News from America might have been dominated by the wrangling over the federal debt ceiling lately, but economic bad news isn’t the country’s only export that’s worth paying attention to. While the Tea Party aren’t known for their love of the environment, the USA’s beauty brands are flying the flag for a greener approach to life – and none more so than newcomer, Grateful Body.

With a list of eco-certificates as long as your arm – certified vegan, Green America approved, Green Products certified 100 percent natural and chemical free – Grateful Body means business and has the paper to prove it. Founder Shannon has a background in holistic and herbal beauty, including Native American lore, and has made a point of using his knowledge of healing herbs in the product formulae. Rather sadly, Grateful Body is also a response to the loss of two of his sisters, both of whom died from cancer, which led to him concluding that the millions of chemicals women apply to their faces every day were in part responsible. In 1998, he launched Grateful Body to provide women with skincare that was wholly chemical free.

Arriving in a welter of paper and cardboard packaging – more than I’d have liked but at least it’s recyclable – my selection of Grateful Body products included the Extra Gentle Cleanser, the Extra Gentle Moisturiser and the Super Antioxidant Serum, all of which are formulated for skin that has been sensitised by harsh chemical-based products. I tried the cleanser first. A creamy white lotion with a faintly herbal smell, it wasn’t great at removing mascara (admittedly mine was a waterproof one) but it got rid of every last trace of foundation and left my skin feeling soft and comfortable. Next up was the serum, which had a slightly watery consistency but smelt great, and with it’s little glass pipette, was easy to use. Finally the unscented moisturiser, which had a slightly watery texture, but sank in quickly and felt comfortable on my skin.

I used the range for a week and during that time had no breakouts or any other kind of skin trouble. My skin is sensitive and nothing in Grateful Body’s range irritated it but they didn’t do much more than that during the seven days. My skin did feel moisturised and comfortable but I didn’t notice any extra brightening or anti-ageing effects. Overall, Grateful Body is a good, eco-friendly choice for anyone whose skin reacts badly to synthetics. The products are very usable and easy to handle, and the recyclable packaging is an excellent idea. Better still, their vegan and cruelty free status means no ethical concerns will trouble your enjoyment.

For more information and stockists, go to www.gratefulbody.com

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