My Must-Have Beautycounter Products

This post was genuinely painful for me to write, because picking my favorite products felt like picking my favorite child. I thought, Okay, just grab everything you’re obsessed with/absolutely NEED in your life and throw it in a pile. Well, I did, and the pile was HUGE. I really need to start being more of a minimalist, but let’s be real…probably not going to happen anytime soon.

As I mentioned in my last post about why I made the switch to safer beauty and why I became a Consultant for Beautycounter (read it if you haven’t!), I’ve never used this many products from a single line before. I’m shocked. And trust me when I say I have tried an absurd number of beauty products in my life. I’ve been a Sephora VIB Rouge member for five years now, which means I’ve spent/wasted an obscene amount of money on makeup products and tried almost every major brand out there. (And of course I’ve tried a million products NOT from Sephora, too – just trying to make the point that I’m a HUGE product junkie.)

What I’ve been most impressed with is the fact that Beautycounter products have totally stolen the show when it comes to a lot of items I thought I would never replace. Things I’ve been using daily for years, and I thought nothing would ever change that. Especially skin. My skin is extremely sensitive and acne prone. It doesn’t like much. The only thing that kept my skin manageable was to just wash it with plain warm water and pile on a shit ton of Benzoyl Peroxide every night. That obviously was not the best for my skin, so I’m so relieved to have finally found something that works. THAT’S THE POWER OF CLEAN INGREDIENTS, PEOPLE. I can’t tell you how many of my friends have told me the exact same thing – they’re all shocked at how these products perform. I’ve had friends tell me every foundation makes them break out, every cleanser irritates their skin, every oil bothers them, they can only use one mascara…and then they try Beautycounter. BAM.

I worked really hard and whittled this list down to as small as I could possibly make it. I feel like I’m cheating on my other Beautycounter products that I’m obsessed with but didn’t include, but I had to make a cut somewhere.

Let’s start with mascara. As you guys know, I’ve been obsessed with Maybelline the Falsies and Benefit Roller Lash for a long time. I try other mascaras all the time, but I always go back to those two staples. When I first saw Beautycounter’s Lengthening Mascara, I did not have high hopes. I usually don’t vibe with smaller mascara wands. Then I tried it, and OH MY GOD. My lashes have literally never been so long in my life. NEVER. What I love about this mascara is how buildable and natural it looks. You can put lighter layers on for an everyday, natural lash look, or you can build this up to have super long, voluminous, glam lashes. What I love most is that when you do build it up (as I do pretty much every day), your lashes still somehow look natural and real. It doesn’t clump up, and it lasts all day long. Lasting power of a waterproof mascara, for sure. I’m gonna be honest, whenever I wear this, I can’t stop looking at my lashes in the mirror. #Narcisstic

There are a lot of bronzers I like, but few that I really LOVE. I have a very hard time finding a good bronzer because my skin is very pale and cool-toned, so most bronzers look too warm and orange on my skin. I use them anyways. Whoops. The Color Contour Matte Bronzer (I’m in No.1) has quickly became my ride-or-die bronzer. This is a perfectly neutral tone, which means it will work with every single skin tone. And because it’s so neutral, it can double as a bronzer and a contour, which is what I’ve been on the hunt for for years. This is very similar to Benefit Hoola bronzer, which was previously my all-time fave, but this has way better ingredients and does the same thing, so I like it better. If you like Hoola, you’ll love this.

I use and love all of the Beautycounter brushes, but the Powder Brush is my absolute favorite. IT IS SO SOFT. And it’s literally the perfect size, which means you can use it for multiple things. I’m into multi-purpose brushes. It’s perfect for setting powder, contour, bronzer, or blush. I actually don’t have another brush that I can use for ALL of those things. Usually brushes are good for bronzer and blush but not face, or good for face and blush but not contour, etc. Also, the bristles are synthetic, so no animal hairs. LOVE.

Beautycounter’s Lip Sheers are straight up perfection. I love lipsticks, but I like them for how they look. In other words, I kinda hate actually having them on my lips. NOT ANYMORE. The Lip Sheer in Twig has become my #1 fave everyday lip color. Lip Sheers are kinda like a cross between a lipstick and a lip balm. They’re super moisturizing and don’t have an offensive scent or taste like most other lip products. This shade is seriously amazing. It’s a “my lips but better” color, and it doesn’t look like you’re trying to hard. This is perfect for class, work, errands, whatever.

The Charcoal Cleansing Bar is my obsession. Charcoal is known for its ability to draw out impurities, and this does just that. Nothing leaves my skin feeling as clean as this does. It detoxifies my skin without drying it out, and it’s perfect for face and body. Anyone could use this, but if you’re acne prone and sensitive, I would especially recommend this cleanser.

Similarly, the Purifying Charcoal Mask is a GAME CHANGER. I don’t know a single person who doesn’t like this product. This stuff gets allllll the gunk out. I have the most frustrating blackheads on my nose that never go away – but this stuff actually gets the job done. It’s crazy. If your skin is congested and needs some exfoliation, YOU NEED THIS.

The Cleansing Balm is a lifesaver. It removes makeup and leaves your skin feeling brighter, softer, and more hydrated than before. It makes my face feel like a baby’s butt. It has Vitamin C in it, so it visibly brightens your skin. You can also leave it on as a hydrating face mask, and your skin will be totally rejuvenated and extra moisturized afterwards. I also like to use it on my lips or any other areas of my body that feel dry. NECESSARY, especially with winter coming.

I cannot begin to tell you how many face oils I have tried throughout my life. I’ve been desperate to jump on the face oil hype for a long time, but every single oil broke me out and left my skin a greasy mess. I tried a number of different brands, different mixtures, plain oils from Whole Foods, just everything. I was skeptical to try another face oil because I had given up, but I fell in love with Beautycounter’s Balancing Face Oil. A little goes a long way, and it really does balance out your skin. I have combination skin – an oily T-zone with a dry perimeter, and this has really helped to balance it out. I use this every night in place of a moisturizer, and it never leaves my skin feeling greasy or congested like other oils have.

The Rejuvenating Radiance Serum helps even out your skin tone, hydrate your skin, and brighten your complexion thanks to some good ole’ Vitamin C. I know I’m only 21, but I use anti-aging products. I don’t think you can start too early, to be honest. This is a tad thicker than a regular serum, so it’s not just a runny liquid that you slap on your face. This will really sink into your skin and leave it feeling plump and supple. I’ve been looking for a good Vitamin C serum for years now, but everything I’ve tried has either broken me out or left me with sticky skin. This does neither of those things. If you’re looking for a good Vitamin C serum, I’d highly recommend this one!

The Rejuvenating Day Cream is my ultimate obsession. It was the first thing I used from the line that got me hooked. This came into my life at the perfect time because, I kid you not, I have been looking for a new moisturizer for two years now. I’ve tried moisturizer after moisturizer and wasted so much money, and everything left my skin extra oily or dried it out. I couldn’t believe how hard it was to just find something that would just normalize my skin. The Rejuvenating Day Cream balances my skin out perfectly. It provides moisture to the areas that need moisture, and it hydrates my T-zone enough so my skin doesn’t get oily throughout the day. It also brightens and softens the skin, thanks to the anti-aging ingredients inside. SCORE.

Last, but not least, the Enrich Body Butter. The skin on the rest of my body is just as sensitive as the skin on my face. I’ve never found a body lotion that doesn’t give me a rash when I use it. Never. But your girl still has to hydrate her skin, especially post-shaving, so I’ve been using coconut oil for about a year now and it’s worked wonders without giving me any skin irritation. The only problem with coconut oil is that it’s greasy. Like, I can’t sit down or wear pants for a few hours after I apply it because it takes so long to soak in. I figured I’d give the body butter a try, and I was SHOCKED. This is thick and luxurious, but it absorbs really quickly. It leaves my body silky smooth and hydrated, and it soothes any irritation I get from shaving. Plus, the Citrus Mimosa scent is seriously to die for. Swoon.

Those are definitely not all of my favorites, but those are the products I would kinda die without right now. It’s still crazy to me that so many products from one line work for me, but I’m not complaining. It’s so nice to finally use products that aren’t harming my skin, my digestive system, my hormones…everything. Peace of mind. If you’re interested in buying any of these products, head over to beautycounter.com/christinarice and shop around! If you have any questions about products or want any suggestions, let me know! I am more than happy to help! XO