Skincare Spotlight: Charcoal Cleansing Bar

One of my favorite Beautycounter products- the charcoal cleansing bar. I bought mine back in May 2018 and it's still going strong with at least 1/3 of a bar left. This is easily one of Beautycounter’s most beloved staples, and a fan favorite.  What do you do with it? It's a facial cleansing bar, but it has so many other uses, just the other day I made a lather and used it to rinse my makeup brushes.  I keep my charcoal bar in the shower, and when I’m feeling lazy and the whole nightly face washing routine feels like too much, I lather up with this and feel refreshed and clean.

Made with charcoal powder, green tea extract, coconut oil, and witch hazel, it washes away impurities and clears pores without leaving skin feeling tight afterward. And fun fact- did you know, Jackie O swore by a charcoal bar - it was her #1 beauty secret. 

A Little Video

Why do I love Beautycounter?  It's not just the discount or the products.  It's the mission, the direction, the dedication to research and efforts invested into bringing safer beauty to the masses.  This is a three minute video by Beautycounter's founder Gregg Renfrew, which speaks to the mission, science, and process which makes this company a Certified B Corporation.  If you have three minutes, I encourage you to watch.

Let's Talk Lipstick

Let's talk lipstick, shall we?  Did you know that many makeup items contain heavy metals?  Do you know what the headliner of the heavy metals category is?  Lead.  Yes, lead.  Gulp.  Now, remember, companies are not intentionally adding heavy metals to makeup, but rather these are typically contaminants that are inadvertantly brought along with both mineral and synthetic ingredients used to give products color.

The FDA conducted a study of 400 lipsticks in 2007 for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which found small increments of lead in the majority of lipsticks tested.  The FDA also claims these are of minimal risk to people as lipstick is rarely swallowed.  Well...did you know, the average woman swallows seven pounds of lipstick in her lifetime?  SEVEN POUNDS!  

While there are some guidelines and restrictions limiting the use of lead in color additives used in cosmetics, there is no FDA limit defined for lead in cosmetics. Ultimately, this has been left to companies to create their own heavy metal standards which is terrifying, as many do not subscribe to safety as a #1 priority.

Okay, now that I've given you some facts - some good news.  There are companies that test all color products for heavy metals.  For example, during development, Beautycounter sends its cosmetic formulas to independent labs to test for 12 heavy metals.  They work with suppliers to do their best to avoid contaminants, and keep heavy metal levels at a non-detectable level - which is significantly more screening than most companies do.  Remember, there are no FDA restrictions on what the limit should be for ppm heavy metals in cosmetics at present. 

Some food for thought for the next time you're in the market for a lipstick.  This one is currently always in my purse.  

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Stink Documentary

Check your labels.  If you see the word "fragrance" listed as an ingredient on your shampoo, conditioner, lotion, detergent, and cleaning product labels - beware!  This is the loophole that companies can use to hide chemicals in your products.  "Fragrance" could mean 5 chemicals, it could mean 10.  It could mean 100.  And often, it really is 100.  People think there's a safety net, an FDA or similar unit to prevent this from happening.  The truth - there are currently NO rules or regulations to prevent this from happening.  Beautycounter is trying to change that.

For more information, check out this 2015 documentary, Stink, by Jon Whelan, a single dad who made it his mission to expose this fragrance loophole after purchasing pajamas for his young daughters online, that when opened, reeked of chemicals.  This prompted him to investigate what chemicals companies would put on children's pajamas and what he found is rather frightening.  You deserve to know what you're putting in and on your body.

Skincare Spotlight: Rejuvenating Eye Cream

You guys, this eye cream has got me all 🙌! Part of the Beautycounter rejuvenating line, a.k.a anti-aging line, it’s formulated with all kinds of botanical goodness, including wild algae and caffeine. A little dab goes a looooooong way to diminish fine lines, soften wrinkles, and reduce puffiness. If you don’t need that, I bow down to you! 😘

Skincare Spotlight: My Daily Face Makeup

This picture encapsulates my daily face makeup routine. I wear these 3 products pretty much everyday.  

What are they, you ask?.
+ Dew Skin (shade #2): Dew skin is a lightly tinted moisturizer with 20 SPF.  It's hydrating and goes on smooth using a blending sponge or in a pinch, your fingers.  It's light enough that you can see freckles beneath it, but helps provide an even finish to minimize pores and create a smoother, dewy glow.  

+ Concealer Touch Up Pen (shade: light): I love this buildable, medium-coverage concealer.  It helps camouflage blemishes and dark spots, and blends evenly into the dew skin. It's a click-pen design, so you only click for as much coverage as you need.

+ Mattifying Powder: This is a loose, colorless powder that seals your look, absorbing shine and providing a smooth matte finish.  And the best part - it lasts all day long.
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Most days our routine includes pre-school drop off and pickup, a playdate or two, and afternoon activities.  No need for a lot of makeup so this look is perfect!  You'll usually find me with a few other touches including eyebrow pencil, blush, and mascara, but I feel ready for the day with these three staples on my face. 

Want to try? Today’s the last day for 20% off. Use promo code LOVE at checkout and shop my link.  Spread the word, safe skincare for everyone!

20% Off Beautycounter

Big news, big news, HUGE! (Slightly edited, but name that movie).... 

Beautycounter is offering 20% off site-wide using the promo code LOVE at checkout.  Friends, this kind of sale does not happen often. 20% off goes through August 13th- but be aware, it is likely that products will sell out, so if you're interested, I suggest you act fast!

My recommendations? For skincare- the cleansing balm, charcoal bar, charcoal facial mask, countermatch serum, brightening facial oil, and rejuvenating eye cream. For makeup, I like the dew skin, mattifying powder, concealer pen, classic eye shadow palette, lip sheer in orchid, and peony lip gloss. And FYI- only items NOT included in this promo are the overnight resurfacing peel, sunscreen, and full skincare sets. 

Cheers to clean skincare and makeup at a discount! 

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80%

It's crazy that in the US, cosmetics and skincare, a 62 billion dollar industry is still highly underregulated in 2018.  80% of cosmetic ingredients have never been tested for safety.  80%!!  That is mind boggling!

Beautycounter's founder and CEO, Gregg Renfrew, recently met with lawmakers to discuss proposed legislation such as the Personal Care Products Safety Act.  This act, introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) would give the FDA power to review cosmetics for potentially dangerous ingredients.  With the last legislation on personal-care products passed in 1938, this seems waaaaay overdue.

If you haven't looked up the safety of the makeup and skincare products you use, I encourage you to do so.  The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a comprehensive database called Skin Deep, where you can search 73,620 products to check for overall hazards, cancer risks, allergies and immunotoxicity, developmental and reproductive toxicity, use restrictions, and more.  

Another great, reliable resource is the Think Dirty app, which has a similar database to check for ingredients in your beauty, personal care, and household products.  This app also allows you to scan barcodes to easily search for products.  Also offers suggestions of cleaner alternative products moving forward to lessen your continued exposure to toxins. Free, available for download on Apple and Android.

Do your research, it's out there if you want to know. It's your body, keep yourself safe and informed!

Skincare Spotlight: Cleansing Balm

Starting up some little skincare spotlights on my favorite products. First up, the Beautycounter cleansing balm.  If you’re anything like me, upon first hearing of a product called "cleansing balm," I was like... uh, so what is it exactly?  When I think balm, my brain goes right to lip balm. So is it a lip balm for your face?  Let me set the record straight.  First, it’s a cleanser, a face wash and eye makeup remover, but don’t stop there. Also works as an overnight hydrating mask, and can be used for eczema spot treatments. 

The texture is unique, it’s kind of like a thick, viscous version of coconut oil, but it melts into the skin more easily, if you can imagine that. Packed with nutrients, raspberry and cranberry seed oils and amazing for hydration, even for the breakout prone like myself.  And truthfully, at first, I was a bit skeptical of the balm. Would it be like Noxema? The awful cleanser whose noxious smell peppered my preteen years. Not even close! This is the first true “balm” I’ve ever used as a face wash and I’m not sure I can ever go back. 

To apply, you take a dime sized amount using the provided scoop, rub across your face. The balm + massaging removes any makeup residue, which you’ll see as it’s pulled from your skin. Wipe off with muslin cloth that comes with cleansing balm (or wet washcloth), tone, and moisturize and you’re ready for bed. I also use it 1-2 nights per week to hydrate and then just wash my face in the morning. 

The jar will likely last you 4-6 months easy, and I can truly see a change in the texture and hydration of my skin. My skin used to flake occasionally when I applied makeup, and that is no longer the case. While I’m a consultant for Beautycounter, I don’t feel passionate about all of their products. But the ones that are effective, productive, and worthwhile, I sing the praises of. The cleansing balm is a solid favorite, I love, love, love it.

The Real Meaning of "Fragrance"

Do you know what’s in your kids’ shampoo? Flip over the bottle and scan the ingredients for the word “fragrance.” 

“Fragrance,” is considered a trade secret, so companies aren’t legally bound to disclose what chemicals make up the scent. It is often dozens, sometimes even hundreds of chemicals.” All tucked away in one little word. Scary, right?

I did this with all of my kids’ products and found the word “fragrance,” on every single bottle, even the ones that were sulfate, phthalate, and paraben free and seemed “clean.” 

Yet another reason I love Beautycounter and their kids line. There’s no mystery “fragrance.” They fully disclose all essential oils and ingredients used. The kids’ shampoo and conditioner come in fresh citrusy vanilla scent and you’ll feel confident knowing you’re not putting any chemicals onto or into your kids. 

Skincare Spotlight: Brightening Facial Oil

If you’d told me a year and a half ago that I’d be putting oil on my face as a moisturizer, I’d have called you crazy. Having had combination oily skin as long as I can remember, I couldn’t even imagine adding oil to my already oily skin, citing it was a breakout waiting to happen.

Eventually, after reading all sorts of hype about facial oils, I caved and bought one, figuring what the hell, it can’t hurt. As it turned out, there were no breakouts, no zits, and hydration like you wouldn’t believe. Who knew? Certainly not me! 

Over time I tried a few different ones; jojoba oil, rose hip oil, a combination of argan + sea buckthorn oil...but it has been Beautycounter’s brightening facial oil that’s by far my favorite. It’s silky smooth, lightweight, and smells like fresh citrus and sunshine. A few drops go a loooong way. And it’s clean. Chemical and toxin free radiance via oil. Who knew? 

2018 Goals

Well this is embarrassing... I realize it's a bit absurd to be posting my goals for 2018 at the HALFWAY POINT OF THE YEAR, but...oh well!  I'm doing it.  No shame here!  Goals are goals, amiright?  (Anyone with me? Anyone?)  Let's just pretend that instead of gathering dust in my blog queue for the better part of the past six months, it went live in January, but we're just reading it on a delay.  Besides, I like to have goals documented to look back on anyways, so better late than never!

This year, inspired by 18 for 2018 the goal setting mode of operation by Gretchen Rubin and Elizabeth Kraft of the podcast, Happier, I've tried to come up with many short and sweet goals (namely 18) as opposed to few lofty goals as I think that will be easier to manage and attain in this season of life.

1. start journaling again

2. get outside as often as possible

3. make cinnamon bread (my daughter has been asking to make this since we read this favorite book)

4. paint my nails more often

5. celebrate the little things

6. work out at least 3-4 days a week

7. make smarter eating choices (avoid the sugar)

8. try and limit checking my email/social media to time before my kids are awake / rest time / after bedtime (i.e. avoid being on my phone in front of my kids)

9. cut myself some slack (underlined three times)

10. get a new instagram account for the blog up and running

11. read 70 books (my current goal on Goodreads)

12. save $--- for my destination travel fund, always inspired by this blog

13. grow my Beautycounter business

14. make montage videos for my kids' birthdays

15. try more savory (international) options for breakfast (getting sick of boring ol' granola over here)

16. make pita bread from scratch for this favorite dinner which we always have in rotation 

17. sub a few times this year (getting back in the swing of teaching, as I miss it so)

18. enjoy every little moment. stop. look. listen. breathe.

Alright, I did it!  It's out there!  Phew... Honestly, I'm pretty proud of myself that I got this up in June and not July.  It's the little things people.

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Are You Green Enough?

Lately, I've been stepping up my clean living game.  Ditching the OxyClean, Chlorox wipes, Rinse Aid, and other chemical laden products which populate my home.  It's been a progression, definitely not overnight.  A few months ago I ditched scented candles, tossing everything but my unscented in-case-of-a-power-outage stash, and replacing household scents with essential oils. As you may recall in early May, I made the switch to Beautycounter, so now I'm confident my skincare and makeup are clean, but still...that's barely scratching the surface!

I recently finished the book Green Enough by Leah Segedie of Mamavation, which reads like a guided map to all the toxins lurking in your home.  Turns out, my home is filled with things I wouldn't ever thought to consider as harmful.  More than anything, by reading this book I've educated myself.  

Leah Segedie is frank, she straightforward and she doesn't sugar coat. There's even a little swearing thrown in which I found amusing. She is blunt about buying organic vs. not, where to save your money, and where to splurge. She examines products and packaging many Americans use and likely have in your home, and sheds light on which ones pose the biggest threats to you and your family's longterm health.  

My favorite part was walking room by room through an average American household, naming names, calling out the worst offenders and highlighting products that are legitimately clean through the categorizes "bad," "better," or "best."

Not gonna lie, reading this book was a little overwhelming, as I can't financially justify ditching all the bad stuff in one fell swoop, but I did find it useful, and gave me some helpful tips and suggestions of what to buy and avoid going forward.

So...how green are you these days?

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Beautycounter

Hello out there!  I have a new gig I wanted to share with you!  I recently became a consultant for Beautycounter. I was reluctant to take on a side hustle unless I truly felt like it was a good gig for both myself and family and it had to be a company I really believed in.

How I got here? Well, I've been on a quest to rid toxins in my everyday products since a good friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer, and was told by her doctors that traces of parabens were found in the cancerous tissues removed during her mastectomy. Since then, I've tried to transition out all the products I use that contain chemicals. During this process, I kept noticing that swapping out household cleaners seemed to be an easier switch. Their labels were more explicit, clear cut, and more transparently chemical free. But when it came to skin care, shampoos, and makeup- if was very ambiguous and I felt like I never really knew what I was putting on my body.

I first heard about Beautycounter on a few blogs I love. I admit, at first, I too was skeptical. With so many people are plugging their side hustles these days, it's hard to know if it's the real deal. In addition, I'd been pretty loyal to big name makeup brands like Laura Mercier, Mac, and Tarte for years - despite not knowing what exactly was in their products. In addition, I was a little wary of a new brand - would an exclusively clean line be able to hold up to the makeup coverage I was used to? The answer is YES!

I started small; first with foundation, powder, and moisturizer. Since then, I've dabbled in lipsticks, lip gloss, concealer, cleansers, sunscreen, and more! And believe me when I say, since I've switched, I haven't looked back! Plus, I feel so much happier and more confident in my skincare and makeup routine today knowing that I'm not inadvertently putting any chemicals or potentially harmful ingredients into my body.

One of the main reasons I'm excited to partner with this company is because of their mission. They only sell products FREE of parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, etc. in addition to 1,500 other questionable or possibly harmful chemicals, which consequently are quite prevalent in other companies the beauty market today. Their never list includes the 1,400 chemicals restricted or banned from personal care products in the European Union plus others Beautycounter has found to be of concern.

To put this in perspective, there are currently only 30 banned ingredients in the US, and there have been no laws passed to regulate the cosmetic industry since 1938. Beautycounter also spends considerable resources advocating for stricter laws and regulations in Washington, D.C. to help change this, to promote change and hold companies accountable for the the ingredients they're allowed to put into their products.

I encourage you to check out the Beautycounter website and seee if you find something that piques your interest. If you decide to buy and try, there's a 60 day exchange/return window, no questions asked. And if you’ve read this far – thank you!  I want to give you as much information as I can without overwhelming you.  If you have any questions, please ask!  I'm excited to be doing something that I believe in that also earns money for my family.

P.S. I'll be posting some of my favorite products soon, so stay tuned!

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