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For the past month or so, I've been on a full-blown Glee kick and have been watching an episode or two every night before bed. (No judgment, we're in a pandemic, remember?) In addition to making me weirdly nostalgic for high school (pop music peaked in 2011!) and making me wonder where all my animal-themed Forever 21 sweaters ended up, a large part of my brain now has been taken over by what it would feel like to be “slushied.”
For the unfamiliar, being “slushied” is simply when the cool kids would cruelly toss a Slurpee in the face of the members of the glee club, solely for daring to join the glee club. I don't know what school allows this kind of repeat bullying (seriously, it happens basically every episode) or even lets jumbo slushies into school, but despite it being painted as a terrible experience, in the heat we've had the past few weeks, it sounded kind of nice to be sprayed by ice. (Okay, okay: watered-down fruity ice.)
As fate would have it, I was also recently introduced to a very cool clean beauty brand, InnBeauty Project, whose newest launch is called Slushy Serum Moisturizer Crush. Slushy is a hybrid serum-moisturizer that's spun together at high speeds to create a whipped, icy-gel texture. This was obviously something I needed immediately; a product that promises clear skin and fulfills my curiosity of being slushied doesn't come around every day.
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For some background on my skin, simply put, it's been a struggle. I've dealt with acne for about 10 years now, and after a round of Accutane that didn't make a dent, along with the worst breakout of my life this past December, I finally have my cystic acne mostly under control thanks to a few key products and my spironolactone prescription. As long as I take it three times a day, I'm mostly just dealing with a few stray clogged pores and lingering scars.
Glee fantasy aside, the other main reason Slushy was so appealing to me was that it combines hydration with exfoliation, so it would tackle any acne-related issues, without being too harsh on my sensitive skin. The two major ingredients at play are hyaluronic acid, which we all know and love for its hydrating powers, and Bakuchiol, a plant-based ingredient that acts similarly to retinol—increasing cell turnover to prevent lines, acne, and dark spots—without the dreaded retinol burn.
I'm super sensitive to both retinol and retinol alternatives, but this one was too intriguing to pass up. It also features yuzu, which is high in vitamin C, and the brand's signature Even Out Complex, which is a plant-based complex to help with hyperpigmentation, redness, blotchiness, dark spots, and dull or sallow skin.
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The brand recommends using it morning and night, but I use it only at night so I'm not overloading my skin. I prefer to use it as a serum and add another layer of moisture, but if you're oily, it's enough to quench your skin on its own. It sinks in quickly and isn't greasy, yet feels instantly plumping and soothing. And yes, the plush, cushiony texture feels as cool to use as I had hoped.
The morning I woke up after using Slushy for the first time, I was a little shocked. I'm not the type of girl who usually sees an immediate difference after trying something new. But I woke up looking brighter, more even, and it looked like my scars were already starting to fade.
While that was certainly exciting, the real thing that sold me on the serum was that, a week after initially trying it, my spiro prescription ran out. Instead of refilling it right away, I put it off for about two weeks due to the fact I simply couldn't muster up the motivation to pick up the phone. (Is the Glee binge making sense now?)
Usually, the day I go off the medication, I start to break out again, but this time absolutely nothing happened. Every single day I woke up expecting a giant cystic pimple, and for two weeks my skin was crystal-clear. Not only wasn't I breaking out, but my scars were continuing to lighten, and my skin just looked better. I happily left the house and attended Zoom calls without a stitch of makeup, which is something I never do. I was glowing.
Sadly, a few days ago, I started breaking out with some swollen red pimples around my chin, and the serum was no match for it. But I've still noticed a reduction of whiteheads, my scars are continuing to fade, and my skin still looks overall very good—there's just more acne than there was two weeks ago.
I still can't believe it was able to hold me over that long since it's usually like night and day when I run out, and I can't wait to see how good my skin looks now that I'm reunited with my prescription. If the past two weeks were any indication, it's going to be unreal.
Bella Cacciatore is the beauty associate at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @bellacacciatore_.
