Tag: photos

[UPDATED] SUPER SIMPLE MORNING SKINCARE ROUTINE 

It has been awhile, so I thought I’m going to update y’all about my current skincare routine.

I found this routine to be super effective on my fungal-acne prone and hormonal/adult acne prone skin. Especially I live in always hot and summer weather, plus using mask during the pandemic. If you notice, I do skip moisturizer step, just because I try to avoid clogged pores under the mask. But as I always mentioned, skincare is personal, so what work for me might not work for you. 

Currently, I swear by these 4 products only:

1. Facial Cleanser: Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser
My all-time favorite, one of the best basic face wash for sensitive skin. Unlike many who skip face wash in the morning, I just can’t. I wore Retinol at night and it feels icky and oily when I wake up.

2. Exfoliant Toner: Gallinée Face Vinegar
It contains Lactic Acid, the gentlest member of AHA for sensitive skin. This toner will help to promote slightly more acidic environment on the skin, in order to make Vitamin C serum absorb better and work more effectively. If you dislike the vinegar scent, you won’t enjoy this.

3. Vitamin C Serum: Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Serum
It’s fungal-acne safe, non-irritant, and by far the greatest vitamin C serum that I’ve ever tried. Expensive, but worth it.

4. Sunscreen: Missha Aqua Sun Gel Spf 50+ PA++++
I’ve been using Skin Aqua brand for ages, but currently trying something new just for a change. It looks like milky white lotion but when applied, it won’t leave any greasy feel or white cast. So far I’m loving it.

PHOTO: SHINTA ROSVITA

THE JOURNEY OF ‘TRETINOIN NEWBIE’

Disclaimer: I’m not a dermatologist. I’m just happy to share my experiences and if I can help others achieving clearer and healthier skin, I might get a good skin karma in return.

In this post I’ll share the progress pics and the concoction of my so called ‘first client’. Just a glimpse of the client’s data: early 20’s, oily skin, cystic acne and blackheads (mostly on forehead and cheeks), definitely a Tretinoin Newbie. 

WARNING: disturbing skin pictures ahead.

  • WEEK 1
  • WEEK 2
  • WEEK 1
  • WEEK 2

It was not easy to assure the client to use Retinol, because of the ‘Retinol Uglies’ that might happened in the first 4-8 weeks. Mine took 8 weeks to fully recovered, while my client already showed improvements (no more cystic acne) on 4 weeks time. Yes, it might vary to each person.

FYI, as an amateur skin coach, I worked on the my first clients’ skincare routine, and adding new products to be used based on my experiences with my own acne’s issues.

The Retinol Myth is true: YOUR SKIN WILL GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.

  • WEEK 3
  • WEEK 4
  • WEEK 3
  • WEEK 4

Some important notes:

  • You need to be more patient and understanding when it comes to using Retinol (Tretinoin or Adapalene) for the first time. 
  • Start with the smallest concentration of Retinol in cream form to reduce irritation and minimize ‘Retinol Uglies’. Using a pea-sized amount, any other day at night time.
  • Progress won’t happen overnight, but trust me, you will feel incredible when you see and feel the results.
  • Stick to the same routine and products for the ‘Retinol Uglies’ period. 
  • Whenever the skin feel sore and uncomfortable, I recommend to use Thermal Water Spray generously and wait to dry by itself (do not pat).

I was thinking to do this skin coach thing professionally, if I succeeded with my ‘first client’. I’ll update you next month when my first client hits 8 weeks.

  • BEFORE (4 WEEKS AGO)
  • AFTER

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FACE MIST, THERMAL WATER AND MIST TONER

They’re all skincare for sure, not to be mistaken with setting spray. With so many choices out there, do you need all of them? Read on to find out which one is more suitable to your own skin needs. 

Face Mist: Their first ingredient on the list might be water, but usually contains additional ingredients like humectant or emollient. It can be used anytime of the day, to refresh your skin and/or makeup. 
Recommended: Hada Labo Gokujyun Ultimate Moisturizing Face Mist (it contains Sodium Hyaluronate, which is more hydrating than Hyaluronic Acid)
Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray (great for maskne as it contains Hypochlorous Acid aka HOCL to attack bacterias and inflammation)

Thermal Water: Some of you called it ‘expensive water’, well…it is. But it’s not an ordinary water inside a can spray. It comes with high minerals which is great if you have dry skin and irritation-prone skin. 
Recommended: Eau Thermale Avène Thermal Spring Water (which has the perfect nozzle that sprays evenly until the last drop)
La Roche-Posay Serozinc (thermal water with additional Zinc Sulfate and Sodium Chloride)

Mist Toner: It is what it is, a toner inside a spray bottle. It supposedly be used on clean skin after cleansing or double cleansing, to prepare our skin for the next steps (either serum or moisturizer). 
Recommended: Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Hydrating Toner Mist (it has the perfect nozzle to spray evenly, and it’s not sticky at all)
Trilogy Hydrating Mist Toner  (if your skin can stand essential oil and fragranced toner)

PHOTO: SHINTA ROSVITA

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

SEPTEMBER 2021 HAUL

Bought two face mists this month. That’s all.

EAU THERMALE AVÈNE THERMAL SPRING WATER
I believe this is a must have for every sensitive skin. Some of you might think it’s just expensive water, well it’s not. It has this unique composition that is proven by studies to calm, soothe and soften the skin. Personally I use this after I workout, before I put on mask to prevent maskne, and to dampen the skin before applying moisturizer with humectant. A daily essential worth every mist.   
Price IDR 180K for 300ml

HADA LABO GOKUJYUN ULTIMATE MOISTURIZING FACE MIST
I used to love their Mild Peeling Lotion, and I’m excited to try this mist. No fragrance, no alcohol, no colorant, very minimal ingredients (five to be exact). It does come in a petite 50ml bottle, so I guess it’d be finish in no time, since I’m very generous with face mist these days. 
Price IDR 43K for 50ml

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: PETER THOMAS ROTH POTENT-C POWER SERUM

In one of his YT video, world renowned makeup artist, Hung Vanngo said that he loves to use vitamin C under makeup, because it’s brightening. And obviously I can’t agree more, skin prep before makeup is very very important. Even without makeup on (the way I live these days during pandemic), I love how it create that healthy glow from within (not a fake dewy look, which I hate btw). 

After all these years avoiding vitamin C in my skincare ingredients, because it irritated my sensitive and acne-prone skin, now I am a proud user. Thanks to this Vitamin C serum from Peter Thomas Roth (by the way, this is the second serum that I love from the brand-the first one is the Water Drench one). 

How does it differ from another vitamin C serum that I’ve tried and dislike? Instead of using L-Ascorbic Acid which commonly found in many vitamin C serum, this uses 20% of THD Ascorbate (Tetrahexydecyl Ascorbate). Even though this THD thing is 50 times more powerful than traditional vitamin C, but it is way more stable and with higher pH level, it is less irritating. Yes, this is not an ordinary vitamin C serum, people!

It is safe for Fungal Acne

With additional 3% Vitamin E and 2% Ferulic Acid, it is a booming anti-oxidant that delivers not just brightening purpose, but anti-aging and firming as well. It is great if you are like me, having uneven skin tone problem and texture. 

Milky texture with a slight hint of citrus scent, this is a moisturizing serum. Therefore, it won’t instantly disappeared onto the skin, but it left a moist and healthy looking skin. Which is why this is great for morning use before sunscreen. You do know that vitamin C and sunscreen is a power couple, right? Using vitamin C and sunscreen has been shown to be more effective at neutralizing free radical damage from sun exposure. 

So yes, I have been pairing this serum with my sunscreen. It is currently one of my tried-and-true favorite. Not cheap, though, but worth every single pump.

You can buy it here and get special promo while it lasts. I’d definitely repurchase this!

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW: THANK YOU FARMER BACK TO ICELAND

Let’s get to know the key ingredient in this range: ICELAND MOSS. They grow in the cold northern hemisphere and apparently widely known for its immunity, strengthening and anti-inflammatory effect. 

Before we dive in to each product, I deliberately took the pictures of their ingredients list from each of the packaging, as lately I’ve been seeing a lot of beauty brands especially skincare, reformulated their formulas. Therefore, there might be different ingredients lists from older reviews on the net. Please note that these ingredients lists are accurate by the time I did this post. So, please make sure that you are aware of what ingredients normally work for your skin before trying out new products. 

There you have it, now let’s get into each product. 

CLEANSING WATER

If you prefer cleansing water with a moist effect, this is it. It contains 83% of Iceland Moss extract, instead of regular water, with additional natural extracts like Witch Hazel and Peppermint Leaf. It doesn’t leave any tightness, but it has a slight green herbal scent. They claim that this can be use as a no-rinse cleanser, but I still recommend to follow by second cleanser, especially if you have oily and sensitive skin. Always apply with cotton pads, and if you use heavy makeup, press for 5 seconds then gently wipe. By the way, from the whole range, it’s the only product which is safe for Fungal Acne. I also found out that this is great for cleansing makeup brushes too (if you are too lazy to use water and brush soap, this is your go-to, fast drying and it left makeup brushes with great scent).
Price IDR 309K for 270ml

CLEANSING FOAM

It promises to cleanse and protect skin barrier. With a thick and dense foam, it cleanses with a moisturizing effect. Normal to dry skin type will enjoy this creamy face wash. It contains 22% of Iceland Moss Extract, with no SLS, but it does contain fragrance. Somehow the scent reminds me of matcha/green tea.
Price IDR 189K for 110ml

PEELING CREAM 

With a whooping 87% of Iceland Moss extract, this is a great alternative if we want to exfoliate without tightness or dryness. Even though it stated as a cream, the texture is more like a liquid balm. This reminds me of Cure Natural Aqua Gel, the best selling peeling gel from Japan, but this comes in more creamy texture. It felt so satisfying to see the clumping effect it created, perfect for gentle exfoliating purposes.
Price IDR 339K for 150ml

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

AUGUST 2021 HAUL

Did I splurge on my birthday month? I wish, but I did not.

EGO QV FACE OIL FREE MOISTURISER
A gentle moisturiser that contains vitamin B3 and pro-vitamin B5. I believe this is great for day moisturiser as it claims to minimise shine. It contains Glycerin, therefore this act as a humectant. I purchased this on market place, since it’s not available locally here in Indonesia. 
Price IDR 280K for 75gr

LA ROCHE-POSAY TOLERIANE SENSITIVE FLUIDE
Yes, another oil-free moisturiser. This one is formulated with a high concentration of prebiotic thermal spring water for a double repair action of the skin barrier. This is not cheap, but it hydrates and moisturize at the same time, because of the humectant (glycerin) and emollient (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride) ingredients inside this tiny bottle. I also purchased this on market place, since it’s not available yet in Indonesia.
Price IDR 390K for 40ml

EGO QV GENTLE WASH
No pun intended, but I just realized I bought skincare products this month with Glycerin in each ingredients’ list. And the second EGO QV brand that I purchased, but this one is available in our local drugstores (tip: buy when on promo). If only they carry the 1kg ones, I’d buy it in a heartbeat, since I use this for my body.
Price IDR 267,5K for 500gr 

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA