Have you ever looked at the full ingredient list for your mascara? Or body lotion? What about your shampoo? Or moisturizer?
Most of you will most likely answer “no” to all of these questions. In the past, I never looked at ingredients for beauty or skin care products-why would I? To me it was obvious that brands (especially the expensive high end ones) wouldn’t use ingredients that could be harmful or have a negative impact on my health. The unfortunate truth is that the beauty industry in the US is regulated by the FDA with very little oversight and the last major law (only 1.5 pages) was passed in 1938, which banned or restricted only 30 potentially harmful cosmetic ingredients. To put that into perspective, there are over 1400 harmful cosmetic ingredients banned in the European Union. Shocking, I know!
So what is the clean beauty and skin care swap challenge you ask? It’s taking one or more products you have and maybe love (maybe not) and switching it out for a cleaner one. By “cleaner” I mean safer, more sustainable ingredients. Having trouble deciding where to start on your swap out challenge? Here’s a good starting point:
Focus on products that stay on your body the longest-this could be deodorant and lotions, or makeup like mascara, eyeshadow, and foundation
Eliminate fragrances-this can be tough, but think about all the flowery smelling body lotions, body scrubs, and shampoos/conditioners-even lip glosses or chapsticks.
A great resource for finding your products' safety ratings is on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Guide to Cosmetics website at https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ - it has over 70,000 products and over 2,000 brand’s ingredients clean ratings. This site will show you how safe your current and future products are.
Joining Beautycounter as an Independent Consultant
In 2015, I started to get daily bouts of migraines-after many months and little relief from Neurologists (tests, nerve blockers, and medication), I started to look at my lifestyle in a more holistic way. I didn’t want to rely on medication that at the end of the day helped, but still made me feel sick in other ways. I researched about stress reducers and healing of the mind (meditation and breathing techniques), Acupuncture and Reiki to clear up Qi or blocked energy (Acupuncture is my jam!), Yoga for creating a more flexible, stronger body, and cleaner skin/beauty products to understand better what exactly I was putting on my body regularly. I heard about Beautycounter through a friend who was suffering with Lyme disease and on a similar journey as me. In July 2020, I finally decided to join Beautycounter as an independent consultant. They are a Certified B Corporation headquartered in Santa Monica, CA and their mission is to get safer products into the hands of everybody. They believe beauty should be good for you and that’s why Beautycounter bans and restricts over 1800 questionable or harmful ingredients from their products-that’s an additional 370 ingredients that both the US and the EU don’t have listed or regulated. We call it the “Never List” and you can find it on the website here. This is more than a beauty company-they prioritize formulation, education, and advocacy. The formulation process is extensive and has 5 principles: ban intentionally, screen rigorously, learn constantly, source responsibly, and share transparently. Some products have taken over 4 years to get formulated, tested, and approved for consumer sales. They are committed to educating everyone on the importance and transparency of cleaner beauty and skin care products, which goes hand in hand with their advocacy. Being the leader in advocacy for cleaner cosmetics, Beautycounter’s CEO, Greg Renfrew, recently in December 2019 testified in front of Congress for cosmetic safety. In Spring 2020 the House of Representatives voted to pass legislation moving our work one step closer for better beauty regulation.
Everything I mentioned above, helped me to make the decision to not only swap out my “dirty” products for cleaner ones, but also to become a Beautycounter consultant. I truly believe in this company and their mission. Becoming a consultant is perfect for anyone who wants to have their own business while also changing the world and being a part of a movement. Whether you’re a stay at home mom, teacher, already working in Sales, or anything in between, this company makes having your own business EASY, fun, and meaningful!
My Favorite Products from Beautycounter
Beauty products include – lipsticks, lip glosses, eyeshadows, mascara, foundation, etc. Skin care products include – moisturizers, serums, toners, eye creams, cleansers, regimen sets, sun care, etc.
Here are a few of my favorite items below:
Counter+ Charcoal Facial Mask – I use this product 3- 4 times a week…pretty much every other night that I don’t use the Overnight Resurfacing Peel. It makes my skin feel so soft.
Counter+ All Bright C Serum – I LOVE this serum. It leaves my skin brighter and gives it that dewy look.
Counter+ Overnight Resurfacing Peel - I can’t rave more about this product. I use it as an exfoliator 3-4 times a week and leaves my face looking smoother and refreshed. I use this and the Charcoal mask on an every other night schedule.
Countertime Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil – This right here ladies and gentlemen is my FAVORITE!! I use the whole Countertime regimen (anti aging line), but the Cleansing Oil is legit!! My skin feels amazing after every use – soft, hydrated, and clean.
Countertime Antioxidant Soft Cream - This cream is step 3 in the Countertime regimen and is to be used during the day. It’s soft, light, and leaves your face feeling hydrated.
Guest Writer Bio: In 2020, Carolina decided to start her own business by joining Beauycounter - a clean beauty and skin care company who advocates for more regulation on the cosmetic industry. She is a proud single mother to her beautiful son and a native Washingtonian where she resides to this day. She has an affinity for all things related to holistic wellness where body, mind, and spirit should be balanced and in harmony. Her hobbies and focus are centered around energy cleansing/healing, Acupuncture, Yoga, Reiki, clean beauty/skin care, dance, and meditation.
If becoming a consultant isn’t your thing and you just want to learn more about Beautycounter products or you want to join the clean swap challenge and have questions, I’d love to hear from you! Also, the holidays are just around the corner and starting on October 6, 2020, Beautycounter is releasing 16 limited edition holiday gift sets. You’ll find awesome sets that include lip glosses, cream eyeshadows, body scrubs, deodorants, men’s bath essentials, and more.
Contact Information:
Name: Carolina Wotherspoon
IG: @carolinaw511
Email address: carolinaw511@gmail.com
Beautycounter website: https://www.beautycounter.com/carolinawotherspoon
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