FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are Hazmat Fees/Items (Items marked with a ** or *** in the name)?
Some of our flavors are defined by IATA (International Air Transport Association) / DOT (Department of Transportation) as Dangerous Goods, also known as 'Hazardous Materials' (HazMat) due to their Flammability (based on flashpoint), Environmental Hazard (Marine Pollutants, etc.), or Toxicity (based on concentration). The products that we sell which are subject to HazMat Fee's are marked with ** or *** at the end of their name. When they are shipped by non-ground shipping methods, UPS, FedEx & DHL will charge a special Hazardous Materials Shipping Fee. This fee will appear as a separate line item on your order receipt. Also, UPS and FedEx can not guarantee overnight or two-day shipments, as HazMat Shipments need extra UPS processing time.
Click Here for .pdf of UPS surcharges (see page 3)
What are these new symbols on my bottles?
The symbols that you will begin seeing on your labels that are diamond shaped and have pictograms of hazards inside them are 'Hazard Symbols.' As of June 1st, 2015 all companies who require a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) with their product, must use hazard symbols, statements, and warnings on the labels that correspond with the information that has always been on the SDS. The product itself has not changed, but Federal Regulations require us to put this info (which can be found on your SDS) on all products where potential hazards are present. Be mindful that these hazards only apply to the products while in concentrated form. Once the ingredients have been diluted, it is the responsibility of our customers (you) to know the range and safety communicated to customers down the supply chain. PLEASE NOTE: As the industry is implementing these regulations, there will be kinks, and likely changes to the labels from product to product. Do NOT be alarmed, as we are guaranteeing that the formulas of the flavors will be unaffected. Only the methods and results of the analysis will have changed. If you have further questions regarding this issue, please contact us directly.
Why do flavors change color?
Flavors can often exhibit color changes without any affects on taste or functionality. There are a variety of reasons why flavors may vary in color over time or between order to order. Natural Flavors are subject to color variations based on the raw materials themselves, which can vary from natural causes like crop variations from year to year. Heat, light, and oxygen exposure are the most common factors causing color changes in flavors over time. For example, take an apple that is cut fresh and compare it to an apple that was cut an hour before. What you will see is a slight change in color, but if you did a blind taste test, you would not be able to detect any flavor differences. Also, since many of the flavoring ingredients are from natural sources, crop variations from harvest to harvest can often explain hue changes. Flavoring ingredients may also be specified with a range of color from our suppliers, and these slight deviations can translate into our finished flavors.
What are the dimensions for the new black caps for 4oz & 16oz bottles?
The cap size is 28mm TEC (Tamper Evident Cap) and has a breakaway band. Functions on the following neck finshes: Glass – 456, 1626, 1655 and PET – 1716, 1810PCO, 1815PCO, 1816PCO, 1817PCO, 1829PCO, 1823PCO. Threads are -8 Threads per inch.
For product specifications for both the new 4oz & 16oz PET Bottles & Caps, please email Travis@PerfumersApprentice.com
How to Check Order Status and how quickly do we ship
You can see your orders by logging into your account, then scroll down to see your orders and refunds.
Click on the number to see the description of the transaction. You will see if your order has shipped, and if it has, you will see the tracking number.
In many cases, your order will ship either the same day, or the next day. Rarely it might take 2 days for us to ship.
International Orders: Please read our Shipping Policy Link for important information about shipping times.
Do we have minimums for ordering?
We do have a $3.00 minimum per order.
What payment methods do we accept?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Paypal and ACH.
Shopping cart security
This website uses an application called Aspdotnetstorefront,
and has the latest security features installed.
Flavor Inhalation Safety
Inhalation of flavor chemical blends by use of electronic cigarettes is a popular and more chemically pure alternative to traditional tobacco smoking. However, please note that this use of flavors is a relatively new practice, and has not been safety-tested by any official organizations. Therefore, we are not able to endorse any flavors being safe for this use. This would also be true for any other flavor manufacturer. There are no companies that can guarantee that any flavor is safe for inhalation. There has just not been enough time to do this kind of testing.
Shipping Methods
When you click checkout, we will offer you the choice of shipping options with prices. We use U.S postal and UPS. Please see our "Shipping Policy" for more important information about the various choices. We are sorry but we do not offer free shipping.
Flavor Specification Sheets, MSDS/SDS and Certificates of Analysis
Do we have a Retail Store?
YES! In February 2016 we re-opened the Boutique (which began 2004 in Downtown Santa Cruz). The new boutique is located at our new address here in Scotts Valley. The address is 200 Technology Circle, Scotts Valley CA 95066. For more information, click on Perfumers Apprentice Shop Here, and select Perfume Workshops.
Our Hours and Location
The Perfumer's Apprentice can be found on California's Central Coast, at
170 Technology Circle, Scotts Valley, CA, 95066
Our phone number is 831-316-7137
Orders are available for pickup by local customers from 8:30 a.m to 3:00 pm
Shelf life and storage of flavors
Returns Policy
We do not accept returns, as personal taste in flavors and fragrance is very individual. We certainly know that not every product will please every customer. We encourage you to try the small sizes first, before purchasing large sizes.
When I use Internet Explorer Version 11 as my browser, on the Perfumer’s / FlavorApprentice shopping page, the pulldown menus freeze and the page doesn’t function. What’s wrong?
Internet Explorer (IE) V. 11 ships with Java scripting DISABLED. This prevents our web site (and many other sites) from performing properly. This is easily fixed.
Just follow these steps:
1. Open IE
2. Click on the tools icon in the upper right corner (the sprocket thingy).
3. Scroll down to “Internet Options” and click on it.
4. In the “Internet Options” menu, click the “Security” tab at the top.
5. In the “Security Menu”, click the “Custom Level” button.
6. Scroll down to “Scripting” (almost to the bottom), and under “active scripting” choose “Enable”.
7. You may be asked “Are you sure you want to change this setting?”. Click “Yes”.
8. Reload the Perfumer’s Apprentice page. It should load and run properly.
9. IE may not remember this change if you don’t close it normally. So remember to close IE when you’re done shopping.
