BEAUTY | MY HEAVY ROTATION FRAGRANCES

Here are the heavy-rotation fragrances that I'm obsessed with! Note, I like floral and fresh fragrances, but they are still so soft. If you are like me, these might be for you as well ;) 
PS: If you're looking for a serious description of the fragrances, you will not find it here. I am truly just having fun writing this! 

Jo Malone Peony & Blush SuedeThe softest fragrance I've ever had! Whenever I use this, I feel very ME. Idk what to explain anymore. I love this so much!

Saff & Co Loui This is a stronger version of 'my soft girl era'. 

BOHE Bali Bisou and Faye These two are the newest additions to my heavy rotation yet hard to miss! Bisou is floral yet there's a hint of sweetness that I still love. Faye is right on my alley, soft floral out of the shower vibe. 
What's your favourite fragrance?

BEAUTY | MY CURRENT MAKEUP ROUTINE

OK, so the last time I shared my makeup routine was last year?! Wow, how dare I? My routine has changed a lot, tbh. Now, I'm focusing on hydrating as well as taking care of my hormonal acne-prone skin. If you read my blog for a long time, I have never struggled with acne before. It started back in 2022. I was very stressed because of the hormonal acne. Yet, my stress caused more. So it's basically an endless cycle. 
I would love to share my skincare routine (as well as my skin cycling) but I haven't found the perfect routine yet. So, let's be patient! I'm still experimenting here and there to find the right one for my skin condition.
Anyway, let's move on to my makeup routine. The routine is similar to my last one, but some of the products have changed. Either I found the better one, or it suits more with my skin condition. 

BEAUTY | CURRENT FAVOURITE LIPPIES

If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for lip products! I love trying out new products though at the end of the day, I always come back to my favourites. I rarely have dry lips because I always put on lip balm before bed and after showering, but to maintain that throughout the day, I opted for a non-drying formula. I am always looking for moisturising lip products. Chapped lips are not cute!

Here are my current favourite lip products! 

From top to bottom

Dior Addict Refillable Shine Lipstick - #422 rose des vents

This product never claimed to be a moisturising one, but it works amazingly on my lips. The shine is perfect, the colour is so subtle and I love the packaging. This shade is perfect for the ultimate no-makeup makeup look, when you don't want to look like you have makeup on. 

Ps: my husband got this for me - girls love it when their men know girls' favourite makeup!

Twentywendy Glasting Star Water Tint - #dschubba 

I love this peachy, brownish-red gloss that is perfect when you want something more pop on your lips. I don't usually choose a peachy colour, but this one is an exception. So pretty, juicy but not too much. 

Twentywendy So Matte Soulmate Lipstick - #ruk

As matte products usually tend to dry your lips, this one, however, does not. It glides so effortlessly and smoothly. This shade especially, is my #1 favourite colour for lipstick. It makes my face look glowing and fresh and compliments my skin tone. It stays pretty long-lasting too! 

Cleya Tinted Lip Serum - #courage

I was looking for a good tinted lip balm and found this one on the online site. It turned out amazing! It's everything I'm looking for in a tinted lip balm, the colour is not too bold, moisturising, and always leaves my lips so soft. The only thing I don't like about this product, is probably the packaging or maybe I just got a badly manufactured one, sometimes it got messy. The product gets to the tube and cap. 

Dior Rouge Lipstick - #772 classic rosewood

This is the most recent lipstick I got and I like it so much! The colour is so perfect for a sunny day in Bali, it's fresh and cute. I'd say this is the lipstick that Barbie would wear if she lived on a tropical island! The formula is good, but I found it a little bit heavier than my other lipstick. 

What's your current favourite lip product?

BEAUTY | EVERYDAY PRODUCTS

Ever since I moved to Bali, my skincare and makeup routine changed. The first few months, my skin breakout really bad and it made me stressed. I changed my skincare routine, from facewash to sunscreen, everything to find the perfect one. So far, skincare is still a mystery,
However, my makeup routine was fairly simpler. I only need 15 minutes to do my daily makeup, nonetheless add a few bits such as blush and eyeshadow probably add 5 minutes more. I quiet happy with my go to makeup and it's all thanks to these makeup goods.

BEAUTY | HIGH-END MAKEUP PRODUCTS

Di post sebelumnya aku membahas soal high-end skincare, hari ini aku ingin membahas tentang high-end makeup yang kualitasnya luar biasa tapi memang harganya bikin gigit jari. Semoga apa yang aku tulis disini bisa jadi bahan pertimbangan buat kalian, ya!

Untuk skincare, kadang aku masih 'gak masalah' kalau harganya mahal selama itu cocok di kulitku dan hasilnya juga sebanding dengan harganya. Tapi kalau untuk produk-produk riasan, aku sebenarnya lebih memilih untuk membeli produk drugstore atau produk lokal yang harganya lebih terjangkau. Kenapa? Karena dipenghujung hari, makeup juga dihapus. Jadi sayang kalau membeli produk mahal yang gak bertahan lama. 

Tapi... bukan berarti aku gak mencoba sama sekali. Banyak produk high-end yang kualitasnya luar biasa, kita harus lebih selektif saja membelinya. Misalnya ada lipstick yang harganya diatas satu juta rupiah, tapi buat apa ya kan? 

Berikut ini adalah produk-produk riasan dari high-end brand yang menurutku kualitasnya sebanding dengan harganya! 

BEAUTY | SIMPLE EID MAKEUP

This year's Eid will be very different from the previous ones. I can't celebrate with my big family because we're quarantining. So instead of celebrating together at my Grandma's house like our tradition every year, this year will involve heaps of video chat, from FaceTime to Zoom. We all still feeling grateful because technology nowadays is so advance. 

Today I want to share the Eid makeup look that is very simple, easy to do and still enhancing your beauty. Remember, Eid is not about showing off but showing your inner beauty and peace. 

Let's get started! 

BEAUTY | HIGH-END SKINCARE PRODUCTS

Kalau mengobrol soal skincare atau makeup bermerek high-end, pasti ada rasa ragu atau cemas tentang kualitas produk-produk tersebut, 'yakin bagus nih? harganya kan selangit, sayang banget kalau ternyata harga tidak sebanding dengan hasil!'. Aku beberapa kali kecewa dengan produk-produk dengan harga yang menguras kantong tersebut, tapi, gak jarang juga benar-benar puas dengan hasil akhirnya! 

Sebenarnya membeli produk skincare atau makeup tergantung pada kebutuhan kita sendiri. Biasanya aku membaca ulasan dari produk tersebut sebelum membeli, kalau 4 dari 5 ulasan yang aku baca setuju dengan kualitas produk, aku mulai yakin. Ketika membaca pun perhatikan apakan si pengulas memiliki jenis kulit yang sama dengan kita, tinggal di kota atau negara beriklim sama, baru deh mikirin harganya.

Kemudian, aku juga membiasakan diri membaca kandungan formula yang terdapat dalam produk tersebut. Ada banyak bahan kimia yang harus kita hindari karena bisa merusak pigmentasi kulit bahkan mengakibatkan penyakit kulit seperti kanker. Bahan-bahan tersebut adalah parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, toluene, sulphates, silicone, dan lain-lain. 

Buatku, skincare itu semacam investasi karena efeknya jangka panjang, makanya aku lebih berhati-hati soal skincare. Sementara makeup kan hasilnya langsung terlihat tapi efeknya juga jarang banget yang jangka panjang.  

Berikut ini adalah produk skincare yang menurutku hasilnya sebanding dengan harganya. Kalau kamu memiliki jenis kulit yang sama denganku (normal cenderung kering dan sensitif) mungkin bisa mencoba produk-produk di bawah ini! 

BEAUTY | MAKEUP SWAKARANTINA

Hai! 

Siapa yang selama swakarantina masih tetap dandan? Aku! Pasti banyak juga kan ya yang sama kayak aku, biarpun diam di rumah tapi gemas aja ingin dandan. Buatku, makeup itu terapeutik dan isolasi mandiri bisa bikin aku merasa terkekang dan stres karena cemas nonton berita soal covid-19, belum lagi stres karena melakukan rutinitas yang diulang terus menerus di tempat yang sama selama... mungkin udah hampir 3 bulan, ya? 

Hari ini aku ingin sharing sama kalian produk lokal dan produk terjangkau yang aku suka banget dan menurutku kualitasnya bagus, gak kalah sama produk high-end! Makeup ini aku pakai kalau mau ke ruang tamu atau nonton tv-series, atau untuk nulis blog di teras sambil ditemani kucing-kucing kesayangan ;) 

BEAUTY | CARA MENJAGA KULIT SELAMA RAMADAN

Hi, apa kabar? 

Selama bulan Ramadan, kulit biasanya menjadi lebih kering karena tubuh kita kekurangan cairan. Kulit yang kering bisa memicu tumbuhnya jerawat karena lapisan kulit memproduksi minyak berlebih. Belum lagi saat berbuka, kita pasti tergoda untuk makan takjil dan goreng-gorengan. Aduh!

Berikut ini adalah caraku untuk menjaga agar kulitku tetap terhidrasi dan bercahaya. Semoga membantu! 

BEAUTY | WHAT'S IN MY EVERYDAY MAKEUP BAG

In day to day basis, I barely wear a lot of makeup. It's either I go with soft-glam or no-makeup makeup look, there's no in-between. Today I want to share what's inside of my everyday makeup bag, means, the no-makeup makeup look products.

I only have five products that I use every single day, they are easy to use, not too much, and most of them are drugstore products.

Pond's Instabright Glow Up Cream in Pink Crush

I love this cream because it is a multipurpose cream: it can be your moisturiser, primer, or even highlighter. Although, because I have fair skin, it doesn't work well as a highlighter. I apply this cream after I put my moisturiser and sunscreen to add more moisture to my skin. It works well as a primer, smoothing my skin nicely.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in Fair

It's been my favourite undereye concealer for years! It helps to cover up my dark circles, brighten the area and of course, compliments my skin tone nicely.

Maybelline Fashion Brow in Gray

Instead of using a brow pencil, I prefer to use a cream product on my brow. It creates a softer and more natural-looking look. I like how this product is very easy to use but stay on my brows all day even when I wudū three times during the day.

Tarte Amazonian Mascara

I have quite a few favourite mascaras but I realised, over the last three months, this is the only mascara I've used. I've been using this mascara since two years ago, stopped when I discovered another mascara, then I came back to it again. This mascara is beautiful. It makes my lashes look longer and have more volume. It is also not a waterproof mascara so it doesn't hurt when I remover the makeup on the evening.

Lancomê Matte Shaker in #270 Beige Vintage

This lip product is so gorgeous, I can't get over it even I've used this for almost two years now. It is moisturising my lips, creates a beautiful, soft, velvet matte colour on the lips, and it can be used as a liquid blush as well! The colour, beige vintage, specifically is so natural. I got so many compliments whenever I use this product on my lips (and as a blush as well!).

What's your must-have beauty product? 

Love, Vera

JANUARY FAVOURITE

The first month of 2020 is over! My overall impression of January is a month of balancing. I have a completely different mindset, I finally able to organise my priorities, and of course, pretty much get my shit done. 

Today I want to share my monthly favourites. I haven't done this kind of post for a while and I believe this is the year to bring back our tradition, yes? ;) 

Beauty

I only have one favourite in the beauty section which is the Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel. This product is absolutely very unique and useful! I apply just a tiny bit on the dry patch on my face and body on the night time and voila, the next day my skin is very well moisturised! No more dry skin. 

Movie 

I have two favourite movies this month. 1917, which you can read the full review here, and Underwater. I just watched Underwater at the cinema recently and I really like how this movie told the story about underwater creatures, how the people survived through bad things that kept happening. It's pretty entertaining, a little bit scary at some point. 

TV Series 

This month, I watched a really good amount of series actually. In the other note, I had so much free time (or lack of sleep?). My favourite shows this month are The Good Doctor (ABC). I know, I kinda late on the game but I literally binge-watching the first two seasons within one week and I'm not mad about it. This series is so good! Another series that I truly enjoyed this month is Dracula (Netflix). This limited series is so scary but good, I have mixed feeling about it. Not only it is scary but also gore (that kind of genre that I hate the most). 

Music 

I've been really into Florence+The Machine this month. I always like her music but I don't know, her music is literally my vibe this month. The most frequent album that I listened to is High as Hope (2018). So beautiful! 

App

One of my 2020 resolutions is to meditate more. I have a few favourite meditation apps, Headspace, Calm, and Mindfulness. I try to meditate twice a day, in the morning and before I go to bed. For my morning meditation, I'm switching between Headspace and Mindfulness. As for my night meditation, I prefer Calm because I can choose the sleep meditation as well and they offer good options.

What are you looking forward to the next month? 

Love, Vera

WHAT'S IN MY HANDBAG

Back in May, I shared the inside of my go-to bag. It has been 6 months and my daily routine definitely changed. So of course, what I carry in my bag is also changed. I switched my Fossil leather satchel to this gorgeous navy leather satchel from Kate Spade. I purchased this bag the end of last year, I'm not sure this bag still available in or off the store. 

This bag definitely looks more girly than my previous bag and also smaller. It's perfect to carry my daily things as now I don't carry much. Although I still switch around with bigger handbag if I need to carry more stuff, this is my current most used handbag. 

Let's take a look what's inside! 

BEAUTY | MY FAVOURITE FACE MIST

I'm a huge fan of face mist! I use it before I start my skincare routine and after I do my makeup. Those two times is the must. I found with always using a face mist on your skincare routine gives you more moisture and prepares your skin for the next product you're about to put in. Also, if you spray a bit after you do your makeup, it will set your makeup in place and prevent your makeup from cracking and looking powdery. 

So here are my favourite face mists so far! 

1. Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater 
2. Caudalie Grape Water 
3. Lush Eau Roma Water Toner Water 
4. Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber, and Green Tea
5. Evian Facial Spray 

What's your favourite face mist? 

Love, Vera 

BEAUTY | 5 LIPSTICK TERBAIK UNTUK SEHARI-HARI

Hai! Hari ini aku ingin berbagi dengan kalian tentang lipstick yang biasanya aku pakai untuk sehari-hari. Daily makeup aku itu selalu natural dan hampir seperti no-makeup makeup. Aku kurang suka tampil dengan riasan tebal kecuali kalau aku memang ada acara seperti kondangan atau parties. Biasanya aku bahkan hanya mengisi alis, pakai concealer di bawah mata dan terakhir lipstick. Mudah, kan? Warna yang aku pilih untuk lipstick-ku pun condong ke warna merah muda atau nude pink hanya untuk memberi kesar fresh dan awake.

Here are my top 5 everyday lipsticks! 

BEAUTY | MINIMAL MAKEUP WHEN YOU'RE SICK

I've been feeling under the weather for the last two and a half months. I'm getting treatment and such so now I'm getting better but still in a lot of pain especially in the chest and head. During those months I also had to out and about and of course, I did not want to be seen as a sick, pale girl. I found some ways that worked to hide my sickness. 

BEAUTY | SKIN CARE ROUTINE

It's been ages since I shared the products that I used. I wasn't in the best place to show my skin or even talked about it in 2018. There are a few reasons why. First, because I'm still struggling with hormone imbalance and it was getting worse last year when I had to battle the stress and depression over an abusive relationship. I never had acne problems before so when they started to pop out in my face, it freaked me out. It caused more stress, and of course, more acne. Second, because I'm really into my life experiences in Australia so I didn't actually spend time to write. I just wrote things that fairly easy to write and to edit. Third, because I was still trying to find the best products that actually work on me. 

2018 was a real journey for me, even for skincare routine. But now, my acne was starting to clear up and I finally have enough courage to show my skin. So, without further do here's my skincare routine! 

BEAUTY | MAKEUP SEHARI-HARI DI BAWAH 10 MENIT!

Hai! Apa kabar? 

Hari ini aku ingin berbagi produk makeup apa aja yang biasa aku pakai sehari-hari. Sebenarnya aku sering unggah foto atau video di instagram, tapi gak pernah aku jelaskan kenapa dan gimana sih hasil atau efeknya ke kulit aku. Di tutorial kali ini, aku pakai produk-produk yang cukup terjangkau dan relatif mudah di dapat. 

Sebelum memakai riasan, aku selalu mulai dengan skincare dulu mulai dari toner, pelembab, dan sunscreen. Baru deh mulai ke riasan. Oh ya, produk-produk yang aku tulis disini aku pakai secara berurutan ya. Yuk, mulai! 

ps: kasih tahu aku kalau kamu ingin aku share skincare routine yaaaa!

BEAUTY | FAVOURITE FACE MASKS

Hai! Beberapa waktu lalu aku sempat bikin poll di instagram dan kasih dua pilihan ide blog post antara pelembab kesukaan atau masker kesukaan aku. Ternyata, dari sekian yang ikutan memilih, 62% memilih favourite face mask.

Sebelum aku sebutkan masker-masker kesukaanku, ada beberapa hal yang harus diperhatikan sebelum maskeran. 

Pertama, kulit harus bersih. Kalau kalian habis pergi dan pakai makeup, selalu double cleansing. Aku biasanya pakai makeup remover untuk area mata dan bibir, micellar water untuk wajah baru setelah itu aku cuci muka pakai pembersih.

Kedua, exfoliate. Kalau gak suka pakai physical exfoliate bisa juga pakai chemical. Ini masih jadi perdebatan ya dikalangan skin care guru dan dokter kulit. Beberapa merekomendasikan untuk menggunakan chemical exfoliate supaya gak terjadi iritasi di permukaan kulit. Tapi memilih chemical exfoliate juga harus hati-hati karena kalau salah pilih bukan cuma permukaan kulit yang iritasi, tapi bisa juga merusak pigmen kulit. Seram ya? Jadi itu sebenarnya terserah sama kalian. Aku lebih memilih pakai physical exfoliate karena aku merasa punya kontrol dalam proses pengaplikasian ke kulitku. Iritasi terjadi kalau kalian menggosoknya terlalu keras. Sejak dulu aku selalu pakai St. Ives Apricot Scrub atau Frank Body Creamy Face Scrub dan dalam pengaplikasian, aku selalu super hati-hati terutama di daerah hidung karena area itu adalah area yang paling sensitif (selain bawah mata, tapi ya kali scrub dipakai di bawah mata). Untuk chemical exfoliate, aku lebih memilih toner yang mengandung salicylic acid karena lebih aman dibandingkan dengan actual chemical exfoliate. Saat ini aku pakai Caudalie Vinopure Toner. 

Ketiga, pakai masker sesuai kebutuhan. Kenali jenis kulitmu dan apa masalah utama dari kulitmu. Misalnya kulitmu kering, pilih masker yang melembabkan (hydrating) atau kulitmu sedang bermasalah, cari masker yang fokus utamanya sesuai dengan masalah kulitmu. Biasanya aku pakai masker juga gak semuka kok. Kalau di daerah pipi dan hidung sedang bermasalah, aku pakai masker detoxifying hanya di area tersebut dan sisanya aku pakai masker yang melembabkan karena kulitku memang kering atau yang brightening supaya lebih segar. Ingat ya brightening itu bukan memutihkan tapi mencerahkah.

Keempat, jangan memakai masker secara berlebihan. Sesuka-sukanya aku pakai masker, aku gak pernah maskeran setiap hari. Aku pakai sheet mask dua atau tiga hari sekali dan seminggu sekali aku pakai masker krim. Terlalu sering pakai masker bisa merusak tekstur dan pigmen kulit. Gak mau kan di usia 30 sudah punya flek hitam? Selain itu, jangan memakai masker lebih dari waktu yang disarankan. Kalau disarankan 20 menit, biasanya aku cuma pakai 15-17 menit. Menambah waktu dari yang disarankan bukan memberi khasiat lebih justru overdoing. Lagi, ini bisa mengakibatkan kulit kamu kehilangan minyak alami dan nantinya kulit kamu akan overproduce minyak yang tentu saja mengakibatkan komedo dan jerawat.

Kelima, cuci muka menggunakan air hangat kuku. Supaya kamu lebih mudah mencuci muka dan menghindari penekanan yang terlalu keras pada kulit. Apalagi untuk masker-masker berjenis mud mask biasanya lebih sulit untuk dibersihkan. Saranku juga jangan memakai tangan ketika membersihkannya tapi pakai sponge atau alat pembersih lainnya. Aku pakai FaceHalo karena produk ini terbuat dari microfiber jadi lebih halus dan lebih ramah pada kulitku. 

Setelah yakin kulitmu bersih, baru mulai deh maskeran. So, here are my favourite face masks!

BEAUTY | CAUDALIE VINOPURE TONER

I'm a lucky girl to be one of the Sephora Indonesia's giveaway winners! The gift was pretty good actually, one of the products from the Caudalie Vinopure range. I'm a big fan of Caudalie especially their beauty elixir and grape water. Back when I lived in Australia, my skin was really dry during winter and these two saved my life. Now I'm back to Indonesia, my skin is breaking out so bad and it is stressed me out! I never had acne in my life, so having acne on my cheeks and chin is a big deal for me. 

Vinopure line claims as a range for combination skin type and specifically for fighting acne. The key ingredients are salicylic acid to decongest skin, grape seed polyphenols to prevent oil from oxidating and diminish blackheads, and a complex of essential oils to provide antiseptic properties and calm the skin. It sounds like a dream, right?

Here's a little before and after I use Caudalie Vinopure Clear Skin Purifying Toner for a week. 

WHAT'S IN MY GO TO BAG

This is the kind of bag that I quickly grab before I walk out of my room to do some errands or even hanging out. It is a leather satchel from Fossil. I love the colour, it goes with every outfit that I wear and also came with handles and long straps too! I find this is the perfect size for me to carry all of my belongings, not too small, not too big. 

The things that I carry in this bag literally saved my life in so many days. I used to always have so many things in the bag - well, I probably still, but now I only carry things that I need the most throughout the days. 

Let's take a look at what's inside!