Gooood morning to you! As a busy mom, you bet I don’t have a lot of time to myself in the morning. Sound familiar?!
Getting myself and two little humans ready in the morning does not mean that I skip out on my AM skincare routine, though. I keep it short, simple yet impactful. I’m alllll about efficiency and getting the most out of my products – and my time. Get ready to dive into my super simple, quick and NONTOXIC clean beauty morning skincare routine.
Grab your morning cup ‘o joe & let’s get reading!
A lil disclaimer, I’m not an esthetician! However, I do go to one every 6 weeks. I take her recommendations for my specific skincare needs and pursue finding those types of products from a skincare line that has a reduced toxin load. Here in the US, our beauty products are not regulated as well as they are in other countries! For that reason, I always check with the Environmental Working Group database prior to purchasing a new beauty product. In fact, I became a Brand Advocate for BeautyCounter after recognizing how well their products are regulated and sourced. If you type any BeautyCounter product into the EWG portal, you’ll find that it is fully certified. This means the product meets the high standards set by the EWG. This helps take the guesswork out of it for me and reduces decision fatigue by not having to continually source my products from a variety of brands. While you’ll notice I primarily use BeautyCounter products, I also try other clean beauty lines! I am always learning and growing over here, and I promise to continually share what I learn along the way.
Now believe me, every product I own is not fully “EWG Certified”. I’m still swapping out products from years ago. Sustainability and keeping cost in mind is important to me, so please know I do not recommend trashing all of your current products for the ones outlined here. Use what you have*, then swap out for cleaner products once ready to buy new!
*unless said current product(s) are giving you known endocrine disrupting symptoms or causing you to breakout. Not sure if that’s the case? Schedule a Holistic Wellness Coaching call and we can chat through it!
Okay! Time to get into my current morning routine. I’ve been using this simple routine for the past year – through postpartum, breastfeeding, with two young kiddos in tow and while running a business. So, it’s become tried and true for me!
Simple. Safe. Effective.
STEP 1: CLEANSE
I used to just splash water on my face in the morning. However, my esthetician recommended using a gentle cleanser even in the morning to help with build-up overnight.
The Countermatch Refresh Foaming Cleanser has been a gentle staple in my routine and I love that fresh, clean feeling to start the day!
STEP 2: VITAMIN C SERUM
I have tried a number of Vitamin C serums over the past few years, and let me tell you, I have landed on my favorite! You can truly feel this product sinking into your skin. Not every Vitamin C serum out these is derived from high-quality sourcing. This one is! The holistic wellness advocate in me LOVES that turmeric and camu camu are also in this formula. I’m obsesses with turmeric’s natural anti-inflammatory properties and think it is so smart that this is included in my Vitamin C serum.
This serum instantly brightens skin and helps even skin tone. The antioxidant-rich formula also helps defend skin from the damaging effects of environmental stressors, which is of the upmost importance to me as a holistic health advocate focussing on preventative care. Truly, this step is one I would not skip in your morning skincare routine. If you take anything away from this post, it’s to get yourself a high quality Vitamin C serum to reduce the effects of free radicals! Here’s the one I use and love: All Bright C Serum.
STEP 3: HYDRATE
Another product that I can literally feel sinking into my skin! Soooo needed for the volatile Ohio weather I live in. You never know if it’s going to be a hot + humid day, or a blistery wintry day. We literally go back and forth all the time, thus I love having a moisturizer that is good through alllll the elements my great state brings!
I typically do not use SPF *gasp* on a daily basis. Give me that Vitamin D straight from the sun! From an anti-wrinkle standpoint, this is where my esthetician friends will disagree. However, to me the benefits of getting pure sunlight on my face for a few minutes each day outweigh the risks (particularly in the cooler months). Now, if I know I’ll be spending a lot of time outside in the direct sunlight in the Spring / Summer months, I will layer and SPF over this moisturizer for that extra layer of protection. No interest in burning, just in soaking in good Vitamin D straight from our sun.
Countermatch Adaptive Moisture Lotion is truly just that — adaptive! I use it on the daily no matter the season.
When I know I’ll be spending >30 minutes in direct sunlight, I’ll layer Countersun Daily Sheer Defense for Face – SPF 25 over my typical moisturizer.
STEP 4: MAKE-UP
Keeping it super simple here for the everyday mama + physical therapist life!
I apply Skin Twin Featherweight Foundation with a brush. For reference, my shade is Medium 345. Then, I swipe on Think Big All in One Mascara! Some days I’ll dab on Cheeky Clean Cream Blush – that is, if I’m “feeling fancy” as my 3 year old would say!
Safe. Simple. Effective.
That’s it! Your routine does not have to be super complex. Using high-quality ingredients can help with this! I have found each of these products to be extremely effective. Investing in a few good products such as these can make a huge difference in the quality and health of your skin. All without sacrificing ingredients, sourcing and toxin load.
