Beautycounter...

sweatshirt by Proper Tee {I am wearing a medium}

If you read my last post, I mentioned that instagram has become a place where sharing has been hard for me. My work as a consultant for Beautycounter is one of those things that I would have posted there, but right now I feel like it’s just not fitting there. At the same time I have had folks reach out wanting to know more about new products, what I recommend and more. If you are looking for everyday or special beauty products then this post is for you. You may even find the perfect Mother’s Day gift. If this seems frivolous and does not fit your needs right now I get that too. This is a business that I believe in and have been growing over the last 8 months. I feel strongly that safer products should be in the hands of everyone. Plus right now this business feels like it could be more steady than my everyday job. So I ask for grace as I find my own footing.

This post could be a mile long, but for now I will start with the newest products, new tries for me, & my everyday go to’s. I am here to answer any and all questions. I would love to help you find your perfect product. If we miss the boat on said product, Beautycounter has a 60 day return policy so if you don’t love it and want to try something else they make that easy to do. My instagram has video demo’s on some of these products so be sure to look there too. I will try to update that more also. My skin is more sensitive, has an occasional chin breakout, but is also painfully dry. It’s as combo as combo can get. I don’t wear makeup everyday and can go a whole month without missing it. I was raised by a mama who rarely wears makeup and has taught me from a young age that skin care is important. What used to be clinique in middle school has now become Beautycounter. A safer more grown up version of a routine that I find important.

NEW PRODUCTS:

Counter+ All Bright C Serum is the newest product from Beautycounter and it does not disappoint. It looks like sunshine in a bottle and the smell is so good. It instantly brightens skin and helps reduce the appearance of existing dark spots, while antioxidant-rich turmeric and camu camu extracts help protect against new ones. The formula also helps defend skin from the damaging effects of environmental stressors. The recommend use has the All Bright C Serum as a treatment step with any regimen. After cleansing and toning in the morning, use your regimen’s regular serum, then layer All Bright C Serum on top. Apply to face, neck, and décolletage. Follow with moisturizer. Today I just used the serum and my skin feels light and soft. Although I am dedicated to my nighttime regimen after I shower, I tend to fall short in the morning. This one step is easy for me to do and I can see it will be a mainstay for me. For those who already use a serum in the AM you would layer this one on top. I will keep you all updated on the results as I try this product out for a longer period of time.

Counterstart Cococream Cleanser is the first cleanser that Beautycounter has come out with that fits almost every budget. It comes in at only $20 dollars and still fits the values of being a safer product. This gentle daily cleanser removes makeup and impurities without stripping away moisture. The formula, made with a blend of coconut oil and aloe vera, leaves skin feeling nourished and soothed and is perfect for sensitive skin. From a client who wanted to try it, “Also, wanted to report back that I’m really liking the counterstart cleanser! It’s super gentle and my skin feels so soft.” Sounds like a win to me! It also has a Cocoboost moisturizer to pair with it.

NEW TRIES:

So I am pretty tried and true to my hair care products, but I ran out of my shampoo and conditioner. I thought it would be a perfect time to try Beautycounter’s. My hair could be matched to a horse mane as it’s thick and course. I wasn’t sure how my hair would do as I normally need something that is extra thick and hydrating. All that to say I have been so pleased with the shampoo and conditioner from Beautycounter. It left my hair feeling soft and shiny. Also I have been leaving my hair au natural lately and my hair life may never be the same.

Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 30 has quickly become a must for the whole family. We have been spending more time outdoors and sunscreen is key for us all. What I like about this formula is that it goes on clear and doesn’t feel too thick. I used to just count on my Dew Skin, a tinted moisturizer, but without me wearing makeup I needed the alternative. The sunscreen Stick will for sure stay in my arsenal for the long haul.

MAINSTAYS:

Countertime skin care is by far my favorite product I have tried out of any company. I have tried many over the years that were deemed clean, but they either broke me out or irritated my skin after prolonged use. It then left me wasting the rest of the product. This one ended up fitting me perfectly. I turn 40 later this year and I was still having breakouts more times than I like, but now they are far in between. It was so dry it hurt my cheeks and now it is soft and I see WAY less fine lines. I am no longer hiding my skin behind makeup and allowing my skin to just breath as is. Although not the cheapest it definitely feels worth it to me and I count it as a splurge. I am on the same set I bought back in August and just ordered another to have on hand when I do run out. It is so potent a little goes a long way. You can get the items individually, but I recommend the collection or regimen. The collection comes with an eye cream and the regimen does not. Can only splurge on one product? Then the Supreme Cream is my recommendation. The claims of it being supremely rich and deeply hydrating, supporting elasticity and visibly firming while minimizing the look of fine lines and wrinkles is completely true. Not sure what kind of skin you have or what products would be best? This quiz is a great place to start.

The Overnight Resurfacing Peel is another favorite of mine. When I can feel a chin breakout coming on I apply this after washing my face then top with my supreme cream. By the next morning my skin feels clear and new. Although you can use this product everyday I recommend only using it 2-3 days a week. It gives the skin time to replenish. The peel features a proprietary multi-acid complex, this leave-on AHA/BHA peel improves skin texture and boosts clarity without irritation or over-drying. With glycolic, malic, and botanically derived lactic acid, the formula clears away dull surface cells, while arginine and essential fatty acids help soothe to reveal a brighter, healthier looking, renewed complexion. Now do the peel at night and the new All Bright Serum in the morning and your skin will thank me daily.

Countermatch Adaptive Body Moisturizer has saved my skin. Again, I am so so dry and this keeps the flaking at bay. It soaks in which is key for me and I can put on my leggings within a few minutes without difficulty.

These are my personal every day go-to’s from Beautycounter. They would also make great Mother Day gifts if you are in the market. Big and Little Kellen both use the Counterman line which would make for great Father’s Day gift ideas. Ellie uses the Countercontrol line to keep breakouts under control. While both Ellie & I use the Flawless in Five set for makeup when we were wearing it {you can see more here}

*MONEY SAVING TIPS:

New to Beautycounter then you may be in luck, they are giving a 20% off code for new clients. This ends in April. It counts on everything except all the new products, consultant kits & band of beauty.

Band of Beauty is a non-renewing annual membership to Beautycounter. Every time you shop, receive 10% of your subtotal in product credit to use towards your next purchase. Spend $100 get $10 for next purchase. Credit expires after 90 days. Receive free shipping each time you place a product order of $100 or more. Plus, this month you will receive a Overnight Resurfacing Peel {in my favorites} Travel Size ($45 USD value) as our gift to you when you become a member and spend $50+ in product purchases. Keep in mind the membership price of $29 does not go towards the total needed for the free product.

If you want to know more I am here to help! Also I wanted to say a huge thank you to all my current clients. You choosing me to be your consultant is truly an honor that I don’t take lightly.

Life {back to blogging amidst the chaos}

I know it’s been awhile since I posted, but I am finding that this time at home gives me ample opportunity to start back. I still have my interior design business, but that’s looking a bit different now that covid-19 has caused disarray in our communities and our world. Sharing on Instagram has been hard for me as I feel a twang of guilt as I know so many don’t have it quite like us. We have a home and a yard. We are still able to perform work from home. I know the fear that some folks hold. I don’t want to feed it, but I also am not good at seeing the realities around us and don’t ever want others to feel as if I don’t see them. I see you, I really do. I feel like I am swinging from a pendulum. My heart aches for those who have lost loved ones, those who have lost their jobs, those who are hanging onto a string to keep their businesses open, those who are deemed essential workers and are putting their life in danger everyday for us. So many are hurting and there is no quick fix. On the other side I see the beauty of having my family at home. I have truly fallen in love with our little corner of the world. I am blown away by our community and our world in ways people have filled in the gap of needs. What does not swing is seeing God move in incredible ways. The knowing that He is steady and He is near.

WORK: For my interior design business so many were in the final stages which means I can do it from home. Any new projects have been strictly e-design based. I am in the stage of figuring out how and what my next steps will be and should be. I take it day by day which is really all I can do. Some of you may or may not know, I also am a Beautycounter consultant. I began last year after years of using their products. Once Ellie was wanting to wear makeup I knew being able to provide her with a safer product was key for me. Since then, the whole family has made the switch as Beautycounter really does have products that work. If you have been around over the years then you know my quest for safer products is not new. It just took me years to find products that treat our bodies well. So well in fact that I decided to be a consultant to help advocate for safer products to get into the hands of everyone. It boggles my mind to see what ingredients and chemicals that can be put into products when there are known consequences.

FAMILY: My husband has been working from home and we have figured out how to do it as well as we can. The only time it gets hard is when we both have phone calls at the same time as he set up his “office” right behind mine. The kids have gotten used to e-school. Little Kellen already had practice from when he was sick in 2018. Ellie stressed for a hot minute until our assurances of “you will not fail” sunk in. We have found ourselves playing a lot of basketball in the backyard and even did a home project outside that leaves us proud. Will share more on that later, but it truly led to good conversation while we worked and bonded us more as a family unit as we too have been stuck in the hustle of life passing us by. The kids pretty much school themselves while we work and then we have family time randomly throughout. I had to put my enneagram 1 in the back seat as nothing can be perfect. I can’t be the perfect homeschool teacher and be there for my clients. Allowing them to take charge of school leaves me less exhausted and leaves me space to be a better parent. Plus I truly can’t help you in algebra or geometry. I know those with younger ones this can be so hard, but you will be surprised in what your kids can do when you allow them to have some responsibility. Mama’s allow yourself some grace. We found our family does best when we work as a team to figure out how we can all serve our home life best. Takes the pressure off one of us to handle it all. The kids truly have exceeded my exceptions even when we do have to remind them to be kind to each other.

FAITH: I am holding onto the truth in which Christ gave us…

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. - John 5:1

I am not sure how long I will blog for, maybe it will be just be for now. It is something that I loved to do for over a decade. It was a way to share my heart and share some of my favorites. It was a way to connect with you all. So much has shifted to instagram, but here it feels slower. I am need of finding a rhythm that is slower and this space is just that.

Thoughts...

It’s been quite some time since I have had the time or rather took the time to sit and write, but it finally happened while we were at the beach a few weeks ago. It came out more like a journal entry, but I feel like my life is made up of a many entries rather than one big novel. So this is me grappling with how to be more present, how to love others and myself better, how to be vulnerable without fear. This is me trying to stay on my path of being intentional.

Thoughts… June 7,2019

Today I got lost. Not like really lost, but lost enough where I couldn’t tell you the right path to take to get home. Instead of my normal reaction to stop and get my bearings I decided to take the path less travelled and continue on my journey to another place. During the meandering I thought a lot. I prayed a lot. And hoped that the storm rolling in wouldn’t get too intense while I was away. I thought back to the days when I was small and couldn’t officially play house in my cardboard box until it was properly decorated. I thought back to a time when I focused so hard on everything having to be so perfect before I could truly be in the moment and laugh. I then fast forward to today and see how my cardboard playhouse decorated to a tee has led me down the path of creating home for others. It just makes sense. The focusing on everything having to be perfect though has its time and place and maybe just maybe isn’t a place where I want to dwell too long. It’s a place where I tend to get anxious. A place where I get stuck and feel like I am on repeat. A place where I can quickly shift my focus from what is in front of me to a place where I can not thrive. I then stopped and prayed while I was seeing the moments where life would pass and asked God to help me realize the moments that would lead to a place where I’m not living my best life or even a life that just passes much too quickly without me being present for the little moments. I want to detour before the s***t hits the fan really. I know those moments all too well. I know that my heart starts to race. When I start to make up stories about what is happening, but not really happening. When I can’t look my children in their eyes and hear them, really hear them. That’s when I want to stop, need to stop. Take a breath and re route. Now I don’t have all the answers on how this will come about. How will I step out of the twister that has just begun. But I pray now that I can pin point my reactions, that I will now be able to calm the winds before the big storm hits.