/ , ,

This Isn't your Mom's Skincare: Counter Founder Gregg Renfrew Markets to Gen Z with the New BeeCee Brand

Raleigh, NC, USA

 

BeeCee Beauty Brand

Skincare doesn't have to be complicated, but it should be clean and not be a hazard to your health. We know so much more about the beauty industry today and the hazards to our health than we did when I was twenty years old.


I walk into Sephora or Ulta with my teen daughter, and truthfully, I get overwhelmed. There are so many products on the market, and, quite honestly, anything I personally use she would never, ever use, even if it's a great product. 


My daughter is not a makeup lover like I was at her age, but because of all-star cheer, she has to dive into the market and buy a few things earlier than most people do. You know the real story here. I'm the one who pays for the brands she uses, so essentially I support those businesses, too. 


Most of her recommendations are things she has seen on TikTok or products a friend uses. In all fairness, she has introduced me to some brands that I now buy today, so I guess a Mom can learn a few things from a teen. During my era, I relied on ads and magazines. She turns to TikTok and to her friends' recommendations. 


I loyally use a lot of the Counter brand products, and have since 2016. When you know something works, a smart consumer will always go back to a product because they like it. Founder of the Counter brand, Gregg Renfrew, like me, has young adult children. As a result, BeeCee is a brand she has developed that targets the younger generation.  They need simple and easy. They do not need my wonderful $75 overnight resurfacing peel, in which I justify the price tag because I know darn well it works. 


Counter overnight resurfacing cream
The Counter Overnight Resurfacing Peel is my must-buy product 



Does Gen Z really care about clean beauty these days? I asked my daughter and her friend questions about clean beauty this morning. I asked, "What does clean beauty mean to you?" They looked at me like I had two heads. They did not know. But again, they are 16. I am sure the older target customer may be more mindful of cleaner products and sustainability. 


BeeCee is targeting the age range of 14 to 30. It launched to the public on September 1 with just a few products. The brand is all over TikTok. Yes, I'm driving my kids crazy by having an account to help promote this blog. 


Despite my being way out of the target market's age range, there were a few items that I put on my radar. I am ordering them today because Gregg is giving me a discount. No, I have never met Gregg in person, but we're close in age, and I have learned a lot from her behind my Counter affiliate portal. I respect what she has done for the beauty industry regarding product safety and legislation. 



The first product I want for my beauty bag is the Jelly Gloss in Watermelon Sugar.  I cannot stand a sticky gloss, but I love hydration on my lips at all times.  At cheer comps this season, this will be perfect in the backpack. I carry my own CEA cheer backpack and carry anything my daughter may need during the comp. 





During the holiday season, Counter typically showcases a small jelly gift set, which sells out within hours. I predict that this new BeeCee jelly will be a very similar formula. I am a big fan of Counter's lip balm and lipstick. It's the best moisturizing lipstick/balm on the market. I use the shade Bitten-a warm berry daily. What I really want is the exact same shade in the Sheer Genius lipstick, too. It is the best lipstick for my lips, but I feel the Sheer Genius lipstick color options in products that offer more moisturizing color pigments are limited. I do look to other brands to fill the gaps in my lipstick choices. I am going to give this Lancome lip balm a try with the lip liner as a new fall option. Reviews say it is buildable, so I am hoping it will give me more pigment than my favorite Counter Bitten Lip Balm shade. 


I love a berry color for fall 


BeeCee's Routine Set bundle is on sale, priced at an introductory $88, with brand gifts included. The jelly gloss can be bought now with that set. 


Shop BeeCee 


This is a great way to try products at a reduced cost. 



read article
0 notes

/ , ,

Squash Haters Beware: You may just like Yellow Squash Prepared this Easy Way

North Carolina, USA

Here's a tale of five summer squash that you may enjoy hearing. We are now in the "BER" months (September through December), which means yellow summer squash will disappear at the farmer's market after North Carolina's first frost. 


Yellow Squash from the farm


My husband hates zucchini and squash, or so he thinks. My grandmother and Dad used to make the best brown-sauteed squash, which you find served in country-cooking restaurants. I've yet to recreate the right seasoning for it, but I will keep trying. Through the years, I have made mediocre versions in my kitchen, and since no one in my house will eat squash except me, I rarely buy it.


For years, I have been a customer of Papa Spud's produce box. I don't use it every week, but it is a terrific way to get NC produce delivered, especially NC-made products from across the state that are harder to find in the Raleigh area. For example, basil pesto from Anders Farm in the Triad region is an item I frequently ask for in my subscription box. I'm fortunate because I live less than two miles from the State Farmer's Market, so getting good produce is not difficult for me.


However, there are sometimes downsides to having a subscription. There are weeks when I forget to pause it for the week or customize the box so it has all my wants and needs when it arrives at my doorstep from my weekly carrier. Both are great perks of this service, especially when used properly. The customer has three days to get this done, from Friday at 12 pm until Monday at 12 pm. If it isn't completed, I'm responsible. 


Last week was one of my forgetful weeks. I received whatever was in abundance that week, along with a few of my preferred staples like chicken tenderloins or farm-fresh tomatoes. When I opened the box, there lay five beautiful yellow summer squashes.


On my menu for that evening, I was going to make a white bean caprese salad from Colu Henry, an NY Times Contributor and author of several cookbooks, so I thought, "I've got to do something with this darn squash." I like Henry's recipes because they are usually made in 30 minutes or less. She didn't have a recipe that I could make right then and there with everything in my pantry.



Cooked Yellow Squash



I quickly googled "How to Cook Squash!" and found this squash recipe from Love and Lemons that was exactly what I needed. It was simple enough, so on a whim....Bam, I cooked squash.


My husband came home from work and saw the squash as I was plating our dinner, and reminded me that he didn't like squash. I said, "I know, but I had squash come today, so I cooked squash."


Villeroy and Bach Dinner Plate with squash, white bean caprese salad and pork chop



Let's say this recipe for sauteed squash turned a squash hater into a person who stated, "This squash is actually good. The fact that I'm eating it says a lot," However, his sudden squash enthusiasm for this particular recipe doesn't mean that he wants squash more often on our dinner table. Luckily for him, yellow squash season is almost over here in North Carolina. It will be gone as soon as we have our first frost.

He's a long way from becoming a squash lover, but this recipe helped him realize squash is not a food enemy.


Yellow summer squash will only be on NC farms until we have our first frost. We'll more than likely have winter squash in place of yellow squash in early October. I found another easy squash recipe in Southern Living that uses a sheet-pan method; I wouldn't mind trying it, but perhaps I should stop while I'm ahead. However, this Greenpan Bakeware Quarter sheet pan I found wandering the internet has me wanting to cook in the oven more often as the temperatures drop. But that's another story for another time.




https://amzn.to/4cyG969 (Greenpan Sheet Pan for Oven)


read article
0 notes

/ , ,

5 Easy "End of Summer Recipes" to Transition Into Football Season

North Carolina, USA
Updated September 2026

Before summer is over, I will give you a list of five of my favorite recipes that are perfect for the summer days still left in North Carolina, when it's still a little hot and humid. We're transitioning into football season, but it's still hot. I have already featured these recipes on the blog at some point in my twelve years of owning this website.  

A friend messaged me this week to say she made my spaghetti pie recipe, and it was the dish I took to her 14 years ago when her son was born. Reading that one message took me down my kitchen rabbit hole of finding all the recipes in my archives. 

As my kids have gotten older, meals have become a constant struggle in my home because of our schedules. There are days when I count down until no one depends on me to make nightly dinners. I will regret even making those remarks when those days are gone, but my afternoons were not busy when I started this blog in 2011. The kids played, watched TV, and I prepped dinner. My busy times were from 7 am to 4 pm, whereas the hours between 3 pm and 9 pm are when I'm at my absolute busiest at this stage of life. 

But throughout my 11 years of writing, my goal has always been the same: I like to prepare easy meals with few ingredients. The following collection of recipes is easy and can be used in various ways. 


Easy End of Summer Meals for Weeknight Dinners to Fancy Football Tailgates







This Shrimp scampi recipe can either be made with rice or pasta. And this is more of a Greek shrimp-and-pasta dish than an Italian one. It should not even be called "scampi" but rather "Greek-Style Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta." Whatever you want to call it, it's yummy. You can also use any pasta for this shrimp and feta pasta recipe. 

This Greek-inspired shrimp with tomatoes and feta recipe is easy when you use frozen shrimp. 



This fresh tomato pie recipe has many versions depending on what Southern church cookbook you are reading at the time. Regardless, it's a classic Southern-style tomato pie. It's best when NC tomatoes are in season: August and early September. I've never used canned tomatoes; if you do, it's more of a process to get them ready to use than with fresh tomatoes. You would need to use whole canned tomatoes, drain them, cut them into slices, place them on a paper towel, and salt them with kosher salt. They would need to sit like this for an hour before using them. The Muir Glen Tomatoes brand has a simple tomato pie recipe using diced tomatoes and fontina cheese. Typically, canned tomatoes are tasty, which may be an easy alternative. This will be juicier. 

Southern Tomato Pie using Fresh Garden Tomatoes is a must-try from August to Mid-September. 



This recipe calls for small white corn, called shoepeg, because it's sweeter than most corn, but I've also used this corn salad recipe with sweet yellow corn because it's sometimes easier to find than shoepeg, depending on the grocery. Does it taste better with shoepeg? Probably, but yellow corn works as well. I've had this sweet corn recipe in my collection for years. It's easy to take to a tailgate, but drain the salad before serving. The flavors also pair well with scoopable chips because, in some ways, they are similar to cowboy caviar, which is often served as an appetizer at Southern parties. 

This canned sweet corn salad recipe is great for reunions and tailgates. 


Grover's Feta and Shrimp Pasta Salad

This simple feta pasta salad with shrimp is easy to make. It's best served cold or at room temperature. You can easily switch out the pasta for your choice and omit ingredients; however, the cottage cheese makes this Greek-style salad delicious, so make sure to include it. 

Easy feta and shrimp pasta salad
Greek Salad with Shrimp and Feta 

Easy No-Mayo Pasta Salad

This easy mayo-free side salad assembles quickly and travels well to football tailgate parties. This dish can be served year-round, not just as a summer salad. It would even be great as a side to soups or gyros. 


Pasta Salad without Mayo
Italian pasta salad with no mayo 






. 
read article
0 notes

/ , , ,

If You Like Pina Coladas....

United States

 If you like Piña Coladas, then try this original Piña Colada recipe. The popular Hilton brand of hotels and resorts earned the distinction of being the first to have a bartender create the now-famous resort cocktail at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1954. 


pina colada cocktail served in a pineapple


This history of the Caribe Hilton runs deep. Hilton opened the resort in 1949 and hosted Elizabeth Taylor's first honeymoon when she married her first husband, Conrad Hilton, Jr. Unfortunately, her marriage didn't have the longevity like the Piña Colada cocktail, created by Juan Ramón "Monchito" Marrero in the then Beachcomber bar. In 1978, the piña colada was declared the official drink of Puerto Rico. 


Old Beachcomber Bar in San Juan at Caribe Hilton


Marrero served his specialty creation at the resort for 34 years. 

Caribe Hilton's Original Piña Colada Recipe

Pinterest

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces rum
  • 1 ounce coconut cream
  • 6 ounces fresh pineapple juice
  • 1 ounce heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup crushed ice
  • (Optional) Pineapple slice
  • (Optional) Maraschino cherry

Directions

  1. Combine the rum, coconut cream, heavy cream, and pineapple juice.
  2. Pour over ice in a 12-ounce glass and garnish with fresh pineapple and a cherry.
  3. Enjoy on repeat all summer long.

A Pina Colada at Poolside




Here are  5 other Hilton resorts where I would love to sip a Piña Colada. 

5. Signia by Hilton WDW Resort at Bonnet Creek 

Fun Fact: July 10 is National Piña Colada Day! 

Can't get to a resort or a beach? If you live in Raleigh, then head to Lola's Beach Bar at Five Points and pretend you are on a tropical getaway. The beachy themed bar will make you feel as if you are a million miles away from the city. 

Lola's Beach Bar serves a beautiful pina colada in a blue and white glass with a pineapple



read article
0 notes

/ , ,

The Summer Sun Set You Didn't Know You Needed from Counter Beauty

United States

Every year, I seem to simplify my beauty routine. I've narrowed down my products, and many days, especially in the summer, I wear only sunscreen, a skin tint, mascara, and a lip balm. In my Instagram bio, I joke that I love a good lipstick. It's true. 


After at least 45 years of testing lipsticks, my absolute favorite brand on the market for a lipstick is the Clean Swipe Hyaluronic Lip Blam in the color Bitten-a Warm Berry by Counter. When I want more color, I choose the Sheer Genius Conditioning Lipstick by Counter in Orchid-Cool Berry. Last year, my daughter's cheer team wore hot pink and black, so I would wear those colors to every cheer competition. This year, her team colors will be neon yellow and black. Hmmm. I will go more neutral this year and perhaps choose Rosewood-Warm Neutral.  



Orange mesh bag with a lip balm, sunscreen, and moisture mist by Counter


For a limited time, Counter is offering a special sun beauty set with a new lip balm color called Plush. 


detailed description of products offered in the Summer Sun Set by Counter


Benefits

  • UVA + UVB Defense
  • Hydrate
  • Refresh

Meet your new warm-weather must-haves: SPF, hydration, and a hint of color—plus a limited-edition mesh tote to carry it all during your summer adventures. While supplies last.

Shell charm on bag not included.

What's In It:

  • Daily Sheer Defense SPF 25
  • Counterglow Hyaluronic Moisture Mist in an exclusive travel size
  • Clean Swipe Hyaluronic Lip Balm in summer-ready Plush
  • + Limited-edition mesh bag


Orange petite mesh bag filled with summer beach essentials



Travel-size (TSA ready) of 5 Counterglow skincare products by Counter.





  • If you are traveling a lot, you may like the Counterglow Travel Edit. I use the Adaptive Moisture Lotion as my daily moisturizer. It's lightweight and perfect for daytime. I love to shower after my "happy hour" at my neighborhood pool, and use this moisturizer before cooking dinner. It's so fresh and clean, with no greasy feel. I hate the feel of knowing I am wearing lotion or cosmetics. I'm very particular about how my face feels. 

read article
0 notes
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Latest Instagrams

© Hines-Sight Blog. Design by FCD.