Here’s my dilemma: I love makeup and skincare so much, but I hate putting chemicals on my body. Whenever there’s a new product that promises to lower my exposure to the bad stuff while still making me look like I use the good stuff, I’m willing to give it a try. That’s why I was so excited to try Herbalicious. Owner Carolyn Balint started the line because the natural products she was buying were still too reactive for her and her family. Plus, it’s made in my adopted home state.

When the giant box of Herbalicious Skincare appeared at my front door, I was like a kid in a candy store, but if the kid is in her mid-30s and the candy store is designed for beauty junkies. The soap made with coconut and olive oils that uses poppy seeds as a natural exfoliant immediately caught my eye, as did the jar of dried flowers that you add to a steaming bowl of water to steam your pores.

The next morning, I started with Rosemary Cleanser, a light and herbaceous face wash. nce I was out of the shower, I swiped my chin with Balancing Toner, made mostly from apple cider vinegar and rosewater, then applied the super moisturizing Nourishing Face Oil, made with fruit seed oils and frankincense. I especially loved the face oil – so much that I’m still using it – because it delivered major moisture without feeling oily at all. The Purifying Clay Mask comes as a powder that you mix with the cleanser to make a paste and then apply it with a brush. Made from Moroccan clay with lavender, rose petals, chamomile and peppermint, the mask did this magic thing of cleaning out my pores while softening and brightening my skin.

The trouble with taking a chance on all-natural products is that you can never tell if you’re getting something toothless or you’re getting the real deal. I loved Herbalicious because Cheryl really does a great job harnessing the power of plants while making everything super gentle. I didn’t notice any of my trademark dryness, even with the more intense products, which for me, is a bit of a miracle.