A&B FAQs
Commonly asked queries
Why are you discontinuing your lip balms?
Thank you for joining us on our Above & Beyond journey.
We’ve learnt a lot these past couple of years and have had some great, if at times critical, feedback.
Unfortunately we’ve not been able to produce the current packaging in a commercially viable way and to continue losing money is not sustainable for our business.
As a result, we taken the difficult decision to discontinue our current lip balm packaging format.
We hope to re-launch with a new equally, if not more sustainable pack in 2025 and we will keep you apprised of developments as well as offering you early adopter access when we're ready.
We will be selling off the remainder of our lip balm cases and refills at extremely low prices* to allow you to stock-up in the meantime.
The A&B team
* While stocks last, when they’re gone, they’re gone.
How do I insert my lip balm refill?
Head here and follow these steps
1. Unscrew and remove base from the lip balm case.
2. Twist and pull the cup / lid to remove it from your refill.
3. Invert the case and insert the lip balm.
4. Screw the base piece back on.
5. Remove the lid and pucker up!
How long will delivery take?
We’ll always try to get your order(s) to you as quickly as possible. Once it’s picked, packed and out for delivery, you’ll receive a shipping notification so you know when to wait by the door. We use Royal Mail Second Class for shipping so usually your order will arrive 3–6 days after despatch.
How long does a refill last?
Each refill contains 8.2g of lip balm which should last you anywhere from 4–6 weeks if you use it every day.
Is A&B single-use plastic free?
Yes! By swapping conventional plastic lip balms for A&B refills you help declare an end to plastic and solve the global plastic waste problem. If a refill accidentally ends up in nature, it will biodegrade into CO2, water and biomass in a similar timeframe as tree leaves or a piece of natural wood, and it’ll do it without releasing hazardous chemicals that could harm the ecosystem. When incinerated, there are less harmful gases compared to plastics like polypropylene (PP).
* Always check the detailed recycling instructions from your local waste management authority or municipality.
If not plastic, what are the refill pods made from?
The bio-based content in all our recipes is maximised, and all our refill pods are made from 100% bio-based material (i.e. natural stuff). The main components of our refill pods are wood and plant-based binders, with wood from the wood industry’s processing side streams. All A&B refill materials are made from sustainably sourced, GMO-free raw materials that are food contact approved (according to EU standards).
How should I dispose of my refills when they’re empty?
The best way is industrial composting*, which means the material degrades into CO2, water and biomass in a bio waste treatment plant. Separate bio waste collection exists in many countries and regions already, and by 2023 it’s set to be mandatory in the EU. Your local council may already collect compostable waste from your home – so you can pop used refills in with that,
You can put your refill in your home compost bin but the breakdown may take a considerable amount of time, as the conditions are milder compared to industrial compost. We’re experimenting with this at the minute to see how it works.
* Always check the detailed recycling instructions from your local waste management authority or municipality.
Are A&B cases recyclable?
Yes, they are made from 100% aluminium (the ‘greenest’ of metals), which is infinitely recyclable. However, it is designed for lifetime use, so please keep it and love it and reuse it.
Our bio cases are made from wood chippings and plant extracts and are compostable, ideally at an inducstrial facility. Your local council may already collect compostable waste from your home – so you can pop used bio cases in with that,
* Always check the detailed recycling instructions from your local waste management authority or municipality.
Do you test on animals?
No. We have never and will never test any of our products on animals - they are for cuddling.
Are your lip balms vegan friendly?
Yep, all our lip balms are vegan-friendly.
Are the lip balms natural?
Our Comforting Coconut, Sweet Vanilla and Tropical Mango lip balms are all made from naturally derived ingredients. Our Mixed Berries lip balm is 98.62% of natural origin with a small part synthetically derived. Unfortunately natural doesn’t always mean sustainable or responsible. We’re working our hardest to make flavours you’ll love using ingredients that our planet loves. It’s a pretty big job, so bear with us.
How can I contact A&B?
Click here to make contact or click the "Contact Us" button to the bottom right of every page.
Product Information
What makes A&B different?
A&B is the world’s only lifetime-use, refillable lip balm. You buy your lifetime-use case once (it’s made from the ‘greenest’ metal on earth, aluminium), and then refill it with our biodegradable, compostable refills over and over again. It’s completely single-use-plastic free.
Do your products contain traces of nuts?
Our lip balms contain Shea which is extracted from Shea Nuts. Our products are produced in facilities where other products containing nuts and nut oils may be manufactured.
Do your lip balms have an SPF?
Sorry, currently none of our products are formulated with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor).
I’ve had a reaction to the lip balm. What should I do?
Although very rare, people can sometimes have an allergic reaction to all kinds of products including lip balms. If this happens, stop using the product immediately. If the reaction is severe or does not improve within 24 hours please consult your local Pharmacist or GP.
For help and advice please contact wecare@aandb.world
How do you apply A&B lip balm?
Just unscrew your lid and swipe it on as often as you like!
Is the lip balm travel friendly?
Yes! Your durable aluminium case is compact and tough enough to handle anything, so take it to work, to the gym, skydiving... you name it.
Is A&B suitable for teens and pre-teens?
Absolutely. This is their future after all. All our formulations work for everyone, no matter your age.
Where are your cases and refills made?
All our products are lovingly made in the UK.
How long will my lip balm last after opening?
Our lips balms have been formulated to last 12 months from opening. But they taste far too good to last that long!
Ingredients
What ingredients are in A&B lip balms?
Here’s a full list of the ingredients in each of our lip balms:
Comforting Coconut Lip Balm
INGREDIENTS: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Squalane, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Parfum (Fragrance)*, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol. * A blend of natural ingredients.
Tropical Mango Lip Balm
INGREDIENTS: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Parfum (Fragrance)*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Squalane, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Limonene, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Citral. * A blend of natural ingredients.
Mixed Berry Lip Balm (our ‘nearly natural’ balm)
INGREDIENTS: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Squalane, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Parfum (Fragrance), Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Limonene, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Linalool, Tocopherol
Sweet Vanilla Lip Balm
INGREDIENTS: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Parfum (Fragrance)*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Squalane, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol. * A blend of natural ingredients.
I’m allergic to certain flavours...
Please see our ingredients list above to check if there’s an ingredient you may be allergic to. For help and advice please contact wecare@aandb.world
Is A&B gluten free?
All of the ingredients contained in our; Sweet Vanilla, Tropical Mango, Comforting Coconut or Mixed Berries formulations are gluten-free and paraben and phthalate free.
Is A&B suitable for vegans?
Yes, all our lip balms are vegan-friendly.
Is A&B tested on animals?
No. We have never and will never test any of our products on animals – they are for cuddling.
Is A&B unisex?
Of course. A&B is for anyone who cares about the planet. Or just about having soft lips.
Do you offer samples?
Sorry, at the minute we don’t offer samples.
Packaging
Why is A&B a sustainable choice?
A&B lifetime-use cases and compostable refills are safe and circular by design. Our refill materials can be recycled via industrial composting*. They fully biodegrade without leaving permanent microplastics behind. They are made of sustainably-sourced raw materials, taking advantage of wood waste from industrial side streams. Most of our recipes are 100% bio-based.
* Always check the detailed recycling instructions from your local waste management authority or municipality.
Is A&B single-use plastic free?
Yes! By swapping conventional plastic lip balms for A&B refills you help declare an intergalactic end to plastic and solve the global plastic waste problem. If a refill accidentally ends up in nature, it will biodegrade into CO2, water and biomass in a similar timeframe as tree leaves or a piece of natural wood, and it’ll do it without releasing hazardous chemicals that could harm the ecosystem. When incinerated, there are less harmful gases compared to plastics like polypropylene (PP).
*Always check the detailed recycling instructions from your local waste management authority or municipality.
What are your refills made from, if not plastic?
The bio-based content in all our recipes is maximised, and all our refill pods are made from 100% bio-based material (i.e. natural stuff). The main components of our refill pods are wood and plant-based binders, with wood from the wood industry’s processing side streams. All A&B refill materials are made from sustainably sourced, GMO-free raw materials that are food contact approved (according to EU standards).
How long will a refill last?
Each refill weighs 8.2g / 0.29oz which should last you anywhere from 4-6 weeks if you use it every day.
What shall I do with empty refills?
The preferred disposal method is industrial composting*, which means the material degrades into CO2, water and biomass in a biowaste treatment plant. Separate biowaste collection exists in many countries and regions already, and by 2023 it’s set to be mandatory in the EU.
In case industrial composting is not a feasible option, our refills can be disposed of with energy waste. When incinerated, the CO2 and CO emissions are smaller compared to that of polypropylene (PP), for example. In a home compost the breakdown of our refills may take a considerable amount of time, as the conditions are milder compared to industrial compost. Home composting is something we are currently experimenting with.
* Always check the detailed recycling instructions from your local waste management authority or municipality.
Deliveries & refunds
How much is delivery?
UK orders totalling over £30.00 are currently delivered for free!
Our standard UK shipping charge for orders under £30.00 is £4.99 and orders are despatched by Royal Mail 2nd Class.
Occasionally, if a package is eligible for free or standard delivery but is too heavy or valuable to be sent via Royal Mail, it will be sent by courier at no extra cost to you.
Our delivery costs are comprised of picking and packing charges, storage, the actual packaging, plus the cost of delivery itself. We strive to keep delivery costs as low as possible whilst ensuring the quick and safe delivery of customer's purchases.
When can I expect my order to be delivered?
Once payment has been processed we aim to ship all orders within five (5) working days of receipt – though we strive to be quicker.
Working days for us are Monday to Friday (not including UK Bank / Public Holidays).
Delivery times for orders placed at our online shop are estimated as follows:
UNITED KINGDOM ORDERS
UK Standard (Royal Mail 2nd Class): 4–8 working days.
Where do you deliver to?
Currently we only ship to the United Kingdom.
Why don’t you ship to the EU?
Unfortunately, due to Brexit and the UK leaving the European Union (EU), any orders we despatch to the EU are now liable for local VAT, import duties and courier processing / paper work charges.
This has made the cost prohibitive and economically unviable for us to continue selling in the EU.
So we have taken the difficult decision to stop selling in the EU for the immediate future (though we are constantly looking at how we can resume delivering to our European friends).
We apologise for the disappointment and inconvenience this may cause.
My order is missing
We want you to receive your order securely and as soon as possible. However with the best will in the world, occasionally packages do go missing.
Before you let us know, first please check the estimated delivery time. Please allow us a few days to pick, pack and despatch your order and some time for it actually to be delivered to you.
MISSING ORDERS
Contact us if your order does not arrive when it should (see above). We’ll find out what happened to your order and get it to your doorstep as soon as possible.
Important: We cannot replace missing orders that are received by someone else on your behalf. We also cannot replace orders where the delivery address has been entered incorrectly by the person placing the order.
MISSING ITEMS
Please contact us immediately if your delivered order is missing any products. We'll find out what happened to your order within three (3) working days and we'll get them to you as soon as possible or give you the option of a full refund of the missing items.
I have a faulty product
We guarantee all our products for twelve (12) months from the date of purchase. In the unlikely event of one of our products failing we will exchange the product for you or, if you wish, give you a full refund.
Please contact the Above & Beyond Customer Care team using our online form.
Let us know your order number and the nature of your issue, and we will advise on how to return the product for an exchange or organise a refund.
What is your refund policy?
If you decide to return a product to us, or if you have a faulty product and wish to have a refund instead of an exchange, we will notify you via email of your refund and we aim to do this within fourteen (14) working days.
The refund will go to your original payment method, so for example if you paid for your goods by card then we will refund your money back to that specific card, or if you paid using PayPal, then we will refund you via PayPal. And so on.
Important: We can only refund shipping costs if the return is a result of our error or if you are returning a faulty product. We can only process returns and refunds for items purchased directly from our online shop at aandb.world.
Do prices include VAT?
All our goods and services are priced in GB£ sterling.
The prices on our website are standardised and are the same for every country we ship to.
The prices include VAT at the current rate for the UK and Isle of Man.
The VAT element, if applicable to your order, will be shown at the checkout and on the email invoice / receipt that we will send you.
For countries and destinations outside of the UK and Isle of Man (including but not limited to the EU, Guernsey, Jersey, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife), no VAT or tax element is included in the cost of your order.
VAT invoices and receipts
When you place an online order you will receive a VAT invoice / receipt in the form of an official email from our website.
If you are eligible you can use this receipt to claim any VAT back on your order.
Each emailed invoice / receipt contains all the information you need to claim back VAT including:
Unique invoice number (this is the "order number")
Date (the full date and time of order is shown in the email subject line)
Customer’s name, shipping and billing address
Description of the goods or services (in the order summary section)
Quantity of each type of item
Price per item, excluding VAT (shown next to each item)
Total amount excluding VAT (the subtotal)
Total amount of VAT
Total amount including VAT
Our VAT number (shown in the email footer)
Our business name and address (shown in the email footer)
Rate of VAT charged (shown in the email footer)
Can I reclaim VAT back from my order?
UK prices include VAT. For all other countries including the EU, there is no VAT or tax element included in the price.
For VAT registered businesses in the UK, you can use your email invoice / receipt to reclaim VAT.
Our website is not set-up to sell VAT free business-to-business so you will need to reclaim using your email invoice / receipt.
For all other countries including the EU, as there is no VAT included in the price you pay, there is no VAT element to reclaim or remove.
Will I have to pay taxes or duties on non-UK orders?
For all orders delivered outside of the UK the purchaser may have to pay import duties, VAT and taxes, which are levied once a package reaches your country.
Customs policies vary widely from country to country. Any local duties, VAT, taxes or customs charges assessed by your government are your responsibility. You must meet any additional charges for customs clearance.
Charges for customs clearance and import duties must be borne by you; we have absolutely no control over these charges and cannot predict what they may be. We recommend you contact your local customs office for further information prior to placing your order.
Please also note, international shipments may be subject to cross-border inspections by customs authorities.
So in summary, we cannot be liable for any additional taxes or import duties levied.
Where are you based?
Above & Beyond is a brand owned by The King of Shaves Company Ltd. We are a UK based company designing and sustainably manufacturing as many of our products as we can right here.