Fairtrade beauty products arrive on our shelves

Boots and Neal's Yard are among five companies stocking items certified by Fairtrade Foundation.

The 57 products, which include lip balms, face masks and body butters, are also sold by Bubble and Balm, Essential Care and Lush.

Each item contains at least one Fairtrade-certified ingredient such as cocoa butter, shea nut butter or brazil nut oil.

They cost between £3.50 for a Boots lip balm and £25.10 for Neal's Yard body cream.

It is hoped this new market - which ensures traders are paid a minimum price - will help producers in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The 7.5 million farmers already involved in Fairtrade have spent the income from sales on schools, roads, water supplies and clinics.

The firms behind the products will have a partnership plan to help farmers develop their businesses.

More than 30 per cent of people in the UK say they want Fairtrade cosmetics and sales reached an estimated £700million last year, a 43 per cent rise on 2007.

TV presenter Fearne Cotton, who is backing the campaign, said: "The products make me feel good because I know the farmers are able to improve their lives."

While other products advertise ethical roots, it is the first range to receive official accreditation from Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International. More than 4,500 products carry the certification including flowers and homeware.