My FAVORITE Safer Skincare picks for Spring! (and GIVEAWAY!!)

  Ok I have to admit that I didn't pay too much attention to my skincare at the start of my career, but then again I was in my twenties! For a long time I got away with maintaining healthy skin by eating well, hydrating, ensuring enough healthy fats and avoiding a tonne of sugar. I used very BASIC skin oils to moisturize my skin, and aging gracefully was not really on my radar.

  Fast forward to the last two years - when I approached 40 I started to realize that my beauty products would actually have to WORK for me -I started looking for 'active' ingredients to help me with sun-damage (dark spots) and the start of wrinkles around the eyes and mouth.

  It's embarrassing how many products I've tried, but I saw it as an opportunity for 'research' and education - I know that many women my age share the same concerns and would like to slow down the aging process, and at least protect their skin for the many toxins and environmental assaults that we're exposed to everyday.

  I have to admit that some of the earlier products that I have used were not always the 'cleanest' products - I felt disappointed with the performance of several 'all-natural' brands (particularly when it came to makeup). While the naturopath in me likes to make my own products, I realize that most of us don't have the desire or the time to do this. I am always looking for amazing products, and many of them have finally found their place in my makeup bag by referral of other women in my industry (which I'm very grateful for). In fact, the majority of the products I'm sharing with you today have been recommended to me by women I trust in the Health and Nutrition world.

  With the rise of many environmentally triggered cancers and auto-immune diseases, I realized I had to get serious about cleaning up my skincare routine. This last year has certainly been a journey with many of these products. I have many that I'm currently already loving, and a few others that I have in the testing stage, that I hope to share with you over the next several months.

  Here are a few of my ABSOLUTE favorites that I know you will love. Spring is a time of detoxification and renewal, so I thought you may want to slowly get rid of some of your old products with a few safer versions - after-all, our skin is our biggest organ of detoxification, and one that absorbs EVERYTHING that it comes into contact with (I know, scary).

Ok, let's get right to it!

1. PurelyGreat Cream Deodorant
I have tried MANY natural deodorants, and as you may suspect, they didn't always work. And sometimes they did, but I hated the consistency, or smell, or the application process. This deodorant has been my favorite so far. It comes in several DELIGHTFUL all-natural smells including lavender, citrus, floral and patchouli (as well as scent-free). The jar contains enough creamy deodorant to last 2-3 months depending on your use - simply take a pea-sized amount and rub it into your arm-pit, and it does it's job ALL day! I keep one jar in my work-out bag and another in my bathroom. I liked it so much that I now stock it at my clinic (Vitality for Life Health Center).

2. Charcoal Cleansing Bar (by BeautyCounter)
I don't know how such a simple thing can be so awesome. I'd been eyeing this bar of soap after reading MANY amazing reviews from the ladies in the Paleo community about what a

great cleanser it is. I use charcoal powder to whiten my teeth, but this black bar of soap is also packed with the power of charcoal and many soothing and toning ingredients. Charcoal naturally draws out toxins and oil, so this bar is wonderul if you have an oily complexion OR you suffer from breakouts - within 2 days it helped banish my hormonal chin breakout. It can be used daily OR a few times a week if you are on the drier side. it lathers up nicely, and you can leave it on a little bit before rinsing if you are really oily. Great for the whole body, and safe for the whole family. I didn't think i'd enjoy using a bar-soap, but I'm SOLD! I have purchased a soap dish in fact, just for this little guy. And it last FOREVER! Seriously, if you keep it dry between uses it can last for a few months - well worth the price.

3. & 8. Flawless Complexion (by Pure&Simple) & Skin Tint Hydrating Foundation (by BeautyCounter)

These are my two favorite foundations. I'd been using the Flawless Complexion for about a year and loved the feel of it - it left my face dewy and provided that right amount of coverage in a moisturizing formula, that didn't irritate my skin or even my eyes. Some people may not love that dewy finish, and may find their makeup could slide off their eyes if they didn't set it with a powder first. It's such a nice formula though, and especially nice for summer when shiny skin may not be an issue. My color is Cafe au Lait.
Skin Tint is my new favorite (again recommended by colleagues). It has a thinner consistency that gives your makeup a nice place to sit on without sliding off, yet is still very gentle (you can use it over eyes as well). It too is a moisturizing formula (in fact it contains hyaluronic acid, which is basically a moisture magnet), leaving your skin with a beautiful finish that evens your skin tone.  It doesn't sit in your wrinkles and crevices (much appreciated), and feels super light on your skin. A little pea-sized amount goes on beautifully. My color is called Sand.

4. Talc-free Baby Powder (Olive Baby)
Ok, I may be a little biased in this one because Olive Baby is my own line for babies and families with sensitive skin, but I literally use this product daily, so it's worth mentioning. This scent-free baby powder contains arrowroot, kaolin clay and marshmallow root. These ingredients keep moisture (and oils) in check, while soothing the skin, which makes it an ideal DRY SHAMPOO. I kid you not, i sprinkle it in my hair, shake it out, and style as usual. I can go days without washing, and in fact it's a great way to give hair better texture for styling and gripping! I do need to say, I think it may be too 'white' for those of you with dark hair, in which case a little addition of cocoa powder or cinnamon would be perfect! For us blondes (especially those with grays coming in, lol) this formula actually brightens your color. 
I ALSO use the powder for fitness - it's great before a long run where 'chaffing' (yes, the thighs, but also under the breasts) can be an issue, and after a sweaty yoga class if I need to freshen up and run some errands! Does double duty as a deodorant as well. I've used this product with patients that have sensitive scalp and rashes of specific types, and of course diaper rash.

5. Cleansing Balm (by BeautyCounter)
This little gem also caught my eye months before I actually tried it, within the paleo circles. I

had tried oil cleansing in the past, but didn't always love the smell or mess with rubbing my face with oils. Along comes this SOLID cleansing balm and I'm looking forward to my night-time routine of makeup removal. You scoop out a pea-sized amount (using the spoon provided) and apply it your face (it melts into your skin on contact). You gently rub it all over, including the eyes, to remove all the makeup and environmental junk that has accumulated over the day. You then wipe it off with the muslin cloth (also provided in the box) that you wet with hot water. Your skin will feel soft as a babies but. You can then apply your night-time moisturizer OR you can also use your Cleansing Balm as an over-night MOISTURE MASK! Say WHAT?? Yup, the raspberry and cranberry oils are very moisturizing and the vitamin C brightens the face. LOVE this product. It's pricey, but a little goes a long way and the jar will last you a LONG time. Beautiful packaging too. 


6. Flawless Powder (by Pure&Simple)
This hypo-allergenic powder foundation does double duty as a physical sunscreen (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) and makeup base. I find it works best on top of a foundation, otherwise it can settle into fine lines and creases. I wear it on my eyes to set my makeup without any irritation. It provides a good amount of coverage as well - if you suffer from breakouts or redness this will definitely help conceal AND treat (it contains Tea Tree oils which can help calm the skin and has anti-bacterial properties). I use the color Bisque, but I think for summer I'll use Cafe au Lait.

7. Lengthening Mascara (by BeautyCounter)
I've never bothered seeking out a natural mascara before because I had given up on the

performance side. BeautyCounter has proved me wrong - you can have performance AND a safe formula, as seen in their Lengthening Mascara. Containing organic conditioning shea butter with dramatic color and their precision brush, this mascara goes on without clumping, smudging or flaking. It performs like a water-proof formula - it doesn't budge. Removal takes an extra step (it doesn't come off with just soap and water very well), but it's so worth it for the performance of all-day wear! It won the Allure Beauty Best of Beauty award in 2016 for good reason. Pricey, but an awesome mascara that comes with peace of mind!

8. Skin Tint Hydrating Foundation (by BeautyCounter)
grouped with #3 above

So that's my round-up for Spring...I have a few others I had to leave off the list so as not to overwhelm you, but I'll share those with you in another post. I hope you like these products as much as I do! Feel free to ask me any questions about them that you may have.

If you would like to try some of the BeautyCounter products, there is currently a great deal that offers a FREE travel size product with the purchase of any ONE of their customer-favorite products...and also some great discounts and gifts for members - if you are interested, check them out HERE! (if you have specific product questions or would like to try a sample, I may be able to help, so shoot me an email - anna@vitalityforlife.ca)

Ok, now it's GIVEAWAY TIME!!! I will select one winner on SATURDAY morning. 

GIVEAWAY ITEMS:
1. Full size container of Olive Baby Body Powder
2. $10 GIFT CARD towards a BeautyCounter order (redeemed at time of order)
3. Sample of the BeautyCounter Charcoal Cleansing Bar

To ENTER:
1. Leave me a comment on EITHER Instagram OR Facebook telling me WHICH of these  products you'd love to try and WHY!

2. Tag a friend (someone that may also be interested in the Giveaway or article)

Rules: you must be following my page on which you comment on, and you must be a Canadian citizen. Simple as that!