Complete Guide to Amazing Skin
The reality is that most people don’t what’s in the products we’re putting on our skin every day. Many of these products contain harmful ingredients linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and reproductive issues. Thankfully, companies like Beautycounter make it easier for us to take care of the only face we have, without having to compromise our health and safety. You can read more about Beautycounter’s commitment to safety, advocacy efforts, and the impact of harmful chemicals on our health.
Around the age of 25, cellular turnover and collagen production slow down (ughhh), beginning the aging process. An skincare routine that’s tailored to your unique skin will properly cleanse, balance, hydrate, treat and protect.
Our skin has a delicate pH that relies on oils and acids to be in harmony. Our toxic environments and harsh skincare products can create imbalances leading to breakouts, early aging, large pores, dryness, oily skin, redness, loss of elasticity, and more.
If you're like me and looking for the least toxic ways to preserve your skin as you age, keep reading! I won't be resorting to Botox, fillers, or retinols as those contain highly toxic ingredients linked to long-term health complications that are especially unsafe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
However, if I'm going to spend premium prices, I expect serious results. I research heavily before making any purchase and am quick to return if I'm not completely satisfied.
After testing over a hundred different skincare products over the last seven years of my clean-living journey (I wish that was an exaggeration 🤪), I’ve seen the most results from Beautycounter, which is why I finally (yes, it took me over 4 years ) joined as an affiliate. Since then I dove deep into learning everything I could about each product and the science behind our most concerning skin problems.
Here's what I've learned:
A true skincare regimen (from any brand) includes four steps, all designed to deliver different results, but work in harmony. If your budget doesn’t allow for all for steps, start with a quality cleanser and moisturizer to heal your skin’s precious moisture barrier. Then add an eye cream since the skin around our eyes is delicate and ages the fastest. Finally, invest in a serum or weekly treatment which will deliver the most transformation!
STEP 1: CLEANSE
Cleansing preps the skin for the rest of your skincare routine by removing excess makeup and oil. Most cleansers on the market contain harsh ingredients that strip skin of natural oils + hydration. The trick is to find the right cleanser that balances oil production so that skin is not too oily and not too dry.
If you have dry or normal skin, I recommend the Countertime Lipid Cleansing Oil, which does not strip away essential lipids, like other harsh cleansers. I use this daily and it keeps my skin feeling clean and nourished right from the start, without a greasy residue (unlike some other oil cleansers I’ve tried).
If you have oily, blemish-prone skin, try the Charcoal Cleansing Bar OR the Countercontrol Clear Pore Cleanser. Both of these cleansers will combat oily, blemish-prone skin, decrease pore size and blackheads, and prevent breakouts.
If you have normal, combination, or sensitive skin, you would benefit from the Counterstart Cleanser (particularly good for sensitive skin), Countermatch Foaming Cleanser (great for combo), or the Countertime Lipid Cleansing Oil (seriously my favorite cleanser, ever).
Still not sure? No worries! Beautycounter offers a free 60 day return policy so you can shop without any stress!
STEP 2: PREP
This is a step I used to skip because it seemed unnecessary or high maintenance, but I’ve learned it’s important to achieve the most effectiveness from my products. Serums (the next step) are 10x more effective when applied to prepped skin.
Toners reduce the appearance of pores, remove any residual impurities, deliver nutrients, and help balance the skin's pH (as long as they're gentle!), which makes it less likely your skin will experience redness, dryness, or breakouts.
I’ve been using the Countertime Essence, which works like a toner but delivers more nutrients to the skin’s moisture barrier—instantly boosting hydration and radiance. This is appropriate for any skin type. Bonus, it has the second highest concentration of Beautycounter’s retinatural complex to help age-reversal.
Try Countertime Essence or Countermatch Hydra-Gel Radiance Toner
If you have truly oily skin, the Countercontrol Instant Matte Toner is a great option, but it can been drying for others.
On a budget? Splash or mist water on your face so it is slightly damp before applying a serum.
STEP 3: TREAT
Most of us have additional skincare concerns that need EXTRA targeting. Serums are the most “potent” and transformative so if you have sensitive skin, ease into this step.
DAILY
All Bright C Serum - Sunshine in a bottle! This ultra-potent 10% blend of two forms of vitamin C instantly brightens skin and helps reduce the appearance of existing dark spots, while antioxidant-rich turmeric and camu camu extracts help protect against new ones. The formula also helps defend skin from the damaging effects of environmental stressors—revealing a more youthful-looking complexion. 100% of consumers in a study said skin looked brighter!
Countertime Radiance Serum - This transformative rejuvenating treatment visibly increases skin firmness and elasticity, while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Formulated with a powerful blend of peptides, amino acids, and our plant-derived Retinatural Complex, it helps enhance the skin’s moisture barrier function to optimize hydration for a radiant complexion. 97% of participants in a study said the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles was reduced and smoother.
WEEKLY
My all-time favorite Beautycounter product is the AHA Reflect Effect Mask, which is a 10 minute supercharged exfoliating mask to deliver instant results to smooth, brighten, and resurface your skin, improving texture, radiance, and anti-aging! You can use this one time a week.
A more gentle, yet effective option for all skin types is the Overnight Resurfacing Peel . It contains 15 alpha hydroxy acids that increase cellular turnover, resurfacing the skin to reduce the appearance of fine lines, sun spots, scarring, hyperpigmentation, blemishes, and dullness. The peel also works to increase elasticity and collagen production. Is there anything more you could ever want in one product? This is like a facial in a bottle. Apply it to cleansed and toned skin 1-3 nights a week, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, and then follow with your nightly moisturizing routine. In the morning, gently cleanse skin to remove all the dead skin cells the peel sloughed off.
The Charcoal Mask is also a great option for removing impurities, balancing oil production, and preventing breakouts. It also contains a small amount (0.5%) of salicylic acid to resurface skin and dissolve dead skin cells, gently exfoliating clogged pores. It’s so satisfying to see your pores being cleansed.
STEP 4: MOISTURIZE & PROTECT
This is the most important step that everyone should be doing twice a day. Our skin consists of 7 layers that all require their own balance of water, acid and lipids (fat). The top two layers of the epidermis are particularly susceptible to imbalances and impurities, which lead to skin conditions like inflammation, blemishes, redness, dry patches, wrinkles, and dullness.
Sadly, at the age of 25, our skin’s moisture barrier begins to age - collagen production and cellular turnover slow down. We must nourish our skin’s moisture barrier to keep the plump structure of our skin’s layers intact in order to minimize fine lines and wrinkles.
Daytime moisturizers are designed to provide moisture and protect against daily environmental stressors. They feel lighter so you can also wear them under makeup. Night time moisturizers are much thicker and designed to repair the skin.
For combo/oily/sensitive/blemish-prone skin, excess sebum production can lead to visible pores, breakouts, build-up of dead skin, and blackheads. The trick is to decrease oil production without over-drying the skin, causing it to produce even MORE oil - a vicious cycle! Try the Countermatch Adaptive Moisture Lotion in the morning and the Countermatch Recovery Sleeping Cream in the evening. It works by identifying your skin's cell structure and adjusts itself for a 24-hour period to match your skin's needs over time! It’s a lightweight moisturizer also perfect for combination skin types.
For normal to dry skin, Countertime Antioxidant Soft Cream during the day and the Countertime Tetrepeptide Supreme Cream at night. Moisture + anti-aging!
Phew! I threw a lot at you, but I find information empowering! We only get one face so this is an area of self-care I prioritize.
If you’re a visual person, I’ve got you covered! Here are my TOP recommendations to give you a strong place to start!
Beautycounter offers free 60 day returns so you can truly test out products without any stress!
ACNE
Acne is so tricky because there are a lot of underlying factors that impact your skin’s health. As I’m sure you already know, your stress, diet, hormones, kidney, liver, immune system, sebaceous gland can manifest as inflammation or free radicals in the skin which leads to acne.
Plus, there are six types of acne (6 types of acne: hormonal, infection, inflammation, stress, irritation, or a combination) so one approach isn’t going to work perfectly for everyone. It’s unique and really requires treating both externally and internally at the same time to get to the root cause.
How Acne Starts
Acne starts deep within the hair follicle before it shows up in your skin. The deepest root cause of acne is a deficiency of lipids+ oil within the hair follicle, which causes damage + inflammation on the skin barrier. The skin cells proliferate faster and it causes congestion and acne lesions.
Along the hair follicle we have sebaceous glands which secretes sebum. When this type of cellular turnover is accelerated, our glands produce more oil to fix the skin barrier. It’s a protective mechanism.
Inflammation makes it easier for bacteria, microbes, and pathogens to infect the hair follicle.
Hormones can also increase sebum production.
TREATING ACNE
Your skin is your largest organ that ironically doesn’t communicate with other internal systems. If your detox systems are sluggish or overburdened, it can result in many symptoms, including acne. The goal is to assist the main detoxification systems (lymphatic, gut, and liver).
Reduce inflammation both internally and topically.
Nourish the skin barrier to reduce inflammation, support cellular turnover, keep hair follicles + pores from congestion, and support this skin’s microiota (balance of bacteria). Our skin’s barrier must be nourished and hydrated. (The Countertime Lipid Cleansing Oil is a great option). Use products with a pH around 4-5.
Eat healthy fats, real whole foods, and antioxidants, especially those rich in beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, and vitamin A. Seek variety to boost your gut’s microbiome and colorful foods (rich in polyphenols).
Calm down hormone triggers. Certain foods can increase hormone signals (IGF-1), inflammation (mTOR), and insulin which increases keratin, sebum production, and inflammation in the skin.
I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. You should always continue to research and advocate for your own health.
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I've linked to these products purely because I recommend them wholeheartedly and they are from companies I use and trust.
