Frequently asked questions

Yes. Novella Imports (Pvt) Ltd buys directly from European manufacturers or their authorised EU distributors and imports into Sri Lanka under its own customs licence. Every consignment has a commercial invoice, a certificate of origin and a Sri Lanka Customs entry, and the batch code on your bottle is recorded against that entry.

Yes. Cash on delivery is available everywhere in Sri Lanka. You may inspect the outer packaging and the manufacturer seal in front of the courier before you pay, and refuse the parcel at no cost if anything is wrong. Bank transfer is the other option, with a payment reference shown on your invoice.

In-stock orders placed before 2pm on a working day leave Colombo the same day: next day in Colombo and suburbs, two to four working days elsewhere. Pre-order items ship with the next European consignment and arrive anywhere in Sri Lanka in 10–15 working days. Delivery is free on orders over Rs 25,000; a flat courier fee applies below that.

Some of it needs adjusting. Rich Northern-European night creams can feel heavy in Colombo humidity, so our product pages state the texture and finish, and the kits we assemble lean towards gel-creams, fluid sunscreens and lightweight serums. Actives such as vitamin C, niacinamide and retinol work exactly the same here as they do in Milan.

Every item leaves us with at least twelve months of shelf life remaining, and most have far more. Stock sits in a climate-controlled warehouse in Colombo rather than a hot storeroom, because heat, not time, is what actually degrades cosmetics in this climate.

Unopened items with the seal intact can be returned within seven days of delivery for a full refund or exchange. If a product arrives damaged, leaking or past date, we collect it and replace it at our cost. Opened cosmetics cannot be resold, so those are handled case by case — write to us and we will be reasonable.

The Kids & Baby range is formulated for paediatric use: fragrance-free or very lightly scented, tear-free where relevant, and dermatologically tested in the EU. Ingredient lists are published in full on each product page. If your child has eczema or a diagnosed allergy, check the list with your paediatrician first.

Novella is online only, which is part of why the prices work. Orders ship island-wide from our Colombo warehouse, and you can reach a real person on 077 505 5585 or WhatsApp during Mon–Sat, 9:00–18:00.