August Skin Care Must-Have

Happy August! I cannot believe that I am saying that already. This year has flown by like crazy! I wanted to share with y'all a new product that I have been using over the last few weeks that I am completely OBSESSED with. I ran out of my usual daily Beautycounter moisturizer a few weeks ago, and it happened to be right when we were restocking out new Countermatch Adaptive Moisture lotion. We sold out within 24 hours of launching this new product last month, and I now I personally know why! 

This pregnancy brought me some skin issues that I had never really dealt with before. My skin was super dry for a while, with really bad patches in certain areas on my face. I had some oil that I used that really helped me through that stage of the hormones, but I wish we had this product then! It uses a bio-mimic technology that naturally adapts to your skins needs, which is SO good. 

My skin immediately feels better after I put it on at night (and sometimes in the morning--I'm not the best with washing my face twice a day). I have definitely seen a change in the appearance of my skin since I started using it. My skin hasn't really been "glowing" this pregnancy, but I have really noticed that it is doing so after using this product. (Side note: out of 692 reviews on this product, 657 people gave it 5 stars, which is absolutely incredible). It is definitely a must-try product!

You can read more about this product HERE. If you're not familiar with Beautycounter, you can learn more about us HERE. I love that our mission is health & safety focused, but that we do not compromise quality. It has been so nice to not worry about what I'm putting on my skin this pregnancy, I know that all of my BC products are safe and have zero harmful chemicals/ingredients in them. 

Feel free to email me if you want to chat about it, I would love to share my journey and this amazing company with you!

xoxo, Ash

Face Enlightening Treatment

Thanks to pregnancy and crazy hormones, I fell victim to the "pregnancy mask." In other words, dark spots on my face from all of the changes my body went through. On top of that, I was never very good about wearing sunscreen in my high school/college years, so I already had some sunspot issues. Since I started working with Beautycounter, I kept hearing many of the other consultants and clients talk about how much our Enlightening Treatment Pads (find them here) worked wonders for them with similar issues. Although I've only been using these for a couple of weeks (and I'm not the best at being consistent with my face routine), I can already tell a difference in my skin. So, I wanted to share with y'all a few of the major benefits of this product that I have already come to love! 

Reduction in Pore Counts

73% of the women who used this product experienced a decrease in pore count after 4 weeks of use

(results based on independent, 8-week, 26-subject, single-blind clinical and consumer perception study).

All Ingredients are Safe!

All ingredients that Beautycounter uses are tested for safety and only ingredients are used that are 100% safe. No questionable, harmful or toxic ingredients will be found in any of our products. Every single ingredient used is listed on our website here. When I was pregnant, I wasn't familiar with Beautycounter, but there were all of these products that were not safe to use while I was pregnant or nursing. If I couldn't use them while I was pregnant/nursing how were they safe for my body when I wasn't pregnant?! I love that all of our products are safe for me whether I'm pregnant, nursing or not. 

Brightens & Improves Skin Tone

Algae extract is used in this product which is used to brighten and improve your skin tone, and as I mentioned, my skin tone is one of the reasons why I decided to try this product out!

Gives Skin a Firmer Look

Spilanthes acmella flower extract is used to give the skin a firmer, more youthful look, and who doesn't want their skin to look more youthful?! Along with that, mixed fruit acid complex and vitamin C are used to supply your skin with antioxidants and also reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Winning!

xoxo, Ashley

Evening Beauty Routine

I have always had a bad habit of not washing my face well before I go to bed. Terrible, right? I'm still not perfect at being consistent with my routine, but I will say I have improved a ton now that I found these products. My face always feels SO much better when I've used my favorite products before I go to bed (and I know my older self will thank me)! So here's my nightly beauty routine...enjoy!

Step One: Charcoal Cleansing Bar
 
{image via: www.beautycounter.com/ashleyhammer}

I LOVE this bar. I've been lucky to have pretty normal and not acne-prone skin for most of my life, but after I had Ian and my hormones were out of whack I had some patches I had to deal with. This bar cleared it up in about two days. It was amazing! Plus, it feels great since it helps pull impurities out of your skin. I highly recommend. I usually use this every other day or once a day, depending on what I have been doing that day.

Step Two: Routine Cream Cleanser

{image via: www.beautycounter.com/ashleyhammer}

I love this cleaner because it's made for pretty much any skin type. It's not too heavy, yet my face feels clean once I'm finished using it. Added bonus, this cleanser goes a LONG way. I've had mine since October and still have a good couple of weeks left.

Step Three: Every Night PM Night Cream + Lustro Face Oil #2

{images via: www.beautycounter.com/ashleyhammer}

I have recently been using the PM Cream and mixing two drops of the number two face oil to help keep my skin moisturized (the #2 also helps with elasticity of your skin--winning!), especially since the winter months are usually more tough on my skin. As the summer rolls around, I plan to switch over to the AM Night Cream since I won't need as heavy of a moisturizer. I never thought that I would really like the oils (and it seemed counterintuitive a bit--I thought it might make me greasy--not one bit!), but I will always have an oil from now on. Beautycounter has three to choose from depending on what your needs are from your face oil.

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Added bonus and probably the most important detail of this post is that every product listed above is made with safe and non-toxic chemicals. Beautycounter has banned over 1,500 ingredients from all of their products, yet has not sacrificed a bit of performance. Every single ingredient used is listed on the website, so you never have to worry about any hidden ingredients or fragrances. Let me know if you want to learn more! {email: healthyandchiclife@gmail.com}

What are some of your favorite beauty routines?

xoxo, Ashley

What's In My Makeup Bag

As most of you know, I have recently fallen in love with Beautycounter makeup, not only because they are safe, but their performance is superior to most that I have tried (and I've been a product trying junkie for a while). So I'm excited to share my favorites with you today! 

Touch-Up Skin Concealor Pen

{image via www.beautycounter.com/ashleyhammer}

I love how easy this concealor pen is to use. I also have the All Over Eye Brush that I use with it, and it makes it super easy to apply. I tend to have some serious bags under my eyes, especially when Ian doesn't sleep well, and this pen (I use the Med-1 color) quickly takes care of that problem. 

Tint Skin Foundation

{image via www.beautycounter.com/ashleyhammer}

I've never been much of a foundation girl until recently. I usually stick with the tinted moisturizers, but once I tried this product I was hooked. It is GREAT for me in the winter since I usually lose all of my tan and want that extra coverage. What's great about this foundation is that it's buildable, so if you want light coverage or you need a heavier coverage you can do both. This Retractable Brush is a must have with it--no joke, it makes putting it on easy and flawless. It's definitely worth it! This summer though, I do plan to give this Dew Skin a try when I have more of a summer glow going. :) 

Bronzer

{image via www.beautycounter.com/ashleyhammer}

This is definitely one of my absolute favorites and must-haves on my list. I love this matte bronzer--and I usually never leave the house with at least this on! I use the No. 1, and it is just the right color. Whether you're just looking for a little bit of a glow or want a matte contour, you can do either with this product. So, do yourself a favor and try it out!

Lip Balm and Lip Sheer

{images via www.beautycounter.com/ashleyhammer}

I love this Lip Sheer in the Twig color. I don't usually wear lipstick because I have never felt that I could: A. put it on correctly and B. that it looked right with the way my face is structured. But, these are so sheer and go on smooth; they don't feel like you're caking it on and doesn't feel heavy on your lips. The Twig gives me a natural color, but isn't out of my comfort zone! I always put the lip balm on before the Lip Sheer to keep my lips moisturized throughout the day.  

Color Shade Eye Duo

{image via www.beautycounter.com/ashleyhammer}

So I only have one of these right now, but I'm dying to get more colors. I use the Peach/Bronze, but will be getting the Pearl/Champagne next---all of the colors are just gorgeous and go on so well. 

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What is even greater about all of these products is that they are not made with any toxic or harmful chemicals. Beautycounter has worked tirelessly to bring women and their families products that are safe AND perform to an extremely high standard. You can check out the 1,500+ ingredients that are banned from use in all of our products, and we pride ourselves on being transparent and providing our clients with access to every ingredient that is used in every single product we make. For more information you can click here, or please feel free to email me with any questions or needs you may have, as I am more than happy to help you!

xoxo, Ashley