When it comes to skincare, retinol is one of the most frequently Googled words – and for good reason. So what is retinol? Retinol is in the Vitamin A family and it is proven to smooth fine lines plus prevent new ones from showing up, brighten skin, treat acne and fade dark spots. Sounds pretty amazing right? Olay Retinol24 Now let’s be real here – I’m not someone who jumps on the latest trend bandwagon, especially when it comes to beauty and skincare. I tend to find products I like and stick with them for years and years. When Olay approached me about their gentle, but effective new Retinol24 cream, backed with TONS of positive data, I was intrigued. My mom has been using Olay for 30+ years and looks incredible (she honestly looks at least 15 years younger than she is), so I already trusted the quality. I tested their Retinol24 eye cream, moisturizer and night serum for 4 weeks and here’s what I found… Results from Retinol Like the 96% of women who tested these products, I had zero irritation. Retinol has seemed scary to me, in the past because I’ve heard it can be harsh and cause redness, but I honestly experienced none. My favorite product was the night serum because it was fragrance-free, lightweight, compact (which made it great to travel with), and I could use it alone and wake up with brighter, clearer skin. After 4 weeks, I 100% did notice a visible difference in my fine lines – especially around my eyes and forehead. How To Use Retinol If you’re using products with retinol in them, you should absolutely be diligent about applying sunscreen because it does make your skin more sensitive to the sun. For the Olay Retinol24 serum, just drop a pea size amount in your palm and apply a thin layer over your clean face. You can use this alone, or wait a few minutes and layer with the moisturizer and eye cream should you choose. It really just depends on how your skin is feeling that day. All in all, I am SO happy that I finally tried retinol, because it really does wonders for your skin. I am all about aging gracefully and naturally, and retinol 100% helps with that.

I’ve been slowly swapping out my beauty cabinet with cleaner products for the last 4 years. It’s been a transition, and involved a lot of trial and error, but I feel so much better knowing I’m putting cleaner products on my body. I’m so excited to share a few of my favorite products from Beautycounter that I’ve been using since I first became interested in clean beauty. Beautycounter What I love about Beautycounter is that their mission has been to get cleaner and safer products in the hands of everyone since Day 1. They have really focused on educating their customers about which harmful ingredients to avoid and been advocates for better laws in the personal care industry. They prohibit the use of over 1,500 questionable ingredients in their line – yes 1,500! I also love that their products actually WORK. More often than not, I’ve been rather disappointed in some of the clean beauty products I’ve tried, but I can honestly say I’ve never not liked a single item from Beautycounter. What makes their products so great? They’re clean, high quality, luxurious, affordable, AND the packaging is GORGEOUS. I love staring at their products on my vanity because they’re just so darn pretty haha. Aesthetics are important especially with things that you’re using and looking at everyday, am I right?! None of their products are overly scented (you know that intense fake, perfume smell I’m talking about) which is MAJOR for me because I’m really sensitive to scents. My Favorite Clean Beauty Products Ok, so where do I begin?! Ok well, the first product I was ever introduced to was actually their body wash. It’s hard to find a clean body wash that smells and feels good – and this one definitely fits the bill. It has the most subtle citrus scent and makes my skin so smooth! You can’t go wrong with their pretty light pink lipgloss in Opal Moonstone, Essential Brush Set (which is 100% animal hair free), Balancing Face Oil (you know I’m addicted to face oil!), Mattifying Powder, and Luminous Highlighter. Two Clean Anti-Aging Products To Know About Two newer products that I’ve been testing for the last month and love are the Ultra Renewal Eye Cream and the Tripeptide Radiance Serum. Both are from their Countertime Collection, which is all about anti-aging and packed with Retinatural Complex. It’s been really hard for me to find a clean eye cream that I like, and I am so relieved that I have FINALLY found one! The texture of this one is buttery smooth, blends beautifully, and I noticed my under eye circles are way more faint. Serums are something that I was unfamiliar with until about a year ago, and I’m so glad I started incorporating them into my skincare routine. The Tripeptide Radiance Serum can be applied before your moisturizer or face oil, and it just gives you that extra boost of hydration and glow. This one really evens out my skin and makes me more confident to go sans makeup on my off days. What are some of your favorite clean beauty products? How important is it to you to incorporate clean products into your routine? I would love to know!