Review - Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser-Geranium Leaf, Bergamot, and Rose Bud

Hello gorgeous!

Today I would like to share a little review of one of my favourite facial cleansers, Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser - Geranium Leaf, Bergamot, and Rose Bud. I already finished the whole bottle on May, but just got a chance to write about it now. So, let’s just start it shall we?

Grown Alchemist is an Australian skincare brand. It is an organic skincare so their products are free from toxins and harmful chemicals. The products also free from animal cruelty because it’s not tested on animals. I assume that Grown Alchemist is one of the premium brands in organic skincare by looking at its way presenting the products and from how they only using the best and environment friendly ingredients, for its content and packaging, which we all know that they ain’t cheap. The packaging somehow reminds me of Aesop, another skincare brand from Australia who is also advocate natural ingredients without any harmful chemicals. 

The gel cleanser is in a dark brown PET bottle (recyclable plastic) with a pump to dispense the gel out. I always like pumps because it can dispense out the right amount of product and also more hygienic, especially in a bathroom when usually you are wet and water is literally everywhere. I usually use one pump of it on a damp palm and then rub it together to emulsify the cleanser until it forms bubble lather. Then I massage it all over my face and neck. The texture is actually not gel-ish but instead more fluid and runny like liquid cleanser. It will not make a lot of foam or bubbles, so make sure you don’t rub your palm too long to create a lot of bubbles because you will just waste more cleanser down the gutter by doing that. I noticed that they give a warning not to rub it around or on the eyes, but I usually just lather it to every part of my face including my eyes because I want to clean any makeup left on it. My eyes seem to be just fine up until now.  

Let’s talk about the experience it brought me. Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser - Geranium Leaf, Bergamot, and Rose Bud has every ingredients that I love. It has Geranium, Bergamot, and Rose Bud, which makes this facial cleanser, smells heavenly. The cleanser promises to soothe and calm your skin (especially the sensitive ones). I found it indeed soothed my skin and definitely not leaving my skin feels tight afterwards. My skin still feels soft and has enough moisture after I cleanse it. I have to admit that since I started using this facial cleanser, washing my face is my most favourite thing to do in the bathroom. As you can see on the ingredients list, Grown Alchemist does not add any added perfume to the cleanser. The scent that you will smell from the product is truly coming from the natural ingredients. I’m so in love with the scent that I usually took a long deep breath several times while I’m massaging my face so I could inhale all the goodness that the cleanser has. It felt so refreshing yet calming and soothing. I’m utterly sad when I finally finished my last drop of cleanser. There goes my slice of heaven in the bathroom boo hoo hoo *crying on the corner

Unfortunately all finer things come with a price. Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser is the most expensive facial cleanser I ever had. I haven’t had the heart to scrape around 40 AUD out of my pocket for 200ml facial cleanser. I’m definitely lucky that I got the chance to try this lovely product for free because I got mine from winning an Instagram contest held by Benscrub on February. Thank you Benscrub for the prize! You can check their website for more skincare products from Grown Alchemist and other Australian brands. 

When you have a good experience with one product from one brand, you surely want to try another product from that brand. Looking my delightful experience with Grown Alchemist, I'm definitely up to try more of their products in the future. Have you tried any of Grown Alchemist products before? Which product that works well on you? Please share your experience on the comment below so it can help me decide which product that I need to try next :)

Cheers,

Stef

Review - Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser & Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream

Hello gorgeous!

How are you today? Sebentar lagi sudah mau masuk bulan Juni nih. Selain sudah memasuki musim kemarau (kalau kerennya sih musim panas alias summer), sebentar lagi juga kita akan memasuki bulan puasa di Indonesia. Kalau musim panas dan puasa, biasanya kulit gampang banget keringnya. Kita harus pintar-pintar memilih skincare supaya kulit kita terjaga kondisi dan kelembapannya.

Bulan lalu, aku mendapatkan paket berisi dua produk dari Cetaphil Indonesia dan aku senang sekali karena dua produk itu adalah produk yang tidak asing lagi buat aku. Jadi, hari ini aku mau sharing review dua produk dari Cetaphil yang bisa membantu menjaga kondisi kulit kamu dan keluarga kamu. Yang pertama adalah Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, pembersih kulit yang bebas pewangi dan lembut namun efektif membersihkan kulit. Selain pembersih kulit, pelembap kulit juga tidak kalah pentingnya. Dari beberapa jenis pelembap yang Cetaphil miliki, kali ini aku mau review Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. Yuk baca review selengkapnya di bawah ini.

Kita mulai dari proses pertama setiap perawatan wajah, yaitu pembersihan. Aku selalu melakukan double cleansing setiap hari, yaitu dua tahap pembersihan wajah. Yang pertama dengan cleansing oil, untuk mengangkat semua makeup dari wajah, dan kemudian dilanjutkan dengan sabun pembersih muka. Sudah beberapa kali juga aku cerita di blog kalau aku tidak suka sabun pembersih wajah yang membuat kulit aku tuh jadi kesat kayak habis pakai sabun cuci piring. Makanya aku suka dengan Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, karena sabun ini lembut sekali dan tidak membuat kulit kamu terasa tertarik atau kering sesudahnya. Itu karena Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser tidak mengandung sabun alias soap free dan juga fragrance free. 

Teksturnya seperti gel dengan warna bening keabuan. Cara penggunaannya, tuang secukupnya ke telapak tangan lalu diusapkan ke bagian wajah (bisa dalam keadaan basah atau kering). Jangan menuang pembersih ini secara berlebihan, karena soap free maka Gentle Cleanser tidak berbusa, tapi bukan berarti tidak bersih lho. Setelah kamu merasa wajah kamu bersih, kamu bisa membilasnya dengan atau tanpa air. Jika tanpa air, hapus bersih Gentle Cleanser dengan menggunakan handuk lembut ya. 

Aku biasanya menggunakan Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser di pagi hari saat wajah biasanya bersih dari makeup atau jika aku hanya menggunakan makeup ringan, karena sayangnya menurutku pembersih ini kurang terlalu bisa membersihkan makeup waterproof. Pembersih ini juga memiliki level PH yg seimbang sehingga dapat digunakan jika kulit kamu sedang iritasi atau sensitif. 

Untuk pelembap tubuh, Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream adalah salah satu favorit aku juga nih. Kulitku termasuk kulit yang mudah sekali kering tapi aku suka bandel tidak mengoleskan pelembap kulit setiap hari (jangan dicontoh ya), jadi terkadang saking keringnya, kulit jd terasa tertarik dan bersisik. Kalau sudah begitu Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream ini jadi penyelamat kulitku. Teksturnya agak padat (ini krim bukan lotion) dan  berwarna putih susu, setelah penggunaan sedikit terasa lengket, tapi lama kelamaan, rasa lengket itu akan hilang. Oles krim ini di bagian-bagian tubuh yang menurut kamu butuh hidrasi ekstra, seperti tangan, kaki, siku, atau lutut. Aku paling suka mengoleskan pelembap ini di malam hari sebelum tidur, jadi pas bangun pagi, kulitku akan terasa lembut kembali dan tidak ada lagi kulit bersisik. Kalau kamu lihat di bagian bahannya, Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream ini mengandung Sweet Almond Oil (my favorite oil!) yang efektif membantu untuk menahan kelembapan kulit. Tidak heran makanya kulitku bisa langsung melembut hanya dalam waktu semalam. 

Kedua produk Cetaphil ini cocok juga untuk bayi karena sangat sangat lembut. Cetaphil dulu teman baik waktu anakku masih sering terkena serangan eczema atau alergi kulit. Kulit anakku sensitif dan sangat kering disertai ruam kemerahan di bagian-bagian lipatan seperti siku dan lutut. Kalau sudah begitu, Cetaphil comes to the rescue. Sebelum kenal dengan Cetaphil Restoraderm Skin Restoring Body Wash dan Cetaphil Restoraderm Skin Restoring Body Moisturizer, lini khusus untuk kulit atopik, aku menggunakan Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser dan Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream untuk membantu dalam merawat kulit anakku. Jadi, buatku Cetaphil itu sudah menjadi produk andalan banget dalam merawat kesehatan kulit aku dan keluargaku. 

Untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut mengenai Cetaphil dan juga produk-produk apa saja yang tersedia, silahkan cek sosial media mereka di bawah ini ya.

Website : www.cetaphil.co.id

Facebook : www.facebook.com/cetaphilindonesia

Twitter : @cetaphil_id

Instagram : @cetaphil_id
Youtube:  bit.ly/yt_cetaphilid

Cheers,

Stef

Sulwhasoo Basic Essential Kit

Hello gorgeous! As I promised before on my instagram account a few weeks ago, I will share my experience in trying Sulwhasoo basic skincare set. I am grateful I got the chance to try Sulwhasoo basic skincare set. I got mine from Sulwhasoo counter a while ago by reposting their picture on my account. It is a small sample, honestly it did not enough for me to give or show you considerable changes on my skin since the application of the skincare. But at least, by using it for 1-2 weeks, I could try and see if it agrees with my skin. I have not changed my skincare for the last 5 years. Yes, there are some trial here and there, but I always come back to my basic skincare which is from SK II (you can read my skincare regime here). But now, along with my beauty addiction adding up, I have more knowledge about more products worth to try. 

Sulwhasoo has been capturing my interest with its holistic approach skincare by not only using natural ingredients but they also pay attention on the method of the production; a Korean traditional heritage.

The set contains of a sachet of Gentle Cleansing Foam, a sachet of First Activating Care Serum, a vial of Essential Balancing Water, and a vial of Essential Balancing Emulsion. The cleanser and the serum lasted for 5 days (used twice a day) and the vials lasted for around 2 weeks (used twice a day). Please note that the duration here is what I experienced and I have small face so I did not have to put a lot amount of product on my face.   

 

I follow the instructions inside the packaging of the kit. 

First, I started with cleansing my face with the cleansing foam. It is in clear liquid form and I usually created the foam by adding a little bit of water after I dispensed it on my hand. Lather it all over your face and neck then rinse with water. I am happy that the cleansing foam did not make my skin dry. 

After preparing my skin with SK II Facial Clear Lotion as a toner, I continued it with the First Activating Care Serum, which is their best seller. The serum is a boosting serum that claims can boost up your other skincare products to its optimal result. It is said that it helps to maintain your skin moisture and balance it so your other skincare will be absorbed optimally by the skin. The serum color is golden brown and the texture is light. Apply it to your face and massage your face a little bit and warm it up by wrapping your face with your palm at the end of the application.

The next step is the Essential Balancing Water that acts as balancer and delivers deep hydration. I love how it felt on my skin. The gel-like texture is absorbed by my skin well, leaving it so hydrated and I felt that it soothe my skin down. 

The last step is Essential Balancing Emulsion. This is a moisturizer that is formulated with Korean herbs to make a softer and smoother skin. It is a very light moisturizer; the texture is not creamy, it glides and absorbed easily by the skin too. But even though it’s light, my skin felt soft and hydrated well after the application. You can add another layer of moisturizer if you felt that the emulsion is not enough to hydrate your skin. 

All of the products mentioned have herbal ginseng-ey scent that I found lovely. It is calming and soothing. But I understand that not everybody fond of a scent (or an herbal scent) in their skincare, especially when you have a sensitive skin.  I would suggest to trying them out first on the counter or asking for some samples to bring home. 

So, what is the verdict? I love it!

I am very glad that my skin did not acting out and no breakout at all during the trial *phewww*. My skin felt soft and smooth during the trial. It is a great basic skincare set which you can tweak here and there by adding other products such as serums or moisturizers to layer around. It will work wonderfully for you who have normal to combination skin. Will I purchase the full size products? I might, maybe after I finished my current skincare. 

Last week, Sulwhasoo just launched their newly improved First Activating Care Serum EX. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to go there and try them out. It is said that its new formula is able to deliver better results due to the upgraded JAUM Balancing Complex^TM with Sulwhasoo’s proprietary technology to take the benefits of medicinal herbs to a higher level.

Anybody has tried the basic essential care yet? If yes, kindly let me know how it works for you. Have a wonderful Sunday, peeps!! *kisses*

Cheers,

Stefi

July Favorites : Fresh Soy Face Cleanser & The Body Shop Peach Body Scrub

Summer oh summer! Who loves summer? I do! Starting July, summer is here! This is a review about my two favorite things in July which are Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and The Body Shop Peach Body Scrub. Happy reading, gorgeous!

Don’t you love the feeling of clean and supple skin after a whole day of full activity? Cleaning my face while I’m taking a shower after a long day always been a refreshing part. I usually double cleanse my face by massaging my face and neck (yes, don’t forget the neck area please) with a cleansing oil. I’m still loyal with my Kose Softymo Deep Cleansing Oil for a good lather of my makeup. After rinsing it, then I would use my facial wash. If you read my previous blog post about my skincare routine, you guys must’ve known that I frequently changing my facial wash because I’m still looking for a facial wash that is gentle but can clean my face effectively, without leaving my skin too squeaky soap dish commercial clean. I heard a lot of good review about Fresh Soy Face Cleanser for quite some time and found some online shop sells them. So, when I’m running out of my Body Shop Aloe Cleanser, I decided to purchase one (the 50ml) and give it a try.

It said that it is suitable for all skin types and it is extra gentle yet effective enough to cleanse your makeup even mascara. You can see the highlights of the ingredients on the picture below. Those ingredients will deliver a radiant and healthy looking complexion. 

The texture is gel like, similar to Cetaphil cleanser, and it’s not a creamy type of cleanser. It doesn’t make bubbles or foam which means, its soap free. The cleanser is fragrance free too, so if you smell something, it comes from the natural ingredients. For me, the cleanser has cucumber and rose scent, with the cucumber scent to be more dominating than the rose. It smells so refreshing! Another treat when I’m cleansing my face hehehe

The aftermath result, my skin feels soooo smooth, supple, and not dry. It feels clean without your skin feels stripped. This soy cleanser is definitely gentle. I felt that during my usage of this cleanser, my skin texture is improved. They appear to be smoother and softer. Me likey!!

It is easily become one of my favorite cleansers, but unfortunately the price tag is a bit steep. I finish that medium tube in 7 weeks. Maybe because its gel texture, so it makes me tend to squirt more than I have to hahaha.. But seriously, if budget is not an issue, then this face cleanser is something you want to keep in your cleanser line up. I really really like this one; I squeezed it until the last drop hahaha 

The next product that I reached a lot in July is The Body Shop Peach Scrub.

In summer, a smooth luminous skin is what we want to achieve, especially when you are planning to have a holiday somewhere exotic, like going to an island or a beach. You gotta show that polished and luminous skin, girl!

One way to get it is by frequently scrubbing your skin, like once a week. Scrubbing your skin will cleanse your skin from its dead cells; helping it to regenerate better hence the new skin will grow healthier.  

I bought The Body Shop Peach Body Scrub when they had a sale some time ago, thought that Peach scent will uplift my summer mood. The texture is creamy and a bit thick, with peach seed as the scrub. It contains sweet almond oil and peach kernel oil which are great because it can retain moisture for your skin. I chose this because my skin type is normal to dry, so anything creamy should do some good for it.

I usually will rinse my body with water first before I lather the scrub all over my body, that way the scrub will not feel too harsh for my skin. Rub it in circular motion to scrub those dead cells, make sure you scrub your body really well. Finally, rinse your body with warm water (or cold, whichever fits you). Since I usually find my body still feels a bit oily after rinsing it with water, I wash myself with shower gel afterwards to really clean the scrub and my skin. If you have extremely dry skin, you might want to reverse the step by cleaning your body first then end it with scrubbing it. That way, your skin will keep the oil from the scrub and stay moist after you pat it dry.

I adore my skin after I scrubbed. It feels smooth, soft, and supple; makes you want to touch it all the time hahaha.. The peach scent will usually still linger even after I washed it with soap. What I love the most from this scrub is it doesn’t drying at all. Sometimes, when I scrub my body, the smooth soft skin will only last for one day, and then my skin will turn to be very dry afterwards. But this peach scrub does not make my skin dry at all. It stays moisturized for days, thanks to its creamy texture and the oil in the ingredients I supposed.

Last week, I went to The Body Shop counter again and saw Mango Seed Body Scrub is on sale. Buy one get one! I did not miss the chance and grab them. I wonder if this scrub will also do a great job in polishing my skin. I heard mango seed oil is also good to moisture your skin. So stay tune for another review on it.

What is your favorite body scrub? Any product that does your skin wonders? Please let me know via this blog or my IG account : @stefaniecarolina 

Cheers,

Stef