Confession: I never truly cared about skincare until about a year ago. Sure, I washed my face daily and always used moisturizer, but that was really the extent of my "skincare" routine. I was always more of a makeup girl if you know what I mean (love a good eye shadow palette). Thankfully I'm blessed with clear skin. However, now that I'm in my late 20's I'm noticing fine lines, wrinkles, pores, and blemishes more than ever. Insert immediate panic mode. Wrinkles?! Say it aint so! Unfortunately that's life sister! So it was time to jump on the skincare train, and I was on the hunt for the best possible products. Like most people, I tried out various brands that people recommended but nothing really caught my attention until I was introduced to Beauty Counter. I was on a trip in Mexico with a group of bloggers, and one of the girls brought up the topic of parabens and toxins in skincare. I named off a few things I was using regularly, and she basically told me what I was putting on my skin everyday was awful for me. Well, that was alarming! I've always been somewhat of a health junky, and the fact that I was putting toxins and parabens all over my face daily was terrifying. I mean that sounds just as bad as smoking doesn't it?! Both sides of my family have cancer and diseases that run deep, so I am at risk for those myself and always try to be health conscious for that reason. I eat mostly organic foods, workout 5+ times a week, have never smoked, and overall I just try to be mindful of what type of life I'm living. Now, it's easy to say "okay, I'll make the switch to safer products for that reason." But what if the products don't work or aren't that great? Then ultimately you'd probably end up going back to what works right? At least that's what I would do. I decided to give Beauty Counter products a try and to my surprise they do actually work! And they work really well. The beauty behind this (see what I did there?), is that I have the luxury of having a platform like this to spread the word! So, that's what I'm doing today. I'm not here to tell you to immediately change all of your products to safer products, or to tell you that I use all BC products (because I don't), but more of less to educate you on some of my favorites! The way I see it, every step you take in removing something that isn't good for you from your life, is one step in the right direction. It's not realistic to say throw everything away immediately and never look back, because let's be honest, I love my eye shadows and I'm not ready to give those up haha. However, the simple fact that I made some significant changes in skincare and makeup products feels really good! Plus, I'm obsessed with them so that's an added bonus. Let's get started!
You should always layer your skincare products from thinnest to thickest for maximum results, so you'll see this is the order I go in when applying my routine.
1. Makeup wipes // If you're a makeup wipe fan, these are amazing! I've been using the Neutrogena makeup wipes my whole life and still love those (especially when traveling or on the run), but if you're looking for a safer option these are fantastic and get the job done equally. I like to use one of these before washing my face to help get all of my makeup off, however, if you're using the cleanser (next step), you really don't have to use these as that helps remove makeup in one swoop. If I'm in a hurry and don't have time to do the whole routine (aka I'm rushing to the gym) I'll just run one of these over my face and complete the rest of the routine later!
2. Cleanser // This is hands down the best cleanser I have ever used and I've tried tons, y'all! I recommend this to everyone. It comes in both a cream cleanser and an exfoliator and I use both. I typically use the cream cleanser daily, and the exfoliator once a week. As I mentioned above, both of these take your makeup off completely so it also serves as a makeup remover while cleansing your face. It doesn't leave my skin dried out, and the exfoliator isn't too rough to where it agitates my skin. Everybody who has ordered this, has raved about it
3. Toner // I use these rejuvenating toner pads next. They have a mixed fruit acid complex and vitamin C in them to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and they also tighten my pores nicely. I swipe these over my skin after the cleanser and you can cut them in half if you're using both sides for longevity.
4. Mist // Again, this is another favorite product of mine! I use the No. 3 Balancing Facial Mist and it is life changing! I actually let a friend borrow it recently and I truly missed it. I use this to prep my skin before makeup and to help restore moisture. However, it can also be used to set makeup! It is formulated with charcoal powder and clay so it helps reduce any redness, absorbs excess oil, and refines skin texture. They make several different kinds of mist depending on your skin needs which you can find here.
5. Serum // I layer this anti-aging rejuvenating serum under my moisturizer to help with hydration, skin tone, and wrinkles. It's not greasy at all, lightweight, and has proven significant increases in firmness of my skin! I love this stuff.
6. Moisturizer // Okay, so while I didn't have an actual routine until about a year ago - I did always moisturize! Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! It's hands down the best thing you can do for your skin. I actually don't use a Beauty Counter moisturizer. I have super dry skin, and haven't been able to find one for my face that I like a lot. So I just use Jergens Natural Glow daily. I do however, love the body butter and body lotion from Beauty Counter.
7. Oil // Another product I love! Prior to trying Beauty Counters oil, I always used Kiehls Midnight Recovery, which I still really like but Beauty Counters oil is extremely comparable, provides the same results, and it's toxin and paraben free. So I made the switch here! When I first thought of putting oil on my face, I thought it was crazy. Surely it would make me oily, no? Nope! It doesn't. It actually has a reverse effect, and is one of the best things for my skin! I put a few drops of the number 3 balancing oil on my face at night, however, you can use it during the day too! Since I do this at night, I put it on alone - I don't need a moisturizer for this because this actually makes my skin feel silky smooth and like a babies butt. So I don't need it! If you are using it during the day though, I would recommend layering it under your moisturizer for maximum results! Your skin will feel nourished like you've never experienced before, trust me.
That's it! I know it seems like a lot, but it honestly takes less than 5 minutes and it will make your skin glow beautifully in addition to slowing down the aging process! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me, and if you're feeling extra adventurous - give this mask a try, it's life changing! I also wanted to add that if you're planning on spending over $100 I recommend signing up for the Band of Beauty Membership. It's $29/year, you get a free full size body scrub (which is to die for), free shipping on orders over $100 and a 15% product credit on every purchase, so the benefits far outweigh the $29 cost! PS: Any of these items also make a great Mothers Day gift!
SHOP THE POST:
I read the above article and I got some knowledge from your article. Certified chamomile German Essential Oil for skin care, It's actually great and useful data for us. Thanks for share it.
ReplyDelete