I first started using ILIA Beauty a few years ago when Beautycounter discontinued their concealer for a bit and I wanted a clean alternative. Then, in the fall of 2022 I picked up the ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation when I was at the LTK Conference in Dallas. Next, I tried the ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint and fell in love.

I’m VERY picky about what I choose to put on my face and clean beauty is something that I’m passionate about. I’m always on the lookout for my new favorite product (I consider myself a pretty big skincare and makeup junkie – see my full makeup routine here), and ILIA has so many options to choose from. Today I’m sharing my ILIA Beauty review and my honest opinions on what’s worth picking up for yourself!

You’ll see a short description of each product and my take on each one. Lots of winners but a few I don’t love.

ILIA Makeup Review

ILIA Beauty is different from most makeup brands since they also incorporate active skincare ingredients to protect skin during the day from environmental stressors and sun damage. (I try to be extra productive wherever I can, so multitasking formulas get bonus points in my book.)

Sasha Plavsic launched this beauty brand in 2011 in Vancouver, using her background in homeopathic health and wellness to develop a safe makeup line that is still high-performing. Their clean approach to makeup prioritizes healthy ingredients, sustainable packaging, and skincare-led formulas to protect and improve skin texture over time.

I love this approach to makeup. More and more brands are starting to include skincare ingredients in their makeup, but that was part of ILIA’s mission from the beginning. Their makeup uses ingredients that renew your skin’s moisture barrier, which is especially great for dry, aging skin like mine.

I reach for their makeup when I’m going for a no-makeup makeup look and just want a subtle wash of color. It leaves such a glowy and fresh finish. Some of my very favorite influencers (like April Lockhart) wear almost exclusively ILIA and have such gorgeous makeup, which inspires me to try more ILIA products.

Is ILIA Beauty Clean?

Yes! ILIA Beauty is always made without gluten, parabens, phthalates, petroleum, mineral oil, talc, BHA/BHT, propylene glycol, PEG, cyclomethicones, or chemical screens. Their formulas are created using natural, non-irritating ingredients that are suitable for all skin types. I feel comfortable using their products knowing how much research and intentionality goes into picking their ingredients.

Is ILIA Beauty Cruelty Free?

ILIA Beauty is certified by Leaping Bunny and never tests on animals. Their brand focuses on sustainable practices through their packaging as well, using recycled aluminum, glass components, and responsibly sourced paper.

Is ILIA Beauty Vegan?

The only non-vegan ingredient used in ILIA Beauty is beeswax. Synthetic beeswax uses mineral oil, so Ilia uses ethically sourced natural beeswax to get around that. (Mineral oil is a byproduct of gasoline and clogs pores.) All Ilia Beauty products are vegan except the below. These do include beeswax:

• Limitless Lash Mascara
• Fullest Volumizing Mascara
• Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm
• Lip Wrap Overnight Treatment
• Multi-Stick
• Balmy Days

My Favorite ILIA Makeup Products

Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

The Super Serum Skin Tint is a personal favorite of mine. The water-based consistency is similar to a tinted moisturizer and includes non-nano zinc oxide to protect skin from sun damage, blue light (love this!), and pollution.

It uses hyaluronic acid, plant-based squalane, and niacinamide to improve skin texture and hydration after a few uses. The lightweight finish stays intact all day and is so hydrating and natural looking.

My take: I go for this product on days when I don’t want to look like I’m wearing makeup, but still want to even out my skin and add a little extra glow. I do have to note, however, that it has a subtle smell when you first apply it…sort of like dog food. Gross, I know. The smell dissipates after a few minutes, but just a heads up if you experience the same thing. It looks and feels so good on my skin that it’s worth it for me.

This is far and away the best tinted moisturizer with SPF that I’ve tried. (I used Beautycounter’s Dew Skin for years but found it was too drying as I got closer to 40, so I now go for this Ilia skin tint instead.) I wear shade ORA ST6. Also, I wrote a full review of the Super Serum Skin Tint that you can read here.

True Skin Serum Foundation

ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation is a medium-coverage foundation. The formula is non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, and safe for any skin type. Niacinamide, allantoin, and aloe help minimize pores, fine lines, redness, and uneven tones and the active skincare ingredients work even after you take off your makeup to improve your skin texture and dullness.

My take: This foundation is so breathable and natural looking, and it’s buildable so you can choose what coverage you’re looking for. And I also appreciate that the hydrating ingredients prevent it from becoming dry or cakey throughout the day. I love this one so much that I have a full review on this foundation which you can read here. And a round-up of all my favorite lightweight foundations here.)

Skin Rewind Complexion Stick

The Skin Rewind Complexion Stick is one of ILIA’s newest products. I was really excited to try it after loving Merit Beauty’s complexion stick, and while they’re similar, I prefer ILIA because the stick itself is bigger making it easier to apply. It also blends a little bit easier. It’s buildable for more coverage and look so natural! I wear Willow. It works well on my dry, mature skin but I do like a face oil underneath (I like this Merit Glow Serum). See how I compared it to Merit in this Instagram Reel.

True Skin Serum Concealer

The ILIA True Skin Serum Concealer pairs well with their Skin Serum Foundation, or on its own for natural-looking medium coverage. Vitamin C, mastic, and albizia julibrissin bark extract help improve skin’s appearance (particularly smoothness and dullness) while actively protecting your complexion from outside pollution. The crease-free formula is super creamy (like shockingly so) and blendable for easy application and a natural finish that lasts until I take it off at night.

My take: I really like this concealer for my cheeks, chin and forehead since it’s so easy to blend. I don’t like it as much for my undereye area since it’s not quite as full coverage as I’d like for that area. (For undereye, I prefer Tarte’s Shape Tape Radiant Medium Coverage Concealer.)

Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil

The Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil is super hydrating because it uses hyaluronic acid, meadowfoam seed oil, and salicornia herbacea extract. I hate when lip products leave a sticky finish, and the Balmy Gloss moisturizes your lips without stickiness.

The active skincare ingredients nourish your lips and don’t include phenol, menthol, and salicylic acid (which can make your lips feel more chapped), so I appreciate that this formula doesn’t include those.

My take: This is one product that I haven’t yet tried, but it’s sitting in my cart and I’m just waiting for a sale.

Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm

Tinted lip balms provide the perfect flush of color without looking like true lipstick. This is creamy and buildable and it helps with dry or chapped lips, both when you apply and over time. Salicornia, rosehip seed oil, and shea butter provide hydration. This was actually the product that started Ilia Beauty and is now a cult classic. It gives the most gorgeous. natural-looking tint.

My take: This is hydrating and creamy but you have to use a really light touch when you apply (at least with the color I have). It’s much more pigmented than most balms I’m used to and the product can bleed easily.

Multi-Stick

The ILIA multi-stick makes makeup so easy. It’s great on days when I’m short on time because it doubles as lipstick and blush. It leaves the prettiest long-lasting color and adds just enough to make you look fresher and more awake. It uses shea butter, avocado oil, and orange peel wax to condition, soften, and protect the skin. The multi-tasking formula is buildable, so you can customize how intense you want the color to be.

My take: It’s a great option to use if you’re running out the door since it’s so easy to apply. The buttery texture is super blendable and not too pigmented. It find it a little dry so I have to press harder than I’d like to apply but that may be the nature of my dry skin. I also haven’t found a shade I think works well as eyeshadow, but it works well for cheeks and lips for sure.

NightLite Bronzing Powder

The ILIA Bronzer is a talc-free powder that gives a matte finish. While the formula is powder, it feels almost buttery and is super blendable. Unfortunately I think ILIA may be discontinuing it. I was able to find a few shades available on Amazon, so be sure to order quickly if you’re interested.

My take: This stuff is seriously pigmented and it’s easy to go overboard… but if you like a matte bronzer, you will probably love it. My employee uses it daily and says to make sure to use a large fluffy brush to diffuse the pigment. We both have the lighter shade Drawn In.

Color Block Lipstick

The Color Block Lipstick gives a smooth, bold color while also hydrating your lips all day. It’s very full-coverage and uses organic castor seed oil which helps with the intensity of the color. This is probably my longest lasting lip color, almost like it stains them (in a good way) so I only do light touch-ups after meals.

My take: The lipstick is hydrating and two two shades I have are both very pretty. (I have both Amberlight and Rococco… I’m wearing Amberlight (no filter) below). I do find that I have to be super precise when I apply because it’s a true lipstick and not a lipsheer or balm-type formula.

ILIA Color Haze

ILIA Color Haze is another multi-use product! It’s a cream blush and lip color in one, and I can’t get over how long it lasts on skin! The most interesting thing about this product is that it’s dewy when applied to your cheeks, but has a matte finish on your lips. Just a tiny bit will go a long way––it gives the prettiest soft wash of natural color.

My take: I love love love the Color Haze blush. It’s very pigmented but blends beautifully and is long lasting. Most liquid blushes dispense too much product, which leaves a mess to clean up but this deposits the perfect amount and gives the perfect “I just finished a good workout” flush. I find it a little too matte on my lips (just not my style) but I LOVE it for blush.

Clean Line Liquid Liner

The ILIA liquid eyeliner is highly pigmented without the use of Carbon Black. Carbon black is a commonly used ingredient in eye makeup but many people don’t know that it’s been proven to be a carcinogen. Ilia uses charcoal instead to produce a safer (but still effective) pigment. This water-resistant eyeliner stays put all day and the applicator makes it easy to apply, even if you struggle with liquid liners.

My take: The felt tip is flexible but firm enough to effortlessly create a smooth, clean line. It gives the perfect level of control. So many kinds of eye makeup smudge on me, but this one doesn’t. I don’t use liquid liner often but when I do, it’s this one.

In Frame Brow Gel

This In Frame Brow Gel is a very easy-to-use brow gel for everyday. Most days I go for The BrowGal Clear Eyebrow Gel with the Glo Brow Pencil since I get a fuller brow that way, but I use ILIA when I’m more rushed.

Limitless Lash Mascara

The ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara is made of bee and carnauba waxes to nourish each individual lash and keep them lifted. The gentle formula is flake-free and water-resistant, so it stays in place until the end of the day. This product is made with shea butter and keratin to enhance lashes without being irritating.

My take: I have sensitive eyes and not only does the ILIA Limitless Lash mascara not irritate, but warm water easily washes it away without having to pull too much at my skin. However, this mascara isn’t my top pick (I prefer Tarte’s Tubing mascara), but it’s a great clean option, especially if you like a VERY natural looking, lengthened lash. I just prefer more volume and I have issues with mascara smudging, unless it’s tubing mascara. (More on tubing mascaras here.) Since this isn’t tubing, I can’t use it without smudges!

Lip Wrap Overnight Treatment

The ILIA Lip Wrap is an overnight lip treatment to help hydrate dry or cracked lips. It contains papaya enzymes, salicornia (sea succulent) and hyaluronic acid (!!) which work together to buff the dry skin off your lips and then provide majorhydration. You can use this in the morning and evening, but I tend to use it mostly at night.

My take: ILIA Lip Wrap is awesome. It’s super hydrating and doesn’t have a weird smell or taste at all. I use it every night!

Lip Wrap Reviving Balm

The Lip Wrap Reviving Balm is basically the daytime counterpart to the overnight lip mask. It’s an everyday balm that includes active levels of hyaluronic acid and salicornia (just like the overnight treatment), but it does not include the papaya enzymes, since those are what help to exfoliate and buff the flakey skin off –– and no one wants that during the day.

My take: I keep this in my purse at all times. It’s not tinted, but it’s the perfect balm. Seriously hydrating and makes lips look fuller without any craxy ingredients. It is kind of hard to dispense after a while so just know you’ll have to squeeze a bit harder than you expect as it starts to get about halfway empty.

Is ILIA Beauty Legit?

I am a big fan of many ILIA Beauty. Their makeup (especially their foundation and skin serum) gives such a natural-looking finish and hydrates my skin. They’re not my go-to when I’m looking for a more glam or full coverage look, but for everyday wear I love their products. If you’re on the hunt for subtle-looking makeup with clean ingredients, I would 100% recommend giving ILIA a try.

Where is ILIA Beauty Sold?

You can buy ILIA Beauty directly from ILIA’s website, but they also sell their products at a few other retailers including Sephora, Nordstrom, Revolve, Kohl’s, and even Walmart!

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Right now (and always), I’m favoring natural, light makeup that still looks polished. In the cooler months I go for a slightly heavier eye with more eyeshadow and in the summer months, I tend to prefer cream formulas for blush and bronzer over powders since they look better and hold up more in the humidity.

My Cold Weather Makeup Routine (under 10 minutes!)

1. SUNSCREEN

My current favorite sunscreen is Supergoop Glow Screen. It’s ultra lightweight and leave a radiant finish, but it’s not too shiny or glowy (just enough). It looks perfect under makeup.

I also use the Supergoop Glowscreen Body sunscreen on my arms and legs. I love how easily it blends. I find it hydrating too.

2. CONCEALER

I love the Tarte Radiant Shape Tape Concealer. Tarte has lots of concealers but I prefer the Radiant formula over the regular Tarte Shape Tape since it brightens and conceals in one step. It’s also lighter weight which I appreciate. I wear shade 22N. If you want a heavier concealer, my review of the Tarte Shape Tape Original may be helpful!

3. FOUNDATION

After concealer, I apply foundation. I have a few that I really like so it just depends on what look and type of coverage I want. I have a post with all my favorite foundations for dry skin but I listed the three I’m wearing the most these days.

 On days I’m not doing a full face of makeup, I use this ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint – it’s a tinted moisturizer combined with skincare (read more details in my ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint review.)

ILIA Skin Rewind Foundation Stick – it applies so quickly with medium coverage and looks very natural. I use the ILIA Complexion Brush to blend. (Yes, I’ve tried the Merit foundation stick and prefer the ILIA one since it’s more hydrating. I have a full review of Merit makeup here. And you can see a comparison of the two foundation sticks in this reel) 

ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation – If you prefer a traditional liquid foundation, this is a classic and my favorite of all I’ve tried. It’s very lightweight but has medium coverage that is hydrating and easy to blend. I have a detailed review of this True Skin Foundation here. I usually mix it with this Light Serum Highlighter. it’s so pretty and doesn’t look too shiny but just gives me a healthy glow and then I don’t find that I need a highlighter after my makeup is done. (But if I do want more highlighting, I use the one from this cheek palette.)

Tarte Maracuja Juicy Glow Tint – I love love love this foundation. It provides medium coverage and gives the most natural, radiant glow. It also lasts all day, which most dewy foundations don’t! I wear this the vast majority of days. I use this Tarte Blur Brush to blend it. I wear shade 24N.

4. EYESHADOW

I typically don’t wear a lot of eyeshadow – just one base color and one color for a little bit of definition above my crease (which looks best with my hooded eyes). 

Chantecaille Eyeshadow in Copper – This isn’t really a cream shadow, but I find it applies more like a cream than a powder. I use my finger to apply and blend just below my brow bone and it makes my green eyes pop.

Tarte In Bloom Palette – When I want a powder eyeshadow, I typically wear something from this eyeshadow palette. I love this one because I actually use all of the shades.

5. EYELINER

Next, I tightline my upper lash line — never my lower waterline — since it looks more natural than lining above the lash line and helps make my lashes look thicker. (If you have no clue what I’m talking about, L’Oreal has an easy tightlining tutorial!)

I use this ILIA Clean Gel liner in brown to tightline my upper lash line (just the outer 1/2 to 3/4… not all the way across) to help open my eyes and make my lash line look thicker.If I want a little more pop of color, I’ll use Chantecaille pencil liner instead of black; I have this in Amethyst. It pairs BEAUTIFULLY with the copper eye shadow.

6. EYELASH CURLER & PRIMER

I curl my lashes everyday and I’ve used this Shu Uemera eyelash curler for almost ten years. It never pinches and creates a long-lasting curl.

Most days I wear just mascara, without a primer. If I do want a thicker lash that day for some reason, I love this Tarte Lash Primer. I coat my lashes in primer and then add mascara about 1 minute later after the primer sets just a bit but doesn’t completely dry.

7. MASCARA

Most days I skip primer and use just Tarte Tartelette XL Mascara only since it gives me long, thick lashes and is one step vs. two, and quick and easy is the name of the game in the warmer months! I have a full review of the Tarte Tartelette Mascara if you want to know why it’s my favorite (and I am a very big mascara snob). But, the bottom line is that it never smudges. Ever.

8. BROW GEL AND PENCIL

I fill my brows in no matter what, even if I’m not doing a full face of makeup. Most days I go for The BrowGal Clear Eyebrow Gel with the Glo Brow Pencil since I get a fuller brow that way. If I’m in a hurry, I use the ILIA Brow Gel or Merit Brow 1980 Gel.

9. BRONZER

I’ve gotten on the bronzer train in recent years and always feel better when I use it, particularly around my hairline since I’ve had some hair loss since having my son.

Park Avenue Princess Matte Bronzer – this is very matte and very pigmented and it’s easy to go overboard so tread lightly! But once I learned that, I fell in love with it. I use the shade Light Medium.

Beautycounter Cream Bronzer – Unfortunately, this is unavailable right now but I absolutely love it. It’s also the the easiest bronzer to use. Just apply with your finger and then blend in with a fluffy brush.

If you’d prefer to buy a blush and bronzer combo, I love this Clay Play To-Go Cheek Palete.

10. BLUSH

Depending on my mood, I’ll either use the powder blush or a cream blush.

Precious Gems Amazonian Clay Cheek Palette – This is my favorite option for powder! I use all of the shades and just decide based on how I’m feeling that day.

ILIA Multi Stick – This is a great cream blush option, and you can use it as a lip color as well.

11. PRESSED POWDER

Tarte Shape Tape Glow Powder – If I finish my makeup and I look just a litttttle too glowy, I use this. It still keeps my makeup looking natural and dewy but tones it down just a bit. It also helps set my makeup. I use the shade Starlit.

12. SETTING SPRAY

I’ve been finding that my makeup doesn’t stay on as well as I like so I’ve started using a setting spray almost everyday. I have this Shape Tape Setting Spray and like it but really want to try the Maracuja Setting Spray since I love all things Maracuja (they are more hydrating and glowy).

13. LIPS

I LOVE lipstick and lipgloss. I have tons of different colors and brands, but my current favorites are:

Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Products (yes all of the different varieties!) – If you prefer a traditional lipstick, you’ll love the Lipstick Creme. If you like gloss but don’t like the messiness of the gloss, you’ll love the plumping or the juicy lip!

Ravie Beauty in Dahlia – this is the most forgiving color – I don’t even need a mirror to apply! It applies like a balm but looks like a lipstick and is very hydrating and it’s a very natural looking pink.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk – this is matte, but is very hydrating and the PERFECT nude color.

I also line my lips almost everyday, since I think it helps them look fuller (and we naturally lose lip definition and fullness as we age.) I like this Chantecaille lip liner in the shade Discreet.

This may seem like it takes forever, but it’s really only 5-10 minutes! This reel shows how I apply it all.

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I’ve been using Beautycounter alongside a handful of other brands for a few years now, but as a skincare and makeup junkie, I was always trying new brands so I have some great recommendations for the best replacements for your Beautycounter products.

Fingers crossed we’ll get our Beautycounter favorites back later this year after Beautycounter gets sorted out, but until then, the show must go on for our skin, ha! (Here’s a post about what happened to Beautycounter.) The best brand I’ve found for Beautycounter swaps is Oliveda. I’ve been using their products in place of all of my Beautycounter stuff for over a month now, and I can confidently say they are great alternatives (and even better in some cases) for your favorite Beautycounter products. Oliveda is a European brand that focuses on waterless skincare, so it’s extremely potent and the results are SO wild. I noticed a change in my skin within 72 hours!

I know that it’s a LOT simpler to order from one place vs. multiple retailers, so the majority of the links below are to Oliveda with a few Colleen Rothschild additions. And for the makeup section, almost everything is ILIA since that is currently making up the majority of my makeup routine. If you aren’t familiar with those brands, I have a review of Oliveda here, a Colleen Rothschild review here, and a review of ILIA here.

Oliveda’s website can be a bit confusing, and since the products aren’t organized the same way that Beautycounter organized theirs, it can be hard to know what to order for your skin type! The list below should help, but feel free to fill out this skincare survey and I will email you back with personalized recommendations! You may also notice that a lot of Oliveda products are sold out (things have been going somewhat viral!) but I’m sharing in-stock alerts in this Instagram Broadcast Channel, so be sure to join that for alerts.

I also send out text updates about Oliveda restocks. If you want to join my list, click this link and the hit send when it populates the word “oliveda” in your text composer. I know not everyone checks email or FB and/or IG all day (ahem) so hopefully this helps those of you who haven’t been able to get things when they restock before they sell out again! These are text messages that I send (not the company!) and I won’t blow up your texts unless it’s time sensitive or I think it’s important!

If you’re reading this post on a computer, that link won’t work. Just text OLIVEDA to 336-554-7262 to join.

The Best Replacements for your Beautycounter Products

Countertime

Countertime Cleansing Oil

The Oliveda Arbequina Cleansing Oil (F78) is the best swap for the Beautycounter cleansing oil. It smoothes, refines, and provides lipid defense, but it also removes impurities without destroying your skin’s natural barrier function.

Countertime Essense

The Corrective Facial Tonic (F67) is Oliveda’s toner for dry, aging skin. It works to soothe your skin while also getting rid of dead skin cells. It has hydroxytyrosol and the vitamin C booster camu camu which protect your skin from environmental stressors AND gives your skin a radiant/youthful glow. Nothing will ever be my beloved Countertime Essense, but this is a great alternative.

Countertime Radiance Serum

I wasn’t a huge fan of the Beautycounter Radiance Serum anyway. I tried the Oliveda F59 Corrective Face Serum a few weeks ago and my mind is blown. This is what people call “botox in a bottle”. It’s made with para cress which has a lifting effect similar to botox, but’s clean and safe. It targets fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. I’ve noticed a significant difference in my smile lines since I started using this.

I also just got the Oliveda Green Retinol Face Elixir and I’ve been adding a few drops to my Corrective Face Serum at night. This is a natural retinol made with bakuchiol, which is the same retinol alternative that Beautycounter used. This reduces fine lines and pore size, improves complexion, contracts pigmentation, AND protects against free radicals. If you’re only getting one serum, get the Oliveda F59 Corrective Face Serum, but add the Green Retinol to your wishlist since you can add it to your routine at any time.

Countertime Soft Cream

The best Soft Cream swap is the Oliveda F42 Corrective Face Cream. It’s ideal for dry/aging skin because it has extra hydroxytyrosol in it (a super powerful antioxidant). It’s smoothing, super hydrating, improves elasticity and reduces fine lines. It contains a sun protection factor!

Countertime Supreme Cream

It will be hard to find anything as great as the Beautycounter Supreme Cream, but the Oliveda F08 Cell Active Face Cream is a great alternative. This is one of the thickest face creams Oliveda has. It provides cellular protection, prevents aging, and neutralizes free radicals. You only need a TINY amount of this. Oliveda products are so potent that you can use much less product than you did with your supreme cream.

Countertime Eye Cream

The best swap for the Countertime Eye Cream is the Oliveda F60 Corrective Eye Cream. It’s hydrating, boosts collagen, and gives you a smoothing effect around your eyes. But the real game-changer is when you add a few drops of the Oliveda F64 Corrective Eye Elixir underneath the eye cream. It It has a triple hyaluronic acid structure and a ton of antioxidants, so it hydrates and plumps while also giving your eyes a more lifted, radiant look. You apply a few drops under your eyes, massage it in, and then follow with the Corrective Eye Cream.

Countermatch

Countermatch Foaming Cleanser

For the Countermatch Foaming Cleanser swap, you’ll want to use the Oliveda F71 Corrective Cleansing Gel. It’s made with hydroxytyrosol (this is the superstar of antioxidants, mainly found in olives and olive oil) and gives you a deep clean while counteracting pigmentation. It’s super gentle and very hydrating (I can even use this on my very dry skin). It smells amazing, but the smell is very natural and not super strong. (I’m sensitive to scents and love this.) I can use this morning and night and my very-dry skin isn’t stripped at all.

Countermatch Toner

The Oliveda Activating Facial Toner is the perfect toner for normal or combination skin because it’s non-drying and does not strip your skin, but rather helps restore your skin’s natural balance.

Countermatch Serum

The best recommendation for an alternative for the Countermatch serum is the Oliveda F86 Corrective Vegan Hyaluronic Acid Serum. Hyaluronic serums are great for dry and aging skin because they deeply moisturize and hydrate. This serum also repairs oxidative damage and makes your skin look and feel more elastic/tight. This can be used in the morning and night.

Countermatch Adaptive Moisturizer

The most similar in terms of benefits is the Oliveda F05 Anti Oxidant Face Cream but it will feel different. The consistency feels much thicker, but it’s not heavy on the skin. It protects, balances, and hydrates your skin, but it has antioxidants in it too that fight the effects of environmental stressors on your skin. This is lightweight (in terms of hydration, not feel!) and plumping.

Countermatch Eye Cream

The best eye cream option for de-puffing and brightening is the Colleen Rothschild Illuminating Tinted Eye Cream. It contains hyaluronic acid to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and caffeine targets puffiness and water retention. I wouldn’t use this at night though, since it also has coverage that you wouldn’t want to waste. For PM, use the Oliveda F09 Anti-wrinkle Eye Cream. I love the texture and it’s completely non-irritating. It tightens and reduces fine lines around your eye area. You can use it in the AM too, but I just love that Colleen Rothschild Tinted Eye Cream.

Countercontrol

Countercontrol Cleanser

A great cleanser for oily or breakout prone skin is the Oliveda F38 Purifying Cleansing Gel. This gives you a super deep cleanse while also supplying your skin with highly concentrated antioxidants that help prevent signs of aging.

 Countercontrol Toner

The Oliveda F11 Activating Facial Toner is perfect for oily/acne prone skin. It helps clear away impurities while also soothing your skin with chamomile extract. It also refines pores and gives your skin tone a more radiant glow.

Countercontrol Serum

The Oliveda F81 AHA + HT Serum Face is a true hero product. It’s similar to the Overnight Resurfacing Peel in terms of benefits: reduces scarring, improves elasticity, reduces and fights hyperpigmentation, and boosts collagen. It’s great for breakout prone skin because it gentle exfoliates and sloughs off dead skin which can cause build up and breakouts. This is pretty potent though, so I’d only use it once a week to start!

For a daily serum, you’ll want to try the Oliveda F06 Cell Active Serum . This serum helps smooth your skin and reduce pore size, but it mainly reduces dark spots and smoothes wrinkles! What I love most about this is that it has a skin-tightening effect! It’s just a great all-around serum for most skin types.

Countercontrol Spot Treatment

For a spot treatment, you’ll want to use the Oliveda F85 SOS Face Drops. These drops unclog pores, balance sebum production, and reduces acne-causing bacteria.

CounterControl Gel Cream

The Oliveda F07 Anti Aging Face Cream is a great face moisturizer for oily/acne prone skin. It’s lightweight, improves skin elasticity, and overall just balances the skin’s hydration. It’s important to use a moisturizer, especially when you have oily skin since drying out your skin causes it to produce more oil to overcompensate.

Other Favorites

Cleansing Balm

I preferred the Colleen Rothschild Cleansing Balm anyway. I’ve been using it for years. I have a full review of the CR Cleansing Balm here.

Vitamin C Serum

We all loved the Beautycounter Vitamin C serum for good reason, but I think you’ll love the Oliveda F83 HT + Vitamin C Serum more. It’s made with hydroxytyrosol which is a super powerful antioxidant, and it also contains camu camu, just like Beautycounter. This has 1300% more power than vitamin C alone. It improves fine lines and wrinkles, neutralizes free radicals, and gives you a super radiant complexion.

Overnight Resurfacing Peel

The Oliveda F81 AHA + HT Serum Face is just like the Overnight Resurfacing Peel. It’s a chemical exfoliator that visibly reduces the signs of aging. It also reduces scarring, improves elasticity and firmness, reduces and fights hyperpigmentation, and boosts collagen. Everyone should have this in their skincare routine.

Sunscreen

Supergoop Glowscreen is my favorite face SPF, but it’s not a zinc-based sunscreen. If you want zinc, then the Acure Radically Rejuvenating SPF 30 Day Cream is perfect since it’s a clean option! (This post with non-toxics sunscreens has even more ideas.)

AHA Mask

I actually didn’t love the Beautycounter AHA mask as much as I already liked both the Colleen Rothschild Dial Enzyme Polish and Oliveda Honey Enzyme Face Mask. They’re similar, but the Oliveda Honey Enzyme Face Mask has a warming sensation that I love. It’s also green which is fun! It’s especially beneficial for dry and/or aging skin since you’re paying more for those types of products and you want to get the most out of them. (The women who give me my facials have been telling me for years that I need to use an enzyme mask regularly to see improvements in my fine lines and deeper wrinkles).

Bamboo Face Polish

I haven’t found anything like this, but the Oliveda Olive Core Face Peeling is also a physical exfoliator and it’s a great option even though I love the powder form of the Bamboo Polish.

#3 Balancing Oil

If you were a Balancing Oil fan, then the F25 Neroli Face Oil Serum from Oliveda is a great replacement.

The Clean Deo

All natural deodorants tend to stop working for me after about 12 months, including the Clean Deo. This is actually an issue that women commonly run into if they use natural deodorants, since our body chemistry changes over time. (It’s also why some clean deodorants work for some people but not others. For example, I CANNOT use Native but some people love it.)

Anyway, when one stops working, I switch to a new one. The one that has worked for the longest amount of time is the Nécessaire The Deodorant Gel. I’ve used it for 6 months without stank.

(If you do get stank with a natural deo, use the Bella Skin Probiotic Underarm Toner and it will help a LOT! I use it just once a month or so.)

Body Lotion

Wink Llama All Over Lotion, hands down. Yes, it’s a kids lotion but it’s so good. Tommy and I have both used it for years since it smells just as good as the Beautycounter Body Lotion (although it is a different scent) and it’s more affordable.

Shampoo / conditioner

I’ve been using the Colleen Rothschild Shampoo and Colleen Rothschild Conditioner for over a year now. The Colleen Rothschild hair mask is legit too. I use it in place of my conditioner a few times a week.

Body wash

Primally Pure Citrus Mint Body Wash is a 10/10. So hydrating and smells amazing.

Makeup

Skin Twin Foundation

The ILIA Skin Rewind Complexion Stick is SUCH a good foundation, but if you want a liquid foundation, the ILIA True Skin Foundation is a good option (I have an ILIA foundation review here).

Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer

I wasn’t in love with the Dew Skin tinted moisturizer anyway (it too drying as my skin aged), but I DO love the ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 because it’s more hydrating. I have a full review of the Skin Tint on the blog here.

Cheeky Cream Blush

I’m super sad to loose the Beautycounter blush but the ILIA Multi Stick is just as good.

Cream Bronzer

I hate it because Beautycounter was set to launch new bronzers that I had tried and they are SO GOOD. I haven’t found an alternative yet, but the Tarte Shape Tape Contour works well as bronzer if you use just a touch and blend it out. I also love their Tarte Park Avenue Princess powder bronzer if you want to go that route.

Mascara

As much as I wish I could wear a regular, oil-based mascara, they always smudge on me. So I always shop for tubing mascaras that are water soluble. (Read more about tubing mascaras and how they work here.)

However, if you were a Beautycounter mascara fan and it didn’t smudge on you, you’ll really like the Tarte Maneater mascara. If you need a good tubing mascara recommendation, you can’t beat Tarte’s Tartelette Tubing mascara (read my Tartelette Tubing Mascara review here).

Concealer

The ILIA Concealer is a great (super clean) alternative. My preference is the Tarte Shape Tape Radiant concealer though since I only really use it under my eyes.

Lip Sheer

I just got the Ravie Beauty Effortless Lips in the mail a few weeks ago and they are UNREAL! They apply very much like the Lip Sheer (actually, better). See how each Ravie Beauty shade looks on me in this video. Go for Dahlia for the best everyday shade.

Lip Intense

I like the ILIA Colorblock Lipstick. It’s not quite as good as the Beautycounter lipsticks but it’s similar and a clean option. My all-time favorite lipstick is Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk.

Brow gel

ILIA Brow Gel is very similar to Beautycounter’s brow gel, but it doesn’t dry out as quickly.

Discount Codes

One silver lining to trying new products is that you can typically get a discount on your first order (and I believe all of my codes work on every order).

• Colleen Rothschild – Use code TERILYN20 for 20% off
• Tarte – Use code terilyn15 for 15% off
• Wink – Use code TERI for 15% off
• Primally Pure – Use code TERI for 10% off

Oliveda doesn’t have a promo code, but they do have good perks.

1. A freebie when you take the Oliveda skincare quiz and order 2+ of the recommendations. I have to note that I think their Skin Quiz results can be a little confusing to understand, so if you fill out my skincare survey here, I can help get you personalized recommendations.
2. Free shipping on $50+ orders (ALWAYS!)
3. 365 day product guarantee.

Okay, that’s all I have for now! Like I mentioned above, if you have good recommendations for Beautycounter swaps, please drop them below!

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The post The Best Replacements for your Beautycounter Products appeared first on TeriLyn Adams.

On May 6, Beautycounter consultants found out that Beautycounter and its products won’t be returning until late 2024. That also means that thousands of Beautycounter consultants no longer have a source of income. I am disappointed since I love and use their products, and financially, it’s a big hit to our household. I’ve been with the company for 8 years and have consistently been one of the top 3-5 sellers in the entire company. While most consultants who made a significant income built teams to do so (and worked their booties off to support them), I made the vast majority of my paycheck from my own personal sales.

What Happened to Beautycounter?

In short, the founder of Beautycounter, Gregg Renfrew, sold the company to a private equity firm, Carlyle, a few years ago — I think that was the biggest mistake. However, I’m not certain Gregg wanted to sell to Carlyle. The rumor mill has said she was outvoted by the board, mainly one key investment group who wanted to divest.

So why did Carlyle buy it? My thought when they bought it was that their plan was to increase margins and then sell it to a larger company, like Johnson & Johnson, who wanted to get into the clean beauty business, using an established player rather than create their own formulations.

Beautycounter Controversy

While I disagreed with who Gregg sold the company to, as a business owner, I can understand why she did it. Growing a business is exhausting — exhilarating and rewarding, yes, but also exhausting. Add 30,000 women to the mix and yowza, that’s a lot of pressure (and drama). I don’t fault Gregg or the board for wanting to sell and make a substantial profit — companies do that all the time. When you start a business, an exit strategy is very often planned at the same time. The problem was with who purchased the company. If you know who Carlyle is, the massive implosion that followed can’t have been a surprise.

I don’t think Carlyle fully understood the consultant business model (which is why the compensation plan changes didn’t go over well), and when they couldn’t make the money they anticipated they planned to exit. They stopped funding the business (that part has been confirmed) and that is why Counter Brands went bankrupt.

Gregg Renfrew purchased back the intellectual property (IP) — the Beautycounter name, the formulations, etc. — but getting the company back up is much more complicated than a Poshmark transaction. When that happened, the original return date that was communicated of May 1 was laughable. I never even shared that date with my clients because it was truly unrealistic.

When that relaunch didn’t happen, I still never shared a return date since we didn’t have one. When companies have launches — whether it’s a new product, a new website or a new arm of the business — nothing is confirmed until it happens. And these types of transactions and ownership changes typically take MONTHS to iron out, not a week like Gregg communicated when she bought it back.

What happened with Beautycounter consultants?

They essentially lost their jobs. Gregg said Beautycounter will come back in Q4, but essentially, the company is gone. Counter Brands (which is different from Beautycounter) filed bankruptcy and went into foreclosure (which isn’t as dramatic as it sounds but rather a business move that makes sense financially) and Gregg’s new company – G2G – is just kind of a shell. It’s an LLC name that owns some assets (the IP, mainly); it’s not a functioning business where consultants can make money.

I didn’t realize I had so many Beautycounter consultants following me on Instagram but I’m getting lots of DMs about what this all means — I guess because I have shared my thoughts on it and been vocal that Beautycounter is NOT my only source of income — so while I had a call for just MY team, I also hosted a call for consultants who were on other teams. I will send you a link to the recording if you fill out this form.

I have so many more thoughts about all this from a business perspective– I worked in finance for 15 years, including at Goldman Sachs – and the fastest way to share information will be through a Zoom call for Beautycounter consultants. I also have thoughts for Beautycounter consultants and what their next steps should be.

Where can you buy Beautycounter?

While I get to try a lot of beauty brands for my job (and have a few I love), Beautycounter was my go-to when someone asked for help with a skincare routine. As you know, their products are clean and work VERY well for almost everyone.

You CAN still buy Beautycounter at Ulta. After that, there is not a confirmed date that the products will be back. I’m working on putting together recommendations to replace your go-to’s, whether you used Countertime, Countermatch, CounterControl or the beloved Overnight Resurfacing Peel and All Bright C Serum.

If you are one of my clients, that will hit your inbox soon. If you aren’t one of my clients, you can sign up for my beauty emails here. And, of course, my blog will be updated with that information ASAP too.

While many people lost their jobs yesterday — myself included — I have always found a way to be successful, even when things looked very dire in my personal and professional life. This will be no different. It will be stressful, for sure, but we aren’t the first people to lose our jobs and there is always a viable next step. Let’s go.

The post What Happened to Beautycounter? appeared first on TeriLyn Adams.

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, or follow me on Instagram, you know that I’m on a journey in regards to mascara. I have strong opinions on what makes a mascara worth buying more than once and I’m always looking for a unicorn.

I want volume AND length. And most mascaras are one or the other. I also want a mascara that does not smudge, and only tubing mascara can truly promise that. (Most traditional mascaras smudge on me since they’re oil soluble, which is why regular eye makeup removers takes them off. Because of this, the super popular volumizing + lengthening mascaras don’t work for me. The only mascara I can wear without smudging is water-soluble, a.k.a. “tubing” mascara.) While tubing mascaras are great for length, they often fall short on volume. But today, I’m here to tell you that I have found a unicorn. I shared a bit more about how tubing mascaras work in this blog post.

For years I was wearing the Thrive Cosmetics Mascara. It was lengthening but didn’t provide much volume. I’d give it a B. However, a few years ago I learned that Tarte had a tubing mascara (and I love Tarte), so I quickly grabbed the Tarte Cosmetics Tartelette Tubing Mascara. And while there are still some things I wish were better, I’d give this mascara an A or A-, which is saying a LOT considering my high standards.

I wear Tarte Tubing Mascara almost exclusively right now, so I thought it was time for a full review. I should also note that since I first shared this blog post, Tarte released a new tubing mascara called the Tartelette XL Tubing Mascara that’s supposed to provide MORE volume and length. I just received that one in the mail and haven’t worn it enough for a full review, so this review is strictly about the basic Tarte Tubing Mascara.

Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara

The Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara is Tarte’s first ever tubing formula mascara. It’s made to create flake and smudge-free 24 hour wear that’s super lengthening.

The plastic molded brush applicator has 296 bristles to get help coat every inch of your lashes. It also contains shea butter, caster oil, and plant waxes which help create a bold and long lash. Two coats gives ample darkness, but I often do a third since I like a bold lash look.

What is a Tubing Mascara?

Tubing mascara generally means it contains tube-like polymers which wrap around each individual lash, which creates an enhanced lengthening effect. The difference in regular mascara and tubing mascara is that when you apply a tubing mascara, you’re coating each lash with a ‘tube’ that won’t budge, versus painting layers of pigment onto your lashes, which is how regular mascara formulas works. It’s also why you have to applying multiple tubing coats before the first one dries. It doesn’t layer well.

Tubing mascaras are water soluble, which means the fibers come right off with off with warm water and a gentle swiping motion with your hand or a washcloth. They won’t smear or smudge with the natural oils of your skin and face wash or eye makeup won’t remove them the way you’d expect.

Key Ingredients

One of my favorite things about Tarte’s Tubing mascara is that it contains ingredients that are good for your lashes.

• shea butter conditions lashes
• castor oil moisturizes lashes
• carnauba wax helps create smooth application with lengthening & volumizing benefits

Formulation

I appreciate Tarte is formulated with clean ingredients and does not contain parabens, mineral oils, phthalates, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate or gluten.

Benefits

There are so many benefits to using this mascara other than the look.

• It’s vegan
• 24-hr that won’t flake and is smudge free.
• Ophthalmologist tested, so it’s safe for contact lens-wearers (I wear contacts and have sensitive eyes and have no issues with this mascara)
• Dermatologist tested, so it’s great for sensitive skin
• It’s sweatproof making it perfect for all day wear, even when working out. I can wear it to pilates or while strength training, but if I get super sweaty while running, I may have a few tubing stragglers. (For the 2019 Boston Marathon, I wore this waterproof mascara and it did not budge.)

Results

I have the Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara on one eye and no mascara on the other. Impressive, right??  Tubing mascaras wrap each lash, which looks very natural but still provides great length.

And a finished look:

Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara Review

Like I mentioned in the intro, I’d give this mascara an A- or possibly an A. While it’s the best tubing mascara I’ve tried, I’d still prefer more volume and a softer lash feel, but that’s just the nature of tubing mascaras (I’m hoping the XL Tubing Mascara will do that). Since they’re formulated differently than oil soluble mascaras, they just don’t look and feel quite the same. But even with that one downside, it’s still 100% the mascara I recommend if you struggle with smudging like me.

I love so much about the mascara, however.

Not clumpy

It’s SO lightweight. I don’t feel like I’m coating my lashes in pigment, and I don’t have issues with clumping like I did with other tubing mascaras, like Thrive and Hourglass Unlocked. The mascara wand allows me to have full control of the application and it’s sturdy but not too inflexible. Thrive Mascara always felt too stiff and Hourlgass was far too flexible and hard to apply (it felt like the tip might fall off at any moment.) I truly feel like I can coat each lash almost individually, even with tiny lashes under my eye.

Natural looking finish

One of the benefits of a tubing mascara is that it looks very natural, especially with just 1-2 coats. Since you’re coating each lash versus building up product, your lashes look more natural than a regular mascara. So, if you like a natural makeup look, you’ll love this. Since the mascara uses a polymer that wraps around the lashes, I feel like it gives me a wide-awake effect.

Long-wearing

The claims are true. It stays on all day and it doesn’t budge.

Lengthening

My lashes look very long with this mascara. I think part of that is thanks to the eyelash boost serum I’ve been using recently.

How to Apply Tubing Mascara

Apply Primer

If you want even more volume, first apply lash primer. Tarte makes a great lash primer, but if I had to pick a favorite, it’s this lash primer from DIME. It’s a game-changer for mascara, even regular versions. But for the sake of keeping your online order simple, just add the Tarte Opening Act Lash Primer to your cart. I’m SO picky about mascara/primer, but I know most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between DIME and Tarte primers.

Apply the primer just like I would mascara, and while it’s still fresh and moist, apply mascara. Don’t wait for the primer to dry.

Apply mascara to lashes

Immediately apply mascara on top the primer. I’ll even do one eye of with primer and finish with mascara before doing the other eye’s primer. I find that it works best if the primer does not dry. However, I haven’t been using a primer since I switched to the Tarte Tubing Mascara. I don’t feel like I need it, but I did find it helped with volume a lot with other brands.

After I’ve done my top lashes, I use the applicator to brush a little mascara on my bottom lashes. I use a light touch to keep them looking natural and only do one coat on my bottom lashes.

Clean up with Q-Tip

Since tubing mascara is easily removed with water, you can quickly clean up any mistakes with a damp q-tip. Just get it wet in warm water, and then use it to clean up any mascara that’s on your lid. If you let the mascara dry on your lid before cleaning it off, I recommend using a clean spooly to brush it off instead, since it’ll flake right off your skin.

The raccoon eyes effect is very minimal with tubing mascaras.

How to take off tubing mascara

While you wash your face

I don’t usually take showers at night, so I remove my makeup when I wash my face. The easiest way to remove tubing mascara is with warm water. A have to splash my face a few times to get my lashes wet enough for the mascara to begin sliding off.

I apply my cleansing balm and when I’m removing that with a warm, wet muslin cloth, I also remove the mascara. I press the wet cloth into my eyes to loosen the formula while I remove the cleansing balm and then finish by fulling removing my mascara. Read more about my cleansing balm in this full review.

In the shower

If you shower at night, you’ll love how easy it is to remove this mascara. Just let the water rinse over you for a minute or two, and use your fingers to help pull the tubes off. SO easy (and very satisfying).

Is Tubing Mascara Safe?

It depends on which tubing mascara you’re using. Tarte uses clean ingredients, so yes. Thrive Cosmetics Mascara is also safe for most sensitive eyes. Just like anything, it’s important to test a product yourself before using it right away. In general, tubular mascaras are good for people with sensitive eyes.

Where to buy Tarte Tartelette tubing Mascara

You can order it online directly from Tarte, or find it at Sephora, Kohl’s, Ulta, or Target.

If you order directly from Tarte, use code terilyn15 for 15% off your order!

Here’s a photo of the finished result. Awake-looking, long lashes!

ILIA Red lipstick in shade Rococco! Read more about my ILIA favorites here.

Use code terilyn15 for 15% off your Tarte order

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So when my brand manager reached out a month ago and asked if I’d be interested in trying MERIT Beauty, I pretty much screamed YES. MERIT kindly sent me a very generous collection of products and now that I’ve tried them, I can confirm that it is truly a 5-minute makeup routine and easier to apply than any other brand of makeup I’ve used. So, would I spend my own money on this? 100000%. I had to write a full Merit Beauty Review on my blog (vs. only talking about it on Instagram) since I feel that strongly about their products.

One of the FAQs on their website explains minimalist makeup but I also completely agree with how they described their brand. I bolded the words that I especially agree with!

“MERIT is the antidote to the overwhelming, saturated world of beauty with too many steps and 50 shadow palettes. We simplify what it means to get ready by creating well-edited essentials that help you do more with less. All of our products are designed to be buildable, easy to use, and impossible to mess up, so you can look like you but better. We also curate our collections to give you only the products and shades you need, making it easy for you to get ready in five minutes or less.”

Merit Beauty Review

Merit Beauty gives a very natural no-makeup look so it’s not what I’ll go for when I need to take work photos or have a family photo shoot. But for everyday life when I just want to feel polished for running errands or even just hanging out at the house? It’s my go-to. And the timing of receiving their products couldn’t be more perfect with a newborn coming any day now.

I have dry, mature skin (I’m turning 40 this year) so I especially appreciate how hydrating and blendable the products are. These are the products I own, what I like about them and the shades I have.

One thing to note is that MERIT Beauty doesn’t list their full ingredients list online (you can see the full lists for MERIT at Sephora), but from what I’ve read on other sites, they include lots of natural hydrating ingredients like avocado oil, sea daffodil extract, quinoa seed oil and others.

Here’s a quick little before and after before I get into each product. So light and natural, right?

Here’s what I’m wearing in the photo above!

Great Skin Instant Glow Serum

It’s hard for me to explain what the Great Skin Instant Glow Serum even does but I love it. I wasn’t expecting to see that much of a difference in my skin’s appearance since it’s a very thin liquid (like a toner) and not a foundation or tinted moisturizer, but my skin definitely smoother and glowy after I use it. The design of this product is to prep your skin for the rest of your makeup look, but you could wear it on its own as well.

The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick

Other complexion sticks that I’ve tried in the past have been dry, didn’t blend well and left my skin looking parched. The MERIT Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick does none of those things. It provides lightweight coverage like a foundation but also works well as a concealer around my nose and under my eyes. It blends easily with a firm brush and my skin looks great. I have heard that it doesn’t apply as well without the glow serum, but I haven’t tried that myself.

It lets my own skin shine and it’s so fast to use. I have a lot of foundations and tinted moisturizers I love, but I’ve been using this exclusively since I got it! I have shade Dune.

Solo Shadow Matte Eye Color

I’m not great at applying eye shadow and do tend to favor cream shadow since it seems to be a bit more forgiving. The Solo Shadow Matte Eye Color is a bit different from other cream shadows I’ve tried since it is truly matte. That takes a little get used to for me, and I have to blend a bit more, but I do like the way it applies. I have shade Studio but I’m not sure it’s the best color for my skin tone. Of everything I tried, this is my least favorite, but I think it’s more that I didn’t choose the best color for my skin tone.

Flush Balm Cheek Color

I love love love this Flush Balm Cheek Color cream blush. Also, I love the packaging, I love how creamy it is, and I love how easily it blends in. I have multiple other cream blushes and this is my #1 pick now because of the blendability. So, I have shade Cheeky and it’s the perfect color for me.

Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade

When I wrote my Best of Beauty Awards blog post, I didn’t have a brow gel that I thought was perfect. I liked aspects of the brow gels I had but also had complaints. Well ladies, I have found the perfect brow gel and it’s the Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade from MERIT Beauty.

It provides volume without the brows looking huge and unruly; I know that big brows are a trend but sometimes brow gels overdo it. It doesn’t drop too much pigment and the formula isn’t too wet or too dry. Also, it provides volume and color without requiring clean-up with a q-tip. I have shade Brown.

Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick

I have dozens of lipsticks and like them all for different reasons. And previously if I could have only picked one lipstick, I would have said the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lipstick. It’s a gorgeous shade, hydrating and long lasting and it’s what I always wear for photoshoots and family photos. But the Merit Signature Lip is even better. It’s more hydrating and makes my lips look plumper. It’s truly the perfect lipstick and I’m definitely ordering more shades. I currently have shade Millennial.

Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil

I have only tried one other lip oil so I don’t have a huge sample size to compare to but I do like this Shade Slick Tinted Lip oil better than the other one, which seemed to bleed at the edges. Also, I prefer this over lipgloss, which lends itself to stickiness, while this is hydrating and shiny but not as sticky. I have shade Pink Beet.

Clean Lash Lengthening Mascara

This is one product I haven’t tried yet but I’m going to order it. I didn’t realize that Merit Beauty’s mascara was a tubing mascara and like I shared in this blog post about the best tubing mascaras, it’s the only type of mascara I can wear. Given how much I love all their other products, I’m fully expecting to love this but I am rather picky about mascaras. So, I will update this post with details once I get my hands on it!

For now, these are my favorite MERIT products. I’ll be sure to update this post as I try the rest of their products, so keep an eye out!

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The post Merit Beauty Review: My favorite minimalist makeup appeared first on TeriLyn Adams.

That’s what happened when I first tried the Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation. I was blown away by how smooth it felt and how long it lasted on my skin. And thus began my new obsession with Chantecaille.

While I haven’t tried all of their products (not even close!), I do have a few favorites that have become a regular part of my makeup routine, so I felt like a full review of Chantecaille was in order. In this post, I’m sharing my experience with the products I have tried, an overview of the brand, and a few links in case you’re interested in trying yourself.

Chantecaille Makeup Review

About Chantecaille

First, let’s talk about Chantecaille itself. The brand was started in 1998 by founder Sylvie Chantecaille and her daughter Olivia. Sylvie was not new to building beauty brands; before Chantecaille. she started her first cosmetic company with her friend Diane von Furstenberg, and was then asked by the Lauder family (Estée Lauder and her husband) to create a new beauty company, which became Prescriptives (which has now been discontinued). After a few other ventures, Sylvie began Chantecaille.

Chantecaille originally started as a niche French fragrance house with four original scents based on natural essential oils. And a year or so later, Sylvie knew she wanted to branch into beauty and skincare. During a trip to France, Sylvie and Olivia discovered a field of the rare Rose de Mai in Grasse (southern France), and from there, they focused on a new rosewater that had anti-aging benefits.

Now, rosewater is the first ingredient in most of their skincare products. They source super high quality botanicals to create their skincare, and care deeply about using plant stem cells, which are pure and use very little soil and much less water than field sourcing does.

Chantecaille is also very focused on environmental conservation efforts. Since 2006, they’ve started 29 Limited Edition Philanthropy Collections and donated more than $3 million on behalf of coral reefs, wolves, gorillas, elephants, bees, pangolins and more, with products that fund charities working to protect the world’s most endangered species and spaces (read more about those conservation efforts here).

All this to say, Chantecaille products are created thoughtfully and intentionally, using high concentrations of pure ingredients and smart science. I love that combo.

How to Pronounce Chantecaille

Chantecaille is pronounced “Shawn-te-kai”.

Is Chantecaille Clean Beauty?

In general, I would say yes, Chantecaille is a clean beauty brand. They aren’t quite as transparent or committed to excluding certain ingredients as Beautycounter is (who I view as the leader in the clean beauty industry), but similarly to ILIA Beauty (which I love, read about my ILIA favorites here), Chantecaille does not use phthalates, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, palm oil, or GMOs, which is great and better than the vast majority of beauty brands. Their skincare is also free of synthetic colors and fragrances. EWG ranks Chantecaille products at a 3, which is fairly decent.

Is Chantecaille Cruelty Free?

Yes, completely.

Best Of Chantecaille Cosmetics

I’m sharing the 7 products I’ve tried, along with a handful of products that are next on my list. I haven’t had the chance to try their skincare, just the beauty products.

Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation

My very favorite Chantecaille product is their Future Skin Foundation. I LOVE how smooth this foundation is and how long it lasts. It feels super natural on my skin and gives me a really nice glow. I have LOVED the Beautycounter Skin Twin Foundation – it’s so natural looking – but I found this one more hydrating for the dry winter months. If you struggle with dry skin, I’d recommend this. It is pricier than most foundations but a little goes a long way. When the warmer months roll around, I tend to opt for something with a little more radiance like this glow tint from Tarte.

This foundation has a gel-like consistency, and is made of up of 60% water, so it’s incredibly lightweight but still provides nice coverage. I use a makeup sponge, makeup brush or my fingers to apply it. It gives medium to full coverage, which is perfect for the winter months. (I prefer a lighter coverage in the summer). It contains aloe, chamomile and arnica which help calm irritation and soothe sensitive skin, along with rosemary, green tea and rice bran which prevent environmentally-caused oxidation.

Chantecaille Brow Eclat Highlighter

I REALLY like the Brow Eclat Highlighter (OOS at Chantecaille so linking at Saks!). It’s a brow highlighter (y’all know how much I love doing my brows). You use this on your brow bone for a lifting effect, and you can also help tame stray hairs with this. It has a caffeine-enriched formula, so your eyes feel awake and brightened as you use this too.

You wouldn’t use it to fill in your brows, but rather highlight the arch, so you’d use it addition to a brow gel or pencil. This is $27, which is a very fair price in my opinion and it lasts forever.

Chantecaille Mermaid Eyeshadow

I’m totally obsessed with the Mermaid Eyeshadow in the color Copper. This isn’t really a cream shadow, even though it comes in a little pot. I use my finger to apply and blend to my brow bone. It’s more powder than cream, and SO easy to apply. It blends beautifully. The copper color isn’t what I would have picked originally, but the ladies at Swan Beauty did my color matching and this is what they sent (which is proof that professionals are super helpful when choosing shades!).

This eyeshadow is infused with a silk tree extract which creates a lasting metallic sheen.  It’s richly pigmented, but not in a way that feels overwhelming to apply.

Chantecaille Luster Glide Silk Infused Eyeliner

I have the Luster Glide Silk Infused Eyeliner in Amethyst (it pairs BEAUTIFULLY with the copper eye shadow with my green/hazel eyes). It’s long wearing and transfer proof, but does come off easily when I wash my face my face at night. (Here’s my skincare routine.) I love that it’s soft and easy to apply, but it can be sharpened for tighter line too.

Chantecaille Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil Definer

Now if you do want something waterproof, this waterproof eyebrow pencil definer is a great product. It’s not for your lash line, but rather your eyebrows. I’m a BIG brows girl, and this is one of my favorite brow products. It’s a one-stop pencil, which is really nice. I use it to define my brows and then fill them in a bit. The spooly on the ends ends tame brows and the pencil shapes and holds them in place.

Chantecaille Real Bronze

This Real Bronze bronzer has a little shimmer, and I tend to grab it one more often than the ILIA bronzer I have since it’s more forgiving (which is VERY pigmented and a bit hard to apply and blend).  I find that just a little goes a long way. And it’s not too dark for my light-medium skin tone. I use the golden-bronze shade. I also love the gel-powder formula. But, if you want a matte bronzer, get the ILIA one.

This is an Allure Best of Beauty Winner, so you know it’s good!

Chantecaille Perfect Blur Finishing Powder

I find that most powders are FAR too drying on my aging skin, but the Perfect Blur Finishing Powder actually makes my skin feel more hydrated and sets my makeup incredibly well. Since I love cream products for most of my makeup, a setting powder helps keep things in place, especially in the warmer months. (The one on the left is a Tarte Glow Powder, which gives a tiny bit of sheen and is another favorite.)

Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15

While I do have a tinted moisturizer that I love, I’m always open to trying new products, just in case one is better than the one I have ;). The Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer is a Chantecaille best seller, and since it contains SPF, it meets my standards. This has smoothing coverage, and I love that it contains thyme and butterfly bush extract, which supposedly have powerful antioxidant benefits. I plan to order it when I’m running low on tinted moisturizer.

Chantecaille Pure Rosewater

Now, I think this would have to be gifted to me in order to justify trying it, since it’s $80. However, Sylvie Chantecaille swears by this product, and says its her holy grail. When asked what she loved the most from her brand, this was her answer, “I can’t live without our Pure Rosewater – I won’t fly without the travel size bottle, it’s the first thing I reach for in the morning and the last thing I treat my face with at bedtime. Ours is the only rosewater that is made from 100% of the very rare Rose de Mai—the extract from 1,000 petals is in every bottle.”

Chantecaille Radiance Elixir

This Radiance Elixir is another product I’d have to be gifted in order to justify. The Radiance Elixir is supposed to add a radiant glow to your skin, either with or without foundation. It can be applied to clean skin, or you can add a drop or two to your moisturizer or foundation. Since I have super dry skin, I bet my skin would love this. However, I think the same result can be achieved with a less expensive product (perhaps this one).

Chantecaille Bio Lifting Skincare

The Bio Lifting skincare line uses plant stem cell extracts and peptides, which help to restore the look of youthful skin. It helps tackle loss of firmness and dehydrated skin. I haven’t tried anything from this line, but I’d love to see how the Bio Lifting Serum+ works on my skin.

Is Chantecaille Worth The Money?

I’d say it’s a mixed-bag. Some of their makeup products are REALLY amazing and worth the price (I’d say the foundation falls on this side of the list), however, the rose water costs $80, and for a product that doesn’t do much more than hydrate, that feels VERY high. I will note however, that I haven’t tried the rosewater myself so I’m not a good judge. If you’ve tried it, I’d LOVE your thoughts in the comments below. Since Chantecaille is considered a luxury brand, you are definitely paying a premium.

Another thing I appreciate about Chantecaille is that you get a LOT of product for the price. The products are sized well and also last a long time. I’ve used all of the Chantecaille products I have for over 6 months and they barely have a dent in them.

If you were to try one product from Chantecaille, I’d recommend the foundation. Unfortunately, they won’t give you a full refund if you return a gently tested product, so for this reason, you may want to order from Nordstrom, where we know the customer service is truly outstanding.

Where to Buy Chantecaille

I love that Chantecaille can be found at many retailers so you can shop at your regular favorite spot.

• Directly from Chantecaille
• Nordstrom
• Dermstore
• Bluemercury (they do great gifts with purchase)
• Neiman Marcus
• Saks Fifth Avenue
• Bergdorf Goodman

You can tell from that list of retailers that Chantecaille falls in the luxury beauty market.

Chantecaille Annual Sale

The best time to purchase Chantecaille is during the Sylvie Sale, which happens annually. The 2023 sale was in July, so while we don’t have the dates for this year yet, I expect it’ll happen in the summer! Be sure to join my newsletter so you’ll be notified when the sale hits and I’ll share my favorites.

During the Sylvie Sale, you’ll see discounts up to 25% off selected items.

Chantecaille Discount Code

Unfortunately I don’t have a personal discount code for you guys, but I’m working on it. I’ll update this post as soon as I hear from them. (I just reached out!) For now, you can use the 10% code on their website when you join the email list.

Let me know in the comments you purchase anything from Chantecaille or have a tried and true favorite.

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The post Chantecaille Makeup Review + my favorite products appeared first on TeriLyn Adams.

Learning my skin type and how to take care of it was a game-changer for me (and I can teach you more about your specific skin type and how to take care of it in this free training). Now that I know what types of products work well for my skin, I love buying and trying skincare and makeup to see which is the absolute best.

There’s a lot of noise on social media about beauty products these days. So many people are telling you that this foundation is the best, or this cleanser is their holy grail, etc. It’s hard to know what’s actually worth the hype, especially if they aren’t telling you about the other stuff they’ve tried in comparison. So today, I’m doing just that. I’m going to share all of the products I tried this year (some I purchased and some I was gifted) and which ones win for each category (and of course, why).

Ready? Let’s jump in.

Best of Beauty Awards 2023

Best Cleansing Balm: Colleen Rothschild Radiant Cleansing Balm

The winner for my favorite cleaning balm is the Colleen Rothschild Radiant Cleansing Balm. I was using Beautycounter’s for years before switching, but now I like Colleen Rothschild’s so much better. It’s more hydrating, has a nicer texture, smells better, and — this is the key point — it does not sting my eyes. I use it to remove my makeup at night (even my eyeliner and mascara) and my skin feels balanced after I use it. I hate when my face feels tight once I cleanse, and that never happens with the CR balm.

You can use (TERILYN20) for 20% off your Colleen Rothschild order. I shared more details about this balm in this in-depth review of the Radiant Cleansing Balm and have a review of more Colleen Rothschild products here.

Other cleansing balms I tried in 2023:

• Beautycounter’s Lotus Cleansing Balm
• Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
• JUNO & Co. Clean 10 Cleansing Balm

Best Cream Cleanser: Alpyn Juneberry & Collagen Hydrating Cream Cleanser

I really like my cleansing balm, but prefer to use a cream cleanser in the mornings for simplicity’s sake since I’m not removing makeup. I discovered the Alpyn Beauty Cream Cleanser when they sent me a few products in a PR package and shockingly LOVED it. My face feels so clean and fresh after I use it, thanks to the refreshing eucalyptus. It doesn’t strip my skin or make it feel tight, but I do feel like it’s a more clarifying cleanser than my CR balm since it has jojaba beads.

Every cream cleanser I tried in 2023:

• IMAGE the MAX facial cleanser – I really liked this but the packaging wasn’t my favorite. It was a bit hard to get product out.
• Beautycounter Countermatch Cleanser
• Beautycounter Counsterstart Cleanser – I also love this one and it almost won but the eucalyptus in the Alpyn one pushed it to the top spot.
• Tula Purifying Cream Cleanser
• Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cleansing Foam

Best Toner/Essence: Beautycounter Countertime Mineral Boost Hydrating Essence

I only tried a few toners this year, and my trusty favorite, the Beautycounter Countertime Mineral Boost Hydrating Essence, still holds the #1 place in my lineup. The “Prep Step” (i.e. a toner or essence) is probably the most skipped step in most people’s skincare routine, but it’s one I NEVER skip. The right toner or essence is hydrating and preps the skin for your serums. Serums are pricey so you want to make sure you’re getting the most out of them, and the Prep step helps with that since it improves absorption.

I included facial mists in this list as well since they are a type of toner.

Other Toners/Essences I tried:

• True Botanicals Microbiome Enzyme Essence – I like this almost as much as the BC one but given the price difference, I’d recommend the BC one.
• Dime Beauty Co Thirsty Face Mist – I like this for an afternoon refresh.
• Primally Pure Plumping Face Mist

Best Hyaluronic Acid Serum: Colleen Rothschild Hyaluronic Acid Serum

I tried a handful of Hyaluronic Acid Serums this year and felt like only one actually helped hydrate and plump my skin: the Colleen Rothschild Hyaluronic Serum. HA helps draw moisture to skin so it’s a must if you struggle with dry skin and works best when used under a moisturizer.

Other HA serums I tried:

• Beautycounter Countermatch Intense Moisture Serum
• DIME Hyaluronic Acid Serum
• COSMEDIX Surge Hyaluronic Acid Booster

Best Vitamin C Serum: Beautycounter All Bright C Serum

Nothing I’ve tried measures up to Beautycounter’s All Bright C Serum. It’s the most effective Vitamin C serum I’ve tried, and I like the way it feels best too. Some Vitamin C serums feel like they dry tightly on my face, but not Beautycounter’s. I also love that theirs uses two different forms of stable Vitamin C, so it’s effective and also lasts a long time (l-ascorbic acid looses it’s potency and effectiveness if it’s not super stable).

Most high-end vitamin C products use 15% L-Ascorbic Acid, which isn’t super stable. Beautycounter’s uses 5% bis-glyceryl ascorbate and 5% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate which are more stable and effective at lower concentrations (which also means less potential for irritation).

Other Vitamin C Serums I tried:

• IMAGE VITAL C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum
• Colleen Rothschild Vitamin C Brightening Serum

Best Anti-Aging Serum: Colleen Rothschild Age Renewal Super Serum

There are a million great anti-aging serums on the market, and the majority of them have ingredients that target one or two signs of aging. The reason I love the Age Renewal Super Serum from Colleen Rothschild is because it was designed to tackle ALL the signs of aging at once: texture, dehydration, elasticity, fine lines, radiance, and tone. It has 20 potent ingredients that make it super concentrated. It’s definitely the best bang I got for my buck in terms of an anti-aging serum.

Other anti-aging serums I tried:

• True Botanical Chebula Active Serum
• Primally Pure Fancy Face Serum
• Beautycounter Radiance Serum

Best Retinol or Retinol-Alternative: Beautycounter Overnight Resurfacing Peel

I have never liked prescription-grade retinol. My skin does not react well to it, and I obviously can’t use it while pregnant. I prefer a more gentle retinol that doesn’t require a prescription or a retinol-alternative. Beautycounter’s cult favorite Overnight Resurfacing Peel is still one of my favorite products after using it for years. It’s a safer alternative to retinol, but I swear it is more effective than anything I’ve tried. It increases skin cell turnover to slough off dead skin, reduces discoloration, and smoothes skin’s texture. I love that it has a slight tingle sensation when I apply it too!

You can read my full review of the Overnight Resurfacing Peel here.

Other retinol/retinol alternatives I tried:

• Colleen Rothschild Retinol Supreme Night Oil – I only used this until I got pregnant, and then switched to Beautycounter. I really liked it as well!
• Dime Super Firm Serum
• Fleur & Bee A Game Retinol Serum

Best Daytime Moisturizer: Alpyn Beauty Super Peptide & Ghostberry Moisturizer

I tried seven daytime moisturizers this year, expecting to love my Beautycounter Soft Cream most, as I have for years. However, I was blown away by the Alpyn Beauty Super Peptide & Ghostberry Moisturizer (Alpyn Beauty’s products surprised me many times this year). I have VERY dry skin, so even my daytime moisturizer needs to have some really potent ingredients, and I think I liked this best because it’s technically a repair cream that someone might use at night but it’s not heavy.

Other daytime moisturizers I tried:

• Beautycounter Countertime Antioxidant Soft Cream
• Beautycounter Mighty Plump Ceramide Water Cream – I loved this during the hot, humid summer.
• Colleen Rothschild Sheer Renewal Cream
• OSEA Advanced Protection Cream – I liked this almost as much as the Alpyn one but it’s pricier.
• Alpyn Beauty Triple Vitamin C Brightening Bounce Cream
• Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturizer– the smell of this was far too strong for me.

Best Night Cream: Beautycounter Countertime Tetrapeptide Supreme Cream

I’ve been using the Countertime Tetrapeptide Supreme Cream from Beautycounter since it launched about 5 years ago, and I have yet to find anything I like better. It’s the thickest, most hydrating, protective night cream I’ve ever tried but it’s not greasy. It contains anti-aging ingredients in it, so I also love that.

Other night creams I tried:

1. Colleen Rothschild Extreme Recovery Cream
2. DIME TBT Cream
3. Alpyn Beauty Super Peptide & Ghostberry Moisturizer

Best Eye Cream: Beautycounter Countertime Ultra Renewal Eye Cream

Like the Beautycounter Supreme Cream, the Ultra Renewal Eye Cream from Beautycounter has been a long-standing favorite of mine. It’s hydrating, soothing, and does not make my eyes water or sting in the slightest. And since it contains anti-aging ingredients, it has more benefits than just hydration (my crows feet have lessened).

I also have to note my honorable mention winner, Colleen Rothschild Illuminating Tinted Eye Cream. Since I use this as concealer + eye cream when I’m not wearing makeup (or I wear underneath eye cream), I don’t feel like it totally fits in this section, but I do think it’s worth every single penny. It’s one of the only products that makes me look awake if I’ve had a rough night of sleep.

Other night creams I tried:

• Colleen Rothschild Retinol Supreme Eye Serum
• Colleen Rothschild Complete Eye Cream
• Alpyn Beauty Line-Filling Eye Balm with Bakuchiol and Caffeine
• Kiehls Super Multi-Corrective Anti-Aging Eye Cream

Best Face Oil: Colleen Rothschild Face Oil N°9

If you’ve never used a face oil, you’re missing out. It’s my favorite addition to my skincare routine when my skin needs a little more hydration and protection. I rarely use an oil in the AM, but use them every night under my night cream for a boost of hydration. The Colleen Rothschild Face Oil N°9 is the best EVER. It feels like a blend of bamboo, silk, and velvet on your skin. And the smell is crazy luxurious – like a 5 star hotel spa.

Other face oils I tried:

• Beautycounter All Bright Brightening Facial Oil – I really like this as well but it has a heavier feel.
• True Botanical Renew Pure Radiance Oil
• Annmarie Anti-Aging Facial Oil

Best Sunscreen: Beautycounter Countersun Daily Sheer Defense For Face – SPF 25

I tried a lot of sunscreen this past summer, always hunting for the best mineral-based SPF that doesn’t dry my skin out and still looks good under makeup. My favorite was the Beautycounter Countersun Daily Sheer Defense For Face – SPF 25. I appreciate that it’s super sheer (even though it uses zinc oxide), goes on smoothly without having to rub it in for a long time, and it looks great under makeup.

Other sunscreens I tried:

• Dime Wonderscreen® SPF 30
• Colleen Rothschild Triple Defense Sunscreen Broad-Spectrum SPF 40
• EltaMD UV Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40
• Annmarie Sun Love Everyday Sheer Sunscreen
• Supergoop Glowscreen – I really love this, but the ingredients aren’t quite as clean as the ones above, so I only use it on occasion when I want a little more glow.

Best Tinted Moisturizer: ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Skincare Foundation

My favorite tinted base from this year is the Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Skincare Foundation from ILIA. The coverage is light (but buildable to somewhat medium coverage), the have a TON of shades so finding a match was simple, and it has SPF in it (bonus). The only qualm I have is that it smells bad when you first apply it (like dog food?). Thankfully that smells dissipates in about 2 minutes and it looks so good that it’s worth it to me.

Other tinted foundations I tried:

• Beautycounter Dew Skin – I loved this for years but found it was too drying in the last couple of years as I’ve aged.
• Dime Beauty Tinted Glow Wonderscreen® SPF 30
• EltaMD UV Daily Tinted Sunscreen

Best Foundation: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Glow Tint

I alternate foundations pretty often, depending on my mood. So picking just one as my favorite feels a little unfair. It just depends!! But for the sake of this post, the foundation I wore most often was the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Glow Tint. It’s a medium, dewy/radiant coverage and it lasts all day, which most dewy foundations don’t. I wear shade 24N. (This post has a round-up of all my favorite lightweight foundations.)

Other foundations I tried:

1. Beautycounter Skin Twin Featherweight Foundation
2. ILIA True Skin Medium Coverage Serum Foundation with Niacinamide
3. Tarte Face Tape Foundation
4. Chantecaille Future Skin Gel Foundation – this is a close second for the winning foundation but I don’t like that it comes in a tub.

Best Concealer: Tarte Shape Tape Radiant

I’ve tried a ton of concealers this past year and my favorite for all occasions is the Tarte Shape Tape Radiant Concealer. It has a medium to full coverage that’s buildable, and it leaves the perfect radiance without making your under-eyes look too dewy.

Other concealers I tried:

• Tarte Shape Tape Ultra Creamy – I like this when my skin is ultra dry since it’s super hydrating
• Tarte Shape Tape Original
• ILIA True Skin Serum Concealer
• Beautycounter Skin Twin Creamy Concealer

Best Blush: Tarte Precious Gems Amazonian Clay Cheek Palette

I LOVE blush and like my foundation, switch it up all the time. If I was on a desert island, I’d take the Tarte Precious Gems Amazonian Clay Cheek Palette because it has a ton of shades, applies easily, looks natural, and has a bit of a radiant finish.

Other blush I tried:

• Tarte Maracuja Juicy Blush
• ILIA Multi-Stick Cream Blush
• Beautycounter Cheeky Clean Blush
• Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick

Best Bronzer: ILIA NightLite Bronzing Powder

The bad news is that my favorite bronzer, the NightLite Bronzing Powder from ILIA seems to be discontinued. You can still find it a few places, but I am going to have to start my hunt for a new favorite this year once I can’t get my shade!

Other bronzers I tried:

• Tarte Scupt Tape Cream Bronzer
• Chantecaille Real Bronze
• Tarte Clay Play To Go Matte Bronzer

Best Mascara: Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara

I am SO picky with mascara. I want length, volume, and it can’t smudge. And the problem is, most mascaras (the oil-soluble ones, anyway), smudge. So I have to stick to water-based (also called tubing mascara since it comes off in tubes with water) and that doesn’t leave a ton of options. Thankfully, I discovered Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara a few years ago and it’s the best I’ve found so far. Would I prefer a little more length or volume? Sure. But I am really happy with this find, and with a little eyelash primer, it looks great. I always layer it over a primer, either the Dime Lash Primer or Tarte Primer for extra volume.

Other mascaras I tried:

• Beautycounter Think Big All-In-One Mascara – this looks great but it smudges on me
• Colleen Rothschild Panoramic Mascara
• GrandeMASCARA Conditioning Peptide Mascara

Best Brow Gel/Pencil: Glo Skin Precise Micro Browliner

I got the best brow pencil at the same place I go to get my brows done, and gosh it’s good. It’s called the Glo Skin Precise Micro Browliner. You can buy it online at Amazon or if you’re local to Winston-Salem, you can get it at The Parlor.

I also love the brow gels I’ve listed below. I don’t have a clear winner for those, but use them for different purposes!

• ILIA In Frame Brow Gel – this is the most natural and great if I’m in a hurry or if you’re new to using a brow gel
• Tarte Busy Gal BROWS Tinted Brow Gel – I like the small brush on this for more precision and it deposits more pigment than the Ilia one.
• Chantecaille Waterproof Brow Definer – This is a good one for filling in if you find the Glo Skin pencil too hard to use since you do need a lighter hand with that one. The Chantecaille one is more forgiving.
• Beautycounter Brow Gel – I love how this looks but it does dry out relatively quickly. But, it’s kind of like the ILIA and Tarte brow gels combined – easy to apply and more pigment deposited.

Best Self Tanner: Coco & Eve or N°36 Supernatural Tanning Mousse

I couldn’t pick my favorite self tanner between the N°36 Supernatural Tanning Mousse and Coco & Eve! And funny enough, I didn’t even like self tanning until this past year. I found that when I used a mit to apply it, it was super even and those two products didn’t have the nasty smell I always hated.

Other self-tanners I tried:

• Beauty By Earth
• St. Tropez
• +Lux Unfiltered N°12 Bronzing Self Tanning Drops – these are the only ones I used but I like them!

Best Stand Alone Products

These are my favorite products from this year that didn’t fall into a specific category because I didn’t try enough of each type but they still deserve a shoutout.

1. Beautycounter Countertime Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil
2. Colleen Rothschild Glycolic Acid Peel Pads with Blue Agave
3. Image CLEAR CELL Salicylic Clarifying Pads
4. Beautycounter Reflect Effect Bamboobuff Exfoliating Polish
5. Colleen Rothschild Dual Enzyme Polish – I love love love this! The texture is great and it’s amazing how good my skin looks afterwards.
6. Beautycounter Reflect Effect AHA Smoothing Facial Mask

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I’ve been really blessed to not experience many issues with my skin during pregnancy, either time. I was worried about the common issue with hormonal acne since I used to have HORRIBLE acne in my mid to late 20s, but the worst I’ve had is an occasional breakout and some dryness. This pregnancy is slightly different from my first because the the weather is drier and colder than it was when I was pregnant with Thomas, so my skin is drier this go round, but still, nothing serious. And I give a LOT of credit to having a good skincare routine in place long before I got pregnant.

Because I’m quite the skincare junkie, and because I’ve talked about my pregnancy a lot on Instagram, I’ve been asked a lot if I changed my skincare routine. I’ve also been asked if I stopped using any products while pregnant, but I’ve kept everything exactly the same except for one or two serums. Since the majority of my skincare is Beautycounter, I know they’ve done rigorous research and testing of ingredients to ensure their products are safe. And they specifically evaluate how they impact vulnerable populations like pregnant or nursing moms.

Skincare during Pregnancy

When I got pregnant with Thomas 4 years ago, my doctor sent me home with a handout of products and ingredients to stop using. I was thankful I didn’t worry about anything I used! (When I got pregnant with baby #2, I knew there were only a few products I’d need to stop using, including a great retinol oil from Colleen Rothschild).

But, I know getting pregnant and getting that handout is how a lot of women first start to learn about some of the potential negative side effects of products they are using. And doing that research may have led you here. So, I hope this post is helpful so you have more information about what to look for in your skincare products and what you may want to ask your doctor. (If you’re looking for safe beauty products, you can see my makeup routine here.)

Is Beautycounter Pregnancy Safe?

Yes. Every single Beautycounter product is screened for 23 health and environmental endpoints, including reproductive toxicity. Not only that, but Beautycounter is famous for their Never List, which is comprised of 2,800 ingredients questionable or harmful chemicals that they never use as ingredients in their products.

This includes the nearly 1,700 chemicals banned or restricted in personal care products by the European Union, plus additional chemicals screened by Beautycounter and found to be of concern. are not allowed in their products. It says a lot of that there are more than 1,000 other ingredients Beautycounter won’t use, considering the EU is pretty stringent. Beautycounter is one of the best clean beauty brands on the market because they are rigorous with testing but the performance is still SO good.

Here’s what Beautycounter has to say:

At Beautycounter, we craft all of our products with safety in mind, especially for those who might be extra vulnerable – like pregnant women and babies. We carefully screen and assess each of our ingredients for 23 distinct, safety endpoints, including reproductive toxicity. That said, as pregnancy affects everyone differently, check with your doctor before beginning the use of any products if pregnant, nursing, or planning to become pregnant.

If you want to do a deep dive on ingredients and their safety during pregnancy, this blog post from To Make a Mommy is very helpful.

The moral of the story is that every pregnancy is different, every doctor is different and every woman’s comfort level with various things in pregnancy is different. And that’s true for everything, not just skincare.

For example, Beautycounter’s Overnight Resurfacing Peel contains glycolic acid and this Beautycounter SOS Spot Treatment contains 2% salicylic acid. I’m comfortable using both of those since I know the rigorous testing that Beautycounter does on the safety of their products, with special consideration for the concentration of ingredients for those who are pregnant.

But, you may not be comfortable using those. And I’m sure there are things you use that I wouldn’t. So again, you have to do what’s right for you! Educate yourself and go with your gut.

Skincare Product Ingredients to Avoid During Pregnancy

The hard thing about pregnancy and data is that it’s hard to do really thorough studies because it’d be an ethical issue to subject certain women to potentially harmful ingredients. That applies to skincare, diet, drinks, everything. For example, some doctors will say a sip of alcohol here and there is fine and others say absolutely don’t touch a drop.

The same applies to skincare and specific ingredients. Some doctors will say certain ingredients are fine, while others take a more conservative approach. However, Beautycounter’s standards INCREDIBLY high, so there’s no guesswork involved. You can feel good about every single product they carry– from body butter to blush and even mascara.

Remember, every pregnancy is different. There may be additional products or ingredients that your doctor tells you to avoid so if you have questions, check with your OBGYN.

Below are ingredients that are typically recommended to be avoided while pregnant, and I’m going to share which Beautycounter products I use instead.

Retin-A, Retinol, and Retinyl Palmitate

All of these are vitamin A derivatives and may lead to birth defects. Most doctors will tell you to stop using those because of the harmful side effects. I used retinol for years before switching to the Overnight Resurfacing Peel came out. It’s a safer alternative to a retinol product with similar results, and it drastically improved my skin texture.

Accutane and Tazorac

Accutane and Tazorac can both cause major birth defects if used while pregnant. Generally doctors will require a pregnancy test before they prescribe Accutane and will often require you to take them throughout your course of Accutane. I believe they do the same for Tazorac too. (I’ve never personally used either.)

Hydroquinone

Hydroquinone is an ingredient used to brighten skin. It’s often used to address melasma or skin spots. While some say it doesn’t have negative impacts, it is known to have a higher absorption rate than other types of ingredients. That means it could eventually make its way into your blood stream and affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about the risk and benefit for your situation. However, Beautycounter’s All Bright C serum is safe for use during pregnancy. My post about the Beautycounter Vitamin C serum goes into detail on its ingredients and benefits.

Chemical Sunscreens

Most conventional sunscreens use a chemical based sun protection like oxybenzone or avobenzone. These may cause hormone disruption and/or interfere with your baby’s nervous system development. (They also damage coral reef and are banned in Hawaii.)

I switched to non-nano zinc oxide mineral sunscreen years ago and haven’t looked back. This post has lots of non-toxic sunscreen options I like. (Beautycounter’s sunscreen even made the cut in a Women’s Health article about safe sunscreens.)

Laser Treatments 

There are LOTS of opinions on this without a clear answer. Definitely talk to your doctor about your situation.

Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acids

Acne during pregnancy is common. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the most common treatments for acne. But, those ingredients are controversial when used during pregnancy.

If you do use salicylic acid, most doctors will recommend that you use products no stronger than 2%. (All of Beautycounter’s acne products contain 2% or less.) When applied topically, Benzoyl Peroxide is believed to be safe during pregnancy, but some people still have concerns. So check with your doctor regarding your situation on both ingredients.

If you’re struggling with breakouts, be sure to read this post with more tips for clear skin.

Glycolic Acid

This is yet another ingredient that’s highly debated. While it’s only supposed to penetrate to the top layer of skin (i.e. doesn’t absorb into your bloodstream or make it to your baby), some medical professionals advise to stay away out of an abundance of caution.

Note that this is different from hyaluronic acid, which is safe for pregnancy.

My Favorite Pregnancy Skincare Products

Here’s what I currently use.

Morning skincare routine

Cleanser

Countertime Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil or Countermatch Foaming Face Wash – I like having a non-glass option to keep in the shower, which is why I sometimes use the Countermatch lotion. Both are hydrating options that don’t leave a heavy film on my face.

Tone/Prep

Mineral Boost Hydrating Essence – this helps balance my skin after cleansing so it’s not too try and helps the products that follow absorb better

Treat

All Bright C Serum – this brightens skin and helps prevent and address melasma, which is common in pregnancy. (Read my review of this Vitamin C Serum here.)

Tripeptide Radiance Serum – this helps tighten and firm skin and improve hydration.

Hydrate

Antioxidant Soft Cream – this day time moisturizer helps prevent fine lines and also provides ample hydration without causing makeup to pill.

Ultra Renewal Eye Cream – the ONLY eye cream I’ve ever liked. Amazing for dark circles, puffiness and fine lines.

Protect

Daily Sheer Defense SPF

Evening Skincare Routine

Cleanser

Countertime Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil or Colleen Rothschild Cleansing Balm – I LOVE the cleansing balm but it’s too heavy for daytime for me. So I often use this at night, alternating with the Cleansing Oil. Both are very hydrating! (This post explains why I prefer the Colleen Rothschild Cleansing Balm over the Beautycounter Cleansing Balm.)

Tone/Prep

Mineral Boost Hydrating Essence – same prep step as my morning routine

Treat

Tripeptide Radiance Serum – same prep step as my morning routine

Overnight Resurfacing Peel – I use this 2-3 times a week in place of the Tripeptide Serum to help with skin spots, large pores and fine lines. (Read my review of the Overnight Resurfacing Peel here.)

SOS spot treatment & Charcoal Mask (as needed) – I get occasional breakouts around my nose and use these to dry them up.

Hydrate

Countertime Tetrapeptide Supreme Night Cream – I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT THIS. It’s amazing for dry skin! It’s incredibly thick, but absorbs quickly without a greasy finish. A little goes a long way too, so it lasts forever.

No. 9 Oil – On the nights that I’m not using the peel, I use and love this hydrating oil. It’s silky and not greasy. Beautycounter’s Brightening Oil is another great option but I do find it’s a bit heavier than the Colleen Rothschild one.

I hope this helps you figure out a solid pregnancy skincare routine. As with everything I share on my blog about pregnancy, I’m sharing my personal experience. Talk to your doctor, be your own advocate and go with your gut on any decisions you make throughout your pregnancy.

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