Skin Care with Beauty Counter: What I Can't Live Without

I was so excited when you friend Jana approached me about testing out a few Beauty Counter products and give an honest review of them.  I've been tempted to jump into the brand because they are super consciousness about the ingredients they use in their products, their mission being to educate and move people towards clean beauty products without giving up the quality.  Another reason that I was tempted to purchase was that I truly do want to support women in business but I was unsure of where to start.   I am not going to lie, their products are much more than I normally spend on skin care so I was really hesitant to just randomly buy.  That's where Jana came in and offered some products to test  based on my top skin concerns, acne, age fighting, and uneven skin tone/scarring.  She gave me a couple different samples to try and I am here to tell you that I love them all!!!!  You guys, I urge you to speak to Jana about your exact concerns and she will guide you towards the right products so that whatever you buy it's going to make a difference for your needs!

Okay, here are some of the products I test drove and what my thoughts are on them.  I am going to slowly switch out my current products but there was one that I just couldn't imagine waking up without!

You can reach out to Jana's Beauty Counter business here or on IG.

Charcoal Mask

I was already doing a mask once a week but I honestly didn't know how to select the right product for my skin, I  just tried random ones here and there.  Well I learned that this charcoal mask is designed to deep clean my pores, avoid congestion and keep my skin free of acne.  And since using it once a week over the past 3 weeks, I've only have one stubborn zit surface!!!!  When it did, Jana told me just to use it as a spot treatment and the next morning the swelling was GONE!!!!  I couldn't believe it.  Yes it seems pricey at  $65 but you'll get at least 20+ treatments which ends up costing you approximately $3/use, and I am actually almost certain you'll get more treatments than that based on how many times I used my sample pack.  This is definitely going to be ordered as soon as I use my other masks up.  

Overnight Resurfacing Peel

I CAN'T live without this product.  Seriously my skin feels amazing in the morning.  I've been using it every second evening, after I cleans and tone, and before my  moisturizer.  I go to bed and in the morning my skin feel sooooooo smooth, plump, glowing and amazingly healthy.  I didn't even know my skin could feel like that honestly.  I have nothing left in my little sample bottle and I am devastated that I am going to have to wait until in arrives to feel my skin like this again.  I also absolutely love the light orange fragrance in this product.  It's so soothing and gentle on my skin. This is going to be my first Beauty Counter purchase.

All Bright C Serum

I didn't get this item to test drive but I had heard so many good things about it, that when a friend approached me to buy her 1/ 4 of her bottle, she was getting a brand new one, I decided to give it a try.  I use it each morning after washing my face but before moisturizing.  It's claim to fame is that "brightens skin and helps reduce the appearance of existing dark spots", both is something I need and deserve in my life.  Although it doesn't have the greatest smell I did notice that a few darker spots did become lighter on my neck within the first week.  I really want to test drive it for the full 8 weeks as their clinically trials said that "94% said it reduced the appearance of dark spots" which is a huge concern for me, so this might be a need pretty quick.

Lipstick and Lip Gloss
I also tried both the lipstick and lip gloss on and although I rarely wear either these days since it's just covered by a mask, I couldn't believe how well their lipstick stayed put and didn't smudge or fade for hours!  Also, I think I am going to up my lip gloss game for the summer months while I am at the lake. Since I'll be spending a lot more time outside, I think lip gloss is the way to go.  Quick reapplication and just some shimmer and shine!

Final though is that I am really hooked on their products which is a little scary because I can't have it all at once, but here is what my game plan is.  I am going to invest in the products that I mentioned, one at a time when what I already have runs out.    They last a LONG time so it's really a good investment and I love the idea that I am getting quality and CLEAN products, while supporting a local, small, women based business.  What are your go- to products?  Are you making your way to more clean and sustainable products?  Give me your honest thoughts.

Tie-Dye at Home

The tie-dye trend is still going pretty strong, as is lounge wear.  We are still sticking around home for a little bit longer, fingers crossed we are nearing the end with the 60+ people finally getting vaccinated!!!!  What we did learn in the pandemic year is that comfort wear is the way to go and adding a little pop of color to your lounge wear is  super easy to do at home and a great project with kids!!!

For Anya's birthday we grabbed a couple of t-shirt from Walmart for $8/piece.  They wanted them loose fitting so we went with adult sizes.  It was such a fun and easy project to do and as I watched the girls doing it, I thought to myself, I have a white tee that I've had for ages and there is leftover paint so why not give it a try. WELL I  LOVE IT!!!  It's so bright and fun.  I wear it all the time around the house and I definitely think it'll look cute with some jean shorts this summer.   Although I like the bright colors in mine, I used what was left over, I really enjoy the more subtle blues and greens that the girls went with. 

 

Here is what you need to know before starting a project like this!  

1.  Wash and dry the t-shirts ahead of time.

2.  You need a large pieces of plastic for kids to work on and not make a giant mess.  You could also cut up a large plastic bag for each child to work on.

3.  This kit has everything you need in it.  Gloves, elastics, enough paints for two projects.

4. T-Shirts.  I went with Walmart, but Michaels also has them.  My t-shirt is better quality and a nice fit.  It's one I bought ages ago at Banana Republic.

5.  Zip-lock bags to store them into afterwards to allow die to set.

6.  Rinse and dry the next day!  

Here is a really simple step by step blog post that you can refer to, or just follow the instructions in the package!  

Since we still have another set of refill packets, I am thinking we might make some tie-dye t-shirt for our nieces and nephews for Easter.  

Have you made tye-die at home before?

Transitioning into Spring with a Sweater Dress

For many people spring is literally around the corner, but the white fluffy stuff hangs on a bit longer here in Saskatchewan, but the temperatures do tend to let up and nicer weather outweighs the cold snaps for the most part.  But like the the rest of the world, I yearn for spring like pieces and a wardrobe change, while also remembering that "baby it's STILL cold outside".  That's why I love a good sweater dress, especially in a lighter color such as beige, white or gray.  It's warm and cozy, but the lighter color says brighter days are  ahead!

                           
                           

In order to add a little contrast  to a fairly plain dress, I added the cutest headband, sparkly stud earrings, and layering necklaces.  My OTK boots are getting pretty worn out but I've decided that I am not going to replace them this year, but rather wait for next fall to see what the trends are.  I am finding it's slim pickings in the stores and even online for boot options this year, so I'll just hold on to my $$ and maybe invest in a few other spring transition pieces like white booties that I've had my eye on.

As warmer temperatures increase and the sun shines brightly, we can trade in our parka coats for a lighter coat, as I did above, or if it's really nice you can shed the top layer and just wear the cozy knit on it's own.  If you are lucky enough to live in a climate where the snow is melting away and the temperatures are well above zero, not here for a couple more months, I absolutely love the idea of pairing the sweater dress either with some booties and bare legs, or with little sneaks!  Both of these are darling and I hope to wear them out in the near future, but until then I am keeping my leggings on for an extra layer of warmth.  

Insiration #1 from Julia's blog.

Inspiration #2 from Pinterest.

What are your favorite pieces to style and transition from winter to spring?

Shop This Look:

Sweater Dress:  Marshalls; similar Vero Moda ;  similar

 Aritzia Wool Coat (old); Aritzia (similar)

Jewelry:  Hillberg & Berk

Headband (FabFitFun):  Simons (similar)