Menard Archives | THE FRUIT COMPOTE

Acne and Blemish Busters – Spot Treatment Options

August 1, 2017

One of two most asked questions I receive often is how to get rid of acne. The other being how to fade the spots they leave behind. Acne is a bitch to begin with. It’s most people’s biggest nemesis in terms of skin problem. I don’t think there’s anyone out there who wants to have any. It doesn’t matter whether a person only have one or the whole skin is covered with them. Dealing with acne is a tough work, even continuous to many.

It’s not just about skincare, because it can only do so much. It comes down greatly to our genes, lifestyle and environment. There are potent treatments like Roaccutane for severe cases and I have seen some gruesome side effects from it – this I would only recommend if you have problem that’s rooted internally. Otherwise, sticking to topical treatment and taking great care of our health are the best bet.

This post though, will cover the topical treatment that I have tried, specifically for spot treating.

My Japan Holiday Trip – Skincare Routine

March 10, 2016

I thought I should share what skincare products I brought and used during my recent Japan trip. This particular one is special because I’ve yet traveled in any winter weather since I started my skincare journey few years ago. So let’s just say this is sort of an educated experiment that turned successful.

Obviously, I researched and visualized the weather conditions and temperature. It was the end of winter, coming into spring. With that in mind, I had a general idea of a set of products that I want to bring with me. Of course, they have to fit into my skincare bag. I had to negotiate here and there to make sure the bag isn’t too heavy. The total weight overall came to around 1 – 1.5 kg, I think. Or probably more *HA*. The bag did feel heavy.

Another info you need to know is I got sick a couple days before my departure. Sore throat, fatigue, headache. All escalated into one nasty cold, congestion with frequent coughing within the first few days of my trip. Thank goodness, I was prepared.

Without further adieu, let’s get to it!

Menard Authent Mask – First Impressions

December 21, 2015

About a couple months ago, I was given an opportunity to attend Menard‘s 55th anniversary and new product launch, AUTHENT Mask. The brand collaborated with Sociolla in this event, which was held in Raffles Hotel Jakarta. The invitees were up for some lush pampering. We got to stay overnight in the 5-star hotel, enjoyed facials by Menard‘s trained beauty specialists and tried out the new mask.

The AUTHENT line itself is the most luxurious out of all Menard’s lineups. The Authent Cream, pictured below, is prized at IDR 12,000,000 (around USD 870) and it is the crème de la crème of their offerings. The cream has the ability to regenerate stem cells and help restore that youthful glow to the skin. I am not well versed in describing the beauty of AUTHENT, so please do to take a look at this link to know more about the line.

While it is the star, we’re here to discover the AUTHENT Mask. To cut things short, I will share you my first impressions on this beautiful mask.

AUTHENT Cream, it its glorious packaging.

Balance – KYPRIS Clearing Serum

September 22, 2015

Ah.. KYPRIS.. My newfound love.

Ever since I discovered the brand, reading through the inspiration, the story behind it, the philosophy, its efforts and support in sustainability, I’m sold. I’m infatuated with it deeply. Read all about it here and you’ll understand why. KYPRIS awakens my inner desire to come back to nature, to appreciate and cherish what it has to offer. To simplify. To give and to take. To compliment myself. To feel beautiful.

The founder, Chase Polan, is one charismatic being. Incredibly passionate in what she does in creating this luxurious holistic skincare line filled with organic, wild crafted, and sustainably grown botanicals. Listening to her, the way that she talks; fluent and articulate. Wow, she is truly a goddess of modern day.

To quote, KYPRIS is “Beauty with a Soul supported by Science”.

This review will be about its Clearing Serum.

The Unexpected REN Resurfacing AHA Concentrate

August 24, 2015

I’ve been always intrigued by REN. The brand offers quite an elaborated skincare line with different ranges for different skin types and concerns. There were a few on my wishlist, though I never really came to prioritize which one I should get first.

Then came a chance of this product, at a good discounted price. With no second thought, I snapped it.

REN Resurfacing AHA Concentrate.

PIXI Glow Tonic – Yes with Caution

July 28, 2015

It seems, “Double Toning” is all the raaaage lately. It just means using two toners, an exfoliating toner and a hydrating one. I’ve been doing this for more than a couple of years now, not knowing of this term until a while ago. Or maybe it has been there for a long time, I’m just the one who doesn’t read enough :p
So when famous names in the beauty world started to rave about this particular step, I was like patting myself on the back. I’m on the right track here.

It just sort of comes natural to me, to put a hydrating toner on top of exfoliating toner, which is usually more acidic and tends to be drier on the skin. Just to keep things balanced. It’s logical.

My first (accidental) encounter with exfoliating toner is none other than First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads and I still use it to this date. Second one, which apparently is also an exfoliating toner, is the Blemish Patrol Pads from the same brand. I can’t say enough about these two workhorse wonders. There are also a few others that I’ve tried.

Set that aside, I’m adding the cult-favorite PIXI Glow Tonic to join my arsenal.

The Easy-Going Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum

March 2, 2015

It’s befuddling how browsing the net could bring us to. I’m always astonished, because otherwise I won’t be able to find the vast amount of information and of course, new products to try.

It was just a harmless (yeah, right) snooping around a certain beauty website’s brands list and chanced upon this brand. I then proceeded and read a bit about the brand’s history and philosophy, including the founder’s story. And it was really a chemistry sparked from the get-go. So, I took the plunge.

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum.