Beauty Empties Q3 2021

A toner is the most underrated skincare product ever. It preps your skin with vital nutrients and ensures the rest of your products absorb properly. Using a high powered serum without a toner is like trying to build a roof on a house without securing the foundation. This one is an alcohol-free, 2% BHA toner that gently exfoliates, cleans pores and controls oil without over-stripping skin. This one is targeted towards oily and combo skin, so I used it heavily in the spring, summer and early fall. It is cool and smooth and made my skin feel and look amazing! I use it after washing my face and before I apply my essence, usually in the mornings. I haven’t re-ordered this one, not because I don’t love it but because my skin craves more moisture in the colder months. Which brings me to…

This is a staple of mine that I use year round. The last time I ran out was in Q1, so a little clearly goes a long way. I’ve talked about it in almost all of my skincare posts because it has seriously changed my skin! An essence is like a toner, but a bit heavier and more hydrating. You can use an essence after a toner, if you want, or solo. Both prep your skin and enable the rest of your products to absorb properly.

I use this morning and night and it smells lovely, feels lovely and makes me LOOK lovely (soft, hydrated, bright). This is a part of Beautycounter’s Countertime line and has the Retinatural Complex (a clean alternative to retinol) which is probably why it works so well! I love that this line (and everyone from Beautycounter) is pregnancy and breastfeeding safe, so I use it now without any hesitation!

Another tried and true longtime favorite of mine, also featured in my Q1 empties! If you love a mild exfoliating cleanser, this is gonna be your JAM. So many exfoliants claim to be gentle but can actually make micro tears in your skin (lookin’ at you, St. Ives) due to the exfoliants used (crushed walnut shells). This uses soft jojoba beads to gently slough away skin and purify pores. I like to use mine when I’m feeling really congested, after workouts or in the mornings after I use the overnight resurfacing peel for a little extra exfoliation.

Another staple in my cabinet, this serum is a life (and skin) saver! I use it very liberally, so I replace it pretty much every quarter. I have combo skin, but history has shown that my acne usually flares when my skin is overdry.

This intensely moisturizing serum is packed with two forms of hyaluronic acid (the hydration queen!), plus vitamins C and E and delivers a boost of lasting hydration and antioxidant protection – without yucko ingredients like mineral oil and synthetic fragrance.

I use this every single morning after the essence. When I’m consistent, I can tell that my skin is more balanced, brighter and even. It’s definitely helped my pore situation, too!

Okay, I’m really staring to sound like a broken record here. This is my other morning staple serum! I layer this OVER the intense moisture serum for big time boost.

Vitamin C is the be all end all when it comes to radiance and bright, youthful skin. That being said, it’s a notoriously temperamental ingredient because some forms of it are inherently unstable (either they are too stong and can be irritating or too weak and provide little to no results). This unique blend of two ultra-stable forms of vitamin C 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 cool thing about this is it can be layered over ANY other serum, and protects skin from environmental stressors and elements while brightening, boosting and hydrating. I’m all about a multi-tasker and love that this helps with so many of my skin concerns and goals. Also, it has

Okay, this is hands down my favorite Beautycounter product and if I could, I would shout it from the rooftops. I might even bathe in it if there was a cost effective way to do it!

Beautycounter’s Overnight Resurfacing Peel is a leave-on AHA/BHA peel that improves skin texture and boosts clarity without irritation or over-drying. The “peel” part refers to the exfoliation component – you don’t peel it off and it doens’t peel your skin off, I promise!

For more details check out this dedicated post! Suffice it to say this is ALWAYS in my skincare cabinet.

This was actually a late fall / early winter staple but I only had a little bit left so I just finished it now! If you are or were a Cetaphil / CeraVe lover then THIS cream is for you.

The entire Countermatch line is super gentle and safe for sensitive skin. This formula uses two forms of hyaluronic acid to help create a protective layer that shields skin from moisture loss during sleep. It also replenishes hydration and revitalizes skin with a blend of hyaluronic acid, squalane, plum oil, and phytic acid. Squalane is my FAVE hydrator and I always look for it in my skincare.

Even though this is a cream, it’s super lightweight and not greasy at all! I loveeee how it makes my skin feel and that it doesn’t break me out at all. I reordered this one for this season.

Speaking of squalane, my absolute FAVORITE brand of squalane is Biossance. Theirs is derived from sugar cane (most are olive based) and for some reason my skin loves that difference. This balancing oil could be treated as a serum, but I use it as an “end of routine” hydrator. I put it on at the veryyyy end of my nighttime skincare routine to seal everything in and help balance out my skin. It calms, clears and hydrates! I re-ordered this.

If you aren’t dealing with oiliness / acne, simply ditch the tea tree part and go with 100% squalane oil. I use that, too!

So, body wash can be a tough clean swap. I’ve been on a mission to find several that I love and I gotta say… this is not one of them. It’s clean, plant based and has a very invigorating scent (if mint isn’t your thing, it might bee TOO strong of a scent, tbh). But it’s also runny, doesn’t get sudsy and didn’t feel hydrating. I did not re-order.

A fam favorite! This bodywash is part of Beautycounter’s Counterman line, which C uses and loves. Charcoal is great for detox and I love to use this when I shower at night or after I’m sweaty. It’s gentle enough for all over and everyday use, but effective enough that it helps stave off things like body bumps and breakouts.

Other perks? It features activated charcoal and Beautycounter’s Sequoia Stem Cell Complex to help detoxify skin, wash away impurities, and protect skin from everyday stress. Plus the scent contains natural citrus, mint, rosemary, and cedarwood oils – sooo delish.

This packaging is old (from a holiday set last year) which is a bummer because I actually prefer it to the pump. C prefers the pump though, which is why he wasn’t using this and I hijacked it for myself 🙂 We still have the pump version in the shower!

Another Counterman product that C and I share! This shave cream is more of a true cream vs. foam, but C and I both found that didn’t impact effectiveness.

C says he likes it because it smells nice and gives a good, close shave. I have to agree! I also like that it isn’t in a aerosol can – most traditional shaving creams are and that brings in another host of issues.

We are re-ordering this!

I’ve also been trying to test as many clean shampoos as I can, but don’t run through them very quickly. When it comes to clean haircare, a little typically goes a long way!

Briogeo is a clean, Black and female owned and run business, and I was so eager to try their products. This line is for dry and damaged hair, which mine errs towards, especially post-coloring. This shampoo was nice, and in theory exactly what I needed, but it was not amazing. My hair didn’t feel super hydrated after but it felt better after using the matching conditioner.

I finished this up but won’t be ordering again. I’m still on the lookout for something I really love!

Old packaging, same product! This is a staple in our house because it’s clean, well priced and we can snag anything from this brand in our monthly Thrive Market order. I always have the Acure Ultra Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner on my shower shelf, and C religiously uses the Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner.

Acure is a great option if you’re looking for clean alternatives to body and haircare and are on a budget. I LOVE the way this one smells and that it doens’t have any synthetic fragrance. Not all of their products are though, so make sure to read the labels!

Ahh the holy grail of scalp scrubs! This was my first scalp scrub so I think it will always have a special place on my shelf. It is EXPENSIVE but it lasted my a really long time. I only use it every 1-2 weeks (more frequently when the seasons change and scalp shedding is more significant).

I love the envigorating feel of this product and that it has a whipped like texture that is easy to apply and distribute. It’s especially great if I haven’t washed my hair in a couple days (something I’m working on) or if I’m noticing any scalp flakes. Yummy ingredients like Himalayan salt, moringa oil and rosehip oil soften, nourish and clean all at the same time.

I haven’t re-purchased this yet because I still have another scalp scrub but I’ll be eyeing sales to get this one again!

This was a fab product and one of my fave clean deos that I’ve used! This is actually my second case – I originally used Lavender and am currently using Coconut.

I gotta say, I am really picky when it comes to deodorant because my skin is really reactive to baking soda, a key ingredient in most clean deodorants. Interestingly, I originally wrote this one off as a no before I even tried it after seeing baking soda on the ingredient list. But after hearing how so many sensitive friends were having good luck with it, I figured why not try.

Anyway, I started using the lavender one last summer and never got a reaction! No redness, irritation or bumps. A miracle! I think the combo of the cornstarch, coconut oil, shea butter and conditioning natural waxes (beeswax and candelilla) made a difference for my skin and ultimately sealed the deal.

I also love that the packaging is refillable – the inner component pops out and can be replaced, so it’s less wasteful and more cost effective than other clean options.

I will say, this scent lingered the longest but I don’t think it has superior staying power. I have that issue with almost every deodorant though, so that may be more of a me problem!

This sunscreen isn’t the cleanest, but I do have to order it from Europe and feel much better about their laws and restrictions surrounding ingredients used in cosmetics. It is fragrance and paraben free, which are my two top AVOID ingredients, so I feel good about that! It’s also completley changed the sunscreen game for me.

I have PMLE (polymorphous light eruption) which is a hive-like rash caused by exposure to UV light (aka, the sun). It can me mild or relatively severe and causes itching, redness, warmth and discomfort. When mine is really bad, I basically turn into a human hive and have to take steroids. I’ve had PMLE since I was little, and it makes late spring/early summer and any random warm vacation a challenge. Interestingly, PMLE cannot be cured, only managed.

I have a lot of PMLE strategies (if you deal with PMLE and ever want to chat, please reach out or check out my PMLE highlight on Instagram) but this product is definitely the best I’ve found. The unique formula protects from both UVA and UVB rays and shields the skin from visible light and oxidative stress to prevent sun-induced allergies. It also contains a powerful combination of sunscreen filters, Glucosylrutin and Licochalcone A, and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This means this particular formula has the ability to shield the skin from free radicals while reducing redness and soothing irritation. I’ve never used something as effective and am so grateful to have found it!

I use this in the beginning of the season and ALWAYS on my neck, chest and back (my sensitive areas) when I’m going to be outside for long periods of time. It is a gel like formula and goes on easily, but it does have a bit of a yellow tint so I’m always mindful with light colored swimwear and clothing. It is always in my cabinet.

Another PMLE saver, this one is my go-to for mid-summer when I’ve built up more of a tolerance and my skin has hardened (this is a medical PMLE term and is not the same as a “base tan”). I use this one as my daily moisturizer during the summer months when I’m outside a lot but not hanging out / sitting in direct sun for long periods of time (otherwise I would need a much higher SPF).

This is oxybenzone, octinoxate and PABA-free, plus it is non-comedogenic and fragrance-free to boot. It’s also super lightweight and not greasy at all, which I love.