I’m sure most of you have been hearing about #cleanbeauty being mentioned around you and you’re starting to pay attention to the ingredients that are in your products just like we are all so much more aware about what’s in our food. It’s been a slow process for me to try and make better choices for my family in little ways that I can like our reusable containers, food bags, cleaning supplies, buying organic food, and now I’ve become aware of the clean beauty products out there. I don’t think we have to be perfect or make every change all at once, but each little change makes a difference. Progress over perfection is the way to look at it so you don’t get overwhelmed. Just as we are trying to eat healthier and more plant based meals with exercise in our daily routine, we’re also trying to make better choices about the products we use on a daily basis and I’m so excited to share more with you!

One area that I have really been focusing on and making some changes over this past year is in the beauty products I use from skincare to makeup. I was introduced to Beautycounter which is a clean beauty brand by a friend who loves their products and she was so sweet to send me some to try and I loved them right away. But It wasn’t until I heard more about the company, their mission, and the facts about the shady beauty industry that you can’t un-hear that I was interested to get more involved. These products are high-quality and high-performing with the best ingredients out there, that are tested multiple times and free from any harsh chemicals. Beautycounter is the leader in the clean beauty industry and going above and beyond to change the industry. They’ve created what they call the Never List that is now full of over 1800 questionable or harmful chemicals that they will never use as ingredients in their products. This is such a high standard they have set for themselves especially considering that that U.S. has only banned 30 chemicals right now so there isn’t another company that’s going to as great of lengths as Beautycounter to ban harmful ingredients, reducing their carbon footprint, source ingredients responsibly, and advocate to congress for safer beauty laws. They believe we all deserve better and I love the mission that they have created to get safer products into the hands of everyone. The other great thing about these products is that you don’t have to choose between getting something that is high-performing with proven results , or products that have clean ingredients. You can have the best of both worlds with Beautycounter! They were just awarded best beauty brand of the year by Fast Company for 2019 and they continue to out perform other beauty brands with their award winning products.

Once I started using a few of the facial oils and makeup then I knew I had to try more so I switched up my skincare routine last Fall and have been using the whole Countertime collection which is the anti-aging line from Beautycounter. I’ve been loving the products so much and haven’t stopped since then. This Countertime collection is so unique because it features a plant-derived retinal that they call retinatural which gives you all the results of retinal for anti-aging but you don’t have any of the side effects like redness or sun-sensitivity. The whole skincare regimen consists of four steps, plus an eye cream which I love, and I’ve seen such great results with them! The routine starts with a Cleanse step which consists of a cleansing oil that feels really luxurious, then a Prep step which is like a toner but it’s called the mineral boost hydrating essence that’s full of vital nutrients for your skin that prepare it for the other products, then the Treat step which is the treatment serum, and then you follow with the Protect step to finish it off which is a moisturizer. This is the only step that changes from morning to night because at night you use a heavier supreme cream and then in the morning you put on the daytime antioxidant soft cream. I also add the eye cream morning and night and feel like it’s an essential part of the routine. I can’t say enough good things about these products because they’ve made such a difference in my skin. They feel so amazing on and have been so moisturizing for my combination skin. I actually didn’t realize how dry my skin was until I started using these products and my skin started to get a glow that it hasn’t had before. This is why I think it’s so important to invest in high-quality skincare as soon as you can before it gets too late to reverse the aging signs. Our skin is our largest organ and it really makes a difference what we put on it. These products are completely worth the investment and will last you a long time because the bottle are so big - plus a little bit goes a long way. Also, once you buy the set then you will just buy each individual products as they run out so you don’t have to buy the whole set again. I also love how they are packaged in these pretty glass bottles which not only look great on your bathroom counter, but they are environmentally friendly. I’ll talk you through each step of the routine below.

Clean Beauty Skincare Routine

Step 1 - Cleanse [The Countertime Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil is an oil cleanser that is gentle on your skin while removing all of your makeup and impurities without stripping the lipid barrier of your skin. My skin feels so soft and fresh after. I also love to add in this Countercontrol gel cleanser that targets breakouts as a double cleanse once in a while after using the Countertime cleansing oil. It has little jojoba beads in it that help to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells.]

Step 2 - Prep [The Countertime Mineral Boost Hydrating Essence is the prep step which is similar to a toner. It is full of vital nutrients that instantly boost the skins moisture barrier and get it ready for the next products.]

Step 3 - Treat [The Countertime Tripeptide Radiance Serum is the little magic in a bottle step because it has the highest amount of the retinatural complex made from plants. It visibly increases skins firmness and elasticity, while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, all while keeping your skin hydrated and radiant. After this step I’ve also started to add a special new Vitamin C Serum that just launched this week and works wonders on your skin to brighten, smooth texture, and reduce dark spots and hyperpigmentation. It’s my favorite add-on item to any skincare routine!]

Step 4 - Protect [The last step in the routine is the moisturizer which is the one product that changes from morning to night. In the morning I put on the Countertime Antioxidant Soft Cream which is lightweight and great during the day to plump and firm the skin while boosting hydration and protecting from environmental stressors. Then at night I put on the Countertime Tetrapeptide Supreme Cream which is a rich cream that feels amazing and is ultra hydrating.]

Bonus - add some Eye Cream and keep those crows feet away. This Lip Conditioner is also a product that I put on morning and night with my skincare routine and its the best! Your lips will feel so moisturized and perfectly conditioned to rock that lipstick the next day. It completely gets rid of dry cracked lips and my kids also love it too.

The Countertime Skincare Regimen is sold as a set to give you a discount on buying the products all together which is great because you see the best results when using them all together but you can always purchase them individually and customize your routine. I also want to mention that if you are spending $100 or more then it’s worth it to get the Band of Beauty Membership which is only $29 for the whole year and that gets you FREE shipping on every order you place, 10% credit back to your account with each order, and a FREE gift for joining which right now is the overnight resurfacing peel - another incredible product! I use it 2-3 times a week in place of my nighttime serum and it works to resurface your skin cells to give you bright glowing skin in the morning. You can always message me if you have any questions!

And if you’re buying from Beautycounter for the first time right now then you can get 20% off your first order for the month of April!!