Whoohooo! Finally seeing some spring time weather here in CLE. Well it's actually more like we skipped over spring and went straight to 80 degree summer weather. But hey, we will take what we can get! With the weather changing so much where I live, it's seriously so important to take care of your skin. At a recent wellness conference that I attended, I met a lovely women named Carmen who is a representative for Beauty Counter. We got to talking, and her mission inspired me to truly appreciate and take notice of what goes into the products that I am putting on my skin. She sent me a package of so many goodies to try and review. I have to say, I like to use new products for about 3-4 weeks before I can truly get a good idea of how I feel about them, and to really take notice of the effects the products are having on my skin. Let me tell you, Beauty Counter does not disappoint!

A little bit behind the company, their mission is to get safer products into the hands of everyone. Their ingredient selection process helps formulate products that work beautifully without compromising safety. When it comes to the personal care industry, companies are allowed to use harmful ingredients and make their own judgments about safety. That was truly an eye-opening statement for me. I’m sure, like me, you don’t know what you don’t know. You trust that we live in a country that regulates everything. That’s simply not the case. I can’t tell you that I am going to completely stop using products that don’t stand for this (at least not right away) because that is a daunting task in and of itself. BUT, I will from now on, be really conscious to research the different ingredients that are in the beauty products I use.

Now to get into the products! Let's start with the makeup. I am super particular about my mascara. I have tried a lot of different brands and I haven’t found anything that compares to Clinique’s High Impact Mascara. But then I met Beauty Counter’s Lengthening Mascara. It’s made with organic oils, shea butter and rosemary. Wait rosemary? Yes rosemary. This kitchen staple is more than a cooking spice. Thanks to the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, it has noteworthy skin care benefits as well. Rosemary leaf extract can help reduce the risk of irritation and fend off bacteria, especially for sensitive skin. It helps to keep the mascara formula creamy and conditioning. The mascara stays on all day for me and doesn’t get flakey or smudgy. This product retails for $29 which is comparable to other name brand mascaras.  

The Sheer Lipstick (I am wearing the shade Plum in the photo above) is made with skin-conditioning jojoba esters and smoothing plant-based waxes. The formula doesn’t contain synthetic fragrances, just a hint of vanilla. The product is great. I would compare it to a long lasting lipgloss with really pigmented color. It goes on really smooth and I re-applied it maybe twice throughout the day. It retails for $30.

They have a ton of other make-up products available, these are just the two I received. I really want to try the Matte Bronzer and the Foundation!

Now onto the skin care products! I have been looking for a great Lip Conditioner foreverrr. And I have to say this one is everything I have been looking for. I put it on every night and every morning. I have noticed such a huge difference. I am not putting chapstick on 10,000 times a day like I used to and my lipstick wears so much better and lasts a lot longer. I highly recommend! They have two different scents available, I prefer the Calendula one. It doesn’t taste or smell like much which is what I like about it. The conditioner contains soothing avocado oil, shea butter, meadow foam seed oil, and jojoba oil.

Beauty Counters skin care products are separated into 3 different collections: brightening, plumping and balancing. I was given products from the Balancing Collection. I tried the Balancing + Charcoal Facial Mask which contains purifying charcoal and texture-refining ylang ylang. Activated charcoal absorbs excess oil and dirt to tighten skin and clean out the pores. Its my favorite charcoal mask I have tried yet (I would compare it to the Glam Glow SuperMud Mask). This retails for $48.

I also tried the Balancing Facial Oil which contains a blend of seven natural oils including chamomile. This oil is great. Its really hydrating on my t-zone area and helps to balance out my dry skin areas. Its a little bit more on the pricey side. It retails for $68. But a great balancing oil is a necessity. If you find one that works for your skin, its a good investment. Plus a little goes a long way, so it will last you a long time.

The cleansing and moisturizing products I tried were great. Everything containing the jojoba has a citrus scent to it. So it's really light and fresh. The first one up is the Essential Nourishing Cream Exfoliator. It’s really gentle on my skin yet the exfoliating effect does wonders. The jojoba beads (instead of plastic) help slough off dry skin and sweep away impurities. After using this, my complexion is really bright and fresh.

After I use the exfoliant, I end with the Essential Nourishing Night Cream. This has a lighter citrus scent to it than the exfoliant. It's rich in aloe vera and packed with organic coconut oil and antioxidant-rich green tea extract. My complexion is really even and smooth after using it.

Overall everything was great and I can't wait to try more of their products. I am really wanting to try their sunscreen!!! They just had a major sale on it but unfortunately I missed it :( But I am sure there will be more soon! If anyone has tried any of their other products I would love to hear your thoughts! Don't forget with the warmer months coming up, how important it is to wear sunscreen!!

Much love,
A

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