Doing this is up to your own discretion. Do not apply perfume after you put your jewelry on, take it off first, then apply the perfume. The chemicals inperfume can leave stains or have chemical reactions to the metals, Pearls are especially susceptible to damage from perfume since it destroys their lustre. Coco Chanel always said to apply perfume where you want to be kissed. I read an old perfume guide from the 1930s and it mentioned that you can apply perfume to your fingertips and eyebrows. Also apply perfume to a cotton ball and tuck it into your brassiere. Apply perfume to your hankies or gloves.

Oily skin holds scents much more than dry skin. So those with dry skin need to reapply more often.

Firt I must mention that all manufacturer's and perfumes are different. But the general rule is that fragrances are designed to last about 4 hours or so. Some people may notice that a particular fragrance lasts all day but by then it will not smell as it's supposed to. You must re-apply once or twice a day. Try not to over-apply as your nose will start getting used to the fragrance but may still smell strong to others. Many people like to layer their fragrances, starting with body wash, scented lotion and then the perfume.

Yes, since heat increases the intensity of a fragrance. There are certain fragrances that are more appropriate for summer and other stronger scents that would be better for winter use. A good guideline to follow is to wear lighter scents in the summer and stronger in the winter. Citrus scents are perfect for summer while orientals are better for winter.

You can put a few drops of your favorite fragrance in a bath or a few drops in the water when washing your clothes or use on gift items (Cards, Fruit basket, etc) as well as on artificial flowers and tissue papers. You can also spray onto your bed or pillows. Pure perfume splashes may stain, so use with caution. Add some perfume oil to a ring diffuser on your lamp. Apply your favorite perfume to a cotton ball and stick it in the air vent of your vehicle. That way the scent is diffused.

No. You can wear your fragrance as much as you want throughout the year. Perfume is meant to be worn and smelled. No need to have it sit there unused on your vanity.

As a rule, please remember that all perfumes will start to degrade after around 3-5 years and this in turn causes the perfumes to "turn". They will develop a very strong alcohol odor or may turn a sour smell. This smell generally dissipates after a while and the notes of the original perfume will come out. If a perfume has been stored correctly, there is a chance it may still smell nice, though not as fresh as it one was. So buyer beware. If it is a pure perfume extrait, your chances of it retaining its original scent are far greater than with a cologne or eau de toilette. However, some women have expressed that some vintage perfumes still smell wonderful. I myself have a perfume that is over 100 years old, and it smells fresh and spicy!

Not at this time, sorry. All items must be paid for upon purchase.

Manufacturers sometimes have different packaging for different markets, different times, marketing or regions. The product you receive is genuine up to date manufacturer products.

As of right now, I accept secure credit card payments thru www.paymate.com No Paypal and No Google Checkout. To place an order without a credit card, simply use our website - then select your preferred payment option. We accept the following NON-CREDIT payment methods: Checks- cashiers, credit union Money Orders--postal preferred,bank,Western Union & Moneygram Bank to Bank Wire Transfers (contact me for this, there is an additional $12 charge for this, No International wire transfers) PLEASE PAY WITHIN 7 DAYS OF ORDERING OR YOUR ORDER WILL BE CONSIDERED CANCELED. What is a wire transfer? A wire transfer is an electronic payment service for transferring funds by wire (for example, through the Federal Reserve Wire Network or the Clearing House Interbank Payments System).Bank-to-bank wire transfer is considered the safest payment method. Each account holder must have a proven identity. A wire transfer is a transfer of money from one bank account to another. The actual transfer is done by the bank, and neither the sender nor the recipient of the money sees or touches the actual funds. Exclusions: No International Transactions

Many of the old perfumes have been discontinued because they were simply too expensive to make any more. Also, there are new regulations from the EU which restrict some of the ingredients that were essential to them, like oakmoss for example. Many other of the classics have been re-worked and reformulated to be cheaper or use acceptable ingredients, or modern formulations, which is why they sort of smell like the originals, but not really -- they're synthetic re-creations most of the time. Perfume companies usually won't reveal when they change formulas, they just add the new ones into the marketplace. Sometimes the older formulations make it to the discount stores. Other times if you still want that old, original formula you'll have to stick with vintage perfumes. I have heard that companies like the Vermont Country Store & Irma Shorell both make recreations that are close, but many customers say they are way off. Your best bet is to buy the original bottles. here's a better explanation from an anonymous poster from NST "I couldn't agree more about the difference between vintage and reissued Diorling. But it's not entirely due to the avarice of accountants deciding to have it made with cheap ingredients and thinking no one will notice because no one remembers them well enough… It's not only oakmoss-type regulations. It's also a side-effect of a decades-old practice in perfumery: the company that employs the perfumer and manufactures the oils for, say, a couture house, is the only one to have the actual formula: Dior never saw the formula for Miss Dior, Diorissimo, etc. Why was that? Because there was no contract between the couture house and the perfume company, so the only way the perfume company could ensure their profits is by hanging on for dear life to the formulas. Say Edmond Roudnitska made Diorama and Diorissimo: it was actually fabricated in his factory near Grasse, but as he had rather small facilities, he subcontracted this and that bit of the formula to other Grasse labs. Now if one of those labs shuts down, the particular base that they made is lost forever. So even if Roudnitska's estate has the formula, they can't make Diorissimo or Diorama exactly like the man composed it. In some cases, like Diorling maybe, they may not even have access to the formula at all, so they knock together a simile based on what they can do with analysis of the original. The companies that actually made it, or bits of it, may be long-gone. This is even more striking when brands change hands — maybe this is the case of Je Reviens, which went steadily downmarket from being a scent from the first couture house in history. The current owners are manufacturing a reproduction from an imitation from an approximation, using cheaper and cheaper ingredients at every reformulation. So add cheapness + regulations + the tradition of secrecy in perfumery, and there you go. All this info comes from an impeccable source, by the way: Mr Jean Kerléo, founder of the Osmothèque

No, we are not a wholesaling company, because of this we cannot give discount to high volume sales.

All prices are as stated.

Your order will be canceled and you will be emailed. You will not be charged for any item that is not in stock. If your item becomes out of stock after payment has been recieved, your payment will be returned to you. No questions asked.

The sense of smell becomes quickly fatigued. After a period of smelling a fragrance you become used to it and may not be able to smell the scent. The scent is still there and is very strong for others.

Not necessarily; synthetics are of equal value to the perfumer. There are extremely expensive natural components and reasonable synthetics and vice versa. Some natural synthetic odor components are more stable than the natural ingredients. Therefore, they are more desirable to the perfumer.

Perfumes cling to moist skin; they thrive when worn on emollient skin. The warmth of a body enables the fragrance to warm thereby releasing its true beauty. Dry skin lacks the necessary oils to hold fragrances and can even distort the scent. If you have dry skin, use a body oil or body moisturizer (the best is the body lotions that are perfumed with your desired fragrance) after your shower. Then gently pat your skin dry. Do not rub your skin with a towel. Rubbing robs your skin of moisture and precious oils. Seal moisture into your skin with the oil or lotion. Now apply your perfume.

Layering is the process of applying fragrance items with the same scent. To avoid fragrance clashing, that is the wearing of several different scents together, unless the two scents compliment one another to create an even more wonderful fragrance. Shampoo, cream rinse, deodorant, etc. all have their own fragrance. Depending upon what you use, the conflicting scents can detract from the one scent you want to stress, that of your perfume. In one day you may come in contact with as few as 10 or as many as 30 different scents. Therefore layer your fragrances using matching shower gels, shampoo, body lotions or oils then perfume to compliment your overall fragrance wardrobe. This helps retain your fragrance and make it last longer.

The composition of a fragrance is of many different ingredients, each of which varies in scent and staying power. Different ingredients come to life at different stages. The industry refers to the stages as notes. The top note is the initial impact of a scent on the sense of smell. the middle note, or heart, develops a few minutes later. The base note, or foundation provides the most lasting effects of a fragrance.

It seems the shipping calculator isnt working right on my shipping rates for furniture, if you see something you like, please contact me for a better quote. FURNITURE ONLY

Your food purchases will be shipped within 1-2 business days. We ship all packages over 2 lbs with FedEx which will include insurance automatically. We do require a signature for packages over $100 in value, because Fedex requires it in case of a claim. We use the USPS (United States Postal Service) for international shipping, not FedEx. For lighter packages we use the USPS and will provide optional insurance if desired. Return to Top

No, not at this time, right now we only sell online

I am sorry, but we do not offer returns on furniture. If your furniture arrives damaged, please contact us immediately so that we can start the exchange process.

Important: Pregnant or nursing women should thoroughly research perfumes/fragrances before using products that contain such ingredients.

Most cosmetics are made to be used with two years. Tp help extend the shelf life of your cosmetics, store them in a cool, dry place outside of your bathroom. Toss out anythig that is cracked, leaking, or has a bad odor. Also don't share your makeup, this can transfer bacteria from one user to another. Another tip - do not ever add water to your cosmetics, this is a breeding ground for bacteria. Here are some useful guidelines that help take the guesswork out of this question. Mascara - three months to six months, no exception. This product expires the fastest. To keepit fresh during the three month duration, don't pump it in and out of the tube, this only causes the product to dry out faster, instead, swirl the wand aroun the sides. Concealer - up to one year. Waterbased foundations - up to one year Oil based foundations - up to 18 months Powders - up to three years Powder eyeshadow - up to three years Cream Eye shadows - if the cream gets runny or changes consistency or smell in other ways before six months, throw it away Eye & lip pencils - up to three years. Always sharpen before use to keep them fresh. Liquid eye liner or lip color - six to 12 months Cream blush - up to one year Lipsticks - up to four years, but most will advise you to throw out afer 2 years. Regardless, if it starts to smell rancid, throw it out -its spoiled. To help keep lipstick lasting longer, store it inthe refrigerator. Moisturizer - up to one year Cosmetic sponges - wash weekly, discard monthly Brushes - wash once a month at least with warm water & mild detergent Nail polish - up to two years Body wash - up to two years Body lotion - up to three years or more Shampoo & Conditioners - up to two years