Mineral Makeup at its finest

One of the things that I've been committed to for a few years is integrating clean, natural beauty products into my routine. It started with my first visit to Fig & Flower, continued as I delved into Skin Cleanse, and remains a part of my routine to this day. I can't say that every single one of my products is all natural, but at least 50% of them are, and it's a change that I'm dedicated to. 

I've spoken about natural beauty brands a few times in the past, including a post about my favorites as well as a nod to Beautycounter. Today, I wanted to share with you my latest discovery, Mineral Fusion. Mineral Fusion is a skincare, body care, and makeup brand that is EWG Verified and committed to only the purest ingredients. I've mentioned before that there aren't any guidelines about beauty products in the U.S. Since there are virtually no regulations about what can go into our beauty products, it's up to brands like Mineral Fusion to make sure the best of the best is hitting the shelf.

Mineral Fusion products are made with natural ingredients like licorice, lavender, and coconut oil (and others!), and the brand's mission is to leave your skin better than the makeup found it. This makeup is actually working to improve your skin while you're wearing it. For example, a lip butter is not only providing you with color, but is also nourishing and hydrating at the same time.

Mineral Fusion products are available online, but they're also available at Whole Foods Market. Not only does Whole Foods carry some pretty awesome self-care brands, but the retailer has even created its own standards for organic labeling on personal care products. So while no one else really seems to care, Whole Foods does. Sounds like as good of a reason as any to do more shopping at the market that I already know and love!

Last week, Whole Foods Buckhead treated me to a complimentary makeup consultation with Mineral Fusion. I showed up looking less than lovely with absolutely NO makeup on, and left feeling ready for the three-day weekend. Mineral Fusion currently has a pop-up shop front and center of the Whole Body department and all of their products are 40%! You can find the pop-up shop (and the awesome sale) happening now through June 4th.

I've thoroughly enjoyed all of the products I have tried so far, but I have to say some of my favorites are the mascara in Jet, bronzer/blush duo in Blonzer, and the lip tint in Blush. I am also really digging their Limitless Beauty Cream for my lips which are perpetually dry even in the balmiest of weather.

If you've ever considered incorporating some natural beauty products into your routine, now is the time! You can find some great deals, especially with that 40% off too. Let me know what you pick up and add to your natural beauty arsenal!

Whole Foods Buckhead supplied me with a few Mineral Fusion products in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own. 

5 Minute Face for Fall with Beautycounter

Okay, okay, I know it's technically not fall, but since Labor Day marks the unofficial end to summer, I feel like we've embarked on the unofficial start to fall! Fall is absolutely my favorite season which means I'm usually ready for it a few weeks before anyone else. I love that we start to get cooler mornings and evenings, that boots, jeans, and blanket scarves are back, and that we can begin adding warmer tones to our makeup routines. Shades of plum, fig, caramel, and rust start making their way into lipsticks, cheek colors, and eyeshadows, and I welcome them all with open arms. 

This fall, I am making an effort to incorporate those fun shades all while simplifying my makeup routine. For one thing, fall air means dry air and dry air means dry skin. The fewer products I use, the less likely I am to dry-out my skin. For another, fall ushers in a time change which means the mornings are darker...which means I spend more time in bed which means I've got less time to get ready. And finally, using fewer products is just plain better for your skin. There's no arguing that. 

Beautycounter has a fantastic line of good-for-you makeup products that will make your morning routine a breeze. Further, Beautycounter has not only made it their mission to bring customers the best on the makeup market, but they really care about changing the number of chemicals in products, too. Believe it or not, the FDA's restrictions on chemicals is pretty limited. In fact, Beautycounter has a "never" list of over 1,500 chemicals they refuse to use that the FDA allows other beauty companies to use. 1,500 chemicals, y'all. Gross. 

Recently, my friend Kristin, a Beautycounter consultant, sent me a few must-try fall makeup products by Beautycounter. For the past several weeks, I've made it my goal to strictly use these products as my daily makeup routine. The best part? I am down to only using FOUR makeup products daily to achieve a beautiful fall look. FOUR. One more time...FOUR. And the best part is that using just these four products has cut my makeup routine in half. Putting on makeup now takes me less than five minutes. 

What are these miracle products? I'm so glad you asked. 

1. Tint Skin in porcelain.
2. Cream Blusher in caramel. 

3. Mascara in black. 

4. Lip gloss in fig. 

See my transformation and my start-to-finish 5 minute face for fall in the video below! 

Pro Tip: If you do purchase Tint Skin, I highly recommend getting the retractable foundation brush, too. It's what I use to apply the product, and it will absolutely make your product last longer and spread more evenly. 

Insider Tip: I'm giving away a tube of Beautycounter mascara on my Instagram - head there to enter now!

Want to get the products seen in the video? Kristin has you covered! Shop through the link here, and join her Facebook group for the latest in Beautycounter (like weekly deals and even a peek into their Target collaboration!). 

Since I'm a fan of total transparency, I will tell you that in the video, my face had been cleaned with Amala hydrating cream cleanser, moisturized with La Mer Creme de la Mer & Beautycounter face oil, & primed with Benefit's That Gal. I don't consider any of these products a part of my makeup routine; they're a part of my skincare routine. If you want a total face application time, I would say between cleansing & makeup application, I spend 7-8 minutes on my face daily. Total. 

Ready to try Beautycounter for yourself? Click here and get to shopping. And if you've already started adding Beautycounter to your routine, I'd love to hear about your favorite products in the comments! I'm always shopping. :) 

I received Tint Skin, Cream Blusher, Lip Gloss, & the retractable foundation brush in exchange for this post. Mascara & face oil were purchased on my own. :) 

NARS Under Cover

I remember the first time I fell in love with a lip color. Ironically, I didn't even choose it myself. It came as a free sample from Sephora, but I fell in love hard. It was a NARS matte lip pencil, and it was perfect. Creamy, matte finish, and long-lasting. A fast favorite. 

A few weeks ago, I received the latest 2016 NARS Summer Collection: NARS Under Cover, and y'all, it's gooood. I've been playing around with it and wanted to share the entire collection with you today. You'll see that each of the products have cute, cheeky names that reflect summer. And while I love every product here, I am especially digging the lip covers. 

NARS' lip cover collection is meant to be saturated, concentrated color that will be long-lasting. A cross between a lip gloss and a lipstick, you'll love the smooth application and the finish this leaves. A word to the wise: be strategic and consistent when you apply these. The colors are pigmented which essentially means where ever you put them, they're going to stay. If you're not steady handed (like me), try a lip pencil or a lip primer to help lock these in place, especially for the gorgeous reds. 

My current favorite of this collection is "Members Only." It's so bright and punchy which makes it a great summer lip hue. Oh, and by the way, if you're in Atlanta, NARS just opened a storefront here: the first of its kind in Georgia! Visit the store at Shops at Buckhead or pick up the Under Cover collection online. 

Shop the post:

I received the NARS products seen here for review. All opinions are my own. 

Valentine's Day Lip Color with Burt's Bees

This post brought to you by Burt’s Bees. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Probably Polka Dots.

With Valentine's Day less than three weeks away, I would be lying if I said I wasn't already gearing up for date night. Since Cupid is bringing out his bow and arrow on a Sunday this year, we're heading out to dinner on Saturday night instead (don't worry, I've got something up my sleeve for Sunday night, too). You can bet that I'm already planning my date night outfit from head to toe which includes my makeup.

Traditionally, I've not been a lipstick kind of girl, but if you've been following along on Snapchat recently, you know that my opinion of lipstick is starting to change, and I have brands like Burt's Bees to thank for that. Burt's Bees just released a new line of lipsticks. Available at Target, the Burt's Bee's lipsticks come in a variety of colors and various shades (14 to be exact!) which means there's definitely a color on the aisle for you. 

Beyond having a huge selection of colors, you'll find that the Burt's Bees lipsticks are creamy and lightweight, not to mention 100% natural and incredibly hydrating and moisturizing. Since I was in Salt Lake City last week, my skin and lips have been on overdrive trying to get rehydrated. I've been hesitant to wear my usual makeup, including lipstick, for fear of drying out my skin even more. With Burt's Bees lipsticks, though, I don't have anything to worry about. Instead, I find that my lips are even more supple and comfortable than before application! This is a lipstick that loves you back, y'all.

I picked up three different colors to play with at home: Scarlet Soaked (520), Sunset Cruise (523), and Magenta Rush (511). Each color is rich and pigmented without being overpowering. I have been on a magenta kick lately. I wear a ton of black at night, and I love the punch that magenta gives without being too pink or purple. The Magenta Rush was definitely my favorite color of the bunch, but I have to say that I loved the natural look of Sunset Cruise and the deep hue of Scarlet Soaked, too. So many choices! And, coming in at under $10 each, you can take a few of your favorites home without breaking the bank (and feeling guilty). If you're curious about these colors, I wouldn't wait too long before heading to Target to scoop them up. They are flying off the shelves (in fact, my Target kept selling out before I could get my hands on them!). Don't let this love pass you by.

Celebrate Valentine's Day this year by showing yourself a little love with lipsticks from Burt's Bees. You'll love the product and the selection of colors readily Available at Target. And while you're there, check-out Burt's Bees other latest makeup products including their new BB Cream. A great, new BB cream? My heart be still! This Valentine's Day, treat yourself to moisturizing color that's good for you...and good for all of those kissable moments, too.