SouthGain's Diana Stalder
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
(a work in progress!)

Q:  Where are Diana Stalder skin care products made?

A:  All Diana Stalder products are made in the Philippines by Stalder Laboratories, Inc. in San Pablo City, Laguna Province.  BCP Dermatological Corporation, which produces the premium Diana Stalder Surely White product line, is based in Sampaloc, Metro Manila.  Both companies are part of the Stalder Group of Companies.

Q:  Is SouthGain a factory-authorized distributor for Diana Stalder products?

A:  Yes.  We are the the oldest and largest Diana Stalder authorized distribution center outside of the Philippines!  In fact, we supply many other on-line sellers, as well as spas, clinics and beauty supply stores from the West Coast to West Africa.

Q:  We love these products so much, we'd like to resell them.  Do you offer wholesale pricing for large orders?

A:  Sure!  As the oldest and largest authorized distribution center outside of the Philippines, we actually supply several retail stores, spas and individual resellers.  We even supply a very successful beauty shop in West Africa!  Our low wholesale prices are available for minimum orders of $300 (USD).  Just let us know and we can provide full details via e-mail.

Q:  I'm of [African, Hispanic, Eastern European, Mexican, Indian, Western European, Middle Eastern, South Asian, Chinese, Caribbean, Pacific, Japanese, mixed . . . fill in the blank] heritage, and my skin is [very dark, light brown, yellowish, olive, light in some areas but dark in other areas, chocolate brown, caramel-colored, dark brown . . . take your pick].  Will these products work on my skin type?

A:  Yes!  We have thousands of happy customers—representing just about every possible skin type.  Results do vary from customer to customer, but genuine Diana Stalder products work on all skin types.

Q:  I've noticed some sellers claim to be selling Diana Stalder products, but the packaging seems to have been removed, or the items relabeled, or even repackaged in unlabeled containers or clear plastic wrappers.  What's up with that?

A:  Good question!  All we can say is if the product is not being sold in Diana Stalder packaging, it's simply not a genuine, authorized Diana Stalder product!  There are some illegal grey market products out there that contain unsafe levels of ingredients like mercury.  They might be effective, but why take the chance when you can buy guaranteed genuine Diana Stalder products from a factory-authorized distributor at the same or better prices?

Q:  How do the Diana Stalder whitening and lightening products work?

A:  These products work by inhibiting the formation of melanin in various ways.  Melanin is the color pigment of the skin.  Melanin is synthesized in specialized cytoplasmic organelles called melanosomes.  Within the melanosome, the conversion of the amino acid tyrosine to melanin is catalyzed by the enzyme tyrosinase.  The melanosomes in darker portions of the skin are more active than those found in other areas of the body.  Most of the key ingredients in these products either inhibit the production of tyrosinase or inhibit melanosomal activity.  Some of the products also promote exfoliation, removing the outer layers of skin to expose the whiter you, hiding below!

Q:  How big is the bottle (or jar)?

A:  Of course, what you really want to know is "how much product will I be receiving?"  The size of the container is basically irrelevant.  It should be explained that, by law (and worldwide convention), soaps and creams are sold by weight of the product (measured in grams or ounces), while liquids such as lotions and sprays are sold by volume (measured in milliliters or fluid ounces).  We list these measurements—in both metric and English units—for every individual Diana Stalder product that we sell.  If you have any difficulty visualizing "how big" a product is, we recommend that you compare to the cosmetics or other products you already have around the house.  We can't resist mentioning one example.  All of our creams are 15 g (approximately 0.53 oz).  Most of the illegal generic creams being pushed by other sellers on eBay are only 10 g (0.35 oz).  In other words, you can get 50% more of the genuine Diana Stalder product for a lower total price than the much smaller, illegal, knock-off product!

Q:  Are these products safe for use during pregnancy?

A:  The short answer is that there are no specific, known restrictions on using any Diana Stalder product during pregnancy.  But it must be said that the effects of many of the ingredients have not been fully studied on pregnant women, so there's no way to know with certainty the safety—there just aren't enough data, good or bad.  Some of the milder products like the Glycerine Beauty Bar and Oatmeal Beauty Bar are well accepted as being safe for pregnant women, but most of the other products/ingredients just haven't been studied in this regard.  So we recommend that you make your own decision based on discussions with your doctor, or simply err on the side of caution and discontinue use until the happy day when your baby arrives.  Sorry we can't give a more definitive answer.  Also, keep in mind that it's very common during pregnancy to experience acne, melasma, darkening and other changes to your skin; it's often difficult to completely counter these effects during the pregnancy, but in most cases they can be easily addressed shortly after delivery.

Q:  What is the difference between the Glutathione Soap, Papaya Kojic Soap, Black Beauty Bar and the Licorice Beauty Bar?

A:  Keep in mind that results do vary from user to user.  But generally speaking, of the four products, most users will find that the Glutathione Soap is most effective at overall whitening, followed closely by the Papaya Kojic Soap, Black Beauty Bar, then the Licorice Beauty Bar.  The Papaya Kojic Soap has a micro-exfoliation (micro-peeling) effect, and for this reason, many users are reporting great success by starting with one or two bars of Papaya Kojic Soap then switching to the Glutathione Soap.  For acne scars, dark spots or other forms of melasma, most users find the Black Beauty Bar to be most effective.  The Licorice Beauty Bar is the mildest of the four bars, followed by the Black Beauty Bar, Glutathione Soap and the Papaya Kojic Soap.

Q:  What is the best way to use the whitening soaps—Glutathione Soap, Papaya Kojic Soap, Black Beauty Bar and the Licorice Beauty Bar?

A:  Normally, you want to make the skin wet, lather up, leave the lather on for 2-3 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.  For best results—especially with the Papaya Kojic Soap—you should gently scrub the lather with a wash cloth, shower brush, loofah (luffa), etc.  This helps with the exfoliation process.

Q:  When I use the Papaya Kojic Soap, I feel a tingling sensation.  Is this normal?

A:  Yes.  In fact, most (but not all) customers experience some degree of tingling sensation when they use the Papaya Kojic Soap.  This is normal.  If you don't experience the tingling sensation, that's O.K. too.  If the sensation becomes uncomfortably strong, just rinse the lather off sooner.  If the Papaya Kojic Soap causes skin irritation (this can happen for very sensitive skin), discontinue use and switch to one of the other whitening soaps—Glutathione Soap, Black Beauty Bar or Licorice Beauty Bar.

Q:  What is the difference in active ingredients between the Glutathione Soap, Papaya Kojic Soap, Black Beauty Bar and the Licorice Beauty Bar?

A:  The Papaya Kojic Soap uses kojic acid (a mushroom extract) and papain (a papaya extract) to achieve the whitening effect.  The active ingredient in the Black Beauty Bar is arbutin.  As you would expect, the Glutathione Soap uses glutathione and the Licorice Beauty Bar uses licorice extract.

Q:  What is the difference between the Surely White Whitening Cream and the Surely White Lightening Cream?

A:  The Lightening Cream is formulated primarily to lighten specific problem dark areas (e.g., acne scars, blemishes or melasma) and even out your skin tone.  The Whitening Cream is formulated more for overall skin whitening if your skin tone is already relatively even and you simply want to make it whiter.  Both products are intended primarily for use on the face, however they can be used on other areas.  For example, it is common to use the Surely White Lightening Cream on the back of your hands (for age spots), or the Surely White Whitening Cream on dark underarms.

Q:  What is the difference between the Surely White Body Whitening Lotion and the Surely White Lightening Lotion?

A:  The Lightening Lotion is formulated primarily to lighten specific problem dark areas (e.g., acne scars, blemishes or melasma) and even out your skin tone.  The Body Whitening Lotion is formulated more for overall skin whitening if your skin tone is already relatively even and you simply want to make it whiter.  Both products can be used all over your body.

Q:  I've previously used those famous skin care products advertised on TV, but they bleached out my clothes, my pillow cases and my bed sheets!  Will these Diana Stalder products damage my clothes and bed linens like this?

A:  No!  Although we might sometimes use the word "bleaching" in association with the Diana Stalder whitening products, technically they do not "bleach" anything.  As explained above, these products work by inhibiting the formation of melanin.  So don't worry—they will not damage your clothing.

Q:  What if I still have questions?

A:  Feel free to contact us and we'll do our best to answer your questions!  Because of time zone differences and busy schedules, we find the best method of communication is usually e-mail.  If you prefer to call and don't catch us in the office, please leave a message and we'll return your call as soon as possible.  Thanks!

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