Meet GRAES: From Oatmeal Baths & 350+ Ingredients to Simplified Skincare

We're moved to introduce GRAES, founded by Becky whose extremely sensitive skin runs in her family—as a baby, her mom put her in oatmeal baths every night to keep eczema at bay, with distinct memories of breaking out in hives from fragranced detergent bedding during summer vacation. From late teens to mid-twenties, her skin got progressively worse with blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, cystic breakouts, and hyperpigmentation eroding her self-esteem, leading her to put her biology degree to use, pouring over research to identify 350+ ingredients that might irritate or sensitize skin, even starting a product review site for years buying products herself to pH test and write thorough reviews—a process that took several years but actually worked, finally getting her skin under control, though her bathroom was totally out of control with 15+ niched products. Knowing up to 70% of people identify as having sensitive skin, 31% have cancelled social plans because of acne, and 61% have skipped washing their face because they were too tired, she decided to funnel all her research into multi-tasking products providing all the benefits without the shelf space, lengthy routines, and plastic—helping customers simplify, reduce environmental impact, look their best, and live life to the fullest.

Extremely Sensitive Skin Runs in My Family

Extremely sensitive skin runs in my family. As a baby, my mom used to put me in an oatmeal bath every night to keep my eczema at bay. I have a distinct memory of my sister and I breaking out in hives during one of our summer vacations. The culprit? The bedding had been washed using a heavily fragranced detergent. It felt like the Dove bar of soap was the only thing my skin could tolerate.

From Late Teens to Mid-Twenties: Progressively Worse

From my late teens to mid-twenties, my skin started to get progressively worse. Blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, cystic breakouts... I was blessed with them all. Even when I was having a "good skin day" my face was still marked with a ton of hyperpigmentation from previous breakouts.

Couldn't Go Outside Without Makeup

I started to feel like I couldn't go outside without makeup, which I resented. Even with heavy makeup, the acne was visible, and I couldn't help but cringe every time someone pulled out a phone to take a photo. I was embarrassed of my face and it was eroding my self esteem.

Vicious Cycle: Grasping at Straws

I started trying new products with different active ingredients to treat my acne. Unfortunately, nothing seemed to work. I started a vicious cycle of heading to the store every time my direct deposit hit; desperate to find the solution to my problem. I felt like I was grasping at straws but nothing was working.

"This Shouldn't Be This Hard"

During this time I was also struggling with my mental health and would constantly think to myself "This shouldn't be this hard. Why is the simple act of maintaining myself this hard?"

Biology Degree to Use: Identifying 350+ Ingredients

Eventually I realized that using products with the right active ingredients was only one part of the puzzle. I also needed to avoid any ingredients that my skin might be sensitive to. I put my biology degree to use and poured over the research - identifying 350+ ingredients that might irritate or sensitize skin.

Product Review Site: pH Testing and Thorough Reviews

I actually started a product review site for a few years during this time, buying all of the products myself to pH test them and write thorough reviews of their ingredient lists. This process took several years, but it actually worked! At one point it seemed impossible, but I had finally gotten my skin under control.

Bathroom Out of Control: 15+ Products

Unfortunately, while my skin was now under control, my bathroom was totally out of control. Every product that I was using was so niched down that I felt like I needed 15+ products to keep my skin in check. I started to hate the clutter, the plastic, and the time involved in doing my skincare routine.

I Knew I Wasn't the Only Person

I knew I wasn't the only person facing these problems: Up to 70% of people identify as having sensitive skin. 31% of people have cancelled/changed social plans because of acne. 61% of people have skipped washing their face at night because they were too tired.

Multi-Tasking Products: All Benefits, Less Clutter

So I decided that I would take all of the research I had done for my own skincare routine, and funnel it into multi-tasking products that would provide all the benefits, but without all the shelf space, lengthy routines, and plastic.

My Hope: Simplify, Reduce Impact, Live Life to the Fullest

My hope is that GRAES and its products help customers like me. Together we can simplify, reduce our environmental impact, look our best, and, most importantly, live life to the fullest! xx Becky, Founder, GRAES

At Daily Health & Beauty, we're moved by Becky's journey from oatmeal baths every night as a baby to keep eczema at bay, through years of progressively worse acne eroding her self-esteem, to putting her biology degree to use identifying 350+ ingredients that might irritate or sensitize skin. Her dedication to starting a product review site for years, buying products herself to pH test and write thorough reviews, finally getting her skin under control but hating the clutter of 15+ products makes GRAES a perfect addition to our curated collection of research-driven skincare brands.

Explore the complete GRAES collection and discover multi-tasking products that prove you can have all the benefits without the shelf space, lengthy routines, and plastic—helping the 70% with sensitive skin, the 31% who've cancelled social plans because of acne, and the 61% who've skipped washing their face because they were too tired to simplify, reduce environmental impact, look their best, and live life to the fullest. xx Becky