Tag: fungalacneskincare

HOW TO GET HEALTHY GLOWING SKIN WITHOUT MAKEUP

Use antioxidants. There you have it, thanks for reading this post. Just kidding! 

Don’t get me wrong, I do love makeup, but I love my skin more. No makeup will look good on blah skin, so I swear by this jargon: skin first, makeup later.

ME-BEFORE AND AFTER

Trust me, our skin has the ability to glow naturally without any help from highlighter and such. It is up to you how to achieve it. But let me tell you one thing that I feel after hundreds of stay at home days, my skin glows like never before. Because I rarely went out, and if I did I’d wear mask, my skin is sort of free from environmental damages like pollution, sun, smoke and stress. 

Here are some of my tried and tested antioxidants products:

Vitamin C, the superhero of antioxidant. If you have sensitive skin, avoid L-Ascorbic Acid, and opt for the less irritated vitamin C, THD Ascorbate (Tetrahexydecyl Ascorbate).

Retinoid, only for the brave (LOL). It’s my HG, and the truest meaning of ‘beauty is pain’. If you dare to purge and face that retinol uglies, for the sake of glowing and healthy skin 8 weeks ahead, you won’t regret it (seriously).

Niacinamide, great if you have blemish prone skin. Just make sure it’s 5% or below to avoid any irritation.

Hyaluronic Acid, which is not only for hydrating, people! It helps to prevent free radical damage and stimulates wound healing.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

BLACKHEADS BE GONE, NO SQUEEZING, NO PAIN, NO IRRITATION

It’s hard to hold the urge to squeeze blackheads (really!). But there are help, people! Read on. 

Thanks to this skincare routine, I’ve managed blackheads on my face, especially on the nose.

BEFORE
AFTER

Cleanse: Sebamed Clear Face Antibacterial Cleansing Foam. It’s one of my favorite face wash, because it’s also safe for Fungal Acne. In the morning, I use this with a dry-cleansing technique. Apply on dry skin and massage for one whole minute, than left them on for 5 minutes. Rinse them well and pat to dry (personally I never use towel to dry my face). 

Exfoliate: there are two ways to exfoliate. One, you can use exfoliating toner. Two, use peeling cream. Because I have sensitive skin, I am very picky of exfo toner, and one that I love currently is Gallinée Face Vinegar. It is made for sensitive skin, eliminating dead skin cells with Apple Cider Vinegar. If you dislike the scent of vinegar, you might try the second option, Thank You Farmer Back To Iceland Peeling Cream. It smells like green herbal, you might enjoy the scent and how it exfoliate gently without no skin irritation. If you have oily skin which are more vulnerable to blackheads, do this exfo step maximal 3 times a week (choose toner only or peeling cream only, not together at the same time). 


Treat: Vitacid Tretinoin 0.1% Cream. Retinol is the best way to clear clogged pores and treat blackheads. It’s also an effective ingredient to prevent blackheads because it helps to remove sebum, bacteria and dead cells from the skin. I use this every night (with a pause twice a week to use exfo toner or peeling cream) almost two years already. It made my blackheads popped out effortlessly without having to extract them. 

Remember, consistently clean skin is the best way to prevent and clear blackheads, so if you can do all steps accordingly, that’d be great for your skin. 

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW: KEEP COOL AND SOOTHE TONER

Due to my skinimalism routine, I do skip toner step these days. So I go straight to actives after face cleanser. But, I do love to mist my face (especially during hot and sweaty days) and if my skin got very irritated due to sunburn or retinoid’s usage, I do CSM with hydrating toner. 

This is one of those hydrating toner for such purposes, as I don’t apply toner with cotton pads anymore. The texture looks like water but doesn’t feel like one, once applied. It’s slightly thicker (not viscous though), there’s a slippery feel and it gives a slightly dewy look on skin. As I do have sensitive and easily irritated skin, I do find this toner comfortable and cooling, just like the name stated. 

It has 85% bamboo water which is known for skin calming purpose, Low & High Molecular Hyaluronic Acid for hydrating effect and Polyglutamic Acid for absorption and moisture. It’s a slightly acidic toner of pH 5,5 which calms, hydrates and moisturizes at the same time.

If you are experiencing heatwave weather, or all year round summer (like me here in Indonesia), put this inside a spritz bottle, let it cool down inside the fridge (not freezer) and spray it on your face. You can definitely get extra freshness and hydration boost easily, anytime of the day. 

Since I already bought this on sale, IDR 112K for 160ml (it’s already available officially in Indonesia), I will finish this one bottle, but I don’t think I’ll repurchase. I don’t enjoy its’ after feel, as I prefer hydrating toner with thin like water consistency. I prefer water mist like Avène, a very straightforward soothing mist with no after feel.

It’s safe for Fungal Acne

Ingredients (from Style Korean Indonesia’s website):
Bambusa Vulgaris Water (85%), Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Forsythia Suspensa Fruit Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Thuja Orientalis Extract, Pinus Densiflora Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW: EAU THERMALE AVÈNE GENTLE CLEANSING FOAM

If you’ve been following my hauls recently, you’d notice that I purchased more cleansing products than treatment. That’s because I finished them quite fast, since I washed my face three times a day. 

Yes, you heard me right. Three times:

  1. in the morning straight after waking up (because I apply retinol at night and it made my skin feel burned somehow after I turned off my Air Conditioner).
  2. later after I exercise under the sun (sweats mixed with bacterias, so better wash off).
  3. and in the evening before sleeping time. 

So, it is obvious that I aim for gentler face cleanser. I love my Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser, but I do like to try others. And I stumbled upon this.

This specific SKU is not available yet in Indonesia’s drugstores, therefore I purchased it on marketplace (IDR290K for 150ml). When I searched for information for this in their UK and US website, they don’t seem to carry this product. They only have CLEANSING FOAM sans the GENTLE. So I guess Avène only marketed this Gentle Cleansing Foam in Asia, but still it was made in France.

Disclaimer: on daily basis, I rarely wear makeup anymore since pandemic strikes, so I don’t use this as makeup remover, even though they claim it can also remove makeup. I do appreciate that they formulated this for Asian sensitive skin with only 10 ingredients on the list.

TWO PUMPS ARE SUFFICIENT FOR THE WHOLE FACE, BTW

It is foamy, but it’s soap free, colorant free and fragrance free as well. And of course, it is rich in Avène Thermal Spring Water which clinically proven to be soothing and anti-irritating. I do recommend this if you have sensitive skin that’s easily irritated. It is really that good and gentle.

YES, IT IS FUNGAL-ACNE SAFE

I love the soft cloud-like texture, it feels so luxurious when it glides evenly on skin. It’s also great if you like to dry cleanse: apply on dry skin and massage for about 30 seconds, then add a bit water for another 30 seconds, then rinse them off. Anyway, that’s how I cleanse my face with this wonderful cleansing foam. 

It cleanse my non-makeup face really well and it didn’t leave any slippery feel. Don’t worry of this cleansing foam is going to make your skin tight and dry. It won’t. And as it was developed for sensitive and irritated skin in mine, my skin is loving it so far without any bad reactions. I’d totally purchase it again.

Ingredients (copied from Avene’s Singapore website): 
AVENE THERMAL SPRING WATER (AVENE AQUA), WATER (AQUA), SODIUM COCOAMPHOACETATE, SODIUM COCOYL GLUTAMATE, CITRIC ACID, DISODIUM EDTA, LACTIC ACID, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, SODIUM BENZOATE, SODIUM CHLORIDE

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

HOW I PRACTICE SKINIMALISM

It’s not a cult, it’s just I want to save on money, time and unnecessary ingredients. Less products mean less waste too (great for this unwell world we live in). 

Let’s focus on our skin needs, and what made them happy, because face it, skin are also a living organ. You know you, so pick the right ones for your skin.

Here’s my Skinimalism Routine (please note that they’re also fungal acne safe products):

CLEANSE

No more cleansing oil and cleansing balm. If my skin felt super dirty and oily (usually after a workout session), then I’d just splash water on my skin and use micellar water before face cleanser. 
Mine: Bioderma Sensibio, Vanicream Gentle Cleanser. 

ACTIVES

What, no toner? Yes I skip toner and go directly to actives. Make sure your skin is completely dry before applying any actives. 
Mine: Azelaic Acid 20 Gel (AM) and Adapalene (PM)

MOISTURIZE

I practice 3 steps moisture method by Olena Beley (click here for the details)
After the active is completely dry, spritz (don’t splash) water to dampen (not wet) the skin, then quickly apply humectant followed by emollient. 
Mine: Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Serum (humectant) and Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Soothing Gel (emollient).

SUNSCREEN (AM)

Staying indoor for most of the time doesn’t mean that UV rays won’t catch us. They will cause collagen and elastin in our skin to break down. So, if you want your skin to stay firm and bouncy for longer, please do apply sunscreen.
Mine: Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel SPF 50+ PA+++

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

JULY 2021 SKINCARE HAUL

July is a month of another reset, as the city I live in (Jakarta, Indonesia) was on its’ worst cases of Covid-19. It was like going back to square one when the global pandemic hits, so this month is definitely a #stayathome month for me (again). I just realized, maybe due to stress, this month’s purchase were like due to curiosity rather than what my skin actually needs. Oh well, I’m only human after all. FYI, by the time I wrote this, I’m into SKINIMALISM (more on that on later posts, so stay tune!), so I don’t know what to do with my earlier purchases.

Anyway, here’s my skincare haul this month.

NIVEA SOOTHING CLEANSING OIL

Mmmm…. after I bought this in early July, I became to wonder, do I really need to double cleanse with oil since I’m not wearing any makeup? I guess I bought this just because I want to try cleansing oil with Grape Seed Oil, known to have high Linoleic Acid (which is supposedly great for oily skin). Might keep this for later if I start using makeup again (but when is that going to happen?)
Price IDR 92K for 150ml

GALLINÉE FACE VINEGAR

Definitely splurge of the month, and yet another products purchased due to curiosity. I used to drink Apple Cider Vinegar/ACV, but my family couldn’t stand the smell, so I quit (LOL). I guess it had me because it contains hibiscus-infused ACV and prebiotics to support the skin microbiome. 
Price IDR 451K for 200ml. 

KEEP COOL SOOTHE BAMBOO TONER

Another toner in my basket this month, and I was thinking to skip toners for my new SKINIMALISM routine. Just great! Maybe I use this for CSM later on, because of its’ soothing purpose. This hydrating toner contains 85% bamboo extract which supposedly helps skin retain moisture and freshness. 
Price IDR 280K for 160ml.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW: PETER THOMAS ROTH WATER DRENCH

Do you know that for oily skin people like myself, it’s actually harder for the skin to retain moisture? And yet some people still think only dry skin people need hydration. 

Dehydrated skin might worsen oil issues, because they will naturally produce more oil to compensate the dehydration. Therefore, caused more blemishes and breakouts.

IMHO, it’s best to keep our skin hydrated all the time, not to just treat them while dehydration happened. And one of the best way to maintain skin hydration is to use skincare products with Hyaluronic Acid (HA). HA will help to replenish and hold cell moisture, keeping our skin well-hydrated and as a bonus, plumper! 

Enter PETER THOMAS ROTH WATER DRENCH. They’re powered by Hyaluronic Acid to help lock in hydration for up to 72 hours. As I always said in my blog and instagram, never ever count on only one skincare product to fix your skin problem(s), I will also say it again for this range. I believe they are in sync, so I really recommend to try them according to proper skincare steps, to achieve maximal hydration result (especially if you have dehydrated and dry skin altogether).

Here’s what I thought for each product.

WATER DRENCH HYALURONIC CLOUD HYDRATING TONER MIST
If you asked me which one is my favorite from this hydrating line, this mist won my heart at first spritz. If you’ve been following me quite sometime, you’d know that I’d never apply moisturizer on dry skin. I’d always make sure that my skin is damp before applying moisturizer. Why? Because damp skin is more receptive to active ingredients. This Toner Mist also filled with Witch Hazel to help clarify the skin, though some might reacted to it but fortunately my skin can take it. It’s so enjoyable to spritz, it feels just like pure water on the skin. No after-feel, no stickiness, no fragrance, leaving skin feels refreshed and cool. 
Price IDR450K for 150ml. 

WATER DRENCH HYALURONIC CLOUD SERUM
It’s the priciest of them all, but it is a serum with intense 75% Hyaluronic Acid Complex, and you only need one pump for the whole face. I love the clear liquid gel texture, and the fact that it’s oil free and fragrance free. It’s safe for Fungal Acne, too! However, it still contains parabens on the last of their ingredients’ list. 
Price IDR 1.050K for 30ml

WATER DRENCH HYALURONIC CLOUD CREAM HYDRATING MOISTURIZER
Concentrated 30% Hyaluronic Acid Complex cream with three molecular sizes of HA. It also contains Pentavitin® which help to provide up to 72 hours of hydration, even after cleansing. 
I love how the texture is so light and fluffy, and the fact that it is fragrance free. And I do believe that there’s a reason why some skincare products are darn pricey, because they’re so darn delightful when applied. You can feel it glides luxuriously, yet easily absorbed without any effort. 
However, it still contains Dimethicone, PEG and not safe for Fungal Acne (but luckily didn’t trigger mine)
Price IDR 850K for 50ml

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

MARCH 2021 SKINCARE HAUL

All drugstore’s!

SIMPLE KIND TO SKIN SOOTHING FACIAL TONER
It went MIA for awhile in our local drugstores, but it’s back. Turned out, they changed the old packaging with a new one. An affordable, no-fuss daily toner, with good ingredients like Allantoin, Panthenol, Niacinamide and Chamomile extract. Priced at IDR 99K for a 200ml (and they’re on promos most of the time), it is safe for Fungal Acne and 100% alcohol free. 

HIMALAYA HERBALS PURIFYING NEEM FACE WASH
Combination of Neem and Turmeric in this affordable face wash are really interesting. Neem to combat acne and turmeric (which is bright orange in real) helps to soothe skin. Even though it’s fungal-acne safe, it does contain sulfate, some allergens and fragrance. Priced at IDR 40K for 100ml.

HIMALAYA HERBALS PURIFYING NEEM MASK
It has been a while for me not to use wash-off mask in my skincare routine. However, this fungal-acne safe mask is equally affordable, so I can’t resist to try it. Anyway, it still contains sulfate, fragrance and paraben. Priced at IDR 40K for 100ml. I’ve posted a detailed review about this already, please click here to read.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW: HIMALAYA PURIFYING NEEM MASK

Thanks to maskne, wash-off mask is making its’ way back to my regime. 

All those heat trapped inside a mask for hours, with all that bacteria, carbon dioxide, sweat and oil. Our skin need all the help, and there’s no better way to tackle this maskne problem than with a clay mask. Clay mask is great to purify and draw out impurities that clogged the pores while help to soothe skin inflammation. 

Fortunately, I found this affordable (priced at IDR 40K for 100ml) wash off mask. It’s also easily found at local drugstores where I live. 


It comes in a plastic flip-top tube, and since the texture is not that thick, it’s very practical, hygienic and mess-free. And talking about the texture, it contains sort of micro beads (you can feel it more when rinsing). But no worries, it surprisingly easy to rinse off. 

Key ingredients are neem and turmeric (and I thought it was colored yellow, but it’s apparently dark green). Originally from India, neem has anti-bacterial and astringent properties to help with acne bacterias. Meanwhile, turmeric (in Indonesia we use this to cook yellow rice) will help to reduce acne due to its’ anti-inflammatory quality. 

It’s fungal-acne safe, but it still contains paraben, sulfate and quite a strong fragrance. Personally, I don’t really mind the herbal woody scent that lingered around even after rinsing off. But for those who are sensitive to fragrances, you might not like it. 

Because of the clay ingredient, obviously our skin would feel a bit tight while waiting for them to completely dry. It’s also a bit tingling for the first five minutes, but when I rinse it off my skin is not red at all. Like any other wash-off masks, I suggest to leave them on to dry (about 15 minutes), then rinse off with warm water. 

I use this twice a week, especially after wearing mask for a long time. I found it (somehow) cooling, refreshing and my skin felt really clean afterward. It didn’t aggravate my existing maskne, or triggered my fungal acne prone skin. I do recommend this if you’re still doing your active lifestyle during this global pandemic, because maskne is seriously no joke, especially for those who are already have acne-prone skin like myself. 

Tips: just apply on problematic area (pores and acne), then rinse with warm water. Don’t forget to hydrate your skin after. 

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA & SCREENSHOTS FROM INCIDECODER.COM & COSMILY.COM

REVIEW: GOODAL APPLE AHA CLEARING AMPOULE

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.

BEFORE – AFTER (TWO WEEKS USAGE)

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA