Millie Downey #betterbeauty

One thing about me… I LOVE a practical gift that still feels a little special ✨

So I was very excited to see this Memorial Day promo because we genuinely needed to restock our body products + Daily Sheer SPF anyway… but it also came at the perfect time for all the end-of-year thank you gifts, teacher gifts, etc.

I just grabbed more Body Scrubs for Vicente’s teachers (sharing my recent order because it made me happy) and I’ll definitely be placing another order today for Milana’s teachers + some hostess gifts for summer travels.

The Body Scrub is honestly one of my favorite gifts to give because it feels luxurious, smells amazing, and is something people actually use instead of another random trinket.

Memorial Day Promo:

Body products + Daily Sheer Defense SPF 25 are Buy One, Get One 50% Off through 5/26. Mix + match favorites 🤍

If you want help deciding what to pair together or want gifting ideas, message me — happy to help make it easy.

Cheers to staying hydrated ☀️💧

Lately we’ve been mixing Arbonne Sport Hydration + Guava Energy Fizz and this combo is SO good 😋

Perfect for sports days, outdoor projects, Florida heat, and busy summer weekend

One thing I always try to remind people is that this conversation is not about fear or perfection. It’s about awareness, transparency, and reducing unnecessary exposure where we reasonably can 💛

This article does a really good job explaining that.

One of the biggest takeaways:
Researchers found that when women switched to cleaner personal care products for just a few days, levels of certain chemicals in their bodies dropped significantly.

That doesn’t mean anyone needs to throw everything away or live perfectly. But it does reinforce something I’ve believed for a long time:

What we put on our bodies matters.

And while consumer choices can absolutely help reduce exposure, the responsibility shouldn’t fall only on consumers to become ingredient experts. We also need stronger cosmetic safety laws, better testing, and more transparency from brands and manufacturers.

That’s why I care so much about supporting companies and organizations pushing for higher standards and safer formulations — not because I think “clean beauty” is trendy, but because the science around cumulative exposure continues to grow.

If this topic interests you at all, this is worth the read 👇🏼

https://open.substack.com/pub/lindsaydahl/p/clean-beauty-skeptics-meet-biomonitoring?r=16u3cj&utm_medium=ios

Some great organizations/resources to follow for more education:
spring.institute

They Say Switching to Clean Beauty Products Doesn't Matter, A New Study Says Otherwise They Say Switching Your Products Doesn't Matter, A New Study of 103 Women Says Otherwise.

I’ve already gotten a few messages from people disappointed they missed the Friends & Family savings 😅 (trust me… I was reminding myself too because life has been LIFE lately).

But honestly, I wanted to share this because there are still really good ways to save — especially if you’ve been wanting to simplify your routine or finally replace products you’re running low on.

The customizable skincare + makeup edits are actually one of my favorite options because you build them around your needs instead of buying random sets you won’t fully use.

✨ 3-step = cleanser + serum + moisturizer
✨ 4-step = adds toner/essence
✨ 5-step = full routine + biggest savings

AND the Makeup Edit is still such a good deal right now because you customize your everyday staples and get the cutest travel vanity case as a gift.

I’m really big on routines that are:
✔️ simple
✔️ effective
✔️ realistic to stick with

Not doing “all the things” — just using good products consistently and intelligently.

If you want help building a routine based on your skin goals or budget, message me and I’ll help make it easy

Final Hours ✨

I hope everyone had a beautiful Mother’s Day weekend celebrating the moms and women who do so much for everyone around them.

Also just wanted to say thank you — truly — for supporting my little business. It means more than you know 🥰

Quick reminder that our Friends & Family Event was extended ONE more day and ends tonight ✨ Up to 30% off sitewide.

There are so many beauty brands out there, but what keeps me loyal to Counter is that they actually do the work behind the scenes — ingredient standards, safety testing, transparency, and products that truly perform in real life.

Going into summer is the perfect time to refresh your SPF, skincare, makeup staples… or maybe grab that fun lip color you’ve been eyeing 😉

Since it’s my birthday month, I definitely stocked up on essentials and treated myself to a few extras too 😅

If you want recommendations, shade matching, or help keeping things simple and budget-friendly, message me anytime. I genuinely love helping with that part.

What’s ONE product you’re currently running low on right now? 👀

Motherhood makes you think differently about everything.

Not just how we care for our children… but what we normalize inside our homes, what we consume every day, and the kinds of companies we choose to support.

As moms, we spend so much time protecting the people we love:the food we buy,the products we use,the environments we create,the values we pass down.

And over time, I’ve realized those small daily choices matter more than we think.

The truth is, our bodies carry a lot.Stress. Lack of sleep. Hormonal shifts. Environmental exposures. The mental load of constantly caring for everyone else.

That’s part of why I’ve become so intentional about wellness, skincare, ingredients, movement, nourishment, and the brands I align myself with.

I want products in my home that support our health—not work against it. I want transparency. I want better standards. I want my kids growing up understanding that what we buy is also what we support.

That’s a big reason why my businesses have stayed so aligned with my values over the years. Simpler. More thoughtful. More intentional.

None of us do this perfectly. But I think there’s power in paying attention and trying our best.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there carrying so much, loving so deeply, and showing up anyway ❤️

Today would’ve been my mom’s 85th birthday 🎈

She taught me so much about taking care of yourself and probably is the reason I care so much about taking care of people well.

She loved her little routines, taking care of her skin, feeling put together… and at the end of her life, one of the greatest privileges was getting to care for her the way she always cared for me.

Every morning I’d wash her face, do her skincare, and pamper her a little. She loved it, and honestly so did I.

She was my best client, my biggest fan, an incredible mother, and one of my best friends.

I still miss her so much on hard days. She always knew what to do. There’s just something about a mom’s comfort that never really leaves you.

I wish my kids had more time with her. I wish I did too.

Happy heavenly birthday, Mom

A new episode of How I Built This with Guy Raz just dropped featuring Gregg Renfrew—and it’s such a good reminder of what this brand is really about.

She didn’t just build Beautycounter into a billion-dollar company…
she helped push an entire industry to do better.

And then—she lost it.
Got pushed out of the company she created.

What happened next is the part that gets me every time…
She came back and rebuilt it into Counter—from the ground up. More intentional. More focused. Not just bigger… better.

It’s not a perfect story. And I think that’s why it matters.

Because this has never been about hype or trends for me—it’s about products that perform and a mission I actually believe in.

If you listen, I’d love to know what part stuck with you 🤍

🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?i=1000763703638

Friends & Family Event is LIVE 🙌🏼
Up to 30% off sitewide

If you’ve been wanting to simplify your routine or try something new, this is the best time to do it.

I always tell my clients:
• restock what you already love
• or start simple—no need to overhaul everything

If you’re not sure where to begin, here’s an easy starting point:

✨ Cleanse → Treat → Hydrate
• Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm
• Vitamin C Serum
• Adaptive Moisture Lotion

That alone covers the basics and makes a noticeable difference.

My goal is always to keep this simple and help you choose what actually makes sense for you—your skin, your routine, your budget.

✨ Shop here: https://www.counter.com/?aff=MILLIEDOWNEY

Or message me and I’ll build you a quick, no-stress routine 💋