Update 2/13/2010:  Due to the level of interest and traffic this post has received, I’ve e-mailed CVS customer care to urge them to reconsider discontinuing this product line.  I’ve received a response stating my comments have been forwarded “to the appropriate group at CVS for consideration.” Will report back if I hear anything further.

I was really surprised to learn that these products even exist. A natural skin care line made with herb and flower extracts … whose products contain more than 94% natural ingredients … that uses no parabens, SLS, phthalates, or petrolatums … and is available exclusively at CVS for an average $5 price point? Get out!

After seeing an ad for Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary products in my Natural Health magazine, I almost couldn’t wait to head over to our brand-new neighborhood CVS to try them out. The products weren’t in stock the first time I checked, but they were in a few weeks later. I stayed for a few minutes and smelled just about everything, and was surprised by the variety of products.

Of course I wanted to take home everything, but at the time I had just thrown down 64 bones for a dental filling, so I had to limit myself. However, for a mere $23, I walked out with …

• Aloe Vera & Chamomile Face Cleanser
• Aloe Vera & Cucumber Face Tonic spray toner skin (yay for sprays! I love spray toners because they don’t require you to buy those little cotton squares, which is one less thing that goes in the trash and therefore the landfill.)
• Vitamin A & Vitamin E Face Moisturizer
• Anti-Oxidant Face Serum with Vitamin A & Vitamin E
• Cocoa Butter Lip Balm

That’s five products for what many quality lines charge just for a cleanser. Who says there aren’t options for natural girls on a budget?

I’m also digging that the line is named after Alice Vickery and Isabella Clarke, who, according to the product packaging, “broke new ground for women as pharmacists in the 1800s.” The brand was created in recognition of their work, and “promises to deliver effective remedies using pure and simple ingredients.” Sweet … I feel like an environmentalist and a feminist.

So how does V&C rate?

Product experience: Not bad. Scents are light but clean and appealing and also slightly medicinal, which I enjoy … it makes me feel like I really am using old-school apothecary products. A little bit of the anti-oxidant serum goes a long way. The Cocoa Butter lip balm tastes faintly of cookies, which is awesome, and it’s moisturizing, not at all greasy.

Product diversity: Outstanding. Face cleansers, moisturizers, and toners come in two versions: normal to dry, and normal to oily. Other facial products include a scrub and a mask. I think I even saw a spot on the shelf for an eye cream. V&C also offers a body wash, body scrub, body lotion, shea butter hand cream, milk bath, foot cream, and some sort of leg spray … plus a Lavender Vanilla Pillow Mist and a Eucalyptus Peppermint Cold and Sinus Soak. It’s part aromatherapy, part apothecary in a simple yet diverse product line.

Packaging: Products come in recyclable plastic bottles. I would prefer a bar cleanser, but I know those are hard to come by. The company does get bonus points for the spray toner.

Accessibility: Debatable. There were some empty spaces on the shelves, and availability of products on the Web site seems to fluctuate. But CVS is everywhere.

Quality of ingredients: Hard to verify the “94% natural” claim; some of the ingredients have scary-sounding names like cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, but this actually rates a hazard score of 0 (low hazard) in the Skin Deep Database. I entered all the ingredients from the face cleanser and came up with an overall hazard score of 4 (moderate hazard), which isn’t too terrible. The worst offender in the ingredients list is fragrance, which falls towards the end of the list so probably isn’t used in abundance. The aloe vera extract, lavender extract, and jojoba seed oil are all safe, natural ingredients and fall towards the middle of the list.

Bottom line: The normal-to-oily products are a bit heavier than I prefer, but I am using them at night. I love the smell and the simplicity of the line. And you simply can’t beat this price point. If you like to have lots of products on hand that smell wonderful but you don’t want to spend a fortune on personal care products, give V&C a try.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”