Frequently Asked Questions
1Sankofa Premium Organic and Sankofa Forest Natural Deodorant Spray - what are they? Are they any good?
They're gender-neutral, preservative-free, hand-made, organic and natural deodorant spray made in Fremantle.
They're one effective bunch of deodorant sprays - you'll never find a spray that effective.
2What ingredients are in Sankofa Premium and Sankofa Forest?
Sankofa Premium -
1. Filtered water
2. Organic bicarb soda
3. Organic Celtic sea salt
4. Organic Himalayan pink salt
5. Organic essential oils – ylang-ylang, lemon, frankincense & lime
6. Coconut-based emulsifier (decyl glucoside)
Sankofa Forest -
1. Filtered water
2. Organic bicarbonate of soda
3. Organic Celtic natural sea salt
4. Organic Himalayan pink salt
5. Essential oils - cedarwood, Melissa leaf, frankincense, mandarin, & lavender
6. Forest nymph oil - redwood trees, holly bushes, balsam twigs, mosses, eucalyptus leaves, red berries, & cedar fragrance notes
7. Coconut-based emulsifier (decyl glucoside)
3What are Moskito Foe and Unfriend Moskito Repellents? Are they any good against mosquitos?
Moskito Foe and Unfriend Moskito are premium plant-sourced natural mosquito repellents hand-made in Fremantle. They actually work - we are not saying this just because we made it. We can confidently say they're are the most effective natural mosquito repellents you'll likely to find - you can get up to three or even more hours of protection from those little buggers. The best part: they smell so fabulous and are not greasy.
A. Moskito Foe ingredients - 1. witch hazel 2. soya bean oil 3. vanilla extract 4. glycerin 5. oils of coconut, neem, basil, catnip, lemon eucalyptus, lemongrass, geranium, citronella, & lecithin
B. Unfriend Moskito ingredients - 1. witch hazel 2. soya bean oil 3. vanilla extract 4. glycerin 5. oils of basil, catnip, peppermint, rosewood, litsea, lemon eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, & lecithin
Some reasons why your Moskito is at the top of the very best:
1. Smells divine - not like the usual repellents you know
2. We’ve carefully selected and combined ten natural oils, so your Moskito can repel multiple species
3. We’ve personally tested it - in Australia and overseas - and we know it works, just as we told you about your Sankofa organic and natural deodorant sprays
4. You know how long it’ll work and when to reapply - three hours, sometimes more. Most natural repellents only give you a vague idea…
5. Contains natural bite blockers and ingredients to help increase the repellency time and keep your Moskito on your skin
6. Not oily - gives the skin a pleasurable, moisturizing feel
7. Contains 100% plant-based ingredient - no synthetic oils, preservatives, DEET, IR3535, para-menthane-diol, picaridin, etc.
8. Lasts longer - a little spray goes a long way
9. Kid-friendly - our kids use it
10. Handmade and packaged in glass bottles - no plastic chemicals leaching into your Moskito, plus environmentally friendly
11. Refills available
4Why should I choose Sankofa or Moskito repellent, for example, over other natural and organic products?
Simply the best...Forget the rest is our slogan, and we actually believe in this. Your Dr. Kwasi' O. products live up to their reputation by doing exactly what they say they'll do. They've been tested extensively by our family, friends, colleagues, and strangers.
5Do you guys offer any guarantee?
Yes, we do! We guarantee the effectiveness of Sankofa Premium Organic, Sankofa Forest, and Moskito repellents. We'll give you your money back if you find a more effective natural spray.
6Are the products suitable for one skin type?
Not at all. Your Dr. Kwasi' O product is suitable for most skin types including sensitive, dry, oily, normal, and mature skins. They're also suitable for all skin colors - brown to black, olive, white, light, and pale skins. Stop using them in the unlikely event that you react to them. But make sure you contact us so we can discuss the possibility of securing you a customized version.
7Can my kids use my Dr. Kwasi' O. product?
Yes, they're safe for kids - our kids use them as well.
8Any guidelines for using my Sankofa, Moskito, etc.?
Please always refer to the bottle label for the best use of your product. With Sankofa, for example:
Shake the bottle lightly:
- Discharge 2-3 sprays into your underarms
- For feet, groin, hands, and between skin folds - spray until moist and rub it in.
9How often do I use my Sankofa?
- One daily application is all you need for normal activities.
- One top up before, after, or during vigorous activities will keep your smell away for up to 30 hours.
10How long will my Sankofa last?
- 20ml Sankofa bottle contains more than 175 sprays - 2 sprays into each underarm lasts for about 40 days.
- 30ml Sankofa contains more than 275ml sprays - 2 sprays into each underarm lasts for about 65 days.
- 40ml Sankofa bottle contains more than 315 sprays - 2 sprays into each underarm lasts for about 75 days.
- 50ml Sankofa bottle contains 410 sprays - 2 sprays into each underarm lasts for about 100 days.
11Why does Sankofa come as a spray and not as a paste or roll-on like the many other natural deodorants?
- To minimize irritations. Unlike deodorant pastes and roll-ons, Sankofa’s been carefully formulated using diluted organic bicarbonate of soda so it’s rare for people to experience irritations, unless they’ve got severe genetic, skin conditions.
- To ensure that people who find it unhygienic and a hassle to apply deodorant pastes with their fingers, particularly into hairy underarms, and/or find it embarrassing to apply in public can simply have a spray option.
- To ensure gender neutrality - people with hairy or shaven underarms can use.
12What should I do if I'm reacting to my product?
Two things you need to do in the unlikely event that you react to your product. 1. Stop using it immediately. 2. Talk to us - we’ll work with you to investigate what ingredient(s) is/are bothering you and customize the product to your needs at no extra charge.
13Are the bottles aluminum-free?
For your convenience, your Sankofa and Moskito repellents come in different sized bottles, including a GLASS bottle as well as blue, green, and brown PET recyclable bottles. They're all aluminum-free.
14What's the dry white stuff that I see on the Sankofa bottle after refilling or using my spray?
The dry white stuff you see on the bottle after you use your spray or refill your bottle is just organic bicarb soda. You can just wipe it off. As you already know, bicarb soda isn't harmful at all. And it won't stain anything either!
15What if my bottle isn’t spraying as desired?
We've introduced a 50ml GLASS amber bottle, which is very hardy. The blue, green, and brown bottles PET spray very well. In the UNLIKELY event that the sprayer slightly sticks, just remove the sprayer head from the bottle, run it under warm water and/or put it in the water and pump about six times to dissolve the bicarb soda build up.
16Can I have my Dr. Kwasi' O. product customized to my preference?
Oh yes, we'll happily customize any product for you at no extra charge. Just let's know how you want it.
17What are some of the dangerous and yucky chemical ingredients in mainstream and certain 'natural' deodorants am I avoiding by sticking only to my Sankofa?
- aerosol propellants
- aluminum salts
- AMP
- ALES
- ALS
- benzyl alcohol
- CAPB
- denatured alcohol
- diazolidinyl urea
- EDTA
- ethanolamines
- GSE
- SLES
- SLS
- MIT (MI)
- parabens
- PEG
- phenoxyethanol
- phthalates
- polysorbates
- potassium sorbate
- propylene glycol
- silica
- sodium benzoate
- steareths
- triclosan
- zinc phenolsulfonate
18What on earth is this venture that you guys call Dr. Kwasi’ O.?
Dr. Kwasi'O. is a small, family business based in our own Fremantle city and run by Kwasi but not without the versatile hands and brains of Sonje. We specialize in the production, supply, and marketing of Sankofa - a supremely effective but affordable, hand-made, natural deodorant spray. We're hoping to provide other services in the near future. This includes sharing experiences in different spheres of life with you and possibly learning also from you. So make sure you stay tuned!
19How do I become a Sankofa family member (SFM)?
You do nothing! If you've expressed an interest in Sankofa either by inquiring about it, visiting the website, or purchasing a product, then we share a common value to discourage the use of mainstream personal care products, For this reason, you're very special to us and we'd like to call you a family member.
20So what in the world prompted you guys to start this venture?
It all started from our inability to obtain a very good alternative to mainstream deodorants and personal care products, which were causing a lot of health problems in our family. Moreover, Sonje had noticed that our son was developing a strong BO. Once he became aware of his BO, he began sneaking into the cabinets to use the deodorants we had stashed in there.
We persevered unsuccessfully in our search for a natural deodorant that met all our requirements, i.e. one that was effective, affordable, free from dangerous chemicals for kids to be able to use, and didn’t come as a paste but as a spray so we wouldn’t have to dig our fingers in our underarms to apply at home and in public. In the end, we had to make our own natural deodorant spray, which came out so well that people suggested we produce them in bulk for sale and guess what: we listened.
We persevered unsuccessfully in our search for a natural deodorant that met all our requirements, i.e. one that was effective, affordable, free from dangerous chemicals for kids to be able to use, and didn’t come as a paste but as a spray so we wouldn’t have to dig our fingers in our underarms to apply at home and in public. In the end, we had to make our own natural deodorant spray, which came out so well that people suggested we produce them in bulk for sale and guess what: we listened.
21What’s the purpose for setting up this business?
Money has never been the ultimate goal. In fact, the business was set up to promote healthy living by, among other things:
- ensuring that people are able to obtain highly effective yet affordable, safe, and environmentally friendly natural personal care products
- providing an educational platform to help people understand the consequences of exposing themselves to mainstream products
- funding projects aimed at feeding hungry school children in deprived Ghanaian communities.
22What’s that bird doing in the logo? And those tree bits?
The bird isn’t a swan - as people often say - but rather Sankofa, a Ghanaian, mythical bird reaching to pick up an egg from its back. Sankofa, in the Akan dialect, literally means ‘return and go and take it,’ and symbolizes bringing back valuable knowledge from the past into the present for societal benefit. Applied to this business, it conceptualizes the abandonment of synthetic personal care products in favor of more traditional and natural alternatives.
Growing up in Ghana, we kids usually brushed our teeth with boodobaa - a natural, fibrous paste that we’d prepare by crashing bamboo or coconut charcoal and plantain stalk on stones - which I accidentally found useful in subduing my underarm smell in a fantastic fashion. Now you know what the tree bits in the logo are: they're just bamboo, coconut, and plantain crop.
Growing up in Ghana, we kids usually brushed our teeth with boodobaa - a natural, fibrous paste that we’d prepare by crashing bamboo or coconut charcoal and plantain stalk on stones - which I accidentally found useful in subduing my underarm smell in a fantastic fashion. Now you know what the tree bits in the logo are: they're just bamboo, coconut, and plantain crop.
23How do I place an order?
Very easy. You can create an account first to make it easy the next time you come back to order. But if you don't want to register, then just click on 'let's go shopping'. Hover on the product you want to order and either click on the red cart to put the product directly into your cart, or click on the chain (link) and it'll take you to the product you want. Select however many you want to order and click 'Add to cart'. Click on the red 'View cart' to take you to the 'Cart totals.' Select the applicable postage or click on 'calculate shipping' to get a shipping price especially if you live outside Australia. Click on 'Proceed to checkout' or the yellow 'Paypal checkout.' Enter your 'Billing details' and accept the 'terms & conditions' once you've selected one of the 3 payment methods. Click on 'Place order.' Hooray, you're done!
24Where's the closest stockist or retail outlet?
This link will tell you where your closest stockist is. https://drkwasi.com.au/retail-outlets/
25What payment methods can I use?
You may pay for your online order either by direct bank transfer, credit card, or Paypal. For direct purchases, cash is acceptable.
26How long does it take to receive my goodies?
We'll make sure your package is ready for the courier to pick up the day after you order. Delivery estimates within Australia are 1 - 2 business days to Perth and 4 - 7 business days to most major towns and cities, except Queensland cities and regional areas which can take between 6 - 8 business days.
International parcels are dispatched by economy airmail. International delivery estimates to metropolitan areas of major cities, excluding times in customs, are: New Zealand, 6 - 14 business days; Asia-Pacific, 6 - 18 business days; USA / Canada / Middle-East, 10 - 20 business days (there can be delays with Canada Post); UK / Europe / Rest of the world, 12 - 24 business days. International deliveries are made via each country's national postal service, thus the reliability of mail delivery depends on the destination country.
27Do you ship to every corner of the globe?
Unfortunately no. We ship to many places including Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, and South America. At this stage, except Ghana and South Africa, we don't ship to any other African country. This might change once we've been able to put certain logistics in place.
28Any shipping cost?
There's a small, flat shipping fee of $5.30 for orders under $59. Orders over $59 have free shipping.
Orders from outside Australia have a flat $18.65 shipping cost for up to 500g and $34.30 for orders weighing between 500.01g and 1kg. Don't worry, we'll keep exploring to see if we can get cheaper shipping rates for you.
29How do I return my item if I have an issue with it?
To arrange a return, just notify us at haveaniceday@drkwasi.com.au.
30Are you doing anything to help save the environment?
Yes, we surely are! Your Dr. Kwasi' O', products come in glass and recyclable PET bottles. Additionally, we offer refills that are packaged in glass bottles. Moreover, we prefer to use natural and organic ingredients; they aren't toxic to the environment.