Why I take my own nail polish to the salon...

What the heck is Glyoxal?  I recently asked this question after having a body scan done.  It's essentially like having a "fingerprint" of the body and its imbalances.  Glyoxal showed up as one of my "Top 10 Toxin Stressors".  What I found out was very interesting to me...

Turns out Glyoxal is a preservative commonly used in cosmetics and nail polish.  It's a Formaldehyde Releaser.  It's a FRAGRANCE INGREDIENT.  It scores a whopping 10 in the EWG database. (1 being safest and 10 being most toxic.)

One of the first things I teach people when learning to switch to safer products is to avoid products with "fragrance" as an ingredient because dozens of toxic chemicals can legally be hidden behind that one word.  Did you know that 80% of personal care products have never been tested for human safety?  

Here's what the Environmental Working Group has to say about Glyoxal...

'Glyoxal is an antimicrobial preservative that works by forming formaldehyde in cosmetic products.  In the U.S. approximately 20% of cosmetics and personal care products contain a formaldehyde-releaser and the frequency of contact allergy to these ingredients is much higher among Americans compared to studies in Europe.'

Well, this makes complete sense to me since partnering with Beautycounter, a company on a mission to educate, advocate, and get safer products into the hands of everyone.  1400 potentially harmful ingredients have been banned in the European Union.  In the United States that number is only 30.  People have no idea that their products they use every single day are making them sick.  The fact that my body scan showed Glyoxal as a top toxic stressor to my body shows me that I've had way too much exposure to it.

Over the past year I've switched all of my skincare and make up over to Beautycounter.  I'm now throwing ALL of my toxic nail polish out and only using safer nail polish from now on.

Will making a change make a difference?  Yes.

With our skin being our largest organ, when we apply products to our bodies, those ingredients go directly into our bloodstream within 26 seconds.  Day after day and year after year, those toxins can add to our chemical body burden and over time can manifest in dis-ease.  So how fast can we clean up those toxins?  REALLY FAST!  Check out this short video that proves just HOW fast toxic chemicals can enter....and leave the body: 

So what can you do to help reduce you and your family's chemical body burden?

• Become familiar with EWG.org and get the EWG Healthy Living App and start scanning your personal care products.  
• As you run out of things, start switching them out to safer options.
• Swap out the worst offenders first (highest on the toxicity scale).
• Stop buying products with the word "fragrance" as an ingredient.
• Share this important information with others.

What are the safer brands I've switched to?

• Beautycounter skincare, body care, and makeup
• Côte Nail Polish
• Zoya Nail Polish
• Schmidt's Deodorant
• Schmidt's Deodorant for sensitive skin (no baking soda)
• Seventh Generation Detergent and Cleaning Products
• Wool Dryer Balls
• Fluoride Free Toothpaste
• Tooth Whitening

Start you teens off right!  One of the first things young girls like to experiment with is NAIL POLISH.  When we know better we do better!  Here's a promising article showing how teens toxin levels plummeted after switching to safer products:  http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2016/03/potentially-toxic-chemicals-plummet-teens-after-switching-safer-cosmetics

Who's with me?  Are you going to start making changes?  Are you going to start taking YOUR OWN nail polish to the salon with you too?

Meet Beautycounter+

Beautycounter+ launched recently which may be the most exciting thing to happen to this company yet.... 

What's new?  Xavier Ormancey is the new head of product development and had a big hand in bringing Beautycounter+ to life.  He came to Beautycounter from Paris after spending over 20 years with Chanel, Loreal, and Roche Posay.  With his experience for developing luxurious products that perform, and Beautycounter's Never List... Beautycounter Plus was born!

So what is this brand new line of products all about and how do you use them?

This is a collection of targeted treatments formulated with safer ingredients to enhance your daily skincare routine.  Here are the 3 new collections (9 products total):

1.  BRIGHTENING COLLECTION + VITAMIN C

Infused with antioxidant-rich Vitamin C to awaken dull skin, this Beautycounter+ collection helps reduce the appearance of age spots for a brighter, more radiant complexion.  This collection offers THREE never before seen products.  This citrus-scented Brightening Face Oil has 7 natural oils including omega-rich marula oil for intense hydration, avocado oil which is rich in vitamins A, B, D and E for intense moisture, and black currant oil which is rich in anti-inflammatory omegas 3 & 6.  Vitamin C brightens and evens skin tone, The Brightening Face Mist has Vitamin C that helps reduce the appearance of age spots while lime pearl extract gently promotes a brighter complexion. Kakadu Plum is rich in vitamin C and this powerful antioxidant in the mist that helps boost luminosity and refine the skin’s surface.  This nutrient-rich white Brightening Facial Mask instantly revives skin.  Polishing kaolin clay deeply cleanses and revitalizes while vitamin C helps minimize dark spots for a more even complexion and radiant glow.

2.  PLUMPING COLLECTION + PEONY

Formulated with powerful peony and jasmine, this Beautycounter+ collection restores and firms moisture-depleted skin.  This line is designed to give skin a more toned look and youthful appearance.  The Plumping Facial Mask has deep cleansing kaolin clay, peony root extract which helps plump skin and restore elasticity, konjac root smooths the appearance of fine lines by absorbing water in skin for a firmer appearance, and rye seed to improve skin structure and soften expression lines.  This alcohol free Plumping Face Mist has peony root extract which helps to plump skin, rye seed to minimize the appearance of fine lines and apple fruit extract which has astringent properties to help tighten and lift the skin. This Plumping Face Oil in this collection has 7 natural oils including jasmine oil helps which boosts hydration with a subtle floral scent, and argan oil which helps minimize the appearance of fine lines. This oil was previously known as "Hydrating" in the regular Beautycounter collection. 

3.  BALANCING COLLECTION + CHARCOAL

Infused with activated charcoal and ylang ylang, this Beautycounter+ collection gently refines oily, uneven skin.  This nutrient-rich kaolin clay Balancing Facial Mask purifies and balances, absorbing excess oil and drawing out impurities. Activated charcoal powder minimizes the appearance of pores, giving skin a smooth, polished appearance while salicylic acid stimulates exfoliation.  It also contains lactic acid which gently exfoliates and smooths skin’s surface. This alcohol free Balancing Face Mist is like no other product EVER.  It has charcoal powder which is highly absorbent and rich in natural minerals to help balance and purify skin, kaolin which is a soft clay that effectively absorbs excess oil, and wild rose extract which is rich in vitamins A and C, and also helps reduce redness.  This lightweight Balancing Face Oil is a blend of seven natural oils that moisturizes, smooths, and helps even skin tone.  It has softening meadowfoam seed oil which restores balance, while wild chamomile calms and soothes skin.  This mask is previously known as "charcoal mask" in the regular Beautycounter collection and this Face Oil is previously known as "Balancing" in the regular Beautycounter collection.

I have tried this ENTIRE line and I AM IMPRESSED.  It is absolutely luxurious.  These products smell amazing.  The mists are so fine and even when applied.  These new masks are EVERYTHING.  The Face Oils have always been my "liquid gold" and now having one with Vitamin C is making me do my happy dance.

Tips for use:  These Facial Masks can be used as needed 2-3 times per week.  The Face Oils can be used daily alone or under moisturizer.  The Face Mists can be used daily to prep skin, set makeup, and refresh skin throughout the day. You can "multi mask" too (see pic below) which means use the Plumping Mask on cheeks to plump...and the Charcoal Mask on t-zone to absorb excess oil, for example.  You can taylor them to your needs!

The ultimate Multi-Tasking is "Multi-Masking"!  I used the #1 Brightening + Vitamin C on my entire face to treat dark spots and #3 Balancing + Charcoal on my T-Zone to shrink pore size!  

Who's ready for a girl's day with MASKS, MISTS, and MIMOSAS?  Click here to shop:

Why are these products SAFER?

----> Our Facial Oils has passed Beautycounter’s Ingredient Selection Process. They are formulated without synthetic or mineral oils.

----> Our Facial Mists have passed Beautycounter’s Ingredient Selection Process.  They are formulated without silicones or sulfates.

----> Our Facial Masks have passed Beautycounter’s Ingredient Selection Process. They are formulated without artificial colorants or synthetic fragrances.

MINI SPA SETS ARE HERE TOO...

JOIN MY "Happy WifeStyle Beauty" FACEBOOK GROUP NOW to get in on a super fun community that's all about aging gracefully, living clean, and all things beauty!  Use this link to Join:  http://bit.ly/JoinHWSBeauty or click the link below.

Guide to Face Oils

Still afraid of Face Oil because maybe you’ve tried one that made your skin feel and appear greasy?  I get it.  That was my experience the first time I tried one and now I know why...

It's because many are synthetic so they sit on top of skin and don't absorb completely.  The one I use now absorbs beautifully...hydrating, refreshing and balancing my skin.  I call it my liquid gold and is my beauty secret of all beauty secrets.  ....and we all need a trick or two up our sleeve as we age, am I right ladies?

Since today is the LAST day you can save $20 on all the luxurious Face Oils…I want to make sure you know which one is best for YOUR skin.  Guys, this price is even lower than my wholesale price so it’s a great time to snag one if you’ve been wanting to try it.  

I add just two drops of the Soothing Oil to my day and night moisturizers and I no longer get the dryness I used to get.  My skin is just always balanced and hydrated now.  It’s the best addition I’ve made to my beauty regime.  Period.

Since this is a question I get often, I made this graphic for you so that you can easily see which Face Oil would be best for you to try....

I hope you try it and I hope this guide helps you choose the one that's best for YOU!  

I want to SAVE $20 on a Face Oil TODAY!

Find out what a few of my favorite Beautycounter skincare and makeup items are....and find out more about why I switched to safer products HERE....you might just be surprised like I was, or mad actually, and decide it's time to switch too.  Here's to a healthier 2017!

Other Blog Post you might enjoy:  My Make Up Trick where I use this Face Oil with my foundation!

Charcoal Cleansing Bar + Sea Salt Spray

Two new amazing safe products just hit Beautycounter's website today!  The Charcoal Cleansing Bar made it's debut last month but sold out quick...it's back in stock today!  The Sea Salt Spray is brand new and I can't wait to get my hands on it because I LOVE sea salt sprays to create great textured style in my hair.  Here's a little more info about these two....

CHARCOAL CLEANSING BAR

This Charcoal Cleansing Bar is called a "face bar", but can absolutely be used on your body too.  I've heard it works wonders on "bacne".  It detoxifies and absorbs impurities without drying it out!  If you struggle with acne at all... or have teenagers going through that phase... give this a try.  I don't have acne, but i do have small breakouts at times and I plan to keep this bar on hand for those times when I need it.  I've heard this bar is absolutely amazing for blackheads.  Many people think they need to steer clear of oils when they have acne prone or oily skin and this simply is not true.  You just have to use the right ones.  Synthetic oils sit on top of the skin and can make your skin "greasy".  Many products are actually overly drying with harsh surfactants such as sulfates....which end up making the problem worse.  This bar gently draws out impurities with charcoal while nourishing the skin with safe oils that are easily absorbed.  This one bar will last you for months.  This is going to be a HOT item, so you might want to jump on this before it sells out again;)

SEA SALT SPRAY

Ready for beachy waves?  This Sea Salt Spray is for you!  I've always loved using sea salt spray on my hair because it creates a great, textured style...but I felt other brands would dry it out.  I have dry hair anyway, so I stopped using it as much.  This one will give it touchable texture without drying it out!  It has Himalayan Pink salt, red algae extract, and clay.  It's used to create beachy waves, enhance curls and restore shine.  Other sprays often contain hormone-disrupting ingredients and are contaminated with measurable amounts of carcinogens.  It just came out today....so I'll be ordering this one for sure.  I'm headed to Maui in March and this will be my perfect hair companion!

Enjoy!  I am more and more excited every day now that I'm using more and more Beautycounter products.  It makes me feel great to know I'm using products that are safe and non toxic.  They are so high performing and their packaging is spot on.  I'm a girly girl...so I'll admit that matters to me!  My husband is totally happy we are making safer switches too.  He even requested I order him the shaving cream so I did immediately when I learned his old one had carcinogens and hormone disrupters that may cause liver damage!  So don't forget the think about your entire family when making safer switches;)

I'll keep you posted on the products I'm using and loving!  Have an awesome day....and don't forget to watch "The Human Experiment" on Netfilx to learn more about what's really going on in the U.S. and why many of the products we use every day could be causing our family harm.  Read more about my mission to help get safe products into the hands of everyone in my Safe Product Movement post and Why I Chose Beautycounter.