Beautycounter Brightening Oil Review

Beautycounter has been discontinued! Read about what happened to Beautycounter (and when it might come back) here. In the meantime, I have lots of great recommendations for Beautycounter product swaps linked in this post. Also, be sure to join my email list so you can be the first to know when your Beautycounter favorites come back.

For years, I thought face oils made no sense. As someone who struggled with breakouts and acne for years, the thought of putting oil stressed me out. Why would I add oil to my skin when everyone is saying breakouts are because of oil? Once an aesthetician explained to me that I had SUPER dry skin, things started to click. I had spent a lot of time and money using skincare products that dried out my skin, thinking that was going to reduce my breakouts. Instead, they got worse because my skin overproduced oil to compensate for the increased dryness I was causing. I had no idea that what I really needed to do was balance it out by adding hydration. And thus began my love affair with facial oils.

There are lots of facial oils on the market, but not all are created equal. Generally, the goal of facial oils it to either add more moisture to dry skin, to balance moisture and/ or to lock in the moisture that you’ve already added (by combining with a moisturizer). However, oils can range from astringent to lighter feeling, so it’s important to find a facial oil that works well for you.

Today, I’m talking about one of my favorite facial oils in my skincare routine. I change things up from time to time based on my what skin needs which means I don’t use the same products every single day, but this oil is one of my go-to’s when I need extra moisture and hydration.

Let’s talk about Beautycounter’s Brightening Oil, also known as the All Bright Brightening Facial Oil.

(I should also mention that the Brightening Oil has new packaging since that photo was taken! The photo below is what the new packaging looks like.)

Beautycounter Brightening Oil Review

The Beautycounter All Bright Brightening Facial Oil is a deeply nourishing oil that includes antioxidant vitamin C to help brighten and even skin tone. It also contains omega-rich marula oil which helps with serious hydration, so you get the best of both worlds with this oil – brightening and hydration

It’s ideal for almost all skin types (if you’re truly super oily, you may prefer a different type of face oil), and it helps so much with dull and uneven skin.

Benefits

Brightening

The oil brightens and revitalizes your skin with the Vitamin C included.

Soothing

I love using this oil when my skin feels irritated or a little red. It’s super nourishing and soothing.

Hydration

It’s intensely hydrating and absorbs SO easily into my skin. I feel like it provides lasting moisture too.

Featured Ingredients

I mentioned a few of the key ingredients earlier in the post but here are the details:

Vitamin C (Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate)

This helps visibly brighten skin. I use the Beautycounter All Bright C serum daily, and this oil is a great addition during the colder months when skin is dryer. I’ll apply it after I put on my daily or nightly moisturizer.

Avocado Oil

This oil contains vitamins B, D, and E to further help with hydration.

Black Currant Oil

It’s rich in omegas to help aid in healthy skin barrier function.

How To Apply The Beautycounter Brightening Oil

Prep your skin

Before using the Brightening Oil, make sure you have cleansed your face, used a toner or essence, applied any serums, and apply your moisturizer (this is my favorite anti aging moisturizer). You’ll want to do your entire skincare routine (other than SPF) first.

Apply 4 drops to your fingers

I dispense a few drops onto my fingertips, warm the oil up just slightly by rubbing my fingers together, and then I press the oil into my skin. Since I have already applied moisturizer, it’s easy to press the oil into your already prepped skin.

Note that some people prefer to apply it under their moisturizer and others like to mix it with it. This is personal preference to some degree, so try all three ways and see what you prefer. One esthetician told me it’s best to apply after moisturizer so it seals in everything and another told me it’s best to apply under a moisturizer so the oil is sealed in with a layer on top. So, all that to say, opinions and preferences vary!

Allow it to absorb

Allow the oil to absorb if you plan to apply SPF afterwards. It won’t dry completely, but give it a little time to sit there before adding anything else, like makeup. If you’re using this at night and it’s your last skincare step, wait a few minutes before putting your face on a pillow.

Beautycounter All Bright Brightening Facial Oil Review

I am a HUGE fan of this facial oil. Like I mentioned above, I have super dry skin that gets even worse in the colder months. This oil becomes an essential part of my skincare routine in the colder months since it helps brighten skin when it’s most dull. I’ll apply it just like I outlined above for the nighttime, but sometimes I’ll mix the oil into my moisturizer for daytime wear since I like to put on makeup after. I find that mixing the two products helps it absorb super fast and feels like a great base for my makeup when my skin is dry. Having super hydrated skin makes your fine lines and wrinkles appear less deep, which is always great!

I also really love the smell of this oil. Its super subtle bit has a slight hint of fresh citrus. I’m sensitive to strong smells, and this is very light.

There are two other products included in Beautycounter’s All Bright line: the All Bright C Serum and the All Bright Triple Acid AHA Toner. The All Bright C Serum (Beautycounter’s vitamin C serum) launched in 2020 and it quickly became best seller. This prompted Beautycounter to create other products with the same goal: to brighten skin. The Vitamin C serum can be used daily as your AM serum (read more here), and the AHA Toner can be used a few times per week (my review here). I use the oil a few times a week in the colder months when I need extra hydration.

Add the All Bright Brightening Oil to your cart here, and comment on this post with any questions!