A few weeks ago, Frank and I had a little getaway to one of our favorite destinations from our Love Story. Our first getaway as a couple was to Point Reyes. While we’ve been back on day trips since then, we’ve not made it a getaway destination. This time we made it out to the Point Reyes light house, visited our favorite restaurants and merchants in Point Reyes Station and stayed in a sweet little cabin in Bolinas.

This little cabin was tucked in the woods close enough to be able to hear the surf at night. Cozy, super charming, well-appointed and perfect for a kid-free weekend away. However it wasn’t until I was packing up to head home that I noticed something remarkable. The bathroom had a pedestal sink with no counter space and only a small shelf and it had not been a problem AT ALL. That was also when I realized that all of my personal care items and cosmetics had fit into one bag. Sure, it is a generously-sized bag, but it is one bag nonetheless.

This would not have been possible a year ago. I would have had separate bags for cosmetics, skincare products and bath/dental/shower products. Over the past year, I’ve undergone a major change in what products I choose for myself and my family. Simplicity has been an unintended, yet very welcome result.

A year ago, my skincare bag would have contained eye-makeup remover, cleanser, under-eye cream, night moisturizer, day moisturizer and sunscreen. Eeesh.

This year my skincare involves organic rosehip oil, frankincense essential oil and a tinted moisturizer with SPF for daytime. I “cleanse” with the rosehip oil, wiping away eye makeup with a tissue and use a warm, wet washcloth to gently exfoliate and remove excess oil from the rest of my face. I use the same rosehip oil and a drop of frankincense essential oil as a serum morning and night. Seriously. It’s that easy. And the best part is that I’ve had more compliments on my skin in the past year than ever before in my life, all while doing LESS to it. I could kick myself for years of spending lots of money on products that were full of nasty chemicals and didn’t actually do anything for my skin.

Let’s talk about my cosmetics products for a minute (check out my previous post about the importance of choosing non-toxic beauty products). I’ve been using Beautycounter cosmetics for a few months now, and I’m thrilled with them. I love knowing that everything is super-safe, free of heavy metals (lead in lipstick? Yes, it’s still used by most brands despite knowing the danger of lead for, oh, 75+ years) AND just as high-performance as the department store cosmetics I used to use.

Here are a few of my favorite items:

Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer: This is SO well named! My skin looks dewy and luminous when I use this. I chose it because I wanted something with SPF for daytime, but since my skin is looking so much more lovely with the care routine outlined above, I no longer felt the need for a full-coverage foundation. It evens out my skin and makes me feel more “polished.” I’m not the only one who loves this product–Dew Skin was named a winner of the Allure 2015 “Best of Beauty” award!

Color Pinch Cream Blusher: This is some potent stuff! I use only a few little pats to my cheekbones and blend for a perfectly natural looking rosiness. Pro tip: a few pats on your lips and you can skip the lipstick!

Color Shade Eye Duo: This is where I was TOTALLY dubious about Beautycounter’s performance promise. I struggled with eye shadow pigments from most other brands and expected this to be more of the same. I was proven wrong! It’s not the widest selection of dramatic colors, but it wholly meets my needs. I chose Shell/Malt for daily use and Fawn/Night for a more dramatic smoky eye. I use Night as a shadow liner with Shell/Malt and it works beautifully.

Lengthening Mascara: I’m picky about mascaras considering that I rely on it to enhance my puny little lashes. Beautycounter’smascara took a little practice to “build” my lashes properly, but once I figured it out, I was ALL IN. The key is to build one side completely before moving on to the other eye. Going back and forth between eyes as I used to do with other brands simply does not work; Beautycounter’s mascara dries much too quickly.

Super-cute pouch: Who doesn’t love a nice, sturdy pouch to keep your beauty products contained? I like this one because it handles ALL of my personal care products for a weekend away. That’s a new level of simplicity I can really appreciate!