Elave Skincare FAQs

Elave is sensitive skincare from the Gardiner Family Apothecary, an Irish family business founded in 1934. Every product is researched, formulated and made in Ireland for dry, sensitive and reactive skin, and is formulated without soap, sulfates (SLS and SLES), parabens, added perfume or colours.

The range covers face care, body care, hair and scalp care, baby and junior care, and sun care.

All Elave skincare is 100% made in Ireland. We research, formulate and manufacture every product at our own pharmaceutical-grade (GMP) facility in Dundalk, Co. Louth, where the Gardiner family has been making skincare since 1934. Elave is Guaranteed Irish.

Yes. Elave is made by the Gardiner Family Apothecary, founded in 1934 by Joseph Gardiner as Ireland's first family skincare apothecary. Four generations of the Gardiner family have run the business since. Read our story.

Elave is PETA cruelty-free: we never test on animals, anywhere in the world. Most of the range is vegan. The few exceptions contain beeswax or Manuka honey, such as Daily Lip Defence SPF20, Skin Balancing Moisturiser and Skin Balancing Cleansing Gel. Full ingredients are listed on every product page.

We're working to reduce our impact at every step. Our Dundalk site has 220 solar panels, and we have cut CO2 emissions per 1,000 units made by almost 70% since 2014. Through Reforest Nation, we have pledged to plant 1,000 trees every year, funded by our online orders. Find out more on our sustainability page.

Elave products are formulated without soap, sulfates such as SLS and SLES, parabens, added perfume, colours, formaldehyde, phthalates and methylisothiazolinone (MI). We leave these out because they can irritate dry and sensitive skin. Read what we leave out and why.

Elave products contain no added perfume. A few products include plant ingredients that have a natural scent or cooling feel, such as peppermint oil in Daily Lip Defence SPF20 and menthol in Shave Balm and Botanical After Sun. Every ingredient is listed in full on each product page.

Yes. The Elave range is dermatologically tested and clinically proven to be kind and mild to dry, sensitive skin. Our formulas are developed by Ovelle Pharmaceuticals and made in our own pharmaceutical-grade (GMP) facility in Ireland.

Water-based skincare needs a preservative to keep it safe to use. We choose preservatives with the lowest irritancy profile and use them at the lowest effective level. The purified water in our products is tested every day.

Every product page lists the full ingredients (INCI list), along with key ingredients and directions for use. If you have a known allergy or sensitivity to a specific ingredient, check the full list before use, or email us and we'll help.

Yes. Sensitive skin is what Elave is made for. Every product is formulated for dry, sensitive and reactive skin, without the soaps, sulfates, parabens, added perfume and colours that commonly irritate it. Our promise is simple: beauty is for sensitive skin.

• Intensive Cream is a medical device for the treatment of dry, itchy, sensitive, reactive, eczema and dermatitis-prone skin. It helps protect the skin's natural barrier and reduce flare-ups.
• Intensive Ointment is a medical device for dry, sensitive skin, including eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis.
• For washing, Body Wash cleanses without soap or sulfates, and Baby Head to Toe Wash is suitable for eczema-prone skin.

Our Psoriasis, Eczema & Dermatitis Prone Regime brings Intensive Cream and Intensive Ointment together.

Both are medical devices and both are suitable from newborn.

• Intensive Cream is for dry, itchy, sensitive and reactive skin that is prone to eczema and dermatitis. It contains 15% white soft paraffin and 11% fractionated coconut oil, and comes in 125g and 500g sizes.
• Intensive Ointment is an ointment formula for dry, sensitive skin, including eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and other dry skin conditions. It comes in a 250g size.

Elave Intensive Cream is a medical device rather than a standard cosmetic moisturiser. It is made for the treatment of dry, itchy, sensitive, ultra-sensitive, reactive, eczema and dermatitis-prone skin, and it is formulated to protect the skin's natural barrier and help reduce flare-ups.

Yes. Intensive Ointment is a medical device for dry, sensitive skin, including psoriasis. For the scalp, Shampoo and Hair & Scalp Conditioner are formulated for scalps prone to eczema, dermatitis or psoriasis, and are free from sulfates and soap.

No. Elave products are not a substitute for medical advice or prescribed medication. If your skin is broken, infected, or not improving, please speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

• Oily or combination skin: Skin Balancing Moisturiser is an oil-free formula with a matte finish, made with Manuka honey, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins B5 and E.
• Skin that needs more hydration: Intense Moisture Surge is made with fractionated coconut oil and shea.
• Daytime protection: Daily Skin Defence SPF45 moisturises and protects in one step.

Both are 50ml daily face SPFs with Invisible Zinc mineral protection.

• Daily Skin Defence SPF45 is an untinted, oil-free formula with vitamins B5 and E.
• Daily Skin Defence SPF50 is tinted, contains 10% Invisible Zinc, and also helps protect against blue light.

Sun Paediatric SPF50+ is paediatrician approved from newborn. It is hypoallergenic and water-resistant, and also protects against infrared (IR). For our face SPFs, ask a doctor before using them on children under 6 months. Shop all sun care.

Rejuvenating Night Treatment is an evening treatment with glycolic acid (an AHA) and arginine. Apply it at night to clean, dry skin. During the day, use a daily SPF such as Daily Skin Defence, as AHAs can make skin more sensitive to the sun.

Yes. Elave Shampoo is free from sulfates, soap and added perfume, and is suitable for coloured and heat-treated hair. Pair it with Hair & Scalp Conditioner: leave the conditioner on for 1 to 2 minutes, or for 5 to 10 minutes under a warm towel for a deeper treatment.

Elave Body Wash cleanses without soap or sulfates, using gentle glucoside cleansers with camomile and vitamin E. Skin prone to eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis or rosacea is cleansed without being stripped. It comes in 250ml, 400ml and 1 litre sizes.

Regimes are bundles of Elave products that work together for a specific skin need. They include the Head to Toe Regime (Shampoo, Body Wash and Intensive Cream), the Psoriasis, Eczema & Dermatitis Prone Regime, and the Skin Balancing and Skin Hydrating face regimes. See all regimes.

Yes. Elave is paediatrician approved.

• Baby Lotion is clinically proven and suitable from newborn.
• Baby Head to Toe Wash is a 2-in-1 hair and body wash, suitable for eczema-prone skin.
• Intensive Cream and Intensive Ointment are suitable for babies from newborn.

Shop baby and junior care.

Yes. Our junior range, made for children's skin and scalp, includes Junior Body Wash, Junior Shampoo and Junior Hair & Scalp Conditioner. Like all Elave products, they are formulated without soap, sulfates, parabens or added perfume.

The Elave range is dermatologically tested and suitable for use during pregnancy. If you have any questions about a specific product, check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.

We deliver to Ireland, the UK (including Northern Ireland), most EU countries, the USA and Canada. See Delivery & Returns for the full list of countries.

• Ireland: €4.95, free on orders over €30. Delivery in 1 to 3 working days.
• UK: £3.95, free on orders over £30. Delivery in 1 to 3 working days.
• EU: €16.95 or €24.95, depending on the country. Delivery in 3 to 5 days.
• USA and Canada: from $25. Delivery in 7 to 10 days.

Yes. Delivery is free on orders over €30 to Ireland and over £30 to the UK.

Once your order is dispatched, you'll receive a shipping confirmation email, with tracking details where available. If you have a question about your order, email us at onlineshop@gardinerfamilyapothecary.com with your order number.

If you're not happy, you can return unused and unopened products within 30 days of receipt. Once we receive them in saleable condition, we'll refund you. How quickly the refund appears depends on your card provider. UK customers, please email us before sending a return. See Delivery & Returns for the returns address.

Any import duties or local taxes on international orders are paid by the receiver and are non-refundable.

We're sorry! Please email us at onlineshop@gardinerfamilyapothecary.com with your order number and a photo of the item, and we'll put it right.

You earn 3 points for every €1 you spend on products, and 50 points gives you €1 off. That's €3 back for every €50 you spend. You get 50 bonus points the first time you sign in, and points last for 12 months. See Elave Rewards.

No, you can check out as a guest, and your orders still earn Rewards points. To see your points, sign in with your email address. We'll send you a 6-digit code, so there's no password to remember.

Yes. Sign up to our newsletter to get 10% off your first order. Discount codes can't be combined with other codes or with Rewards points.

Yes. The Elave E-Gift Card is sent by email and can be spent on anything on our website.

Email us at onlineshop@gardinerfamilyapothecary.com as soon as possible with your order number. We'll do our best to make changes before your order is dispatched.

Email us at onlineshop@gardinerfamilyapothecary.com or use our contact form, and a member of our team will get back to you.