Chouthure: Books, Films, Beauty, and a little bit of personal touch

12/04/2020

Skincare Lokal untuk Bantu Masalah Jerawat Part I : Bloomka Anti-Acne Kit

Jerawat tuh kayanya memang masalah universal, yang hampir semua manusia di muka bumi pernah alami. Seenggaknya sekali lah dalam hidup, iya kan? Begitu juga dengan aku yang padahal semasa remaja jarang banget jerawatan parah, hoki kan. Tapi namanya juga hoki haha ilang deh. Sekarang umur aku 22-an baru deh syok dapet jerawat yang tiba-tiba banyak, merah, sakit, gak-ilang-ilang. Iya gak ilang-ilang karena bekasnya pun masih dalam proses untuk sembuhin sampai sekarang. Di sisi positifnya, aku jadi ketemu sama skincare-skincare lokal untuk dibicarakan/diulas dan juga belajar gak males melakukan skincare. Jadi, di post kali ini, aku akan ulas beberapa produk lokal yang bantu aku ketika jerawat lagi puncaknya banget.

10/30/2020

Erha Skin Barrier Moisturizer Review

Amelia J 12:36 PM beauty , skincare 0 Comments

This post is a dedication for me and for you who loves skincare. I finally came up with another beauty review. This one is a moisturizer and a local brand! I noticed that Indonesian local brands in the beauty industry are growing fast and significant, the quality is on par with Korean skincare products I tried. This one is from Erha/Erhalogy. You guys are familiar right with Erha? This is not their prescription skincare that you got from their clinics. So everyone could buy it from their store (online/offline). I bought it online.

These past couple of months I tried many skincare of local goodness, mainly that have natural ingredients or made for sensitive skin. I don't have sensitive skin, but since I'm battling with a red and painful breakout I thought I won't risk making my acne angry or irritate them.

*Packaging: It comes with a plastic tube that is a plus because it keeps the product and the use of it more hygienic and easier than a jar packaging. It is also small and light, convenient for traveling. And I think it is fit to put in most of our makeup pouch. The product itself is 30 gr.

*Texture: It has a gel texture that surprises me considering this is for dry skin. Usually, dry skin moisturizer has a thick and creamy texture, but this one is quite the opposite. So light that somedays I feel it's not hydrating enough for my normal to dry skin. Since it has a light and easy to absorb texture, people with other skin types could also use this product. I saw my Twitter following who has combination skin also uses this product and they love it too! In fact, they are the ones that convinced me to buy this product.

And how is it under sunscreen or foundation? I don't have any complaints or problems regarding this. I tried it several times under the foundation or sunscreen (I use Maybelline fit me and L'oreal matte sunscreen) and it didn't patchy on my skin, still gliding smoothly.

*Formula:

Ceramide complex, PHA, zinc PCA moisturized and strengthen the skin barrier

Niacinamide, allantoin dan DPG anti-inflammation prevent and help irritation and have a soothing effect

Vitamin E as anti-oxidant

No fragrance

OK and how about the effect on my skin? Yes, I did feel the moisturized effect it still a good one even though as I mentioned somedays I need more help with hydration, so sometimes I add face oil to my routine. The soothing effect didn't show up instantly especially on my red acnes, they are still red after the application. What I noticed is helps with redness on my chin. I had breakout there too, mostly whiteheads, and I picked on them, cause the redness afterward. And niacinamide, everybody's favorite is in the ingredients list even though it's not the top ingredients. I did not see the dramatic changes in my dark spot honestly, maybe because the percentage is not high on the list. Oh also, take a note, some people reviewed that they felt a tingling or hot sensation on their faces the first time they used it. But it's ok afterward. For me, I didn't feel it at all.

*Price: 89.000 - 90.000 on their Shopee official store.

Yap, that's all for my thoughts on Erha moisturizer. I give 4.5/5 stars for it. 0,5 for the lack of moisturizing on my dry skin days.

P.s: This post is also a dedication to my first photoshop illustration above. I just learned on how to use a pen tool.

7/27/2020

Her (2013) oleh Spike Jonze: Mengenai Cinta dan Hubungan Romantis di Era Kesejagatan

Amelia J 9:00 AM movies , 0 Comments

Film Her merupakan sebuah film bergenre drama, romansa, dan fiksi ilmiah yang ditulis dan disutradarai oleh Spike Jonze dan diperankan oleh beberapa aktor ternama seperti Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, dan Rooney Mara. Terlepas dari aktor pemainnya, film Her mendapatkan reaksi luar biasa dan mendapatkan perhatian masif dari audiens. Seperti melalui laman IMDB, film Her mendapatkan penilaian sebesar 8 dari 10 bintang. Her berkisah mengenai seorang pria bernama Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) yang jatuh cinta dengan sebuah sistem operasi bernama Samantha. Terdengar seperti aneh, namun perlu diingat ini memang merupakan sebuah film fiksi ilmiah. Menariknya dari poin ini, film ini dilabeli sebagai film fiksi ilmiah ketika ditayangkan, yaitu pada tahun 2013. Akan tetapi menonton film ini dengan pengetahuan dan konteks pada tahun 2020 (atau sekitaran tahun itu), film ini saya rasa sudah melampaui label fiksi yang diberikan, alias sebagian besar konsep yang disuguhkan memang sudah menjadi bagian kehidupan nyata di era ini, yaitu sebuah konsep mengenai pengaruh teknologi terhadap kehidupan manusia modern hingga menyentuh aspek personal masing-masing individu, seperti kehidupan percintaan.

Penggambaran konsep cinta dan lika-liku hubungan percintaan menjadi poin dominan yang ingin diperlihatkan dalam film Her, terutama melalui aspek naratif film yaitu tokoh Theodore dan beberapa hubungan romantis yang pernah ia jalani.

6/20/2020

My Top Three Ghibli Movies You Must Watch

Amelia J 10:28 PM movies , 0 Comments

Credit to @instaghibli on Twitter for the images

Who has never watch at least one masterpiece from Studio Ghibli? Some people grew up with the colorful memories and 'drowned' with the fantasy of Ghibli movies. For me sadly, my first ever Ghibli's movie experience was a little bit late, it was when I was in eleventh grade. However, it left a special place in my heart ever since. There is something magical and nostalgic with Ghibli's animation that warms my heart, since most of the movies bring up the relationship of sibling, friends, and in general with human. It also remind me to every animation/cartoon that I watched when I was a kid. Even though I did not grow up with Ghibli movies, I still grew up with Japanese cartoons or animation in my heart. Until this present time, I watched several of Ghibli movies, from the most popular ones to under-rated ones. And I'd love to share this for you guys who haven't watch any of Ghibli Studio's movies or just simply need a recommendation to watch in quarantine.

I will start with that fist ever Ghibli movie I watched. It was Grave of Fireflies (1988), directed by Isao Takahata. It is a heartbreaking story of Japanese brother and sister, trying to survive through the period of World War I. It depicts the loving relationship between Seita and his younger sister, Setsuka that left me with a big cry in the end especially since I also have big brother. What I got from this movie is depiction of the crisis of humanity created by war, especially the effect it caused to children.

From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) by Goro Mizayaki still revolves around the theme of world war (II in this case). This one is more focus to the relationship between Umi and Shun Kazama who met through the school's club thing. Not only that, the movie also portrays the transition of Japan into the new brighter era after the World War II. And don't worry, the movie itself is not as bleak and sorrowful like Grave of Fireflies, with a little romance between Umi and Shun.

Country roads, take me home~ The next favorite on my list is The Whisper of the Heart (1995) by Yoshifumi Kondo. Who doesn't love a cute little romance? This has the cutest romance moment ever! The dialogue, the characters are just lovely and give you a warm hug around the heart and soul. There is this scene on the rooftop between thos two that completely melted my fragile heart with such simple and sincere words. It really reflects the innocence soul of the characters and it definitely awaken my child-like part of myself. This has a little but of fantasy going on but it doesn't dominate the entire movie, such as Spirited Away I'd say.

Well I guest those are my top 3 of Ghibli's movies! What I would like to say about Ghibli's movies is no matter how old you are, it still relevant and timeless. It fuels your nostalgic hunger and old-souls out there.I also watched Spirited Away, Only Yesterday, Ocean Waves, When Marni was There, The Wind Rises. Those are still awesome, mesmerizing movies, and worth to watch.

Keyword: The best of ghibli movies, favorite movies, ghibli studio

References

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095327/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798188/

6/12/2020

Book Club: Man's Searching for Meaning - Victor E. Frankl

What is it that makes a human have this tendency to make it all about her or himself? To think that everything in this world is revolving around us. To assume that we are the most suffering human being on this planet earth. To win the pitiful competition to find out who has the biggest problem. And then doing nothing to make it better for themselves. Going around in vicious circle of stressing nothing. Yes, I am talking about myself. This past couple of months I am trying to reflect and get it straight that everything that is happening right now is not about me. Yes, I feel miserable, but guess what, it is not just me. Sometimes this simple way of thinking seems so difficult to grasp when my head is clouded.

That is why I decided to picked up Man's Searching for Meaning by Victor Frankl. It was much needed to be honest. I was not looking for inspirational quotes or sugarcoated phrases, but a genuine experience of someone in the moment of her/his struggle. I wanted to feel connected as a human and Victor Frankl has done it. Through this memoir, Victor Frankl, a Psychiatrist told his experience when he was in concentration camp and exploring the meaning of suffering. The storytelling of his extreme condition is somehow humanly relatable. He, psychiatrist himself cannot always help himself in every difficult situation (mentally) he faced. I could sense the raw feeling of desperation that human being could muster at that time that it made me cry in almost of the description how is life in concentration camp. That it makes me reflect and not bitc*ing or complaining about life all the time.

"Yet, it is possible to practice the art of living in a concentration camp"

I will give three pint five stars out of five for this book. The storytelling is superb however the second part of the book that discuss about the concept of logotherapy is too much repetition of the same jargons and a bit overwhelming honestly with psychology 's term.

6/01/2020

Book Club: Hotel World by Ali Smith

Amelia J 12:10 AM books , 0 Comments

Hotel World by Ali Smith

Hi. And welcome to my first ever book club discussion. I decided to create this segment on my blog to force myself read more books. Also, it becomes a more meaningful reading experience to at least share my opinion and recommend it to people. I seriously contemplated on how will I present this to you, the format all that things. But I want it to be light, fun, and not becomes a burden to myself like doing college papers.

For this first book discussion, I will present you a novel called Hotel World (2001) by Ali Smith. Ali Smith is a scottish writer who also writes The Accidental, Winter, Free Love, and may more works. This particular work of her, Hotel World is one of the finalists of Booker Prize 2001.

This is my first time (wow so many first time) have a taste of Smith's writing and I must say that her style of writing has a distinctive style. For exemple how there is this one chapter that has no punctuation. Technically only one sentence of train of words.There are several jeux de mots with homophones throughout this book which make it playful. I honestly need some time to adapt and finally at ease reading this book. This also why it took quiet some time for me to finish it. The story is revolving around the accidental death of Sara Wilby, a nineteen years, fell from the lift for dishes of the Global Hotel where she worked.

5/29/2020

Keberpihakan Bukan Setan untuk Ditakuti, Netralitas Bukan Tuhan untuk Dipuja: Tanggapan atas Esai Keberpihakan oleh Maman S. Mahayana

(Tulisan ini merupakan salah satu hasil tugas dari kelas penulisan populer yang saya ambil di semester terakhir perkuliahan.)

Dalam esainya berjudul Keberpihakan, Maman S. Mahayana mengusik rekan pers yang tidak menjunjung netralitas, objektivitas, dan kejujuran dalam pemberitaan. Sebagai konsumen media massa, penulis tahu betul pentingnya nilai jujur dan objektif jurnalis dalam menyampaikan datanya. Peran jurnalis di sini layaknya dokter menangani pasien. Jika tidak jujur dan transparan mengenai kondisi pasiennya, kematian bisa jadi taruhannya. Begitu juga dengan jurnalis, kebenaran di negeri ini bisa mati; musnah tanpa ada bekas. Kemudian siapa yang bisa rakyat percaya ketika pemerintah mengecewakan kita semua selain kebenaran yang berhasil diungkapkan oleh rekan pers. Lalu bagaimana dengan nilai satu lagi, netralitas?

5/28/2020

2. Life, Time, and Uncertainty

Amelia J 12:49 PM personal , 0 Comments

What is the thing that we, humans always ask for? Time. can we have more times to finish this paper? Wait, I need more time to get there. And so on. The thing is, what I recently aware of, the amount of time given is enough. Enough that it becomes too much. Too much to handle, that I wish it could fast-forward. By the time you read this, you may already knew what I am referring to. Yes. The confinement we are or were in right now. What a period of time to live in! Now that I have all the time that I (unconsciously) asked for, I feel uneasy. overwhelm. numb at last.

In this period of life, I truly can relate that life is absurd. Nothing is certain in our life except death. When all of this will be over? Will I have a proper graduation ceremony? Will I get a job in this situation? We throw ourselves to a routine to at least give a meaning into our nonsense life. Yes, I truly can relate. It is us that could decide what is the meaning of our life. Some days, I just couldn't get out of bed. Knowing that I had full control of my life, but I chose not to control it. Just let my emotions took control. Sad, anger, and disappoint. Some days, I finally had the energy to take control of my life. I was excited and all to give the meaning of the meaningless. But then, one day I shut down. Today is one of the day. Today, I wake up quite early, and ask myself "what is te point of I wake up early?". I could not give the answer. I started the day not feeling angry nor sad. Just live. But sometimes that is enough.

All I have is time. I did everything I could. Studying, watching, reading, playing games. But it is too much. What ungrateful human I am. I'm trying not to. Well, if you read this nonsense I hope you all have a good day and health.