Counter The Makeup Edit Review (Formerly Flawless in Five)

Counter is officially open. The brand formerly known as Beautycounter just relaunched with a cleaner look, a more curated lineup (starting with 19 clean beauty essentials), and a better, FREE perks program.

I’m still working through my current skincare routine (mostly Oliveda, reviewed here), but Counter just sent me a bunch of products to try, so I’ll report back! I’m excited to try the Cleansing Oil, Skin Twin Foundation, and Sheer Genius Lipstick. You can shop the new Counter here.

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One of the biggest updates with the relaunch is the makeup starter set. It used to be called Flawless in Five. Now it’s called The Makeup Edit, and it’s been reworked to fit the new Counter lineup.

Here’s the short story: it’s still six makeup essentials at a discount, designed to be applied in about five minutes. The biggest change is the lip product. The set used to come with Beyond Gloss. Now you pick a Sheer Genius Conditioning Lipstick instead. I actually like that swap.

I’ll walk through what’s in the set, what I love, what I’d skip, and whether it’s worth it.

I also love Crunchi makeup, which is another clean brand that’s super high-performing. Read my Crunchi makeup review here.

A little backstory

I tried dozens of makeup brands and products for years (and spent hundreds of dollars in the process), but I never had a routine I actually liked. So I’d buy yet another product, hoping it would be the one. My goal was to look natural and put together. Not overdone. And I needed it to be easy.

It took a while, but I finally found a tinted moisturizer I loved (from an Instagram follower) at Beautycounter. I was hooked. I started trying the rest of the line and it checked all my boxes. Plus, it was cleaner beauty. I loved it so much I joined as a consultant, since I was already telling everyone I knew about it (and the discount didn’t hurt).

Back then, I bought one product at a time and built a routine over months. Now you can just grab the set and skip the trial and error.

What’s in The Makeup Edit

The whole idea is six products, five minutes, a flawless natural look. As a mom who also runs her own business, five minutes is about all I have for makeup most days. Here’s what you build:

1. Tinted Moisturizer or Foundation
2. Concealer
3. Lipstick
4. Blush
5. Mascara
6. Brow Gel

The set is $176. If you bought the six products individually, you’d spend more, so the savings are real. I don’t buy the set anymore since I purchase a la carte, but if you need a full routine and a product overhaul, this is a great place to start.

There’s also a smaller option called The Complexion Duo that’s just the foundation and concealer for $74.70. Good if you want to test the base products before going all in.

Now let’s get into each product.

What’s included in Counter’s Makeup Edit?

Skin Twin Hydrating Foundation OR Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer

You have two options to choose from when it comes to your base. The first is full coverage: Skin Twin Foundation, and the second is sheer coverage: Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer.

Skin Twin Hydrating Foundation

The Skin Twin Foundation is full coverage and comes in 27 shades. It goes on smooth, lasts all day, and somehow stays lightweight. Not cakey. Not greasy. With 27 shades, your odds of finding a match are pretty good. I recommend using the Counter Shade Finder to dial it in.

Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer

The Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer was my gateway product. Out of all the tinted moisturizers I’ve used, this wasn’t my personal favorite as it left my skin a little dry. That said, the coverage is sheer, but it gives you just enough “something” to build a look on top of. Plus, it has SPF, which is a huge win.

When I was a little younger, I wore just this as my base. Now I like a bit more coverage. Dew Skin only comes in 8 shades, but the formula is forgiving since it’s so sheer. It blends in nicely (no neckline), and as long as you’re close to your skin tone, you’ll be just fine.

Skin Twin Creamy Concealer

Next up, the Skin Twin Creamy Concealer. There are 20 shades, so you can really find your match with the Shade Finder.

This concealer is creamy and breathable. It goes on smooth, feels light, and still gives medium to full coverage. It also has knotgrass extract that’s supposed to help skin look firmer over time. Skincare and makeup in one.

I like that it’s easy to build for more coverage when I need it.

Sheer Genius Conditioning Lipstick

This is the new one in the set. The old Flawless in Five included Beyond Gloss. The Makeup Edit swaps it for Sheer Genius Conditioning Lipstick, and I’m into it.

I’m a big fan of lip color to finish a look. Sheer Genius is sheer (as the name suggests), so you get pretty color without a heavy lipstick feel. It’s conditioning, so your lips don’t dry out. The shades are great. If you want a finishing pop of color that doesn’t feel like a commitment, this is it.

Cheeky Clean Cream Blush

I really love this cream blush. It gives a pretty flush of color and blends easily. It also stays hydrating all day, which is important for me since I have dry skin. To apply, tap your finger into the blush, then tap the apples of your cheeks and blend up toward your temples. I keep one in my purse.

There are 8 shades, and Counter will recommend one based on your foundation. My personal favorites are chai and paloma.

Think Big All-In-One Mascara

Think Big has rave reviews. It’s dark, bold, lengthening, and high impact. It’s oil-soluble (like most mascaras), so it comes off with most eye makeup removers.

I’ll be straight with you. It smudges on me. But every oil-soluble mascara smudges on me, so I can only wear tubing mascaras. If most mascaras smudge on you too, this one probably will. You can see how it compares to a tubing mascara in this review.

Brilliant Brow Gel

Filling in my eyebrows was BRAND NEW to me a few years ago, and if you’re also new to it, you’ll feel a little funny at first. The Brilliant Brow Gel is essentially mascara for your eyebrows.

It’s weird at first to see your brows filled in. But it really does help your eyes pop since brows frame your face. And as we age, our brows get thinner and lighter, so a little tint goes a long way.

Brush it through, starting from the middle (not the part nearest your nose, that gets too dark). The gel holds your brows in place and the color tints them just a little. There are 4 shades. I’d pick something close to your hair color. I prefer to go a little darker, but that’s just preference.

Is The Makeup Edit worth it?

Maybe. It depends on what kind of makeup person you are. If you only want one or two items, I’d buy them separately and skip the set.

But if you don’t want to think about a whole routine, and shopping for makeup feels overwhelming, then yes. You’ll get all the basics for a simple, pretty look. A few honest notes on the products though:

1. Mascara: I personally don’t like it, but lots of people love it. The test? If most mascara smudges on you, this one probably will too. You’ll have better luck with a tubing mascara.
2. Foundation: This was actually the first foundation I ever liked, and I still use it years later. It’s in my regular rotation, but it’s not my number one of all foundations.
3. Tinted Moisturizer: I loved Dew Skin for years, but as I’m nearing 40, I prefer ILIA Skin Tint since it’s more hydrating.
4. Concealer: I loved this for years, but now I prefer the heavier coverage from Tarte Shape Tape. If you want light to medium that’s easy to blend, you’ll like Skin Twin.
5. Lipstick: This is the new one, and I think it’s a real upgrade over the gloss the set used to come with.

I’m a bit of a makeup junkie, and I’m constantly trying different brands. If that sounds awful to you, the Counter products are absolutely solid, and you’ll like them. Well, except maybe the mascara. I’ve warned you.

Shop The Makeup Edit here.

Alright, I’ll wrap this up and go put my own makeup on. Thanks for reading, friends.

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