I’m very excited about today’s post because it’s about one of my favorite skincare go-to brands: Beautycounter. Funny story: I first discovered Beautycounter back in 2015 when I interviewed there for a corporate job in marketing. I ended up taking a job with another company that’s just down the street from Beautycounter in Santa Monica, but I had bought and tried some products to prepare for my interview and ended up falling in love with the brand’s formulas and mission.
What is Beautycounter?
Beautycounter is a luxury skincare and beauty brand that is focused on formulating clean products. Beautycounter’s formulations are beautiful to use, smell great, and most importantly, do not sacrifice effectiveness. The are committed to not using a growing list of ingredients that are deemed “questionable or harmful.” You can access the full list of ingredients on The Never List here.
Beautycounter Skincare
The skincare collection that Beautycounter is vast, but can be very confusing, especially since the range is undergoing a repackaging and reformulation process.
After working in beauty marketing for years, I’ve worked on my fair share of restructuring skincare lines and products before. Brands continually make updates to products for a number of reasons, including improvement to the formula, reduction of costs, or streamline to make it easier for the consumers to shop.
In this case, the skincare new packaging initiative tackled a number of improvements, including better/more recognizable branding with its new logo and sustainability enhancements to both formula and packaging.
Product Ranges
At the time of this article’s publishing (June 2020), Beautycounter offers the following seven skincare collections and products:
Countertime: The Anti-Aging Line
Countertime is a brand-new skincare line introduced to replace Rejuvenating. If you have anti-aging concerns and want to target wrinkles and fine lines, this is the line for you. I would also recommend this line for people with dry skin as it is a richer formulation compared to the rest of the product lines.
- Step 1: Countertime Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil
- Step 2: Countertime Mineral Boost Hydrating Essence
- Step 3: Countertime Tripeptide Radiance Serum
- Step 4: Countertime Antioxidant Soft Cream
- Step 5: Countertime Tetrapeptide Supreme Cream
- Step 6: Countertime Ultra Renewal Eye Cream
Countercontrol: The Acne Line
Beautycounter’s acne products are formulated with its signature SkinBalance complex made up of wintergreen and rosebay willow.
The Clear Pore Cleanser and All Over Acne Treatment both contain salicylic acid, which is effective at unclogging pores. If you have oily skin that is prone to breakouts, this line is for you.
- Step 1: Countercontrol Clear Pore Cleanser
- Step 2: Countercontrol Instant Matte Toner
- Step 3:
- Step 4: Countercontrol Matte Effect Gel Cream (Oil-Free)
Countermatch: Everyday Skincare Line
For normal, combination skin, the Countermatch skincare line is an excellent place to start. Products in this line are formulated with delivering moisture in mind so you can find ingredients such as squalane, hyaluronic acid, and Vitamins C and E.
- Step 1: Countermatch Refresh Foaming Cleanser
- Step 2: Countermatch Hydra-Gel Radiance Toner
- Step 3: Countermatch Intense Moisture Serum
- Step 4:
- Optional:
- Countermatch Eye Rescue Cream – if you need extra TLC around your eyes for wrinkles and crows feet
- Countermatch Adaptive Body Moisturizer – for body care
Counter+: Targeted Treatments
For me, this is where shopping for Beautycounter can get a little confusing. But if you’ve read my posts about skin type vs. skin concern, this part will make a little more sense. The below products can be used by any skin type (dry, combination, oily) because it is meant to address skin concerns (which any skin type can experience).
When you buy Beautycounter products, you can choose to buy cleansers and moisturizers from one of the collections above depending on your skin type, or choose one of the below products to supplement your existing skincare routine.
How to choose the right Counter+ product:
If you want to target dark spots, brighten dull skin, or treat rough skin:
For congested skin, large pores, or skin prone to breakouts or blackheads — charcoal and kaolin clay is a powerful combination. The Counter+ Charcoal Facial Mask also contains salicylic and lactic acids to gently exfoliate your skin to clean out your pores.
For all skin types looking for a deeply nourishing makeup removing balm, Counter+ Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm is your go-to.
If you want to add a facial oil to your skincare routine, Beautycounter offers three options:
- Counter+ No. 1 Brightening Facial Oil
- Counter+ No. 2 Plumping Facial Oil
- Counter+ No. 3 Balancing Facial Oil
For puffy eyes, the Counter+ Eye Reviving Cooling Mask uses cucumber and aloe leaf extracts to calm and soothe the sensitive eye area.
Counterstart: Coconut based skincare solution
For those who have more sensitive skin, the Counterstart products are a good choice. Formulated with coconut oil and aloe vera cleans and hydrates the skin without stripping away essential moisture.
Countersun: Mineral Sun Protection
Sun protection is a must for every skincare routine. If you want a very in-depth guide on how to pick a great sunscreen (that’s not necessarily Beautycounter) you can also refer to this post.
If you want a mineral based sunscreen from Beautycounter, here are your options:
Sun protection for the body
- Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30- this comes in two sizes
- 3.4 oz
- 6.7 oz
- Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 30
- Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Mist SPF 30 – this comes in two sizes
- 6 oz
- 3 oz (travel-size)
- Countersun Tinted Mineral Sunscreen Mist SPF 30 – this comes in two shades
- Light-Medium
- Medium-Dark
- Countersun After Sun Cooling Gel
Sun protection for the face
- Countersun Daily Sheer Defense For Face SPF 25
Counterman: Beautycounter’s skincare line designed for men
- Facial Skincare
- Step 1: Daily Exfoliating Cleanser
- Step 2: Clarifying Toner Pads
- Step 3: Oil-Free Face Lotion
- Shaving
- Smoothing Shave Cream
- Cooling Aftershave Tonic
- Conditioning Beard Oil
- Body Care
- Energizing Charcoal Body Wash
- Charcoal Body Bar
Need more help?
I’m happy to put together a personalized skincare routine with recommended products. Just drop your e-mail in the box below and take a short survey!