Ah, a good old AHA. If you’re just starting on AHA, you might want to try this first.
There are different types of AHA, but this one contains Malic Acid (because it derived from apples). For those who have tried different and stronger types of AHA like Glycolic Acid or Lactic Acid, this one by itself might be not enough.
Personally I use this in between my Retinol night, because Retinol alone might not help at removing dead skin cell build-up, especially on the surface. Yes, AHA works on the top layers of skin and it does increase our skin’s sensitivity to the sun (it also might trigger PIH-Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation), so it’s recommended for night time use.
Although it’s categorised as ampoule, the texture is very liquid. And it slightly smells like apple (well, it does contain 79% of apple extract). Good thing about this ampoule, it’s very light, you won’t feel any tingling or burning sensation (it only contains a low dose of AHA-1%).
Treat this as a serum, to be use after toning at night. If you are new to this AHA thing, start using 3 times a week then gradually increase the usage. It’s safe to use daily, if your skin can handle it. And yes, this is safe for Fungal Acne.
What is it? It’s nothing new, actually. I mean, it’s not an innovative method. But I found it joyful to do daily and gets me excited to wash my face. Anything that will gets me excited during this pandemic are very much welcome, thank you. Just like the name said, it is supposedly to be done when our skin is dry. Basically, it’s cleansing with face wash while our skin is completely dry. Meaning, you don’t need to wet your face with water before applying, but still need to rinse afterwards.
Why dry cleansing? It supposedly is the best way to deep cleanse our skin. Imagine all the good ingredients in the face wash are able to work straight on skin. I believe this method is great for pores (so if you have clogged pores problem, read on).
What products do I use? From my own experiences, not every face wash can do this dry cleansing. IMHO, the best face wash that’s perfect for dry cleansing is a cleansing foam. Well, it’s already foamed, so just apply and massage them directly onto your skin. Also, I do recommend a great pH balanced foaming cleanser. Usually what won’t work for dry cleansing is a cleanser with a gel format. Liquid face wash can still do it, but I personally recommend cleansing foam to make our life easier.
PATYKA DETOX CLEANSING FOAM It’s sulfate-free and soap-free. This glides so luxuriously, no kidding!
SEBAMED CLEAR FACE ANTIBACTERIAL CLEANSING FOAM After dry cleansing, I usually leave this on like a mask for 5 minutes.
Does it work? If it doesn’t work, I wouldn’t bother to write this post. Since I’ve started doing this method, I rarely got tiny bumps aka clogged pores. And I notice less dirt and impurities while using toner afterward.
Tips:
Please consult with your dermatologist first before doing this dry cleansing, especially if you have reactive acnes or any skin problems like eczema and such.
For more deep cleansing, try dry cleansing with face cleansing brush (either manual or machine like Foreo or Clarisonic). But don’t do it every day as it may aggravate your skin.
Do dry cleansing for at least one minute, to properly clean the whole face.
Please continue with the next step of skincare routine such as toner and moisturiser. Don’t just wash and go.
Listen to your own skin. Do you need to dry cleanse twice a day, or just once.
Unlike 2in1 products that I don’t trust (like shampoo and conditioner in one), I do believe in double-function face and body care. Especially when they’re fungal acne safe.
Here are some of them that I’ve tried:
VELY VELY PINK CALMING GEL It’s perfect to use after our skin are heated by UV for its’ soothing and cooling purposes. It also contains pink colored microbeads from Calamine powder, that soothes tired & damaged skin. So, the microbeads are mixed with clear gel and will burst once applied onto skin. Not only great for cooling, soothing and moisturizing, this is also good for strengthening skin barrier (thanks to allantoin as one of their ingredients too).
DERMA 365 GENTLE CLEANSER I’m happy that this brand from Australia is now available in my local drugstore. As it is a gentle cleanser for all skin types, it’s mildly soothing and helps to prevent dehydration. For those who are prone to clogged pores like me, no fret, this is non-comedogenic and free from stuffs like soap, colourant, fragrance, paraben, lanolin, mineral oil, SLS and SLES. If you’re having maskne problem, I recommend this gentle cleanser to avoid any irritation on skin. Good luck of finding this on your local Indonesian drugstores, kind of hard to get here.
CETAPHIL MOISTURIZING LOTION Another non-comedogenic moisturizer, lightweight and easy to absorb. It contains six moisturizers, plus vitamin E and B5, for long lasting hydration. Because it comes in a lotion texture, of course it’s heavier than Vely Vely ones. Dryer skin will enjoy this more, and I’m enjoying this as my daily body lotion as I hate fragranced body lotion (especially the ones that smells like fruits) and it contains Macadamia Nut Oil which might not be that great for acne.
Since I lost my permanent job and do freelance gigs from last year, I admit that I downgraded on my skincare purchases. I’m only picky on pricing, though, not quality!
Sharing you my skincare purchase this month.
GOODAL APPLE AHA CLEARING AMPOULE It’s hard to find skincare products without Butylene Glycol (I believe this trigger my comedones), let alone an ampoule or serum. So when I found one, I decided to purchase it even though this one contains fragrance at the very last ingredients’ list. I bought this fungal acne safe ampoule on a market place, from a South Korea’s seller for IDR 225K for 30ml.
MENTHOLATUM ACNES DERMA CARE ANTI-BLEMISH ESSENCE Stumbled upon this while doing my quick grocery shopping at local mall near my house. Priced at IDR 72K for a 20ml, I believe we shouldn’t apply as its’ name. I wonder why they named it ‘Essence’ while they also recommend to apply this as spot treatment. It contains vitamin C for brightening purpose but it was made for sensitive and acne prone skin. Interesting, right?
MENTHOLATUM ACNES DERMA CARE GENTLE CLEANSER Currently they only have two products on this Derma Care line, so I decided why not. Priced at IDR 62K for a 120gr, it’s a pH balanced cleanser with two kinds of alcohol in the ingredients’ list (Cetyl and Cetearyl Alcohol). But, they also include the right stuffs, like Aloe and Salicylic Acid, alongside their hero ingredient, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid). Unfortunately, this cleanser still contains one ingredient that might trigger Fungal Acne, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate.
SNP INTENSIVE SOOTHING GEL This soothing gel contains 99% Snail Mucus Filtrate and Allantoin. It’s also allergen-free so it won’t trigger an allergic reaction or irritate the skin. The packaging is quite big (300ml), I guess it’s because it can also be used as a moisturizer, sleeping pack, eye gel, hair essence, after-shave gel and body lotion. If you are prone to skin redness due to UV rays, this soothing gel will help to cool down the skin and reduce the redness (you can store it in the refrigerator for a more cooling effect). And because of the snail extract, it also great to add moisture to dry skin without stickiness (like most of the snail skincare products).
SNP PREP PEPTARONIC AMPOULE MASK This ampoule mask contains 6 types of peptides and 7 types of Hyaluronic Acid to help hydrate and tighten the skin. If your skin looks dull and needs extra moisture, you will love this. How to use this to achieve maximum results? Use after applying a hydrating toner, apply the sheet mask and leave on for 20 minutes (max time). Remove the mask and pat the remaining essence into the skin until it is fully absorbed. I’ve tried this for 7 days in a row earlier, you might want to check it out, here.
Yes, my lovely readers, I also have a YT Channel here, sharing vlog and my shopping trip, haul, etc.
On my latest episode, I share my haul from a local drugstore. I rarely went out on this pandemic, and when I did, I’ll make sure I checked out local drugstores to find new and interesting new products to try.
FROM SHAMPOO TO TONER
Hope you’ll enjoy my vlog on YT, appreciate it if you leave comment and subscribe to my YT Channel.
Got a few DM on my Instagram about Retinol, so I guess I’ll answer them here while also giving you update on my skin condition.
Disclaimer: I’m not a dermatologist, so these are totally based on my own personal experience.
WHEN I STARTED IN AUGUST 2020, AND CLEARED UP IN OCTOBER 2020
Q: If I successfully cleared up acne after using Retinol, shall I continue using it or stop? A: Based on my own experience, I tried to reduce the usage to once every night. So on non-Retinol night, I’ll use other actives serums like AHA or BHA (depends on my skin’s condition).
MY SKIN CONDITION (FEBRUARY 2021)
Q: Will the acne be back even after you manage to clear them out using Retinol? A: As long as I’m alive, I guess I’d still have acne hanging around. My mom used to tell me that after I passed my teenage years, my acne would clear up by themselves. Well, they didn’t. Hormonal acne on chin area are the worst for me, so they’d pop out uninvited, no matter how clean I cleansed or how diligent I am with my routine.
Q: What’s the correct order to apply Retinol on one’s skincare routine? A: First thing first, use it at your night time skincare routine. Mine would be: double cleanse, hydrating toner, Niacinamide serum (just because it works well with Retinol), moisturiser then Retinol. If you’ve been following me, you’d probably know that I use two types of Retinol, Adapalene as base and Retinoic Acid as spot treatment. Please don’t apply them on their own, at least you can do is to mix with your moisturiser after cleansing.
Q: How about the skincare routine for morning, after using Retinol? A: Best that you can do is to treat your skin gently in the morning. Cleanse with gentle cleanser, use hydrating toner, moisturiser and never forget your sunscreen (even if you are not out and about like me).
Q: What type of Retinol are you using now? A: Evalen Adapalene Cream 0.1% and Vitacid 0.05% Retinoic Acid Cream. Adapalene went first for the whole face, then Retinoic Acid as spot treatment (on acne and acne marks). Both are local products, so they’re affordable.
I know lots of people love sheet mask, but personally I’m not sure if I like any mask. But, I’m curious about this so-called best selling Modeling Mask, so I decided to give it a go.
Modeling Mask (or Rubber Mask to some) is one of the peel-off mask type that we need to mix ourselves. Sort of like a DIY mask, start out in powder form, mixed with water and the texture is thicker and more gooey like rubber. Usually it was done professionally at beauty clinics, but with this brand, LINDSAY from South Korea, now we can do this conveniently and safely at home. They have many varieties for different skin types, but this time I chose the COOL ones, which is recommended for oily skin type. And yes, this is safe for Fungal Acne.
Why use Modeling Mask? Well, it supposedly help our skin to absorb other products better without stripping them from our own natural moisture. Yes, this type of mask will create a tight layer on our skin and allow deeper penetration of active ingredients (that’s why it’s recommended to use after serum).
PRICE: IDR 15K (I bought it on 50% off!)
WHERE TO BUY: I purchased it online from one of the market place.
PACKAGING: It reminds me of ice cream cup, honestly. It was filled halfway and came with a petite spatula to mix and apply. One cup is more than enough for one usage, so don’t be stingy with yourself.
WHAT’S IN IT: Tea Tree Leaf to hydrate and nourish skin while providing protection and prevention from roughness & dryness. It contains real leaves, so you might find shreds of leaves inside.
CLAIM: Restores softness & elasticity while cooling & hydrating to relieve stress and maintain healthy & refreshed skin.
HOW DOES IT FIT INTO ONE’S SKINCARE ROUTINE: Double Cleanse (Oil Cleanse & Foam Cleanse) Toner (Exfoliating with cotton pad) Serum Hydrating Toner (pat/spray) MODELING MASK Hydrating Toner Moisturizer
MY THOUGHTS: – I guess I failed on mixing the right amount of water, so it was kind of liquidy rather than rubbery – Waiting time to dry is 20 minutes more, and I’m not the type to sit and wait for mask to dry, so this is not for me – Seriously, just leave it for the professional to apply this type of mask – On me, it was dripping heavily and the peeling part was not a walk in the park – Don’t get it near hairline, or else it’s going to get messier and hard to clean
If you love to try bunch of skincare products, there’d be times when you fell in love with it from the first use.
Here are (some of) mine:
VANICREAM GENTLE FACIAL CLEANSER So far, it’s my go-to cleanser, especially on those days when maskne attack and you just need a gentle cleanser to cleanse. Fragrance-free, easily rinse and didn’t leave any after-feel, it’s easy to fall in love with this cleanser.
KRAVE BEAUTY OAT SO SIMPLE WATER CREAM Minimal ingredients always get me and having oatmeal extract as the main ones is awesome. Natural oatmeal always safe my skin whenever they’re angry or over exfoliated. And finding a light and simple moisturiser for fungal-acne prone skin like mine is no joke, people!
FOREO LUNA 3 FOR SENSITIVE SKIN I guess it’s my best skinvestment so far. I use this every morning for deeper yet gentler cleanse after all the retinol that I applied on my skin at night.
SULWHASOO GENTLE CLEANSING OIL It had me at the first whiff. It smells so good for a cleansing oil, which is kind of rare. It glides so luxuriously on skin, emulsified perfectly and it didn’t leave any weird after-feel. Yes, it is expensive but worth every pump.
KANEBO SUISAI BEAUTY CLEAR POWDER WASH Similar result of physical exfoliation without the harshness. If you have everlasting clogged pores like mine, you’d want to try this. It has no fragrance and it’ll foam up to cleanse perfectly.
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