Tag: skincareroutine

POST FUNGAL-ACNE: THE MINIMAL SKINCARE ROUTINE

Obviously, before my first fungal-acne attacked in 2018, I didn’t even know which ingredients triggered them. But after the healing process, my whole skincare regimen has changed a lot. To give you a clearer idea, here’s my minimal skincare routine back in 2018.

Here’s my updated minimal skincare routine now, please note that these are during #stayathome periods (you’d be surprised, the more time I have the simpler the routine becomes).

MORNING:

CLEANSE: First thing that I apply in the morning, cotton pads soaked with warm water to wipe away oil residue and nighttime products. Then I cleanse with TATCHA THE DEEP CLEANSE, which I intend to finish before it expired. Luckily mine is a travel size ones.

TONE: I never skip toner, because I believe if I did, my pores will clog more. My current fave is EUCERIN DERMATOCLEAN CLARIFYING TONER, it’s not an exfo toner or hydrating ones, it’s a perfect daily toner that won’t irritate sensitive skin.

TREAT: I skip moisturizer in the morning, just because this #stayathome period. Instead, I do something that I rarely did back in the old days. AM Treatment! I dab on acne treatment and dark spot treatment on specific spots. My current faves: DERMA E VERY CLEAR SPOT TREATMENT (for pimples) and GOODAL GREEN TANGERINE VITA C DARK SPOT SERUM (for post acne marks). Both can be use on daytime, so I maximize this period to make sure pimples and dark spots are treated during daytime, too.

If I have to catch some sun in the morning (which I do lately every morning), this is my HG sunscreen: SKIN AQUA UV SUPER MOISTURE GEL SPF50+ PA++++. I admit it’s hard to find a new replacement for this. It’s not waterproof, so easy to clean with just micellar water (no need for balm or oil).

NIGHT:

CLEANSE: I will use BIODERMA SENSIBIO H2O to cleanse my leftover sunscreen and continue with PETER THOMAS ROTH IRISH MOOR MUD PURIFYING CLEANSING GEL. I use the cleansing gel with my FOREO LUNA3.

TONE: As lazy as I can be these days, I only use ALPHA H LIQUID GOLD, alternating with EUCERIN DERMATOCLEAN CLARIFYING TONER.

SERUM: On my non-exfo days, I apply GLOSSIER SUPER PURE SERUM.

TREATMENT: I apply DRUNK ELEPHANT A PASSIONI RETINOL CREAM twice a week, topped with DRUNK ELEPHANT T.L.C FRAMBOOS GLYCOLIC NIGHT SERUM. I love this combination for my never ending clogged pores problem.

HYDRATE: Last step for PM routine is to hydrate, with my old time favorite, VICHY MINERAL 89 – SKIN FORTIFYING DAILY BOOSTER. I love this because it’s gel, absorbs easily and feels so light on skin.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

SIMPLE YET EFFECTIVE SKINCARE LAYERING

Some of you might asked, “Do I need 10 steps?” Girl, it’s so 2017!

Please do not be intimidated by contents out there with so many layering steps, if you do not have the time nor the budget to do so. Knowing your skin is the first best thing, then you can accommodate based on that.

My routine might not be the same as others and I don’t expect it to be. And I totally not recommend anyone to follow mine exactly. Frankly speaking, there are no such things as ideal steps. Remember, you know you best.

So, these are my steps of skincare routine:

ONE: CLEANSE

First, wipe off with Micellar Water for base makeup. Then Lip & Eye Make Up Remover. Wait till dry then move on to Cleansing Balm. Quickly emulsified the balm, rinse and wash it all away with Face Soap. At the end of the day, I felt extra clean after all of these.

TWO: HYDRATE

Never thought that I’d even consider this as the most important step in my routine. But it is, now. Hydrating Toner and Essence are my skin’s BFF.

THREE: TREAT

My skin is far from perfect, therefore exfoliating toner, serum and ampoule are still needed in my repertoire.

FOUR: MOISTURIZE

Never underestimate the power of moisturizing to seal the previous steps in. I try to stay away from cream and lotion for moisturizer, instead I opt for gel ones.

FIVE: PROTECT

Living in a city when the sun is blasting all year round, it’s impossible and sort of forbidden to skip this step in the morning.

For sure, morning and night time routine are different. Morning routine is simpler because all the cleansing hard stuffs will be happening at night to remove makeup. And night routine might require more steps, just because there’s more time to do so.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

SENSITIVE SKIN OR WEAK SKIN BARRIER?

So I’m sure we’ve all heard about both. But seriously, are they the same problem? Or are they like…connected?

Well, I did some research to write about this. First of all, I do believe I have sensitive skin, just because it’s easily irritated. So, if you are easily irritated, either by environmental things like sun or cold, and by topical products, you might call it sensitive skin.

Then, I did some more digging on the net. Turned out, our skin sensitivity actually has to do with the fatty outer layer of our skin. This fatty outer layer often called the lipid (fat) barrier with two functions: keeping the water inside and protect the skin from damaging factors like UV rays, wind, heat and harsh chemicals. Unfortunately for those who have sensitive skin, this barrier is usually weaker, thinner and more easily damaged. Therefore, thin lipid barrier can cause a variety of dermatological issues like acne and inflammation.

So, what to do now, you might ask?

  • First, stay away from harsh products and try not to overdo anything.
  • Wash your face strictly twice a day with gentle cleanser.
  • Do not over exfoliate, try to do it once or twice a week (max).
  • Use fewer products on your skincare routine. Trust me, sometime less is definitely more.
  • Stay away from alcohol (from the ingredients list), just because it might over-dried the top layer of the skin.

PRODUCTS TO TRY:

APIEU MADECASSOSIDE AMPOULE

I love this! Like whenever I over exfoliate or my skin feels uncomfortable, this will instantly calm down the redness and the bumps. Under-rated product that’s actually very damn good. Totally recommended!

2SOL FACIAL RECOVERY BOOSTER

Panthenol (Vitamin B5) and Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) inside this will help improve the barrier function. It has 10% of each, so it will help prevent moisture loss, reduce dryness and strengthen skin barrier at once.

HEIMISH ALL CLEAN GREEN FOAM

Gentle cleanser with low PH, formulated with centella asiatica and witch hazel, which are widely known for their skin healing and soothing properties. I just love the gel-balm texture of this cleanser, and how it didn’t leave my skin feel tight after wash.

TRILOGY CERTIFIED ORGANIC ROSEHIP OIL

Try to incorporate facial oil to your routine and you’d be surprised. This specific oil contains powerful essential fatty acids that improve skin hydration. Bonus: it also helps to reduce scars and fine lines. Personally, I mix two drops to my foundation every morning. It adds glow and prevent cracks, while keeping skin hydrated all day long.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

NEW & INTERESTING NATURAL INGREDIENTS FOR SKINCARE

Frankly speaking, I am not an all-out green and natural skincare products seeker. I mean, I still believe in hard-core acids and stuffs. But, lately there are new and interesting natural ingredients on the skincare market. Thought I’d give it a shot.

HIBISCUS

Hibiscus is a beautiful flower and surprisingly has skincare benefits. It is one of the most powerful anti-aging plant actives, so it’s known as nature’s botox for its’ firming and lifting ability. This flower is also rich in antioxidants to help skin fight free radicals from pollution and UV. But please aware that hibiscus is a fragrant plant, therefore it might affect those who are sensitive to scents on your skincare product.

NONI

In Indonesia where I live, it’s not rare to drink the juice. But what do we know? Noni fruit extract is great for healing and rejuvenating skin due to its abundance of vitamins (A & C) plus antioxidants to protect against free radicals. One thing that interest me the most about one of the benefits is: Noni has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties! Whoa! It might be good for fungal-acne, no?

EGGPLANT

Again, where I live, people will eat cooked eggplants (though I don’t like it). I know it’s a healthy food, but little that I know it’s full of vitamin C. And when I did research for eggplant on the net, it contains ‘lupeol’ (some kind of substance that’s highly effective on problematic skin). It’s also antibacterial and anti-ageing. Pretty potent veggie, right?

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

EUROPEAN DRUG-STORE SKINCARE PRODUCTS FOR FUNGAL-ACNE PRONE SKIN

Do I have other products than K-Beauty skincare? Of course, dearest. I do have a few of European drugstore brands in my collection. Disclaimer: unfortunately, most of them were purchased when I travelled abroad, because they don’t carry them where I live (Jakarta, Indonesia). Boohoo!!

EAU THERMALE AVÈNE or simply called Avène.

Thermal Spring Water

I guess every girl in this world must have this in their vanity. I use this before first toner, right after cleansing. Why? Because I have hard water in my home, so I need to neutralize my skin before everything else. It has ideal calcium/magnesium ratio to help improve skin texture. And I love the cooling & calming sensation on every spray it made. Super love!

3 in 1 Make-Up Remover

This is like a cleansing milk, non-rinse ones. Its’ milky texture will turn into fluid when rubbed. Please note that this has fragrance (but claimed to be tolerated by sensitive skin). It removed base makeup well, but not recommended to use to remove eye makeup.

Vichy Laboratories Mineral 89

I am sold by one of their claim that it acts as a protective shield against pollution. And after more research, I found out that this only has 11 ingredients (which is great for sensitive skin), with the highest concentration of their Thermal Mineralizing Water plus Hyaluronic Acid. Currently, I use this as daily moisturizer, by the way.

URIAGE EAU THERMALE or simply called Uriage

Creme Lavante

Another Thermal Water based product in my collection, this is a fragranced cleansing cream. Even though it’s fragranced, it’s safe for sensitive skin (proven by yours truly). Usually I use this in the morning after my acid night (which is only twice a week now). Mind you, this is soap-free and contains 1/3 nourishing milk. It won’t dry out skin but in the same time it didn’t leave any filmy residue after cleansing.

Hyseac SPF50+ Fluid

It’s specifically tailored for combination to oily skin, so yes on this point. It contains licorice extract which known for its’ ability to reduce excess sebum and prevent new blemishes. Another yes. It didn’t leave my skin look shiny or white or greyish or patchy.

Eucerin Ultra Sensitive Soothing Care

This is actually a day and night moisturizer, but I use this as a daily moisturizer for AM only. It’s preservative-free, paraben-free, paraffin-free, fragrance-free, alcohol-free, colorant-free and emulsifier-free. Since I’ve experienced redness here and there, especially after that over-exfoliating period, this really help to calm them down. It’s very light and contains SymSitive, their patented ingredient specially developed for hypersensitive skin. I do recommend this to strengthen skin barrier.

Biologique Recherche Lotion P50T

This specific type (they do have lots of type) of acid toner has been developed to suit all skin types from sensitive to dehydrated skin. I was too excited to try this hype acid toner, I applied this every night. Yes, I ended up having over-exfoliated skin. So, I do recommend to use this only once or twice a week (diluted on a cotton pad moistened with water). I don’t mind the vinegar-like smell, it reminds me of Apple Cider Vinegar.

LA ROCHE-POSAY

Thermal Spring Water

What is it with me and Thermal Water? Well, this is another favorite Thermal Water of mine. Naturally rich in selenium, well known as a powerful antioxidant, this face mist not only refreshes but also tones and rebalance skin. That’s why on my bad skin days, I will use this as a face toner to replace my regular toner.

Serozinc Face Mist

To beat the shine with only mist? Yup, this will do. This is actually a mattifying face mist, specially made for oily skin people. As the name applied, it does contain zinc sulfate to target signs of oily skin. No worries, it’s also clear like ordinary water mist, and I believe this is also a great toner if you’re sensitive to anything.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O

Need I say more? Tried many of cleansing water for makeup, from another brands, another countries, but keep on coming back to this. Even though this doesn’t dissolve eye makeup, but a great base makeup remover.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW: TRILOGY CERTIFIED ORGANIC ROSEHIP OIL

I went to the launch of Trilogy in Jakarta last week, and they claim that this specific product sold every 20 seconds around the world. Is it that good?

First, why did I choose this over two others? Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+ contains Cranberry Seed Oil and Sunflower Seed Oil that might trigger Fungal-Acne. Similar with Rosehip Oil Light Blend, it contains Jojoba Seed Oil and Cranberry Seed Oil. Big no for Fungal-Acne. Meanwhile, the Certified Organic Rosehip Oil contains 100% Rose Canina (Rosehip) Seed Oil, which is totally safe for Fungal-Acne.

If you’ve been reading my blog posts, you’ll know that I did electrocauter to get rid of milias and sebaceous hyperplasia that I had last year. And to get rid of the scars from the treatment, was a challenge. I’ve tried this and that to make the scars from cauterization healed faster, and when I stumbled upon this specific oil, I was hooked. Until now.

You see, Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil is a 100% pure organic rosehip oil that works not only to prevent skin aging, but also to assist skin renewal and repair. It is also clinically proven to help scars and damage skin. So yeah, no wonder it really worked to help me clear out my cauter scars. For scars, I used this on the very end step of my PM skincare routine.

Bare Faced. Left – not using oil. Right – using oil.

Then, after all the cauter scars were gone, I’m still using it until today. For different purpose, that is. I mixed this with foundation to give me that radiant healthy glow. Because of its’ oil texture, I believe it will blend well with any liquid foundation. Check out the difference when I’m using the oil and not.

Can you tell? When using the oil, skin doesn’t look dead matte. It glows naturally.

By the way, Trilogy is a brand from New Zealand. Come to think of it, this is the first and the only Australian’s skincare product that I purchased. Now you can get them here in Indonesia at some C&F stores (they carry only 15 SKU’s for now). Or you can buy them online, here.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

UPDATE ON MY FUNGAL-ACNE SAFE SKINCARE ROUTINE (PART TWO: PM ROUTINE)

After my update on AM Routine last week, here’s the second one, PM Routine. Please note that they’re all also fungal-acne safe (based on skincarisma.com checking).

Avene 3 in 1 Makeup Remover (I don’t understand why they put in quite a strong fragrance into this one, luckily it’s safe for me).

Purito Defence Barrier pH Cleanser (this is my second tube, and I love the clear gel texture that made my skin feels super clean but not tight).

Biologique Recherche Lotion p50T (don’t buy this if you are super sensitive to vinegar scent. It really smells like one and the price is out of this world. But worth every single drop).

I’m From Mugwort essence. (I skip hydrating toner, and go straight to essence. But still, I will layer up to five times depends on how sleepy I am, LOL. For the last layer, I mixed with Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster to avoid stickiness).  

Drunk Elephant Glycolic Night Serum (only on acne days, and only on the spots).

Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum (my new favorite serum. I use this on areas that need to brighten, like around the nose and lips, and some newly formed acne scars).

Vely Vely Pink Calming Gel (this is my first ever face and body moisturizer. At first, I was hesitant to put it on my face. So I tried it on my neck. It didn’t cause any break out, so I decided to apply it on my face, too. It did what it claimed: soothing & calming. And I love the pink gel with pink microbeads in it).

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

REVIEW: ORA MICRONEEDLE FACE ROLLER SYSTEM

For those who are scared of the risks and side effects of dermabrasion, chemical peeling and laser-resurfacing, Microneedle therapy is the one way to go. It is one of the proven skin therapy used by most dermatologists, to reduce and soften scars, fine lines and large pores. Since I do have large pores, uneven skin texture and many scars left (from facial back in the old days and currently cauter’s scars), I decided to purchase microneedle roller for at home treatment.

I stumbled upon this brand named ORA (www.beautyora.com) from Los Angeles, US. They have a few ranges available, but I decided to start with the lowest needle depth (0,25mm). Why? Because the longer the needles, the deeper the wound, causing it to bleed (which also means longer recovery time). Usually dermatologists will go with longer needle, and they’ll use topical anesthetic before the procedure. But with 0,25mm needle depth, there’s no need to apply topical anesthetic because it won’t cause any bleeding on skin. The worst thing that can happen to your skin with this needle depth is redness, but it’ll go away overnight.

There are 540 stainless steel needles (don’t worry they are extremely fine), that they claimed will help penetrate the skin to stimulate collagen and elastin production. Result? Thicker, healthier skin and a smoother appearance to areas with wrinkles and scars. Obviously, pores will open due to the needle action, but this will help to increase absorption and penetration of skincare afterwards.

Is it painful? Well, beauty is pain, dear. It won’t make you bleed (if you use 0,25mm needle like me), but you can certainly feel something. If you have thin skin like mine, 10 times back and forth rolling will be enough to make the skin looks red. Because it basically pricked the skin, of course it’ll make skin felt pricked. But no worries, that minor pain (more like a sunburn pain) will be gone overnight, so I do recommend to do the rolling at night time before you go to sleep.

HOW TO’S:

  • Dip the roller inside alcohol to disinfect before and after use. Usually I left mine for 10 minutes. Let it dry before using.
  • Skip eyes area, as the skin there are a lot thinner.
  • Always do the rolling on clean and dry skin.
  • Don’t press too hard, just let it roll in each direction (horizontally, vertically and diagonally) for 5-10 times.
  • Use a powerful serum straight after you roll. My favorite is Dear Klairs Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drop that will tone down the redness.
  • Skip active ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and tretinoin after rolling. Instead, stick to your basic skincare routine.

TIPS:

  • Let your skin breathe by skipping makeup within 24 hours after doing the rolling.
  • Don’t use this on open wounds (that include active acnes). Mind you, this is not a pimple roller.
  • Don’t skip sunscreen the morning after.
  • Just like your toothbrush, please do not share roller with anyone.
  • I do this once a week every Friday night, because I rarely go out on Saturday. Use your best judgment on how often should you roll, depending on how your skin takes it.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

‘ANGRY SKIN’ AND HOW TO DEAL WITH IT

Just when I thought my fungal acne is getting better (sigh).

Actually they are quite calm now, but suddenly bigger acnes popped out of nowhere, on my temples only! Stressed? Check! Lack of sleep? Check! Too much dairy and sugar? Definitely! Oh man, like seriously nothing helped at this point of my skincare journey.

I can’t believe I posted this before-after picture, when the after picture looked worse than the before (I so hate my life right now).

collage1

On those horrible days, I’ve tried almost everything from Benzoyl Peroxide, Azelaic Acid, Niacinamide, BHA, AHA, Lactic Acid, Centella Asiatica to heal those two spots. Unfortunately, none worked! I assumed, I might have been over-exfoliating and my skin became confused by too many active ingredients. So, I decided to completely cut down my skincare regime, morning and night. I also limit my chemical exfoliation to once a month, rather than twice a week like I used to do. And I tried sulfur as spot treatment, using a local brand product. Why? Because according to simpleskincarescience.com, sulfur can treat fungal acne because it produces penthationic acid which is toxic to fungi, and it may also directly inhibit malassezia (read: my nightmare).

Without further adieu, here are my (much) shorten skincare routine.

am.jpg

AM ROUTINE
Cleanser: COSRX LOW PH GOOD MORNING GEL CLEANSER. Not very foamy with quite heavy tea tree scent. I was worried that it’s going to cause purging, but it’s not. Pheeww!!!

Toner: SOMEBYMI AHA-BHA-PHA 30 DAYS MIRACLE TONER. I (sort of) ditched my regular toner (Nacific Calendula) for this. Thanks to their super heavy rotation ad on instagram, I am sold. So far so good, no purging. I will keep you updated, because they claimed this toner will bring miracle if used continuously for 30 days. Fingers crossed!

Serum: DR JART+ CICAPAIR SERUM. This is quite an expensive serum (must be the packaging price). I just tried to empty this bottle, even though I believe it didn’t show any magic result on my skin. But at least, it didn’t cause me any break out. I wouldn’t repurchase this, will try other serum (I am thinking Lee Gee Haam).

Moisturizer: SEBAMED CLEAR FACE CARE GEL mixed with THE ORDINARY 100% PLANT-DERIVED SQUALANE. To reduce the tackiness of the gel, I always mixed it with squalane oil. Squalane also add glow to the skin and not worsen my fungal acnes.

Sunscreen: SKIN AQUA UV MOISTURE GEL SPF 30 PA++. It’s not a clear gel, for sure. Milky white when poured, but luckily no white cast when applied. Easy to absorb and feels very light on skin. Best of all, did not cause any break out.

pm.jpg

PM ROUTINE
First Cleanser: BIODERMA SENSIBIO H2O. Long time favorite of mine, long before they legally sold in my local drugstores. Been trying this and that, but always go back to this (it’s da best, what can I say)

Second Cleanser: KRAVE BEAUTY MATCHA HEMP HYDRATING CLEANSER. Don’t expect too much foam if you use this, but trust me, my skin never felt cleaner and healthier.

In the shower mask: BLITHE PATTING WATER PACK SOOTHING & HEALING GREEN TEA. It’s a genius product, I might say. Who has time for facial mask to dry these days?

Toner: SOMEBYMI AHA-BHA-PHA 30 DAYS MIRACLE TONER. Yes, again in the evening. After swiping on face, I apply this on my neck too. Never neglect neck!

Spot Treatment: ACNE FELDIN LOTION. Local skincare product with 1% camphor and 6.6% sulfur as main ingredients. It smells weird at first and the super watery texture is a pain the ass to apply directly with finger on spots, but I got the hang of it. I also applied this on my temple where the fungal acnes are. Make sure to tap until they dried down.

And after 8 days of cutting down my skincare regime to the above routines, this is how my skin looks.

day8.jpg

Those two humongous zits are flatten (but still left red marks), some black heads are still there (one popped out in the shower accidentally-causing an open red wound), but I know it’s getting better. But it’s still day 8, so I will check back in 22 more days, just to see the efficacy of my skincare routine and the products I am currently using.

CONCLUSIONS:

  • Never ever over exfoliate. Just pick one acid that suits your skin.
  • Find one active ingredient that suits your skin the most and stick with it (trying periods are the worst, it’s like finding your skin soul-mate).
  • Avoid skincare overload. Less is definitely more, do not let your skin get confused (too many products = too many ingredients).
  • Being bombarded by so many new skincare products is hard (I know right). Search well about the ingredients and reviews before any purchases.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA