Return & Refund Policy

01 Quick Summary

02 What Can Be Returned

We accept returns and replacements where the product reaches you in an unacceptable condition. That covers items that are damaged or leaking in transit, an item that is not what you ordered, a product that is expired or very close to expiry on arrival, a missing item from your parcel, and a genuine manufacturing defect such as a broken pump, faulty dropper or a formulation that has clearly separated or spoiled.

In these cases the return costs you nothing — we arrange the pickup and either replace the product or refund you in full, whichever you prefer.

03 What Cannot Be Returned

For hygiene and safety reasons we cannot accept back any product that has been opened, used, or has a broken seal, unless there is a verified defect. This is standard for cosmetics and personal-care goods and is permitted under consumer law.

We also cannot accept returns where the product has been damaged after delivery through mishandling or incorrect storage, where the batch code or label has been removed, where the request is made after the time limits in section 4, where the reason is a change of mind after dispatch, or where the product simply did not deliver the result you hoped for.

Minor variation in colour, scent or texture between batches is normal in formulations with natural and plant-derived ingredients and is not a defect. Similarly, a product looking different from your screen is not grounds for return, since colour reproduction varies by display.

04 Time Limits

Please report transit damage, leakage, shortage or a wrong item within 48 hours of delivery. This deadline matters — it is the window in which we can still raise a claim with the courier, and requests after it are difficult for us to honour.

For a manufacturing defect that only becomes apparent on first use, write to us within 7 days of delivery. Cancellation requests must reach us before dispatch, which is usually within 1–3 working days of ordering.

05 How to Raise a Return

1. Contact us at support@skinstein.in, on WhatsApp, or by phone during working hours. You can also raise the request from "My Orders" in your account.
2. Share your order number, the product name, the reason, and photographs or a video as described in section 6.
3. We review and respond within 24–48 business hours, and confirm whether the return is approved.
4. Keep the packaging — pack the product with its original box, outer carton and any free items until pickup.
5. Hand it over to the courier we send, or ship it to the return address we share with you.

Please do not ship anything back before we approve it. Unapproved returns and parcels sent to our registered address cannot be processed or refunded.

06 Photos & Unboxing Video

To approve a claim quickly we need clear photographs of the product, the batch and expiry details on the label, the outer shipping carton including the label, and the damage itself.

An unboxing video is the single most useful thing you can send for a damage or shortage claim, because it settles the question of when the damage occurred. We recommend filming the parcel from the sealed state onwards for every order. Without photographic evidence, courier claims are usually rejected and we may be unable to approve the return.

07 Pickup & Return Shipping

Where a return is approved because of damage, a defect or our error, we arrange and pay for the reverse pickup. Pickup is usually attempted within 3–5 working days of approval.

If your pin code is not serviceable for reverse pickup, we may ask you to self-ship to the address we provide, and we will reimburse reasonable courier charges against a receipt. Please share the tracking details after shipping. Products must be returned in their original packaging, with all seals, boxes, inserts and free items included.

08 Inspection & Approval

Once the product reaches our warehouse we inspect it, usually within 2–4 working days, and confirm the outcome by email.

If the returned item does not match what was described — for example it has been used well beyond a patch test, is missing components, or shows damage caused after delivery — we may decline the claim and return the product to you at your cost. We will always explain the reason and share images of what we received.

09 Refunds & Timelines

Approved refunds are initiated within 2–3 working days of inspection and issued to the original payment method. Once initiated, the amount typically reaches you in 5–10 working days, depending on your bank or card issuer.

For Cash on Delivery orders, refunds are made by bank transfer or UPI, so we will ask for your account name, account number and IFSC, or your UPI ID. Please share these only in reply to our official email — never over a phone call from an unknown number.

Refunds cover the amount you actually paid for the returned item. Prepaid shipping charges are refunded only where the entire order is being returned because of our error. COD handling fees, where charged, are not refundable. We do not deduct any restocking fee.

10 Replacements & Exchanges

If you would rather have the product than the money back, we will send a free replacement of the same item once the return is approved, usually dispatched within 2–3 working days.

If the item is out of stock, you may choose to wait for restocking, swap it for another product of equal value, or take a full refund. We do not offer exchanges between different products purely by preference — exchanges apply to damaged, defective or incorrect items.

11 Order Cancellation

You can cancel an order at no cost any time before it is dispatched. Write to us or call as early as possible with your order number, and prepaid amounts are refunded in full.

Once an order has been packed or handed to the courier we can no longer cancel it. In that case, please refuse the delivery or raise a return after it arrives, subject to the conditions above. We may also cancel an order ourselves — if stock runs out, if your pin code is not serviceable, or if we suspect fraud or coupon misuse — and any amount paid is refunded in full.

12 Undelivered & Refused Orders

If a parcel comes back to us because the address was incorrect or incomplete, because nobody was available after repeated delivery attempts, or because the delivery was refused without a valid reason, we refund the product value but may deduct the forward and return shipping charges actually incurred.

Repeated refusal of COD orders may lead us to restrict COD on your account. If your parcel is marked delivered but you have not received it, tell us within 48 hours so we can open an investigation with the courier.

13 Offers, Combos & Free Gifts

Where a discount or coupon was applied to an order, the refund is calculated on the amount actually paid for the returned item, not its listed price.

Kits and combos such as the Radiance Ritual Kit, Glow Protocol and Refining Trio are sold as a set and must be returned complete — individual products from a combo cannot be returned separately. If a return causes the order to fall below a free-shipping or free-gift threshold, the corresponding benefit is adjusted, and any free gift must be sent back with the return.

14 Skin Reactions & Suitability

Our formulations contain active ingredients, and mild tingling or brief adjustment in the first few days can be normal. Please patch test before first use, introduce actives gradually and use sun protection during the day.

A product not suiting your skin is not, on its own, grounds for a return once it has been opened. That said, please still write to us — we will look at your routine, suggest how to adjust frequency or layering, and recommend an alternative from the range. If you experience persistent irritation, discontinue use and consult a dermatologist. Where a reaction indicates a genuine problem with the product itself, we will review the batch and treat it as a defect.

15 Bulk & Partner Orders

Wholesale, distributor, salon, clinic, reseller and corporate gifting orders are not covered by this consumer policy and are governed by the terms shared with your price list.

Trade consignments should be checked at the time of delivery, with any shortage or transit damage reported within 48 hours along with photographs of the outer packaging. Bulk orders are not eligible for change-of-mind returns. Details are on our Partner With Us page.

16 Marketplace Purchases

This policy applies only to orders placed on skinstein.in. If you bought from a marketplace, retail store or any other seller, the return must be raised with them under their own policy.

We also cannot verify the authenticity or storage conditions of products bought from unauthorised sellers, so please buy from our website or an approved partner.

17 Grievance Officer

If your return or refund has not been resolved by our support team, you may escalate it under the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 to:

Complaints are acknowledged within 48 hours and resolved within one month of receipt.

18 Contact Us

Write to us with your order number and photographs — it is the fastest way to get a replacement or refund approved in a single reply, without a back-and-forth.

Please do not send returns to this address unless our team has asked you to. Return addresses are shared with you when your return is approved. Also see our Shipping Policy and Terms & Conditions.