Beauty Should Be Good For You

Hey Girls (& Guys),

I suppose I’ve been living under a rock because clean beauty was never on my radar. Not until I realized that 48 is looming & my skin isn’t getting any younger.

Good thing for great friends who know just what you need when you need it.

I’m fairly good about taking care of my skin & have tried everything from the exorbitant & highly overrated Crème de la Mer to OTC brands like CeraVe & truly believe that if you find a product that works for you, make it work for you for as long as you can. Never did I consider the ingredients of any of the products that I was using until I learned that, despite its continuous growth, the $70 billion beauty industry in the US has largely gone unregulated. More on the Personal Care Products Safety Act here.

Since turning 40, I’ve tried it all.

Obagi, SkinCeuticals, Retin-A, Botox, Fillers, PRP/Vampire facials…you name it, I’ve tried it! I couldn’t look at carpaccio for like a week after my first PRP facial but my face looked fabulous!

When it comes to creams, lotions, & potions, I don’t discriminate but I do know a good thing when I see or, in this case, try one. Which is why, after a bit of resistance (by me) & persistence (by my fab friend Sophia) I decided to join the BeautyCounter movement.

What Is Beautycounter?
The brainchild of Gregg Renfrew, a former executive who sold her online startup, The Wedding List, to Martha Stewart in 2001 & was formerly the CEO of the children’s retail group Best & Co, owned by Tommy Hilfiger. Renfrew was inspired to launch Beautycounter after doing research on the ingredients in daily products such as sunscreen & lotion & discovering, “Companies are allowed to use harmful ingredients and make their own judgments about safety.”

She launched Beautycounter in 2013 with a handful of moisturizers & exfoliators. Today the company sells everything from skincare & makeup to sunscreen products for women, men, adults & babies. Beautycounter also promotes its social mission, which is to be an “advocate for stricter guidelines and regulations to shift the personal-care industry away from using harmful and questionable ingredients.” Thus, they have become the leaders in clean beauty, backing a bill introduced by Senators Feinstein and Collins, calling for FDA authority to regulate the safety of beauty products – DYK that the last major federal law governing cosmetics was passed in 1938!? Oy Vey indeed!

Anyway, this may all be not that important to you or, you may be thinking damn girl, I too have been living under a rock! Welcome & let me tell you. I’m a skeptic…to a fault. Always have been, always will be. It takes me a long time to decide on what I’m going to put my name on let alone recommend to family & friends. So, after careful trial & usage, I have to tell you that BeautyCounter products are awesome! I can’t say that you will love all of them. I can’t promise that you’ll see immediate results but, I can tell you that there will be at least one product in their arsenal that you will fall in love with. For me, it’s 5+!

So, what Does Beautycounter Sell?
Check out their website & the more than 100 products, including skincare, sunscreen, makeup & products for men & babies. But here’s a closer look at my fave 5+ so far.

Beautycounter Makeup

#1 – Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer – No wonder this is a bestseller as it not only provides just the right amount of coverage (I hate caked on foundation) but also delivers lightweight hydration, SPF 20 protection, & a luminous dewy glow. Black currant, peony flower root extract, & vitamin C enhances skin brightness & sodium hyaluronate promotes firmer, smoother-looking skin. I use #3 but there are 5 beautiful shades to chose from.

#2 – Lip Gloss – Available in 12 shades, this gloss is not sticky like many others that I’ve tried. It’s also super moisturizing & the gloss delivers high-impact shine. I love ‘Bare Shimmer’ which is a Neutral Pink With Golden Shimmer…fancy!

#3 – Brilliant Brow Gel – It doesn’t get any easier than this! I get my brows threaded & then use the dark gel to keep them tamed. It comes in 5 shades one being clear if all you want is brow control without the color. I love love this product & it saves me tons of time in the am. Many of my GFs have tried & we all love it! To see which shade is for you go here.

When you’re ready to call it a day & take it all off, the One-Step Makeup Remover Wipes are amazing! I did a little test on my liquid liner (which requires a ton of make-up remover & rubbing) & used these wipes on one eye & my usual remover on the other eye. The BC wipes worked in just a few swipes & didn’t leave my eyes red & irritated. They smell delish & are super gentle on the skin. Also great for a quick refresher for after a work-out & before a cocktail with the girls…or boys…or whatever.

Beautycouter Skincare

#5 – The No. 1 Brightening Facial Oil – First of all, this face oil smells amazing. It contains a blend of seven oils, including avocado, grapeseed, blackcurrant and meadowfoam. I love it in the morning before make-up or at night for an overnight fix. Best part is that it quickly absorbs & penetrates without leaving your skin oily & yucky…is that an industry term? I think so!

Ok this doesn’t technically count as it’s a full regiment but Beautycounter’s Rejuvenation Regimen is designed to tackle the signs of aging such as fine lines & dark spots…pretty sure it was invented for me. The collection includes a cleanser, serum, toner pads & day cream but I also add the eye cream & that my friends is my routine! Take this fun quiz to determine what products are best for your skin. I did & this was the one for me.

Oh & there’s the Overnight Resurfacing Peel that works wonders on my dark spots. It contains a mix of both resurfacing & soothing acids to hydrate & replenish the skin + it’s formulated with AHA and BHA acids. If you’re looking to reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines, & dark spots without irritation or over-drying this is for you!

Ok, I lied, there are more than 5 but I also know that I probably lost you 5 minutes into this post so. Let’s call it a night with my absolutely fave product so far, the Cleansing Balm – More than just a cleanser, the Cleansing Balm can also double as an overnight mask. I use it to remove make-up, moisturize & prime under make-up, & as a night cream. It’s a cult favorite because it’s absolutely the BALM! (-; This is where my teenage son calls me cringey lol!

Thanks for sticking with me & I hope that this has inspired you to dig a bit deeper & re-evaluate what you’re putting on your face & body after-all, Beauty Should Be Good For You! XoXo & to get your BeautyCounter goodies, shop my link https://www.beautycounter.com/alyasherman