A Surprising Recommendation for the Best Face Soap

My friend has been a pharmaceutical sales rep for dermatology products since we graduated from college together. Her dermatologists always recommend something simple to use for face wash – Dove Soap – rather than expensive cleansers. Interesting, right?

She just became a sales consultant for Beauty Counter and introduced me to their line of products which I love. I also appreciate her honest advice – which included saving money on the facial cleanser and buying a few of the moisturizers and the oil. She also told me about a website that checks the toxin levels in your skin products to determine whether or not you should switch: www.ewg.org

Some of the skin care lines like Beauty Counter and Arbonne tout toxin-free products, and highlight the fact that the EU has banned 1,300 ingredients in products, while the United States still allows these chemicals to remain in products. Hmmm…. definitely something to consider.

Before you start the onset of a panic attack like I normally do when I read this stuff, please know that I have a very relaxed personal policy when it comes to this subject. The first time I was pregnant, I discovered Healthy Child, Healthy World, and realized that I can never be that diligent in my approach to products in the home and that I’d just have to be “good enough” rather than perfect. Making small, obvious changes is going to be my limit. And, opting for safe anti-aging skin products fits as an easy change to make.

The anti-aging skin products I chose, after a lot of research and testing, are from Beauty Counter. The containers are not tubs (sticking fingers in a tub and getting lotion stuck under finger nails = ew)  and I like the way the products feel on my face. If interested, you can check out Beauty Counter products – my favorite is the hydrating night cream + the #2 Lustro Face Oil. Also the body lotion. My skin feels and looks so much healthier after just a week.

I also got a serum from Arbonne for body lotion that I love – it’s to help tighten up the skin, and I’m hoping to reduce the appearance of cellulite by adding it to my lotion and using a dry skin brush daily. Do you use a dry skin brush? I just started using one after reading about the many benefits, and its an easy step to add to a morning skin routine.

These are the switches that are easy for me to make. Opting for a natural deodorant is less important to me than wearing deodorant that is effective (this article reviewing 5 natural deodorants is a funny read and not a very convincing pitch on their effectiveness!) – and the same goes for sunscreen. Sunburns are definitely linked to skin cancer, and I’m prone to getting a burn since I have fair skin. I figure it’s much safer for me to wear sunscreen that works well to prevent a sunburn rather than wear natural sunscreen that I don’t think works nearly as well, is very expensive, and is difficult to put on.

Now, if I could just figure out how to wear makeup without looking like a clown… I’d be all set in the beauty department. I like this basic skin tutorial even though I don’t wear bright lipstick often. Do you have a basic makeup routine or favorite makeup tips & tricks to share? I’d love to read it!