Several years ago I started eating paleo the majority of the time and I loved the positive effects it had on my body. My skin cleared up, I lost weight, my thyroid issues seemed to improve, and I felt great! I started following a lot of bloggers in the paleo community and realized that taking care of my body was not just something to do through food. Being clean is a lifestyle and what you put on your skin is just as important as what you put in your stomach. So I started testing out different clean make-ups and deodorants. The deodorants were easy, I immediately fell in love with the different brands and varieties available. But skincare and makeup was much harder.

My Old Beauty Regimen

For skincare I was used to using Proactiv, a treatment system so strong that it bleached my pillows and towels. It kept my skin clean, but it also burned my face and dried out my skin terribly. So I started trying to find cleaner products. But what did cleaner mean…organic? “all-natural?” just coconut oil? I was confused and every where I looked, I got different information. I tried oil cleansing, which I know some people rave about, but it just made my skin breakout. I tried different brands, but nothing seemed to wow me. So I switched from cleanser to cleanser, never really committing to anything. But as soon as I got pregnant, I became even more aware of what I was putting on my skin because it was no longer just me, now I was nourishing a new life.

My New Beauty Regimen

I did some research and found about some companies that really cared about the ingredients that they used. I started using this brand called Primally Pure and absolutely loved their products! They have hands down THE best charcoal natural deodorant. Here are my top few products of there’s that I still use consistently:

Charcoal deodorant

Everything spray, but I use it as my toner

Jasmine body oil-perfect for pregnant or postapartum moms

My Introduction to Beautycounter

I noticed that many of these paleo bloggers I followed were also using this brand called Beautycounter. It looked like all of the typical skincare I was used to seeing at Ulta and Sephora, but it didn’t have many of the potentially harmful ingredients that other brands have. It worked well for me and I loved the quality of the products! Then I learned that Beautycounter is also all about advocacy. Advocacy for more regulation with beauty products. Do you know that the EU has 1,400 banned ingredients from their beauty products and the U.S. only has 30! 30!!! So, part of the mission of Beautycounter is lobbying congress (literally as you read this post we are meeting with Senators across the country) to put in place more regulations for beauty products. This is what really makes this company stand out to me. If you knew me in high school, I started my journey with advocacy then. In high school, I worked with a local Assembly Member to create curriculum to educate teenagers about dating and domestic violence. A few years later, California made into a law to include domestic violence in high school curriculum. Here’s a little blast from the past:

So you see, when I believe in a worthy cause, I get passionate about it and I love to share my passion with those willing to listen. That is why I’ve decided to join Beautycounter and introduce as many people as possible to these safer, high quality products. I also can’t wait to get the advocacy piece of my work going. Stay tuned for updates on this!

My personal favorite Beautycounter products so far:

Dew skin tinted moisturizer – I actually have started using this instead of foundation, it’s got great coverage and evens out my skin more than other tinted moisturizes

Sheer Lipstick in Twig -The perfect everyday color; not too much and it tastes like Vanilla! Goes on like a tinted chapstick.

Countermatch eye cream – This cream is a lifesaver, especially since being a sleep-deprived new Mother. BONUS: If you purchase any Clean swap product, which includes this cream, the lip sheer, the shampoo, masks, body lotion, or mascara you will get a deluxe sample free (Good until 3/14)

Nourishing rosewater mist – I love this to start my day off and I use it throughout the day over my makeup when I need a refresher

Charcoal mask – I feel like this one speaks for itself. Charcoal masks are amazing, and this one is be my favorite (and I’ve tried a lot of different masks over the years). My face feels so smooth and clean after using it

Since I am so excited to share my passion for safer beauty, and it’s Beautycounter’s 5th birthday I want to offer a special promotion for the next two weeks (Until 3/21). Anyone who orders $50 or more of products will get three free samples from me of the charcoal mask, the body lotion, and the body scrub. AND I’ll enter you in a raffle to win one of the Beautycounter Red Color Intense Lipsticks (Pictured below). That’s on top of the deluxe sample you’ll receive if you purchase one of the Cleansweep products by 3/14. To get any of these products for yourself, visit my personal page HERE