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If you’re a member of the Gen Z community like myself, Victoria Justice has been a staple part of your growing up. From iconic shows like Victorious and Zoey 101, to more recent endeavors like Perfect Pairing to her ever-growing solo music career, Justice has been evolving alongside the Gen Z community, and we’ve loved watching.
Behind the scenes, though, Justice has been going on her own skin-care and health journey, with lots of trials along the way. Following the release of her sit single “Down” and her recent partnership with K-beauty brand Belif, I had the chance to sit down with Victoria and catch up about the last decade—because that’s what her welcoming personality and silly demeanor made our Zoom call feel like: a catch up with an old friend—and she let me in on all things beauty and growing up in the spotlight, from her desert island beauty picks to how her Hashimoto’s diagnosis revolutionized her self-care routine.
It seems like your partnership with Belif has been super organic. Did you discover the brand on your skin-care journey?
“I discovered Belif a while ago now! I want say it had to have been over five years. I’m a moisture junkie and I’m obsessed with skin care, so I’m constantly looking for good moisturizers and things that are going to leave me feeling hydrated because I have normal to dry skin. When I found the Aqua Bomb ($38) I was like, ‘Oh, this is my new favorite stuff. This is my jam.’ I love the consistency of it and it just leaves me feeling more youthful and hydrated throughout the day. I love that product and I’ve just been a fan of the brand and everything that they’ve been doing for years.
So when I was able to try the new Aqua Bomb Eye Gel ($32) before it came out, I was so excited. It’s a great addition to my skin-care routine. Having a good eye gel is so important for anti-aging and hydration purposes. I also love the compact size of it and the ceramic tip. I just really trust the brand and I trust the ingredients they use.”
You have a lot of new, exciting things going on from this partnership with Belif to your new single “Down.” How do you make time for self care when everything is so go go go?
“Yeah, it can be tough when I am this busy, there’s been a lot going on recently. But for me, the ultimate self care is a good workout. Nothing cures my stress or a bad mood than just getting a really good sweat in. I love taking a workout class or a hot yoga class. It is so good for me because it also has that spiritual element which I love. Or, I like to take even 5 to 10 minutes to meditate or take time to just go for a solo walk and clear my head. You also have to do fun things even when you’re busy otherwise you’re going to go crazy. I love lounging on the couch and watching The Bachelorette and treating myself to that.”
I’ve been a fan of yours for years and to me, one of your most signature traits is your hair. Do you have any products or habits you swear by?
“I don’t do anything crazy and actually I think maybe that’s a part of it potentially, because I’ve never bleached my hair or dyed it, so it’s kind of virginal. I’ve only highlighted it a couple of times in my life. Other than that, I use sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. When I get out of the shower, I’ll use a heat protecting spray—there’s one that I really love and it’s in this white bottle, I think all the influencer girls were using it, but it smells so good. [Editor note: per my intense Google research, I believe the product Vic is referring to is No.4 Thermal Styling Spray ($32)]. And then, the other thing I do, because my hair can get kind of frizzy if it’s humid out, is I’ll use an oil, like an argan oil, to get the flyways and the ends under control.”
You’ve been in the spotlight since you were a kid. How would you say your relationship with beauty has evolved over the years as a result?
“When I was a kid, I didn’t really think about my skin-care routine very much or what products I was using on my skin. I had great skin at the time, like when I was doing Victorious, and I think I took that for granted in a way. I would literally come home and wash off my makeup after being on set with Softsoap. But then, as I got older, when I was around 20 I would say, I was diagnosed with this thyroid condition called Hashimoto’s and the doctor put me on this medication that caused my hormones to get really out of whack, and it brought up cystic acne, which was really tough. Once that happened, I started to pay a lot more attention to my skin-care routine and what I was putting on my skin and the things that I was eating and putting it into my body. That’s been the biggest thing.”
What’s been the hardest part about growing up in the spotlight and what has it taught you?
“I think the hardest part about growing up in the spotlight is that there’s kind of this ‘go go go’ mentality sometimes in the sense that you have to keep going bigger and being better. That kind of pressure can be hard. I think it’s important to remind myself that my career isn’t the most important thing in my life. My own mental health and well being is top priority always. So, if I need to take time for myself to slow down for a second and maybe say ‘no’ to some things, then I will do that.
There’s also always going to be haters or people that are going to be spreading rumors about you or coming to certain conclusions about you when they really have no idea what they’re talking about. So for me, while there are so many positive comments and I love responding to people and I appreciate the support so much, I also have to be protective of myself. If I see things going a negative way, it’s not good for me to read those things because it plants little seeds in my head and sometimes I can mull on it and I’m not a masochist; I don’t need to do that to myself.”
If you could only have one skin-care product, one makeup product and one hair-care product, what would you choose?
“Just one!? Oh gosh. I mean, I would definitely have to choose the Aqua Bomb. That’s my go to— it’s my girly. It’s really hard to choose just one, but I need concealer, so I would either pick that or the Benefit Benetint ($26). It’s amazing as a lip stain and the blush brings the life back to your face. For hair, I’d have to go with just a classic argan oil—people sleep on argan oil.”