REVIEW: SOMETHINC

January 9, 2020

HAPPY 2020, y’all. The very first post on a new year.

I’m so looking forward to try and review more local brands this year. Watch out for this space!

Just launched last year, SOMETHINC already has their Halal Certification. And thanks to Irene from IG @beautyhaulindo for sending me their skincare products to try and review.

I guess The Ordinary really set the bar for many skincare brands to develop high quality and honest ingredients with super affordable prices. These remind me a lot of The Ordinary, right from the glass pipette bottles to the ingredients. Affordably priced at IDR115k a pop, they are all fungal-acne safe. Just remember, even though the ingredients sound so legit, you won’t see any instant result after using these. Everything takes time, dear.

AHA BHA PHA PEELING SOLUTION
Claim: Help to clean clogged pores, remove dead skin cells & maintain skin moisture level.
OK, judging from the look and feel, it really reminds me of The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. The difference? The percentage of the acids. This only has 3% of AHA, 1% BHA and 2% of PHA. The rest is a great combination of Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate and Panthenol.
I do recommend this for those who have sensitive skin like me, but want to experience the chemical peeling sensation at home.
How to use? Make sure your skin is clean and completely dry. Apply evenly and avoid eyes area. Then wait for 10 minutes max and rinse with warm water, continue with your regular skincare routine. Just treat this like your weekly facial mask.
My suggestion: Try once a week first. Then if your skin can tolerate it, apply twice a week.

NIACINAMIDE + MOISTURE BEET SERUM
Claim: boosts barrier function by increasing ceramide production and fight free radicals & moisturize the skin.
Same percentage of Niacinamide like The Ordinary (10%), but this contains Beet Extract from Swiss.
Texture wise, its’ texture is thicker than The Ordinary but didn’t clump under makeup (which is a good thing). If you want to lessen the thick feel, use it after a mist toner while your skin is half dry. If you are not used with high percentage of Niacinamide, try using this once a day instead of thrice a day like suggested.

HYALURONIC B5
Claim: Promotes a maximum moisture, helps soften and brighten dull skin and make skin looks more supple and healthy.
This is very similar to The Ordinary, except this contains Butylene Glycol (might trigger comedo). Texture is thinner than The Ordinary, with no scent. It’s just like water, a good one. This is my go-to serum after applying Retinol. It seems to calm down my skin after harsh actives. And for sure, you can layer this with their Niacinamide + Moisture Beet, or apply this after rinsing that AHA BHA PHA Peeling Solution.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

BEST OF 2019 : FUNGAL-ACNE SAFE SKINCARE

December 28, 2019April 11, 2020

Super glad that 2019 is almost over. Definitely not one of my best year, but I’m sure you don’t want to hear about it (LOL).

Just a quick update on my skin condition, I believe when I got older, my skin easily and rapidly reacted to skincare products. Bumps and adult/hormonal acnes are still easily appeared. The good thing is, I’ve managed to control my fungal acne come back with the right products. In fact, I didn’t suffer any fungal-acne breakout this year.

After trial & error here and there, I became more aware on what ingredients that actually work, or in the other hand, caused the problems. In my case, I try to avoid:

Butylene Glycol, because it might trigger comedones.
Centella Asiatica, because it’s not good if you are still suffering from acne or having acne-prone skin like mine.
Essential Oils or any facial oil, because my skin didn’t react well after using them.

So yes, it became harder to find skincare products for me. Other than avoiding non-safe fungal acne ingredients, now I also have to check those ingredients above. And trust me, it’s not easy!

This (much shorter) list is based on my own personal experience and after checking all the ingredients on cosdna and skincarisma. No worries, this list is mostly different from my 2018 list (with additional categories and check out my HG products with *).

Enjoy reading and happy holidays, folks! Make sure you spent your money wisely when it comes to skincare products (talking like a true champ, LOL).

MAKEUP REMOVER:

Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Micelle Cleansing *
Eau Thermale Avene 3 in 1 Make-Up Remover

FOAMING CLEANSER:

Drunk Elephant Pekee Bar *
Drunk Elephant Beste No 9 Jelly Cleanser
Patyka Paris Detox Cleansing Foam

MIST:

La Roche-Posay Serozinc *
La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water
Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water

EXFOLIATING TONER:

Biologique Recherche Lotion P50T *
Alpha-H Liquid Gold
Cosrx Aha 7 Whitehead Power Liquid

TONER:

Patyka Paris Anti-Blemish Toner *
Thayers Facial Toner Unscented
Eucerin Dermatoclean Clarifying Toner

BOOSTER:

Vichy Mineral 89 *

SERUM:

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum *
Cos De Baha Niacinamide 10 Serum
Aqulabo Vinyasa Calming Serum
The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%

ESSENCE:

I’m From Mugwort Essence *
Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Water Essence
Amore Pacific Vintage Single Extract Essence

MOISTURIZER:

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream
Eau Thermale Avene Tolerance Extreme Emulsion *

SPOT TREATMENT:

De La Cruz Sulfur Ointment *
Fourth Ray Beauty Later Hater Spot Treatment

SUNSCREEN:

Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel SPF 50+PA++++ *
Nivea Super Water Gel SPF 50 PA+++

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW & SWATCHES: BLP BEAUTY LIP BULLET

December 20, 2019

Kudos for By Lizzie Parra (BLP Beauty) for their latest launch, to accommodate Bullet Lipstick lovers like me.

As you might have noticed, lately we all can see the rise of bullet lipsticks from international brands. And I’m enjoying it, because frankly speaking I am team bullet! I found them easier to apply when on the move, they are mostly more creamy and easier to remove by the end of the day. Who’s with me?

Maybe bullet lipsticks are not that long lasting as liquid lipsticks, but I don’t mind touch up throughout the day. Especially if the packaging look cute like these!

BLP Beauty Lip Bullet comes in four new natural shades. Each of the packaging represents the shade inside. And another good thing is you can see the name of the shades clearly printed on the tubes. Although you have to make sure you heard the click sound to close it properly, I found the packaging really helpful rather than you have to see those tiny fonts on the bottom of the packaging.

Mind you, these are not flat matte-lipsticks. I found these lipsticks creamy and extra comfortable when applied, with satin-matte finish. They are buildable, but I’m already satisfied with one layer. And yes, since these are creamy lipstick, they’re transferable. But I don’t mind at all. Make sure you blot first before you eat or drink.

ON MY LIPS – ONE LAYER

**BISCOTTI is a peachy brown, but somehow it looks orange on me**

**CANNOLI is beige with a hint of dusty pink. On me it’s mauve. This is my fave!**

**PAVLOVA is a lighter version of CANNOLI. Love this too!**

**LICORICE is supposedly a deep brown, but on me it’s dark red**

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW: CREMORLAB

December 9, 2019

Shout out to C&F Store Indonesia and Cremorlab Indonesia for sending me their latest three products to try & review.

It’s my first encounter with this Korean beauty brand. I googled them and their story is quite simple (like all their packaging). It all began with a very special water, which they trade marked as T.E.N water. This special water starts back about 260 million years ago, located deep in the mountains of the Taebaek range, approximately 1,100 meters below sea level. And this reddish glow water, finally appeared in year 2003. Rich in minerals, T.E.N water has unique beauty energy to care for sensitive skin. OK, I am sold at the term sensitive skin. Let’s jump in to the review, shall we?

This is my first tone-up cream, just because I believe I didn’t need any help on instant brightening. But hey, there’s always a first time for everything.
Other than T.E.N water, this tone-up cream contains pearl powder, fermented rice and rice wine. They recommend to apply a small amount at the last step of skin care routine.
First of all, I love the glass jar packaging and the expensive scent (well, it is quite expensive. It costs IDR 750k for a 50ml). Its’ texture is opaque and thick but very easy to absorb once applied and didn’t leave any stickiness.

I believe this is a good moisturizer/primer that just makes everything look better. But, for those who have fungal-acne prone skin, better watch out for ingredients like Stearic Acid and Shea Butter, which can trigger them.
Tips: use sparingly when you need it most.

Now, I’m excited for this one. Lately, been into bubble mask, and this also bubbled up and exfoliate. Its’ like earth, air and water meet in a product, thanks to the unique ingredients’ list. Beside T.E.N mineral water, it also contains Wintergreen, a natural plant-based ingredient (also known as a natural Salicylic Acid) for mild peeling purpose, and Marine Oxygen Plasma (an active oxygen circulator that helps oxygen penetrate deep within the skin).

It comes with a convenient and pump bottle. And I love how the light blue gel quickly transformed into bubble foam within seconds. Apply on clean and dry skin, wait for three minutes and rinse off. Then continue with your skincare routine. I believe my skin looks brighter and smoother (feels) after one use only.

Even though it’s not safe for fungal-acne, this is a wash-off once a week product, so I’m fine with it. And it feels like light fluffy cloud on my face, so yes I’m loving it!
Priced at IDR 550k for 100ml bottle

Unlike any UV Protection I’ve tried, this doesn’t just blocks ultraviolet rays. It also protects against blue light, thanks to their Cloud Skin Shield formula. Yes, it is interesting, because it can protect our skin from the light from our laptop, cell phone and LED lighting fixtures.

The good thing, this does not leave a white cast, so I believe this will work best for all skin tone, including dark ones. It’s so easy to apply and finishes with a light, non-sticky feeling on the skin. Great under makeup, too! Is it safe for fungal-acne? Unfortunately not, because it has Polysorbate 80 and Sorbitan Oleate on the ingredients’ list. But, this shall sit on the very last step of your skincare, so should be fine.
Priced at IDR550K for 50ml tube

Now you can get this range of Cremorlab online here, or at C&F Stores.

FUNGAL-ACNE SAFE SKIN-CARE PRODUCTS FROM LOCAL (READ: INDONESIAN) BRANDS

November 30, 2019

I’ve received lots of DM on my IG about this topic, and I’m trying to find ones that are safe for fungal-acne prone skin. Feel free to add to this list, please DM me on my IG, here.

If you’ve been reading my blog, you will know that I did recommend to do the basic skincare routine while dealing with Fungal Acne. You can build up your routine once they’re completely gone. Personally, I will stick with cleansing, toning and hydrating steps. That’s it. No makeup added, just the good ol’ basic skincare routine.

CLEANSE

TONE

HYDRATE

**NAMEERA HYDRATING GLOW ESSENCE WATER**

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

FUNGAL-ACNE SAFE MISTS & ESSENCES

November 17, 2019

When to use mist & essence in your fungal-acne prone skincare routine?

Well, for me, mist can go beyond their original duties. Mist can fit in nicely to my hydrating toner step, especially after that harsh exfoliating toner. And of course, spritzing mist on before makeup (after SPF) will help to prepare skin to enhance our makeup staying power. Or, impart that dewy glow by spritzing mist after makeup. There’s more: try spritzing before applying sheet mask or on beauty blender or cushion puff to even out foundation and help it blend seamlessly. Throughout the day, mist can also help to refresh skin and makeup.

These are the mists I love that are safe for fungal-acne prone skin.

**ROLLOVER REACTION HYDRATING FACE MIST &**
**LEEGEEHAAM (LJH) TEA TREE 70 MIST TONER**

How about essence? Well, if you are into Korean skincare routine, you’ll find that essence is actually the heart of the skincare routine. Use after hydrating toner and before serum, usually essence comes in thicker liquid form than toner. Think of essence like a base layer of hydration and moisture.

These are the essences I love that are safe for fungal-acne prone skin.

**AMORE PACIFIC VINTAGE SINGLE EXTRACT ESSENCE &**
**I’M FROM MUGWORT ESSENCE**

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW: AMORE PACIFIC VINTAGE SINGLE EXTRACT ESSENCE

November 3, 2019

To cut the post short, I’ve been looking for skincare with green tea.

Why? Because it’s rich in EGCG (that’s Epigallocatechin Gallate), that research has shown can improve acne and oily skin. As I’ve been dealing with never ending hormonal acne, thanks to my fluctuating androgen levels, I need EGCG’s help. Not only that, EGCG is also a great anti-aging oxidant which helps fight wrinkles by increasing cell turnover.

Then, my googling journey came to this product. An expensive product for a bottle of essence. What made them so bloody expensive? Well, it carefully utilizes green tea cultivated from the Dolsongi Green Tea Garden, the first of the three garden tea gardens that the company owns and operates on Jeju Island, off the South Coast of Korea. The green tea leaves are handpicked and naturally fermented in optimal condition for 50 days, then transferred by tea masters and placed into this traditional Korean earthware band buried in the earth, to age naturally for another 50 days.

So yes, it needs 100 days of waiting and another 24 hours slow extraction process to make this worthy essence. But, does it worth my splurge (btw, it costs me IDR1,5 mio for 120ml bottle).

Rejoice for those who love minimal ingredients. It only consists of 6 ingredients: Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (aka the green tea), 1,2-Hexanediol and Ethylhexylglycerin. And yes, this product is also vegan.

As the name stated, it is an essence, so it goes straight after toner. I use this twice a day, morning and night by pouring three drops on the palm of my hand and pat. If you’ve been reading my post, you know I still believe in essence step, as it will help skin to absorb serum and moisturizer more effectively.

So how did it perform on my skin?

Well, I can see a huge difference when I applied this on night time. When I woke up in the morning, I saw less oil on my face. And if big painful zits, especially on chin area started to appear, this will lessen the red appearance. I believe, it also brighten my skin tone.

Texture: very watery with no scent. It looks more like a black tea essence, even though it’s supposed to be green tea.

Is it safe for Fungal Acne? Yes, even though it comes from fermented green tea.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW: PATYKA PARIS

October 25, 2019

Thanks to Patyka Indonesia for having me last week at the launch of their new range: CLEAN, HYDRA & PURE.

At the launch, I surely learned a lot about this skincare certified organic brand from Paris.

The first product from this brand is HUILE ABSOLUE, which created way back in 1922. The formulas haven’t changed since.
Currently, it took them 3 to 5 years to develop one product.
All of their products have ECOCERT Certification since 2002, and became the first cosmetics brand in the world to be awarded Ecocert organic certification.
Most of their products are vegan (because some of them still use bees wax) and they do not test on animals.
Only botanical actives not grown in France are sought somewhere in the world, but all of their products are fully manufactured in France, including their unique box packaging.
Last but not least, these new range will be more affordable and dedicated for more wider age group from 20 years up.

And of course, we came home with their PR Kit. Mostly contains PURE range, which I chose because of my oily skin problem. So, let’s begin the review, shall we?

It’s one of their CLEAN range, which actually consists of 3 items: cleansing oil, cleansing foam, and toner. Basically, it’s a basic cleansing routine range.

CLAIM: eliminate impurities and particles of pollution accumulated during the day. Deeply cleanses for a radiant and smooth skin.

THE ‘WOW’ INGREDIENTS: Aloe Vera (for its’ moisturizing purpose) and Moringa (highly detoxifying).

PROS: Yesssss!!!! It’s safe for Fungal Acne and it’s soap-free.

CONS: Still contains fragrance

THOUGHTS: I love this, seriously. It caught my attention at the launch event, because unlike any other facial foam that I’ve tried, this glides so luxurious and beautifully on skin. It’s still foamy even though it’s soap free, but the cloudy foam didn’t pull on that disappearing act on your skin (if you know what I mean). Yes that cloud of foam feels so wonderful on my skin. Highly recommended, guys!

One of their PURE range, dedicated for combination to oily skin.

CLAIM: Remove all impurities and excess sebum. Rebalance and smooth the skin. Imperfections are reduced and pores are tightened.

THE ‘WOW’ INGREDIENTS: Organic Mint Floral Water (it’s a natural astringent), Prebiotics from natural sugar, and (they had me at this) Botanical Salicylic Acid. So, they use vegetable salicylic acid, extracted from Wintergreen.

PROS: Another Fungal Acne safe product (yeay!)

CONS: Alcohol and Fragrance

THOUGHTS: Even though it’s fragranced, I found the scent really pleasing. It does smell like mint water, very refreshing to sort of waking up my skin in the morning.

Also from their PURE range. It is a moisturizer, by the way.

CLAIM: Regulates the production of sebum throughout the day and mattifies the skin without drying it.

THE ‘WOW’ INGREDIENTS: Burdock Root Organic (sebum regulating), Prebiotics from natural sugars (promote the growth of the microbial flora which protects the skin) & Natural Silica Powder (absorbs excess sebum)

PROS: Well, it is a mattifying moisturizer. What’s not to love?

CONS: Not safe for Fungal Acne because it contains Jojoba Seed Oil and Sunflower Seed Oil. And it has alcohol and fragrance.

THOUGHTS: Textured like light gel and smells wonderful. And unlike most mattifying moisturizer which contain silicone, this one does not have any. They use natural silica powder to absorb excess sebum and shine, and to create that soft but not overpower matte.

Last but not least from the PURE range.

CLAIM: Absorbs excess sebum and cleanses the pores. Unclogs pores without drying the skin.

THE ‘WOW’ INGREDIENTS: Plant-derived Charcoal (sanitize skin and regulates the sebum production), Green Clay (as decongestant), and Zinc (cleanses and purifies).

PROS: It is a wash-off mask (leave it for 10 minutes) or use it for spot treatment (for night time use only).

CONS: Not safe for Fungal Acne and has fragrance.

THOUGHTS: First, I use this as spot treatment. It didn’t budge throughout my sleep, until I took them off in the morning. Of course, it didn’t heal acne overnight. But, I found this work well on almost there pimples. So when you found that spots, put this overnight and they wouldn’t be aggravated acnes.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

MY TOP 3 PRODUCTS FROM DRUNK ELEPHANT

October 16, 2019

It has been a while since I did the top 3 post, just because I rarely use more than one product from the same brand. But surprise, surprise….

Here’s my top 3 products from the brand recently bought by Shiseido’s group: DRUNK ELEPHANT. Please note that I don’t use it together at once.

PEKEE BAR
Frankly speaking, I don’t mind using bar format on my face. Yes, it’s quite a hassle and you have to be careful not to drop it on your bathroom floor or it might catch germs. But, try this and you’ll know why I love it that much. I love the luxurious foam it created, the light honey scent and the clean after-feel. So far I haven’t met anything even close to it, so I already keep on repurchasing and restocking.

BESTE NO 9 JELLY CLEANSER
Unfortunately, it will be hard to bring bar format on the go. So this is my go-to when I travel. It ‘s 100% free of essential oils, silicones and fragrance. People use this to clean makeup, but since I prefer double cleansing to do so, I use this as my second cleanser. I love lathering it up, it is such a great cleanser.

T.L.C FRAMBOOS GLYCOLIC NIGHT SERUM
Since it’s not safe for fungal acne, I only apply this for spot treatment. But if you don’t have any trouble with fungal acne, go ahead and slather it all over your face daily. Yes, daily, even though it contains AHA and BHA from different types, it delivered a mild and effective level of chemical exfoliation. No dryness, no harsh peeling.

PHOTO: SHINTA ROSVITA

WTH IS INFLAMMAGING AND HOW TO PREVENT IT?

October 13, 2019

Well…if you said it’s inflammation and aging combined to one word…you are kind of correct!

I heard about this word when I attended the relaunch of Yves Rocher Anti-Age Global last week on a staycation trip (thanks Yves Rocher Indonesia that accommodated me and 4 others beauty enthusiasts).

Unfortunately our skin is not like a fine wine. It doesn’t get better with age. If you search the word “Inflammaging” online, you’ll find out that this is actually a medical term which acknowledges the role chronic inflammation plays in the aging process, and not just for skin, but for the whole body. But on skin, it describes the foremost cause of fine lines, wrinkles and age spots. Basically, it’s like your skin cells self-healing functions are slowing down as we age.

So, what caused inflammaging? The sun, polluted environment, and certain foods that we ate (read: sugar, red meat and no vegetables). For me, this “Inflammaging” thing screams like aging 2.0 version.

Good news is we can prevent this, before it’s too late with the renew Anti-Age Global Range from Yves Rocher. It was relaunch because there used to be this Anti-Age Global range a few years back, but it was dedicated to more mature skin (read: 50+ years old). This year, Yves Rocher relaunched this range for 25+ years old, with better ingredients and faster result (they claimed you can see the result within 72 hours). And this line is inspired by Gemmotherapy, the science of buds, known to have more superior properties compared to ‘adult’ plants. Using lilac flower’s buds, known as Syringa Extract, there are 7 products in this range. You can purchase them here.

This line fits perfectly to my current skincare routine, as I’m doing my skipcare. Yes, I skip those 10 steps, just because I didn’t see any improvement on my skin, anyway.

So, these are the steps using Anti-Age Global from Yves Rocher.