EVERY CHOICE COUNTS.

Lower Your Body Burden.

We have loads of helpful information throughout our site explaining the importance of using natural products, but for starters it's crucial to know: we're exposed to heaps of toxins on a daily basis in our food, water, air, clothing, technology, and homes. Our bodies come into contact with over 1,000,000 toxic particles per day. These include heavy metals and known carcinogens that are still completely legal for the personal care industry to put in their products, not mention VOCs, pthalates, microplastics, and more.

Small changes add up to big results.

There are so many sources of exposure that we can't control, it's worth it to protect ourselves wherever we can make changes (like choosing which products we buy). If you're working on health goals, managing your weight, or care about protecting your mental clarity, we recommend transitioning to non-toxic products in every area of your life.

That's where this question comes in - the one that we get asked most by our students and clients:

"Ok now that you've taught me how scary these chemicals are, what do I use instead?"

Fair question!

When it comes to skincare, we've gathered a few gentle, organic, plant based, non-toxic, effective options for you right here on Vision Nation. As for makeup, Michael would prefer from a health standpoint that folks wear none at all, because anything that we put on our skin has to be processed by the body. So unless it's literally food, it's less than ideal. But since I (Sinclair) still wear some makeup, I'm not about to tell you to do something I don't. I do treat and take care of my skin from the inside out first, which has been a game changer for my delicate skin which used to be an acne prone, chemically sensitive, scar-happy, aging-in-fast-forward nightmare. I learned the hard way that no serum, facial, or laser treatment will fix your liver or your gut microbiome, and if your dollars are limited this is a STRONG suggestion to start on the inside first and stop spending $$$ on the outside until your body has detoxed.

As for my own makeup routine, I limit the products I use, wear far less of it than I used to, and I make sure that all of it comes from Beauty Counter.  

Confession time- we dissed BC at first.

We hate salesy stuff and honestly, we totally ignored repeated recommendations to research Beauty Counter just because they have membership and affiliate programs. But after exhaustive industry research we have to admit that this is, in our opinion, the best collection on the market for folks that want high-performance targeted skincare, and a large line of traditional-style safe makeup.

We love our pure sourced bath products and detox topicals in our own shop, but the verdict is in - Beauty Counter is by far the best full makeup line out there that protects the consumer from harmful industry practices.

Here's why we chose to partner with BeautyCounter:

TRANSPARENCY, SAFETY, ADVOCACY

As health coaches, product designers, and manufacturers, we keep a super close eye on businesses that claim to be safe. We know first-hand how difficult it is to make the right choices, and it requires constant research, vendor oversight, independent testing, in-house batch testing, and sacrifice.

That's why we love that Beauty Counter has far higher standards than the US and EU, has banned over 1,800 ingredients from their products, and they screen every potential ingredient for information on specific hazards like cancer, developmental toxicity, hormone disruption, and infertility.

They also conduct regular in-house batch testing to keep an eye on their vendors and make sure that none of those banned ingredients sneak into their supply chain. In the raw materials and manufacturing world, that happens far more often than you'd think.

They use organic, natural, sustainable, and synthetic ingredients that meet our standards. Over 80% of the ingredients in their products are natural or plant-derived, and do not test on animals.

Last but not least, they actively campaign for safer beauty standards in Washington DC. That's the kind of forward thinking and advocacy that we want to support.

HIGH PERFORMANCE: products that make good on their promises.

Ok I've tried a LOT of "green" skincare and makeup products, and most of them were really frustrating to use. They were too heavy, or too light and didn't last, or they smeared all over the place without the scary chemicals to hold it all together. Most of them irritated my sensitive skin. Beauty Counter products do not. In fact, I see measurable results when I use them. 

A FEW OF SINCLAIR'S FAVES:

Whether you're just getting started on your detox journey or you're a green aficionado, these products are well worth a try.

The Volumizing Mascara - Mercury, lead, and aluminum metal free, and won't clump or smear all over your face like other "healthy" mascaras.

The Charcoal Mask is a lovely purifying self-care treat that cleanses my pores without drying out my super delicate skin.

And I hate to admit it but this Vitamin C serum is kind of obsession-worthy.

I also love the brow pencil, concealer pen, and sheer lipstick.

FAQ: YOUR TOP QUESTIONS

Q: I've been using traditional products. Where do I start with non-toxic makeup?

1. Lipstick - since you're eating whatever you put on your lips, and lipsticks are notorious for containing undisclosed lead and mercury, you wanna make sure your brand is as safe as possible. Finding your favorite sheer lipstick or color intense shade from Beauty Counter is an easy place to start your non-toxic makeup exploration.

2. Sunscreen - sunscreens are usually an almost no-win situation. If you go completely non-toxic, the stuff slides off in minutes and you're on your way to a damaging burn. If you go high-performance, the coverage lasts but you're absorbing known carcinogens all over your body. Beauty Counter sunscreen is as close to pure AND high performance as we've found, anywhere. We recommend the spray suncreen (my fave) or the stick version. (The tube sunscreen goes on super thick.)

3. Flawless in 5 - this simple customizable set is a lovely, non-toxic, easy makeup routine, and will introduce you to a few products at once.

4. Skincare system - we cannot stress enough that good skin comes from within, starting with loving up your gut microbiome and helping your liver to recover from the toxic onslaught of the last couple of decades. But if you're a skincare system person, I highly recommend:

The Countercontrol collection for blemish prone skin

The Countermatch regimen for advanced hydration and age prevention

The Countertime collection is anti-oxidant rich, protective, and anti-aging

I honestly don't have a preference between the Countermatch and Countertime collections, I've tried and like them both. (Right now I'm mixing and matching my faves from all 3 sets). But I can tell you that most people STRONGLY prefer one or the other. With a 60-day return policy, it's easy to try each one. Just send them back no questions asked.

Q: What's the Beauty Counter Membership?

You don't have to share BC with others in order to get product benefits. You can become a member to get product credits, discounts, and free shipping, and there's no order requirement. You can read the details here. To help support you on your switch to non-toxic products, we gift you any BC product of your choice up to $35 when you become a member through Vision Nation. Our support team will reach out to you after you sign up, and ask what your heart desires. Happy shopping!

Q: What if I don't like the stuff I buy from BC?

Use the 60 day return policy! I've sent back a bunch of different lipsticks while I was searching for the right shades, and never had any hassle.

Q: Is there anything you wouldn't by from Beauty Counter?

Yes! We don't recommend BC liquid soaps. Their ingredient list still contains sulfates, and we know it's possible to have great soap without these. Instead, try the Nubian Goat Milk liquid hand soap or these luscious organic soap bars here at VN.

BC has a new deodorant, but ours are more pure. We have 2 types of deodorant here at VN that we're super proud to share: the pristine actively detoxing daytime and nighttime deodorants, and the extra strong all-plant solid deodorant. These are the purest topicals around, believe me we've tried them all!

We also suggest you skip on the lotion. It's true that the BC body lotions are crowd favorites, but you can put real food right on your body that feels just as luxurious and is tailored to your own heavenly scent preference. Just mix  organic coconut oil or organic avocado oil with your favorite essential oils, and voila! Superfood for your skin.

We hope this helps you on your journey to reduce toxins in your life! If you have any questions related to these products, please drop us a line. Our team is here to help, and we'd love to hear from you.