That Skincare Post

It seems everyone and their brother sister is writing that skincare post. I’m going to do the same because I’ve discovered so many great skincare/beauty/household products through blogs and social media. I want to pass along the favor to anyone who might be looking to try something new!

It has taken me nearly 3 years to switch most of my skincare, makeup, and hair products to cleaner/safer alternatives both because I couldn’t afford to buy everything at once and because sensitive skin like mine required a lot of trial and error. The biggest turning point for me was 4 years ago when I switched from Aveeno face lotion from the drugstore to Paula’s Choice Lotion and from Clinique foundation to SuperGoop – and my breakouts stopped. Then when I got pregnant with Emerson, I started moving away from Paula’s Choice (mostly because a lot of the products I was using had Retinol – I really liked PC overall) and started experimenting with other options.  I only wish I had been using high quality skincare in my twenties!

First things first –  y’all have probably seen on Instagram that I joined Beautycounter. The reasons I’ve gotten into the products and company are:

1. The more products I try, the better my skin looks and feels.
2. I’m pregnant and plan to nurse, and I know without doing any research that all the products are safe for me to use (but if you want to learn more, most of the products are rated by the EWG and you can view The Never List.) I love that Beautycounter has a science advisory council and decisions are made based on best available research (and not just greenwashing to sell more products). They use the good stuff when it’s safe (this ain’t no homemade skincare) but avoid any chemicals or packaging that has been linked to human health risks.
3. Shipping was getting expensive when I was ordering different products from all different brands.  (Side note: I originally joined Beautycounter’s band of beauty  just for the free shipping, 10% product credit, and a gift). Also, not many of the other brands I like carry makeup. But also, I get 25% off everything!!  Skincare is not cheap and this really helps. [If you have any interest in joining, I’m happy to talk openly about the commission + being a consultant – just DM or email me]
4. The return policy is amazing (60 days, no questions asked, free return shipping), so it was easier for me to experiment with different products from Beautycounter versus other brands.
5. They are a certified B Corp and I want to support their mission of advocacy, investing in research, and giving back.

There are lots of other safer skincare brands I also love like Mad Hippie, Primally Pure, Eminence, True Botanicals, and Tata Harper so check these out too!

Here’s what I’m using now:

AM Routine:

• Cleanser: I’m alternating between the Clear Pore Cleanser and the Charcoal Bar.  Both of these are great for acne-prone skin and have worked wonders for me!
• Toner: Countercontrol Instant Matte Toner. I love this if you are acne prone, but not oily enough for the full Countercontrol acne line.
• Serum: Countertime Radiance Serum. This is the most concentrated of the Countertime products. I used to use the Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum, and love it as well. The Primally Pure Plumping Serum is great around the eyes if you have bad crow’s feet like I do.
• Vitamin C: All Bright Vitamin C Serum. This has turmeric and 10% vitamin C in a super stable form. It helps with sunspots and the gel-like texture gives your skin an instant glow!
• Moisturizer: Countertime Antioxidant Soft Cream. This is a nice mid-weight (not light, but not too thick) lotion with Beautycounter’s plant-based alternative to Retinol.

Makeup:

• CC cream/foundation: Dew Skin (No. 3) and Twin Skin Featherweight Foundation (240). Both are very hydrating and I noticed a difference in the softness of my skin when I started using them. Dew Skin is more sheer with SPF 20 and Twin Skin provides more coverage and is buildable (and has much more hyaluronic acid for hydration). I often mix the two.
• Blush: Cheeky Cream Blush (Rosebud). I LOVE that this is a little dewy and I usually just put on with my fingers. The compact is refillable too!
• Eyeliner: Zuzu Luxe (Ocean). I wear blue eyeliner day-to-day because black is too harsh with my complexion. I found this at Whole Foods and it lasts forever.
• Mascara: Honest Company.  Love the smaller brush
• Concealer: Skin Twin Creamy Concealer (Light 3).  Love this because it doesn’t make me breakout and gives great coverage.
• Brows: Brow Pencil (Light). Didn’t really know this was a thing until last year, but it makes such a big difference.
• Lip Balm: Portland Bee Balm. I used to be addicted to Blistex and had a week of withdrawal when I switched to this 3 years ago.

If I’m going out:

• Lipstick: I’m not really a lipstick person, but will wear First Date for a special occasion. I prefer gloss…
• Lip gloss: Bare Shimmer. Can’t really go wrong with this when you want something neutral. I also like the Dahlia for more punch.
• Eyeliner: Sometimes I wear black on the bottom, but usually just stick to blue with Liquid Eyeliner on top if I’m going out. This stuff goes on like a dream, but needs a lot of drying time. I also use Moto from the eyeshadow palette for a light liner.
• Eye Makeup Remover: Trader Joe’s Spa 100% Pure Jojoba Oil

PM Routine:

• Cleanser: Most nights, I use the Countertime Cleansing Oil.  I’m obsessed with this stuff – it removes makeup beautifully and doesn’t strip your skin. I use some reusable makeup eraser pads from Amazon.
• Peel: Overnight Resurfacing Peel. This has a cult following for a reason! It’s helped with acne scars, red spots, sun spots, and pores. I love that you just put it on and that’s it. Plus, you can put your usual cream on a few minutes after.  It’s expensive, but lasts a while. I use it maybe three times a week – it’s gentle and the bottle lasts forever.  Tata Harper also has an amazing Resurfacing Mask, but you have to leave it on for 20 minutes and then wash it off, and I’m usually asleep in 20 minutes:)
• Mask for cleaning pores/oil: Charcoal Facial Mask. I use this every once in a while to clean out pores. You can use this as an overnight spot treatment which is what I do more often.

• Mask for exfoliating: Reflect Effect AHA Mask. This is a newer mask that I use probably every other week for exfoliating. It has bamboo particles for physical exfoliation and AHA acids for chemical exfoliating. People often ask me the difference between this and the peel – the peel is more of a regular workhorse that works slowly but very effectively over time. Versus the AHA mask – better for an instant glow-up or a deeper exfoliation before an event.
• Night cream: Countertime Tetrapeptide Supreme Cream.  This is part of the Countertime line that contains a plant-based alternative to Retinol and I’m absolutely in love with it. It’s thick and luxurious and you wake up hydrated skin. I layer this on top of of my overnight resurfacing peel.
  
• Eye cream: Ultra Renewal Eye Cream. Loving this too. Check out what it did to my pregnancy stretch mark after a week:
• Hormonal Breakouts:  No. 3 Balancing Oil.  I add a few drops to my night cream or apply directly on blemishes.

Hair: Still using Innersense Pure Harmony, Color Radiance, and now Sweet Spirit Leave In and loving it. I’ll admit that I don’t think my hair looks quite as good as when I was using Oribe (could be post-pregnancy too), but it just got too expensive to maintain. Then, once a week, I use the Goop salt scalp scrub and it is amazing!!

Dry Shampoo: Primally Pure (Light)

Soap: Whole Foods Fragrance Free – Matt and I both use this and it does the job.

Deodorant: The Clean Deo. Love this deodorant so much. The coconut and rose scents are my favorite and it is refillable to cut down on plastic waste. If you currently use an antiperspirant, it takes a little time to get used to (when your sweat glands are turned off, bacteria can get built up inside and then needs to come back out). Note: it’s very common for a natural deodorant to stop working after a period of time so it may be necessary to switch to another brand for a bit. I’ve started just rotating brands every time I need a new bottle so that this doesn’t happen. I really like the Schmidt’s Charcoal Deodorant and may switch since it’s easier on my wallet too:)

Sunscreen: Countersun Mineral Stick for face (this lasts a while). Countersun Mineral Mist for body (this lasts 1-2 weeks if spraying whole body). I’ve had three pre-cancerous moles removed, so I don’t play around here. If you have a darker complexion and are worried about looking white with zinc (or just want to look darker), there is a tinted mist as well!

Pregnancy: Bambino Orgaincs Belly Butter and Cleansing Balm for itching/hydration

My before and after starting a Beautycounter skincare routine: