We all know that there are a lot of unseen toxins in the world around us. We use products everyday without knowing exactly what is in them and are just now beginning to learn how some of these chemicals affect us long-term. Most of us have started to think more about the food that we’re putting in our body, but have we ever stopped to think about what chemicals might be hiding within our every-day beauty products?
When I saw friends and family begin promoting and talking about a safer beauty option, I was intrigued (and admittedly, slightly skeptical.) The company is called Beautycounter — a consultant based sales company that markets itself around safety and transparency.
The premise behind the company is simple: many of the every-day products we currently use contain toxic or harmful, unregulated, chemicals. Beautycounter aims to fix that by providing “cleaner” options. With lotions, makeup, shampoos, and kid collections, Beautycounter offers a wide variety of products that are said to be safer and healthier for consumers.
Beautycounter states: “At Beautycounter, we’re committed to a health and safety standard that goes well beyond what’s required by U.S. and Canadian law: We’ve banned the use of more than 1,500 questionable or harmful chemicals through our Never List—all while ensuring our products perform and that they’re as indulgent as any luxe shampoo, lipstick, or oil in the market.”
So when I was approached by a Beautycounter consultant, and asked if I would consider trying out some product, I was naturally curious to see what it was all about.
Scrolling through this post, you’ll see that I’ve reviewed 5 different Beautycounter products. (To see exactly what has gone into each of these products, head over to the Beautycounter website.) You can also check out this website — EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database — to compare and see what’s in the products you’re currently using.
Charcoal Cleansing Bar
Last Christmas, my hubby and I were given a sample size of this cleansing bar and I loved it so much that I had to purchase one for myself. This is a best seller on the Beautycounter website for good reason! The non-scented bar leaves my skin feeling smooth and clean. With naturally dry skin, I was worried that it would pull extra moisture out of my face but didn’t find it to be any more excessive than my normal cleansers. (I usually apply lotion after cleansing anyways.)
For the price of the bar, I was expecting it to be a bit bigger but you can get a lot of use out of it. I love that it not only gives a really deep clean but that it is also a “clean” product in and of itself.
This is 4 stars out of 5 for me!
Smooth + Control Shampoo and Conditioner
To be completely honest with you, my first impressions of this shampoo and conditioner were rather “meh.” But while using it over the course of several weeks, I did warm up to it and am enjoying what it does to my hair.
First impressions: The bottles are quite small compared to regular drugstore brand shampoos and conditioners (the price per volume is much higher than what I normally like to spend.) While I’d heard that “a little goes a long way with this product” I found that using a dime sized amount meant that I couldn’t work it into a really good lather and wasn’t sure if I was covering my entire scalp. I’d heard that you could go longer in between washes with this shampoo, but I didn’t find that to be the case for me. I also found that it didn’t “feel” like a really good clean and after drying, it sometimes looked like there was still a trace amount of product at the top of my head.
After using it for two weeks: I know that sometimes it takes a bit for your hair or body to adjust to new products, and so I committed to using this shampoo and conditioner for at least two weeks. Over that time period, I did begin to enjoy this product much more thoroughly. What I LOVE about this product is the “smooth + control” aspect to it. I can let my hair air dry and still end up with some really natural and beautiful looking curls without the frizz. This shampoo and conditioner is very moisturizing (particularly for my already dead and split ends) and works really well for my hair type. I also like that these products are much “cleaner” than my usual drugstore preferences.
While I do enjoy this product, I don’t feel that I can justify a permanent switch to this shampoo and conditioner. It’s just too expensive and not in my budget as a stay-at-home-mom. However, as a special treat or gift, I would certainly re-order. For that reason (along with my initial impressions), I’m giving the shampoo and the conditioner both 3.5 stars out of 5.
No.2 Plumping Facial Oil
I’m a bit disappointed to say that I can’t give this product a review as I was unable to try it out. (Thankfully this was just a free sample!) The oil comes in a really beautiful looking bottle but the scent of jasmine was incredibly overwhelming for me (particularly given that it’s a facial product). I initially thought that it may just be my hyper-sensitive pregnancy nose that was acting up, but my husband also found it overtly strong smelling. I cannot say how well this product works as I had to wash it off after first use, but I can give you a heads up if you’ve got a sensitivity to strong floral scents. Personally, this is not a product I would ever use again.
Countermatch Adaptive Moisture Lotion
I received this sample size of lotion as part of a promotion Beautycounter was offering and was really excited to try it out. A little bit of lotion goes a long way and I was able to get over two weeks of use out of this small sample. The product felt light and fresh on my face, and has a very subtle but delicious almond scent. ( I think it smells like sugar cookies.) The Adaptive Lotion is non-oily and left my face feeling smooth and clean.
The cons of this product, for me, come down to price. I tend to have dry skin and regularly use facial creams before bed. While I really appreciate that with this product you know exactly what’s going into your skin, I also feel that at $60 for a full-sized bottle of lotion, it’s just not realistic for me to be using this product every night. However, if I was going to splurge a bit, this is definitely a lotion that I would consider re-purchasing.
This product is another 4 stars out of 5 for me.
Sheer Lipstick**
When I was asked by my Beautycounter consultant if I’d like to review a product for my blog, this is what I picked — and I’m so glad I did. I chose the sheer lipstick in coral and love the way it wears. It’s light (hence the sheer) but still gave me the colour I was looking for. Lipstick usually dries my lips out — but not this product! I was thrilled with how creamy and moisturizing it was.
Given all that, I’m going to give this product a 4.5 stars out of 5. Price wise, I feel that while it is on the higher end of my budget, it is still comparable to past lip products that I have purchased. My one negative for this product is that wears off quickly and I do have to reapply numerous times throughout the day — if it had been a longer-lasting wear, it would have gotten the full 5 stars from me.
This was one of my favourite Beautycounter products and would definitely recommend trying it out.
All in all, I love the premise behind these products. I like the idea of knowing exactly what is being put on my skin and for companies to be held to a higher safety standard. Given that this is not something I have ever studied or researched before, there is a lot of information out there to wade through. Cost heavily influences what products I decide to use, but for me, trying these Beautycounter products has gotten me thinking more consciously about what I am putting on my body.
If you’re looking for cleaner products for you (and your children), I would definitely recommend checking Beautycounter out for yourself.
So what do you think? Worth it to spend a bit more for a safer option?
If you’re interested in trying out Beautycounter, feel free to click here to visit their website. (Link should hook you up with my awesome consultant, Linn Kikkert.) 🙂 Let me know in the comments what you think of their products!
** I was given the Sheer Lipstick product by a Beautycounter consultant in exchange for an honest review. Other products included in this post (Smooth + Control Shampoo and Conditioner, Charcoal Bar) were purchased by myself. Sample size products (Adaptive Moisture Lotion, No.2 Plumping Oil) were included in my purchase as promotion by company. As always, all opinions expressed are completely my own.**
