Hey there. My name is Kristina. I'm originally from San Diego, CA and currently reside in Pasadena in a teeny tiny studio filled with plants. I am an E-Commerce Manager for The Jungalow and I've been in this new role since January. Basically for my entire life I've done retail Visual Merchandising and after years of having "this isn't my life" moments I quit my job last year. It was the best decision I've ever made.
The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is tell my Amazon Alexa to play Ty Dolla Sign. I can't get dressed unless I have music playing. I'm lucky, I don't have to be at work until ten, so I typically spend my mornings watching the light flow into my apartment.
Even though I only see a couple of people during the day (I work in a small office), I feel most comfortable with a face of light makeup.
I'm an avid Kiehl's user and recently got into this Glossier craze and I have to say, they GET ME EVERY SINGLE TIME. I wash my face in the morning with Glossier's Milky Jelly Cleanser and it leaves my skin feeling so smooth and silky. Next, I apply the Ultra Facial Cream from Kiehl's. I always make sure to keep my skin protected from any makeup I decide to layer on for the day. The older I get the more I realize that I care less and less about a "full face" of makeup, but I'm more concerned with my skin looking dewy and even. With that being said, I recently purchased a TON of products from Estee Lauder -- I never want to be that woman that wakes up at 50 saying "Man, I wish I would have drank more water and used more SPF and serums to protect my skin when I was in my 30's". So this year is about preventative routines. So far, the Advanced Night Repair & the Perfectionist [CP+R] Wrinkle Lifting/Firming Serum have transformed the texture of my skin completely.
I remember being younger, I was probably in 5th grade, when a kid on the school bus made a comment about the size of my lips. I was traumatized and in my teens I refused to wear lipstick in order to not draw attention to them. I'll never forget this beautiful black woman at a makeup counter said, "What color are we putting on those lips!?" and I explained to her that I didn't wear lipstick. She LAUGHED and said, "Wrong answer. With lips like that you better be making sure everyone sees them". It was such a small thing but I now feel most confident with a bold lip.
Working at The Jungalow has been one of the most beautiful and exciting adventures I've ever been on. Working for a black designer who is fearless and bold is honestly SO inspiring. She had odds stacked against her, being black and a woman in a predominantly white based industry, and she has shown me and so many others that your talent is THE most important thing. It will be the thing that separates you from a sea of copy cats. Also, my boss is vegetarian and it has completely changed the way I eat during the day. I'm all about convenience and this job has allowed me to slow down a bit and think about what I'm putting into my body on a regular basis.
As a Black woman, I choose beauty products based on what ingredients the product is made of and recommendations from my friends (who are women of color). I also gravitate towards brands that highlight a broad range of skin tones in their marketing. Glossier has done a good job at making sure all women know what their makeup will look like on a variety of skin tones, it's a beautiful thang.
I always had such a love/hate relationship with my hair. I've finally gotten to the point where I only wear protective styles. I got my first weave when I was in high school (where I was 1 of 4 black students in my class) and I felt like I could FINALLY blend in with everyone. WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME?! BLEND IN. What a concept. Now, at the age of 31 I rock crochet braids and have a head full of marley hair and I feel 100% knowing that I'm hard to miss at 5'10" with this statement of huge, full hair.
I love being a gay, black woman. It doesn't get any better than that! :)
Instagram: @kbing