How To Switch To Safer Products (On Any Budget) and Why It Matters

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while (thank you!), then you know that I absolutely love Beautycounter skincare and makeup. And, more importantly, I truly enjoy talking about clean beauty, why it matters, and I hope to inspire you to start your own journey of switching to safer products in the process.

If you’re not familiar with the brand, see my Clean Beauty page for the rundown. I will obviously have the most tips on how to save money on shopping clean with Beautycounter, but I hope that reading this post will help you way beyond that.

I’m just going to say it … quality, clean skincare and makeup is an investment. Just like buying better-for-you groceries, food storage options, or top-notch clothing, Beautycounter is a high-end, high-peforming brand.

A lot of people use brands like Cerave or Cetaphil that you can pick up from your local drug store (I did the same for years!), and while those products aren’t as harmful as others, they still aren’t great. And when there are better options that are also designed to produce dramatic results using active, safe ingredients, why not give it a go?

I would compare Beautycounter prices to what you would find at a department store, or even cheaper when implementing the strategies that I list below. The biggest difference outside of the safety, sustainability, and clean ingredients is how long the products last. I will include some of my personal reviews on the bottom of this post, just know a little product goes a long way because they are extremely condensed to only use a small amount in each application.

All of that said, there are several ways to save money when buying, so read below and please reach out with any questions that you may have!

By the way, I am a Beautycounter consultant and earn a commission from anything purchased through the links on this post. I appreciate your support so much!

First let’s talk about WHY this matters.

Okay, so let’s start with a great question you might be wondering … WHY do you need to worry about using safer-for-you options?

The short answer? There aren’t many regulations in the beauty industry at all. Companies are allowed to use known toxins that link to cancer, infertility, asthma, hormone disruption, and more. And the worst part about it is that they don’t have to disclose this.

More concerning details …

Decades of studies indicate that serious health issues are on the rise and due in some part to our ongoing exposure to toxic chemicals. The U.S. has not passed a major federal law governing the cosmetics industry since 1938. (Um, that’s 80 years.)⁣⁣

There are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market today, and many don’t have any safety data. The European Union has banned or restricted 1,400 ingredients from personal care products while the U.S. has banned or restricted 30. (Yikes.)⁣⁣ And finally, The FDA does not have the authority to remove harmful ingredients from the products we put on our bodies every day.

Yet.

And this is where Beautycounter comes in by advocating for transparency and helping the laws change to clean up the industry for all.

Let that sink in for a minute, breathe, and let’s move on.

I had a turning point almost five years ago when I finally turned the product labels that I swore by around, thanks to my first introduction to Beautycounter at a friend’s house. I found out what was in everything that I was using, including harmful chemicals, toxins, and a lot of things that I couldn’t even pronounce. Not great.⁣ You can read more about the story in .

The good news is that there are brands that make picking safer options for your entire family extremely easy. (Check out Beautycounter’s Never List for a glimpse at what you will never find in any product.)

Next, let’s discuss how you can find out WHAT is in your current products.

So now that we know that it’s important to use products that aren’t working against our health, how do you know what brands and products to trust?

I highly recommend turning to the non-profit Environmental Working Group for help, more popularly known as EWG. They have a website and app (EWG Healthy Living) that you can download and check every product you use to see how safe it is on a scale from 1-10 (1 meaning green light and super safe to 10 being red light, linked to major health issues … do not use.)

It’s very eye-opening, but helpful to get a sense of how easy it is to use something harmful without knowing it.

Now we’re ready to switch to safer products, or better yet, brands that make it easier for you!

I couldn’t tell you why I didn’t make a bigger change YEARS ago besides having an all-or-nothing mindset. I wanted to replace everything that I was using all at once, and I felt like it was impossible and too expensive. But, it’s not at all. And that’s where I can help you with a starting point that fits in your budget.

And for the sake of time, I’m just going to talk about how you can slowly start switching over to Beautycounter without breaking the bank.

Here we go!

Switch To Safer Without Getting Overwhelmed

I could talk about this subject for days, so let’s keep things condensed with a few bullet points that I end up sharing with someone almost every day.

If you want to try everything all at once but don’t have the budget, start …

• Slowly by replacing what you’re running out of with a better-for-you option.

Are you running low on foundation or concealer? Check out the new Skin Twin products. Need a good for any skin type AM/PM cleanser and moisturizer at a low price point? Check out Counterstart. Are you looking for better bath & body items? Here you go.

Instead of walking to your local drug store for any replacement, fill your cart with those better-for-you options first.

• Trying best-sellers that are truly unique to Beautycounter.

I could recommend so many things to you, so let’s narrow this down to five very popular items that you will have a really hard time finding elsewhere.

Counter+ Overnight Resurfacing Peel

Formulated with 15 botanically-derived acids, this leave-on peel improves skin texture and minimizes the appearance of pores, fine lines and dark spots without irritation or over-drying. I definitely notice a brighter, more youthful-looking complexion when I use it regularly. Most of my clients report seeing an improvement in their skin in just one use! It’s super easy to use — just apply and let the magic happen while you sleep.

It’s recommended to use this one 3-4x per week after cleansing and before a moisturizer, and there is also a AM sister product called the Counter+ All Bright C Serum with added benefits of Vitamin C. It smells absolutely amazing and gives you an instant glow.

Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer

This is a sheer tinted moisturizer with light coverage, but it has a SPF 20 built in. I wear the No 2 (Light) shade almost every day, and I love how it provides an extra moisturizing layer with a little color (and mineral sunscreen!).

Counter+ Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm

This is perhaps my favorite Beautycounter product, and it can do basically everything. Moisturize, cleanse, treat, and soothe. It’s the most versatile product – as you can use it as a cleanser, makeup remover, moisturizer, or overnight mask. Seriously! I use this instead of my normal night routine about once a week. I also have the travel size and take this on overnight trips instead of my regimen. You can also use it on dry and irritated spots on yourself and kids.

Counter+ Charcoal Facial Mask

This is a great weekly balancing treatment for most skin types, which exfoliates, detoxifies and helps minimize pores. It’s also wonderful for helping with breakouts. And if you watch my Instagram stories, you know I love my mask and use it on a weekly basis to balance my skin.

• Diving into a regimen, collection, or starter set.

What is the benefit to buying everything all at once and together, rather than piecing different products and lines together as you need them? Well, other than quicker results, you will generally get more for your money when you buy a set or bundle, as those are always discounted. It also takes the guess work of what you should do with and before or after what, which is nice. There are different regimens for different focuses, so let me know how I can help you ! What are your goals?

Outside of skincare, I recommend looking at the Flawless In Five and Get The Look makeup starter sets.

• Reaching out to me! I have so many tips on how to help you get the most out of your orders. I pride myself in creating the perfect cocktail of products for your individual skincare goals and needs, so the answer will always vary depending on who is asking and what kind of budget I’m working with. That said, read below for how you can generally get the most bang for your buck with Beautycounter.

More Discounts:

• Get 15% off site-wide now through November 29th. This is the biggest sale of the year, so now is definitely the time to start switching over if you’ve been thinking about it. The sale includes all of the newest product launches and holiday sets, but does not include already bundled and discounted items like regimens, collections, Flawless In Five, or Get The Look starter sets.
• Purchase à la carte during a sale, but bundled when there isn’t one. I just did the math for a friend of mine who was looking to replenish her Countertime Collection and while the purchase as a whole is usually cheaper when bundled ($42 cheaper!), you can save an additional $22 purchasing everything à la carte with this site-wide sale.

• New to Beautycounter? Get 10-20% off your first purchase, depending on what promotion is currently running. This does not apply, however, when there is a site-wide sale going on simultaneously. But, you can save at least 10% on your first purchase any time by using a promo code that I have for you, so just reach out!
• Become a VIP member – join Band of Beauty for $29 and earn 10% product credit back (on every purchase), free shipping all year on orders $100 or more, a free welcome gift (right now it’s a free travel-sized Charcoal Facial Mask AND Overnight Resurfacing Peel – $43 value), and exclusive offers throughout the year. It’s like Amazon Prime meets Nordstrom Rewards of safer skincare and makeup and a must if you plan on spending $100 or more. No auto-renewals, no tricks, just savings.

• Interest-free Payment Plan (Klarna) – Beautycounter now offers a payment plan that splits your cart into four interest-free payments! Anyone is eligible with orders between $35 – $999, before taxes and shipping. You’ll know if this applies to you, because the option will be presented at checkout on the website (this offer is not valid on the app).⁣ Klarna is completely safe to use and requires a few extra security steps. If you decide to use the payment plan, your order will be split into four equal payments, with the first due upon purchase. The remaining three payments will be automatically charged to the card you select every two weeks.⁣
• Join the Life In Leggings – Beautycounter Page! This is where I spend most of my time and energy sharing clean beauty content. I also run frequent GIVEAWAYS, which means that I raffle free full-sized products off to clients, members, and even people who just interact on the page. You can also expect to find news, skincare talk, makeup tutorials, gift ideas, advocacy updates, and more.
• Subscribe to my – if you’re not a fan of social media (I get it), make sure to subscribe to my clean beauty newsletter that goes directly to your email inbox about every two weeks. Here I share the latest updates, new product launches, information on current sales and promotions, and more giveaways.

More Rewards & Ways To Get Involved

I became a consultant for this company to feel good about what I’m putting on my skin, to get a great discount on the products, and to share my reviews and journey. I knew that Beautycounter is trying to change the world to make it better for all of us, but I had NO IDEA how impactful the strides already are.⁣ Here’s how you can help support the cause, too!

Use your voice – you can text BETTERBEAUTY to 52886 to help urge Congress to pass safer beauty laws. It takes two minutes and your virtual signature helps us in the movement to make the beauty industry safer for everyone!

Host a pop-up – I run online pop-ups throughout the year and cash in on serious rewards that include free and 50% off products. I can’t redeem them all, so I am always looking for co-hosts to cash in on the rewards. I do all of the posting and talking, and you simply invite your friends to the group to learn about the importance of clean beauty! This could be run online like a Facebook group, a Zoom party, or as simple as me creating a 10-day referral link for you to share with your friends and family. There’s really nothing to lose!

See my latest Host Rewards Haul (10 products for $153) here.

Become a Consultant – I would be so thrilled to have you on my team as a clean beauty enthusiast and advocate! In fact, check out my post onall about the business of clean. I thoroughly enjoy my team that ranges from lawyers and full-time medical practitioners to fitness professionals and stay-at-home-moms, and the last thing you would be in this business is alone.

You can reach out to me at beautycounter@lifeinleggings.com, or just comment below and I’ll connect with you. Find me when you enroll under Heather Hesington or use this link.

Also, I’m co-hosting a Beautycounter opportunity call with two of my good friends in early December, so make sure to message me so I can send you the details.

---

Well, I guess I’d better wrap it up there. I’ve probably left you with more information than you bargained for, but what can I say, I am very passionate about this!

Thank you so much for reading, and just know that I’m only a message away to help you when you’re ready to dive in. Please reach out with any questions at all!

You Might Also Like:

Top Beautycounter Makeup Picks

Top Beautycounter Skincare Products & My Results

Skincare Talk & My Review of the Countertime Line

Why I Became a Beautycounter Consultant & FAQs

Back To Clean Beauty & Safer Skincare