When it comes to the sun, we are not the best of friends. I love the heat, the light for my garden, the vitamin D, etc. Let’s face it… I’m ghost white and I intend on keeping it that way! So I lather the sunscreen on. But I can’t stand it. It’s a thick goopy mess that I would rather not have to deal with…and have you looked at the CHemical list in that stuff?! Shoot- if the sun doesn’t give me cancer, the sunscreen sure will. Lose, lose situation.
Around April, 2018 I started getting rid of any lotions/sprays in my house that contain parabens, ‘perfume’, or artificial dyes. To my surprise a lot of my lotions had those things on the label… lotions that were considered ‘natural’. My sacred vitamin E cream was poison. If you didn’t already know, parabens are known to disrupt hormone function. This increases the risk of cancer. There are also items out there containing talc which is proven to be cancer causing (not talc itself, but asbestos may be found in talc-ew). My grandmother is one of the people affected by talc containing products. Check out your charcoal mask that you’ve been using- I hear they have talc in some of them. It is NOT safe.
My girl, Alicia Petersen, is a Beautycounter Senior Consultant and she is determined to get safer products in the hands of everyone. I’m all for that! So I started checking out products that would work for ME. This is important when you’re looking at more pricey products. I can’t afford to go ham on buying all new lotions, skin care routines, makeup, etc. BUT I can buy a few things here and there – hey, I’m worth it! Safer sunscreen here I come!
Alicia gave me a sample of Boutycounters Countersun SPF 30 sunscreen. Dudes! I feel in love. It has this lovely citrus scent coming from actual citrus oils- not a perfume. Holler. It rubs in so well. It’s thinner and goes on like a dream. This is key for me. Especially when applying on my five-year-old who has the same burn-prone skin. Now I don’t have a thick, gooey mess to rub in, and rub in, and. ruB. IN! Instead, I have a silkier lotion that goes on quite gently. Winning.
I noticed that I felt a little oily after applying…at first I saw this as a negative, but after about 10 minutes it was completely dry and I didn’t even notice I had sunscreen on. What I enjoyed most about this was that when I sweat I didn’t have sunscreen falling into my eyes or dripping down my face. (and YAY moisturizer!)
I wanted to know why Alicia got into using and selling Beautycounter products, this is what she had to say:
I have an autoimmune disease as well as anxiety. Each day I take two medications, without those medications I am unable to live my life happily; my body fights itself causing intense stomach cramping, bleeding ulcers, eczema, and at its worst, arthritis, anemia, and extreme weight loss. I haven’t been able to control my autoimmune symptoms without the meds.
Feeling like I have no control over my own life (with my health and other areas) caused me to have anxiety which lead to an anxiety attack while teaching my 7th grade Spanish class.
Since then, I’ve been working on myself and identifying which parts of my life I actually can control. Enter Beautycounter.
It’s been a little over year since that anxiety attack, but this winter a very good friend introduced me to a few of the skin care products made by Beautycounter. She educated me about how very little the cosmetic industry is regulated, and possibly harmful chemicals are used often as key ingredients in everyday products. I did my own research and found out that some of these chemicals (parabens in particular) have been approved for use in cosmetics by the FDA as long as they are under a certain amount. But what if someone is using multiple products containing parabens, or maybe even taking meds containing them? Are their bodies still taking in a “safe” amount of chemicals daily?
I’m taking control. I’m beginning to investigate what I’m putting IN and ON my body, and through Beautycounter, I get to spread awareness of the risky ingredients we expose ourselves to daily, and help others find safer, high performance products.- Alicia
Beautycounter is a certified B corporation. Certified B corporations are “businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.”-Google. Beautycounters balance is people, planet, profit. This is a step in the right direction! The way Beautycounter is handling their products should be the standard in every store and with every brand.
I highly recommend looking at the ingredients in your current sunscreen. What do those words really mean? What could all of that be doing to you? Do a little research; your due diligence.
I did my own little bit of research at EWG’s webside (Environmental Working Group). They make it really easy to compare different products using their consumer guide. I just did a quick search on what used to be my preferred brand, and my new Beautycounter sunscreen.
Dry Balance SPF 30 by Banana Boat
Countersun SPF 30 by Beautycounter
Give Alicia’s website a look! She’s also available on Facebook and Instagram. And, it’s not just sunscreen you guys! Alicia has a product for every member of your family. A few of Alicia’s other favs include the No 3 Balancing Facial Mask, as well as the Cleansing Balm. For summer she’s excited about Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer. Personally, I’m going after the Rejuvenating Night Cream next!
I’m excited about a company that actually cares enough to get safer products out there. Did you check out their NEVER list?! It gives me chills. I can’t believe I was putting that crap on my skin for so long.
What products are you slowly (or quickly) getting out of your home? Have you checked your sunscreen? What about your favorite lotion? Your makeup? What’s in your daily skin care routine?
Alicia is here to help. What I love most about her is that all she truly wants is to get safer products into the hands of everyone. It’s not about the money for her, although I’m sure it helps. It’s been so nice having someone else around me with autoimmune issues that is trying to live their best life! And it’s so much easier to live our best lives when we don’t have to constantly question what’s in our skin care. We should’t have to. Beautycounter’s way should be an industry STANDARD.
I hope you’re living your best life today, and taking care of your skin.
All my love,
Jamma
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