mini view: retinol

drunk elephant a-passioni retinol cream

Of all the things I have ever put on my face in the name of "skincare",  retinol is definitely the most mysterious. I am super suspicious of anything that promises to smooth without an exfoliant, and because my skin is already very sensitive, if something COMES with a "this is really strong" warning, I tend to hold off.  Then this nifty little cream showed up, and I'll admit, my brand loyalty to DE won me over. 

The first time I tried it, I was way too excited and not only squeezed the tube the wrong way (it's super sensitive and requires A Gentle Touch, which I have never possessed) but put way too much on. The peeling was swift and brutal. But after two days of gently exfoliating and apologizing profusely, I was GLOWING. A week passed before I felt brave enough to try it again, and this time I mixed a pea-sized amount into a few drops of my facial oil, and used that to spread it across my face. After a couple weeks of this, I could see a marked change in not just the texture of my skin, but in areas where I still have faint scarring from my cystic acne. 

With all that said, this is a VERY strong product, and I strongly advise against trying to rush its work. I heard from some people who said they had used it three times a week and were fine, but that seems like fake news to me. Skincare is a process, and quick results won't last. 

A-Passioni is a GREAT addition to the toolkit for anyone who has an established routine, and is looking to even out skin tone + texture. It is NOT a standalone product, you definitely need to hydrate your skin afterwards. As always, try it out and WAIT to see how your skin reacts, then adjust amount/usage rate, etc. 

Have you tried a retinol product? Have you tried this one? WHAT DID YOU THINK?!

x Justina 

so here we are

photos by bailey mingo //@bailey mingo

whewwww child that was a break, wasn't it? 

It's not you, it's me. It's always me. I'm the one signing up for too many classes, spending too much time watching Netflix, and running low on good reasons to write these posts. But I'm going to keep doing it anyway, because I like hanging out with you guys. Plus, unlike my Italian, I don't think I've completely lost the touch just yet. I do think I'll be going in a new direction with the blog - but let's be honest, there wasn't that much direction here to start with. I'm the creative equivalent of a preschool finger painting, multi-colored and with bits of cheerios stuck on. 

 Living in Los Angeles has been life changing - not just because I now add 2 hours to my estimated driving times, or because a smoothie can run you $15, but because for the first time ever my surroundings match my goals. It definitely isn't always easy, and sometimes it's laughably difficult, but I'm so proud of Jordan and I for making it work. It has definitely pushed me to be more aware of my actions, and how I spend my energy. I've become better at saying "no" to things I don't think will serve me, and saying "yes", even if there isn't a whole plan (that was honestly way harder for me). I do a lot of things that *marie kondo smiling peacefully* spark joy for me, and I've seen a massive improvement in how I engage with the world around me. 

Honestly, that's what brought me back to my couch tonight, logging into this blog for the first time in five months to write real words. Over the last eight years, this little piece of the internet has brought me so many good moments, and we aren't even close to the end yet. Moving forward, I'll still be wearing cute outfits, bright eyeshadows, and a loud mouth, but I'm also going to extend on my advice column, talk about pop culture (better than that one time I tried it in 2013), and let you guys in on the bigger parts of my life happening *points into the distance* out there. 

Stick around, this is going to be fun.

x Justina 

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skincare sunday: drunk in love

all product was a gift from drunk elephant (inspector drunk kit, $88) but I actually put it on my face

If you dig back far enough into the internet, you'll easily find photos of 16 year old Justina, whose cystic acne had reached Pro-Activ commercial levels of damage. It wasn't great for my self-esteem, but it was the catalyst for my obsession with skincare. After years and years of talking about literally anything else, I've decided it's time to pursue my true goal: 

making my skin look half as good as Rihanna's.

Until that happens, I'm just going to keep trying out new skincare products and routines, and because I am categorically unable to keep anything to myself, I'm going to document it right here. 

Welcome to *distant airhorn* SKINCARE SUNDAY.

A few weeks ago, Drunk Elephant very generously sent me their Inspector Drunk holiday kit to explore. I'd heard about the brand a lot, all good things, and will admit I was suspicious. As a naturally cynical person, I am obviously disinclined to believe in anything that has 100% positive reviews from people I love and trust. So it was with my doubts close in mind that I first slathered the night serum across my face and drifted to sleep.

Long story short, THIS STUFF IS EXACTLY AS GOOD AS EVERYONE SAID.

After a few days of using the cleansing jelly, intensive hydrating serum, and the night serum, 

my skin is *snaps in Jonathan Van Ness*  

hydrated, glowing, and beING ITS BEST SELF.  

I live in LA now, so it's not that easy anymore.

I am not a dermatologist, so I cannot explain exactly why all of these products work, but I can testify to seeing an overall improvement in the texture and look of my face.  I would definitely recommend this kit for anyone wanting to give their skin a nice, glowy boost without doing anything too intense. Plus, it comes with a super fun magnifying glass so you can read all the ingredients 

(or, if you're me, inspect your pores.)

Skincare Sunday Rating: Rihanna at the Met Gala in 2015.

May you go forth and glow up.

xx Justina 

                                        ps. my 21st birthday is in two days WHAT
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