One of the very first Beautycounter products I fell in love with was the lip gloss, specifically in the shade Fig.
It was a gorgeous shade. It was non-sticky. It was safe.
IN FACT, it was the FIRST true selfie I ever posted circa September 2016... to showcase this lip gloss. No filter. That is serious love!
Conversely, I did not love the lip sheers... at first. I only had the shade Twig (a neutral) but it didn't last long enough. I thought it was a lipstick, when in reality it is like a tinted chapstick... a blend of a gloss and lipstick. I just didn't get it.
NOW that we have more bold and intense lipsticks, and the "sheer" makes sense to me... I wear them ALL. THE. TIME. #permissiontochange
Both products have been upgraded into beautiful new packaging and I wanted to have a dedicated blog post to honor these amazing products and their safer ingredients.
Let's first chat about safety + supply chain.
Safety
I've always been a fan of switch lip products to safer options as a first swap. Why? Well, no matter the effort, you ARE going to ingest some of your lip product and there is a lot of crap in lip glosses and lipsticks on the market today, including PEGs (used as thickeners, solvents, softeners, or moisture carriers) and BHT or plasticizers.. all are linked to harm human health and have environmental impact concerns, which vary based on many factors including route of exposure.
Beautycounter also does a thorough process for screening and testing. Each batch is tested for heavy metals to ensure they meet the BC safety measures. In addition, there are 65 cosmetic colorants allowed in the US, but Beautycounter prohibits the use of majority and only relies on 18 colorants in their cosmetics.
Supply Chain Transparency + Ingredient Spotlight: Vanilla
In these lip formulas, Beautycounter uses an ECOCERT-certified organic vanilla sourced through a woman-owned supplier who partners with cooperatives and farmers in Madagascar. They support local communities through initiatives like funding for clean drinking water, health care, and education.
After extensive in-person audits of mica suppliers, Beautycounter chose a domestic source that’s committed to industry-leading practices for sustainable mining and processing. For additional mica suppliers, they are working to further secure and trace their mica through our partnership with Sourcemap and on-the-ground audits. Read more about Beautycounter's mica journey here.
Beautycounter Beyond Gloss
Goodness, I love these beautiful glosses. Gorgeous shine and lip conditioning benefits make it one of my favorite products.
Jojoba seed oil is used to provide wear that stays put without being sticky.
BeyondSmooth Conditioning Complex is a blend of beeswax, candelilla wax, and organic carnauba wax which gives a smooth texture and locks in moisture.
Organic Madagascar Vanilla is high-quality, responsibly-sourced ingredient providing the sweet, delicious scent.
CleanCoat pigments is a proprietary process that provides a beautifully sheer, even coat of color in a range of hues in moisture-rich castor oil.
Peony: warm pink
Brûlée: beige shimmer
Quartz Shimmer: clear shimmer
Mulberry: deep plum
Spice: warm neutral shimmer
Raspberry: sheer bright pink
Black Plum: deep eggplant
Magnolia Shimmer: mauve with silver shimmer
Amber Shimmer: warm amber shimmer
Clove: warm beige
Sienna: sheer raisin
Dahlia: cool pink
Bare Shimmer: neutral pink with golden shimmer
Rosewood: warm neutral
Some of my favorites: Peony (for spring/summer), Brûlée (for sparkly neutral), Rosewood (for fall/winter), and Amber Shimmer (for sparkly neutral).
Beautycounter Sheer Genius Conditioning Lipstick
As mentioned above, this is NOT your bold, long-lasting lip option. This is the perfect, hybrid blend of a gloss and lipstick - the ultimate everyday lip!
One of my favorite features of this new packaging: a magnetic lid! No more worrying about losing tops in purses - truly genius!
Jojoba Esters are sustainably sourced and native to South America. They are plant-based emollients that melt into the lips to create a balmy texture for a weightless, creamy feel.
SmartWax Botanical Blend is a lip-conditioning blend of emollients and plant-based waxes that help lock in moisture while giving a smooth look and feel.
Organic Madagascar Vanilla is high-quality, responsibly-sourced ingredient providing the sweet, delicious scent.
CleanCoat pigments is a proprietary process that provides a beautifully sheer, even coat of color in a range of hues in moisture-rich castor oil.
Twig: rosy beige
Terra: earthy pink
Petal: light pink
Lily: luminous neutral pink
Rose: vibrant pink
Orchid: cool berry
Plum: true berry
Raisin: brown berry
Pearl: clear with soft shimmer
Rosewood: warm neutral
My favorites: Pearl (neutral), Petal (light pink/spring/summer), Rosewood (fall/winter), Plum (fall/winter)
If you need helping choosing your shade, I'm your girl. I've tried them all! ;)