Thursday, October 26, 2017

loving lately: clean beauty!

I've long been a label-reader on my beauty products... and while I will say it can be super daunting to even pronounce the ingredients on beauty products it can be even more daunting to know what they actually mean.  I first heard about "clean beauty" over 10 years ago... when I learned that some beauty products contained unsavory ingredients (I won't go into details, you don't want to know!) my ears instantly perked up. Over the years since then I work to read labels and become informed... THE BEST I CAN. And that's my goal here... are ALL the personal care and beauty products I use 100% safe? I will be the first to admit my answer is NO.  But do I work to make sure they are about 90% safe? YES!  I always want to make sure that a product actually works - so there are a few products that I am still holding on to (hello hairspray, nail polish, and dry shampoo) that could be safer.  Any move towards safer products is a win in my book.

The point of it all is that I TRY. I wish that every product on the market was free from potentially harmful chemicals.  But since that isn't the case, I do the best I can with what I have.  Over the years that has meant that Beautycounter has been number one on my list as a source of safe AND effective products for my skin care and makeup routine. They are committed to keeping over 1,500 potentially harmful ingredients out of their products - you can read them all here on their 'Never List' - so it's a no-brainer to shop their selection of beauty and personal care items.

Like I mentioned, I have used their products for quite a few years but recently came back to my devotion for their brand and their products alike.  After a long and fun summer (wink, wink) my face was a MESS.  On top of that, as a blogger I often have the opportunity to test drive products that brands send me.  So after being out of my routines and being careful with the products I chose, my skin needed help. The skin tone was uneven and rough, I had some nasty sun spots to contend with, and I was breaking out like crazy.  I knew I needed to give my face a fresh start.  Since getting Beautycounter products back in the regular rotation over the past month, my skin is finally back on track - thankfully!

Today I thought I would chat a little bit about what Beautycounter products I use and why... and feel free to let me know if you have any questions about any of these products... I'm happy to help!


What is it... Dew Skin is an ultra lightweight foundation that gives a glowy and natural finish to your skin. It's a light to medium coverage with SPF 20.
Why I like it... I hate the feel of heavy foundations and LOVE that this brings out the best of my own skin. Plus, it's a no brainer to throw on SPF 20 every morning. I'm a No. 1 or No. 2 for color to give you an idea. Since it's so lightweight you really can't go wrong on color selection within a number or two.



What is it... Everyday blush with two tones included - you can use one side or the other, or like I do... combine the two!
Why I like it... I used to be hooked on another well-known blush that didn't have the best ingredients, so I was SKEPTICAL when I tried these blushes.  But I have reordered both of these twice over the years and still love them. I used the Tawny/Whisper for summer and fall and the Bloom/Tulip for winter and spring.

What is it... an intense eye cream for aging skin.
Why I like it... If you are starting to see the signs of crows feet or already battling them and need extra moisture around the eye area, this eye cream is for you! I love to use this before bed.  If you are just dipping your toe into using eye cream, I also love this option!

What is it... some people are scared to hear "facial" and "oil" in the same sentence! But once you try this stuff you are a believer! Any skin types from aging to combination can see benefits from this product.
Why I like it... You only need the tiniest bit and you will see increased moisture and an evening of skin tone.  It's amazing!  I love ALL of the oils (there are three: BalancingPlumping, or Brightening)  and use them all, but Balancing is my favorite. These are perfect to use after a mask in the evening, or add a drop to your foundation for extra moisture and a dewy glow or use it on it's own or combined with your night cream in the evening.  You only need a drop or two, so this bottle lasts forever! 

What is it... Cleansing balm is just what it's sounds like.  At the end of the day you can smear this thick balm all over your skin to remove makeup and dead skin cells.  Massage it in - it seriously feels like a spa treatment at home and then gently rinse it off with a warm washcloth for glowing and soft skin.
Why I like it... This product is AMAZING for dry skin and I love to use it as the weather cools off.  It absolutely melts into your skin and gives your skin an instantly youthful glow.  This is my winter mask of choice!

What is it... a deep cleaning clay mask with activated charcoal to draw impurities out of your skin. It has a touch of peppermint scent that is super invigorating.
Why I like it... If you follow me on Instagram stories you know I have been doing this mask about twice a week - I am obsessed.  As it dries you can see the oil coming out of your pores (gross and amazing all at once) and it's given my skin the fresh start it needed after summer.

Other products I love and use are: Brightening Mask (perfect for an at-home spa night!), Peppermint Lip Balm (I'm addicted to this stuff!), Countermatch Adaptive Moisturizer (this is a new product and I've only used it a few times... but Beautycounter is launching an entire new system based on the success of this moisturizer, people rave about it!), Toner Pads (I ran out of these over the summer and just reordered - I love these for that extra clean feeling!), Masking Set (if you want to try all the masks, this is an affordable way to get all three!)

Interested in joining my amazing team that is revolutionizing the beauty industry? I have teamed up with some of the most amazing blogger babes and our team would love to have you join us! You can find out more here - or email me - I'd love to chat more about it with you!


 

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