DRY CLEANSING FOR CLOGGED PORES

March 10, 2021

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.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

NO MASKNE, PLEASE

July 17, 2020

Wow, what a cool word invention during this crazy time. Mask + Acne = Maskne. OK, so what can we do about it?

Fortunately, I don’t have this problem myself. I only went out four times since March 2020, just to have meetings for an hour or so. Other than that, I did all my things online. Shop online, groceries online and food delivery online. And I only spent like an hour wearing a mask, so yeah…I don’t have maskne, but I do have regular acne showing up during this pandemic.

But I can imagine those who have to wear mask all day, especially where I live here in Jakarta, Indonesia. The sun is blasting, it’s super hot and humid out there. Mask is not just suffocating us in terms of breathing, but also our skin. It’s like sweat + oil + bacteria trapped for hours on that mask-covered area.

Though I know we can’t get away with it (until God knows when), here are some skincare tips for maskne:

Change your mask whenever it gets moist. Personally, I prefer disposable mask, because cloth ones need to be laundered using hot water to keep it effective (and I don’t have the luxury of washing machine with hot water, so nevermind). So far, I use this KF94 mask that I bought online (not cheap because it’s imported from Korea), but it’s the most fitted and comfortable for me.

Use gentler skincare options. Use gentler cleanser, hydrating (instead of exfoliating) toner and avoid using harsh exfoliants (avoid scrubs, please).

Choose more soothing/calming ingredients and avoid actives if possible. Hyaluronic Acid is my best bet, but some people might love Aloe. Opt for LHA instead of AHA and BHA, it’s a popular alternative with less risk of skin irritation.

Texture-wise, opt for gel than lotion or cream.

Wait for all of your skincare to absorb first before putting on the mask. Do not rush, make sure they dry completely before you cover your skin with mask.
Let your skin breathe while it can at home. Avoid using sheet mask that might irritate them more.

Bid adieu to your favorite foundation. Why bother adding another layer that will suffocate your skin further? Opt for concealer to cover any spots, or use tinted moisturizer instead.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

COMBATTING #STAYATHOME CONGESTION

July 15, 2020

So, we believe we’ve done a good and proper skincare, even when this world looks like it’s going to fall apart. But still, clogged pores are haunting our skin. Welcome to my club!

Whitehead, blackheads, comedo, whatever they name it, that’s our skin being congested. Thanks for the lethal combination of oil, dead skin cells, dirt, debris, and bacteria.

Read on to find out what’s the best & the worst thing that we can do to combat congestion during this crazy time.

SAY BYE TO COMEDOGENIC INGREDIENTS
You can analyze your skincare ingredients on cosmily.com to see if they are comedogenic or not, and then try to part with them gradually. Famous comedogenic ingredients: Butylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, Lanolin.

INSIDE COUNTS
Over-active oil glands can also be triggered by hormones, poor gut health and diet. As much as I hate to say this to myself, try to eat more veggies and fruits. And limit those sugar intake (being a sweet tooth myself). You can also add supplements for skin’s health.

WATCH OUT FOR THE SUN…SCREEN
Chemical UV-blocking agents might cause clogged pores. Yes, mineral sunscreens and waterproof ones might leave our skin with clogged pores. But do not skip them, like..ever. Again, I recommend to check the ingredients for non-comedogenic sunscreen.

SKIN TREATMENT

Always double cleanse at your PM routine. I use cleansing oil with high Linoleic Acid and cleansing gel as second cleanser.
Exfoliate. I prefer BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid), a chemical exfoliator that will help loosen dead skin cells. Salicylic Acid is the most common one, so try to look for it in the ingredients list. If you are new with this, try the low dose first (0.5%) then gradually move up to 2%.
Use Retinol to increase skin cells turnover. It can also reduce our sebum production.

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: