It’s been a little over two months since I’ve shared a skin update. I’ve been a little silent about the whole situation because I wanted to see how things panned out with my ‘less sugar + dairy’ experiment. Also, I wanted to wait at least a few weeks before sharing my thoughts on Drunk Elephant’s A-Passioni Retinol Cream.
So here we are…
State of my skin
In terms of an overall skin update, I’m happier with the state of my face (ha!) than I’ve been in a long time. Don’t get me wrong, I still have lots of scarring that’s probably going to take a long time to fade. But from a skin condition point of view, it’s a lot smoother and even in terms of tone. I can always tell how my skin’s doing based on how my makeup goes on, and so far we’re doing ok! The dry and crazy Chicago weather is something else, but that’s out of my control!
The less dairy + sugar experiment is still going, but I did hop off the train a few times in the last couple of months. Most recently being Italy! I mean, I can’t go all the way there without eating all the delicious things, right?!
I’m not sure what’s going on, but despite eating a bit more dairy and sugar recently, my skin is generally behaving. I’m going to take us on a tangent for a second and share that I think it’s because food in Europe is so different than the food in the US. There’s less chemicals and processed stuff in Europe. Even the veggies in Italy tasted fresher.
Ok, back to skincare. Other than the above, I should mention that I have had a small breakout here and there, but nothing as extreme as last year. No puss and pain. Just a bump or two that disappear more quickly than ever.
Drunk Elephant’s A-Passioni Retinol Cream
Ok, so here’s my honest review. I’m so glad I added to this my skincare lineup, and I do believe that in the long term I will see amazing benefits from doing so. However, I don’t really notice much of a difference yet, and it’s been three months since I started using it. Maybe this is what’s keeping my skin calm and smooth, but I can’t say with 100% certainty.
Here’s what I do know. If you plan to use this product, GO SLOW! I started using it every other night from the get go and experienced quite a bit of peeling and pain. This is strong stuff, people! I learned that the hard way. After researching a bit more, I turned the dial waaay down, and only used A-Passioni once a week for about a month. Then I slowly transitioned to twice a week and now I’m about three times a week. My goal is to use this every other night, but now I understand that my skin needs to build tolerance for it first.
How do I use this exactly? Well, you guys know, I switched to a 100% Drunk Elephant skincare routine. So I apply a pea size amount of A-Passioni + a pump of B-Hydra (hydrating serum)+ a pump of Lala Retro (moisturizer) all over my face. On the other nights, I apply a pump of TLC Framboos (a glycolic night serum) + a pump of B-Hydra + 3-4 drops of Marula Oil (facial oil). So far so good!
Also, I should probably share a little bit about what retinol does. I’m no expert on the science, but from what I’ve read, it helps even skin tone and texture from within the deep layers of the skin (re: lots of cell turnover). It’s also great for anti-aging stuff. Drunk Elephant’s retinol is vegan and is made without the suspicious six ingredients. It also contains nourishing oils to help decrease irritation.
You guys, I can’t tell you how much Drunk Elephant has changed the skincare game for me. From what I’ve read about other people’s experiences, my results have been slower to come, and that’s probably because I had/have a long way to go, but the amount of patience I’ve had to show has been worth it. I can’t tell you how amazing it is to wash my face and not feel any bumps. As someone who’s dealt with acne most of her life, I highly recommend trying Drunk Elephant to see if it works for you. Like I always say, it’s expensive but 110% worth it.
Adult acne is the worst! If you feel alone or stuck, feel free to send me an email. More than happy to share more of my experience(s).
