Grateful Body is a relatively new addition to the CCIC’s list of cruelty-free companies — it’s one of the many new additions to the list this year. It’s an interesting company — it’s vegan-except-for-bee-products (bee-vegan? is there a term for this?), and uses three types of ingredients — either USDA certified organic ingredients, certified biodynamic ingredients — biodynamic means all its ingredients come from farms that use only organic fertilizers and pesticides which are usually fermented herbal and mineral preparations as compost additives or field sprays — or ethically wildcrafted ingredients. It’s an accredited and registered “green business,” it meets USDA organic food guidelines, uses green packaging, is an active supporter of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, has pledged the Natural Ingredients Resource Center Truth in Labeling pledge, and has been reviewed by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep consumer database and ranked as one of the safest skin care companies in the U.S.
Grateful Body Mission Statement: At Grateful Body we create truly safe, effective products with tangible vitality. We aspire to operate ethically and sustainably in all aspects of our business — creating products that express our gratitude for all life and building a company that truly serves both people and planet.
Story:
GratefulBody is a family-owned and -operated company in Berkeley, California. We’ve been making pure botanical skin care products since 1998, because at that time it was even more difficult to buy safe and effective skin care products. We established our own high ingredient standards at the very beginning and have enjoyed maintaining them ever since (there’s still virtually no consumer-safety regulation of the body care industry). The only thing that made sense to us was to limit our ingredients to those that are 100% biologically appropriate, so we never had to wean ourselves from using the convenient synthetics that are so common.
We believe Mother Nature herself would heartily approve of our skin care “recipes” - and we will always believe that skin care should be nourishing to the body as a whole as well as useful in improving one’s complexion. There’s no separation between our skin, our health, and our environment, and we make sure that GratefulBody products benefit all three of those essential aspects of our lives. We hope our vital formulations will make a beautiful impression on you. For us, it’s a joy to make truly healthful skin care, and we wish you joy in using our products.
I ordered a sample set of Grateful Body cleanser, toner, and moisturizer for “normal” skin a few weeks ago, because I’d never seen Grateful Body products before, and I was excited to see they are organic and on the CCIC’s list. Plus I LOVE sample size sets, and the price was great. The sample set comes with three .5 oz bottles of Daily Facial Cleanser, Daily Facial Toner, and Daily Facial Therapy for Normal Skin.
My first reaction on seeing the sample set was that the bottles are REALLY cute — they are old-fashioned brown glass medicinal bottles. I don’t know if the full size products also come in glass bottles, but I hope they do. My second reaction upon reading the list of ingredients was that people with sensitive skin should definitely NOT buy the normal skin line. It is absolutely full of extracts and essential oils of various herbs and plants. Grateful Body does make a sensitive skin line — I suspect that would be much better if you like hypoallergenic stuff.
Daily Facial Cleanser: Nourish and moisturize while cleansing your skin! Made of whole, beneficial botanicals instead of synthetics, there’s nothing harsh about this cleanser. Removes dirt, oil, and most make-up, without stripping vital skin elements. This gentle, non-drying cleanser is suitable for all skin types, dry to oily.
Usage: Moisten the skin, and use a small amount. Massage into face and neck for as long as you like. Rinse with water, pat dry. Follow with Daily Facial Toner.
Ingredients: Distilled water, organic aloe vera gel, organic oils of high oleic safflower and sesame, wildcrafted seaweed extract, vegetable emulsifying wax, organic witch hazel, organic herbal infusions of burdock root, hops flowers, echinacea root, dandelion root & leaf and plantain, vegetable glycerin, organic or wildcrafted essential oils of rosemary, grapefruit, lavender, lemon verbena, carrot seed, ylang ylang, organic bulgarian rose water, xanthan gum, organic sage and rosemary antioxidants, vitamins A, C, & E, grapefruit seed extract.
The daily facial cleanser is a nice gentle cleanser. It doesn’t lather, which is strange but understandable since it uses no chemical lathering agents, and it smells VERY herbal — but in a nice way — I don’t dislike it, and I’m not the biggest fan of herbal smelling products. It has a nice consistency — neither too runny nor too thick, and a little goes a long way, which is nice. It’s kind of thick but not oily the way Juice Organics cleanser is. It felt a little odd to me after using the oil-based Juice Organics cleanser for so long — I really missed the way I can wash my eyelids with the Juice Organics cleanser because the oil doesn’t sting my eyes at all. However, the Grateful Body cleanser didn’t make my skin too dry, and it seemed to remove dirt, so I am happy with it.
Daily Facial Toner: A truly beneficial toner that helps your skin find its own balance point. Gently astringent (shrinks pores), this hydrating toner will not dry your skin. Prepares skin for moisturizing, but is nourishing in its own right. The experience is refreshing and gently vitalizing. Regular use encourages a firm and smooth complexion.
Apply after using Daily Facial Cleanser. Mist your face directly, or spray into palm and pat or smooth on face with fingertips. Allow to dry on skin. Follow with Daily Facial Therapy or 30Plus Nourishment of your choice.
Ingredients: Organic herbal infusions (in organic apple cider vinegar) of green tea, horsetail, calendula, elder flower, comfrey root, lavender, chamomile, american ginseng, slippery elm, licorice, echinacea, gota kola, rose hips & comfrey leaf, organic aloe vera gel, organic witch hazel, organic lavender & geranium hydrosols, vitamins A, C, & E organic or wild-crafted essential oils of grapefruit, lavender, fennel and lemongrass.
The daily facial toner is a nice toner. It feels a little alcoholy, but it does remove any last trace of the cleanser residue before I moisturize, which is nice. The oddest thing about it is it smells very medicinal, and it reminds me of horse treats. But I can’t quite put my finger on what makes it smell like horse treats. Is it the horsetail, calendula, elder flower, comfrey root, american ginseng, slippery elm, echniacea, gota kola, comfrey, witch hazel, or fennel that make it smell that way? I like the smell, anyway. I’ve always thought horse treats have a nice scent.
Daily Facial Therapy/Normal Skin: A true moisturizing lotion that deeply feeds the skin with 100% natural, super-hydrating whole plants and oils. Helps skin become naturally soft, smooth, and healthy instead coating it with a false, synthetically “silky” finish. Full of antioxidant phytonutrients that nourish and protect.
Ingredients: Distilled water, organic high oleic safflower oil, organic herbal infusions of marshmallow root, chickweed, comfrey root, rose hips, slippery elm, lavender flowers, chamomile flowers & cleavers, vegetable emulsifying wax, wildcrafted seaweed extract, vegetable glycerin, organic aloe vera gel, organic Bulgarian rose water, soy lecithin, organic sage and rosemary antioxidants, xanthan gum, organic or wildcrafted essential oils of lavender, rosemary, immortelle, geranium, grapefruit & Bulgarian rose, vitamins A, C, & E, grapefruit seed extract.
The Daily Facial Therapy for Normal Skin (moisturizer) is my favorite of the three products. It’s light, it’s moisturizing, it’s not greasy, it has a great consistency, and a little goes a long way. Compared to the Juice Organics moisturizer, I find it more moisturizing, which I like. However, it has one big problem — and that’s the reason I’m taking a star off — it does not protect against skin cancer. The Grateful Body FAQ (which I’m attaching to the end of this post) actually has an explanation for why not — basically the Grateful Body people feel that most sunscreens are not “safe and natural.” I disagree with this partially — I don’t think titanium dioxide or zinc oxide have been shown to be unsafe (as far as I know), and I believe that by protecting your skin from possibly fatal melanomas they’re far safer than wearing no sunscreen at all. However, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide can’t be biodynamically farmed, so I can see why they would be wrong for Grateful Body. The Gratefuly Body FAQ does recommend wearing hats and sun protective clothing and keeping your sun exposure down, which is of course excellent advice. In either case, I would recommend using Earth’s Beauty SPF face powder over this moisturizer if you choose to use it (or any other face powder with titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, mexoryl or octocrylene in it).
Overall, I think the Grateful Body Normal Skin line is excellent, except for its lack of sunscreen. I find the biodynamic nature of their ingredients really admirable. However, I did break out a little bit after using the line for a few weeks. I think I may need to add an exfoliator to this routine if I use it for any length of time. I’m still pretty indecisive about whether I prefer the Juice Organics line to this one. I think this one may appeal to me more in the summer because the Juice Organics line is too heavy for hot weather.
Grateful Body Normal Skin Sampler Set is available for $10.50 from WildOrganics.net.
