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.
Wait, WTH is active? It is the ingredient in a product that addresses our skin concern. It has been proven in a lab by research to change our skin in each of its’ own way.
Check the ingredients’ list on your skincare products, and you might found familiar actives such as Vitamins (A, C & E are the most common ones), Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, AHA, BHA, and Benzoyl Peroxide.
Based on my experience, I’d probably recommend not to use any actives if your fungal acne is still flaring up. The simpler your skincare routine is the better. But, if you decided to add one to your regimen, based on my own personal experiences, I’d recommend these:
MY GO-TO GLYCOLIC ACID
EXFOLIATING ACIDS Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid & Salicylic Acid. Lactic comes from lactobacillus which you might suddenly think of yoghurt. Well, this specific active might help to control the production of the yeast. Glycolic is a type of AHA (same like Lactic) that’s derived from sugar cane. Salicylic Acid is a BHA, known for reducing acne & keeping pores clear. You have to try which one is the best for your skin, though.
MY GO-TO HYALURONIC ACID
HYALURONIC ACID Also known as hyaluronan, it’s actually a substance that can also be found in our body and naturally produced by our body. It helps to hold water and keep our skin hydrated and plump.
MY COLLECTION OF NIACINAMIDE
NIACINAMIDE It is a water soluble derivative of vitamin B3, that help to visibly minimize enlarge pores, improve uneven skin tone and strengthen a weakened surface.
TIPS:
The downside of using active ingredients is the risk of potential adverse reactions, so it’s recommended to start with lowest concentration levels of actives.
Even though some actives are usually compatible with others, like Niacinamide with AHA, BHA or Vitamin C, better to go solo. Yes, use one active at a time due to FA attack.
Stick to the rules on when to apply each of them (day or night or twice in a day), do not go overboard.
If you’ve been reading my posts and follow my IG, you’ll know how much I appreciate Niacinamide. Even back in the days when my fungal acne were still around…until today.
You can read somewhere else about WTH is Niacinamide and what would it do to your skin, but here I’m going to share you my favorites and my not so much. But for sure, all of the stuffs I mentioned are fungal acne safe. Tried & Tested by yours truly. Your welcome.
GLOSSIER SUPER PURE
Unlike most
people who purchased Glossier’s makeup products as their first encounter to
this loveable brand, I bought this. I remember I was so disappointed of The
Ordinary Niacinamide because it clumps, then I decided to buy the more
expensive Niacinamide serum out there. And this didn’t disappoint me from the
first hello.
They used to
sell the 15ml version, but now the latest version is 30ml, bigger bottle. With
5% Niacinamide and Zinc PCA, it’s also paraben free, fragrance free and vegan.
Why I love
this? It contains no Butylene Glycol which I personally believe can be comedogenic.
And I love the feel when it glides smoothly without clumps. Totally a winner,
considering the hefty price tag. I believe this is my fifth bottle already.
PAULA’S CHOICE 10% NIACINAMIDE BOOSTER
I heard so
much good things about this. So, even though it’s more expensive than Glossier,
I decided to splurge.
It contains
more percentage of Niacinamide, mind you. This contains 10% of Niacinamide with
additional Sodium Hyaluronate for hydration and Allantoin for skin-soothing.
Usually I
will mix this with essence, because unlike Glossier, this is a bit sticky when
used alone.
Unfortunately
this contains Butylene Glycol which I try to avoid lately, but since I like to
restock, and already purchased this second bottle, WTH. I will try to finish
this serum booster, anyway.
COS DE BAHA NIACINAMIDE 10 SERUM
Like
seriously guys, I am so glad I stumbled upon this serum while browsing
religiously online. This is like the cheapest serum I’ve ever bought in my life
and it’s not even a local brand. It costs under IDR100K, for a 30ml bottle.
Yes, all the
good stuffs are in there. 10% Niacinamide, Pure Hyaluronic Acid, 1% Zinc PCA
and Licorice. It’s a South Korean brand, and they claim to use 78% organic
ingredients. Free of sulfates, paraben, colorant, alcohol and fragrance, too.
I love this,
it is that good. Similar feel like Glossier, without the price. For sure I’m
going to repurchase this (currently checking what to buy next from this underrated
brand).
2 SOL FACIAL RECOVERY BOOSTER
Unlike those three mentioned above (which have clear transparent texture), this has yellowish liquid shade. I believe it’s because of Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, aka Vitamin C, one of the main ingredients here. Yes, this one mix 10% Niacinamide and Vitamin C, people. But no worries, Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is a very stable Vitamin C and soluble in water and oil. I didn’t find mine getting oxidized after awhile (just make sure to close it tightly after usage), so there you have it.
Unfortunately, this also has Butylene Glycol in it (like Paula’s Choice one). And I don’t like the packaging, it has no stopper. So, I’m also trying to finish this first (and last) bottle.
There’s the
one sure thing that I can tell you before I go in details: Both are Fungal-Acne
safe.
First, let
me start with Glossier. This is my third bottle, so I guess you can tell that I
like it that much. This serum goes after essence step on my AM routine. Why AM
(you might ask)? Because it is rare to find a serum that works well beneath
everything. And this works like a charm beneath everything, skincare and makeup
included. Yes this is one of my absolute skin-vestment.
Priced at
IDR490K (at trustable online shop here in Indonesia) for 15ml, it is expensive
but the hero ingredients: niacinamide and zinc really helped my problematic
skin. It helped my skin clear and reduce breakouts significantly. Unfortunately,
the company didn’t state how many percentage of Niacinamide used in this HG
serum. But no worries, if your skin is familiar with this form of vitamin B3,
you won’t have any problem at all.
OK, let’s
move on to Paula’s Choice. To tell you the truth, this is my first product from
this brand. I read some good reviews about it, so I decided to purchase it from
a reputable market place in Indonesia. They named this booster, but I used it with
my essence in the evening as PM routine. Why so? Unlike Glossier, this is way
tackier if use alone. It is sticky (almost like glue), but not oily or filmy.
You can certainly feel the stickiness, even after tapping for a while. Yup, it
is less comfortable compared to Glossier. But then I learned along the way,
they do recommend to mix this with other serum or moisturizer. So I did mix it
with my essence and voila! It didn’t feel sticky anymore. Bonus: this is the
right booster if you want to achieve that glass skin look.
Priced at IDR550K
(at trustable online shop here in Indonesia) for 20ml, it is more expensive
than Glossier, but contains 5ml more serum. Unlike Glossier, this has 10
percent concentration of niacinamide (quite an impressive dose).
THE DIFFERENCES:
Glossier
recommended to use only once a day, meanwhile Paula’s Choice can be applied
twice a day. For me, I apply Glossier in the morning, and Paula’s Choice in the
evening.
Glossier is
more viscous compared to Paula’s.
Packaging. I
like Glossier more because it’s transparent bottle so I can prepare to purchase
another one before it’s finish.
SIMILARITY:
Clear
texture
Price (both
are expensive, but IMHO worth every drop)
Odorless
Nice pipet
bottle that looks pretty on the vanity (instagramable, too!)
Satisfying result, clearer and smoother skin (less acne popping up).
Manufactured in the US (see, not all of my skincare products are from Korea).
shintarosvita 
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