Brand Highlight: Dipping into Indonesian Local Skincare Brands

Almost 90% of my skincare products are from overseas, mainly Korean brands, but this month I've decided to try some local brands that have been garnering attention and loyal customers: The Bath Box and Nature Green. 

The first one is called The Bath Box (TBB). It's a cruelty-free brand which first started with bath products like bath bombs, liquid soaps, and bar soaps, but now it has expanded its focus and come out with various skincare items worth trying. In the past, I tried their liquid soap range (with goat milk as its main ingredients), solid body lotion, and also its face oil. I was quite impressed yet haven't repurchased until recently. TBB also started as a dupe to LUSH, from the bath necessity line-ups to its product names and packaging, so it's definitely pleasing to see how far TBB has come and grown into its own skin ever since. When they had a big sale around 2 weeks ago, I figured it was the right time to try some of their new skincare lines, namely the fresh face mask and hyaluronic acid serum. Lucky for me, they also gave out a free lupin squalane moisturizer and sugar face cleanser with my purchases. I've tried all the products and have formed an opinion on them, so let's start! 

Packaging wise, TBB has a sleek, simple appearance that gives its products more weight & credibility. Throughout the years, the company has changed its logo and packaging design a few times, but the latest one is undeniably the best. It seems like these days, most brands go for the clean look instead of the overly-ornated ones. On the picture above, you can see how the lupin squalane still has the old packaging -- TBB is still trying to clear out all the current stocks to make ways for the new ones, and that's why it gives away many free items with certain product purchases. 

The first one I tried from the bunch is the "Sugar green tea face cleanser". This face cleanser is unique in a sense that it has a pasty consistency in the jar, contains sugar as an exfoliating property, and has some real rose petals in it. This product is still fully handmade, and it reminds me a lot of LUSH. 

Product description (taken from the website): 

An antioxidant rich gree tea face cleanser that gently removes impurity and excess sebum without drying the skin. We add sugar as natural mild exofoliator to remove dead skin cells and the combination of Safflower Oil with Lavender, Tea Tree and Rosemary Essential Oil to keep your skin well balanced and soft.

 

Ingredients:

Kaolin, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oil, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Sucrose, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Tocopherol, Rosa Gallica Flower 

Price: IDR 99,000

This cleanser can't be used to remove make up, and should only act as the second/final step of your cleansing routine. As the cleanser is always freshly made with no preservatives, it has to be used within 3 months. When I first tried it, I was surprised at how easy the paste melts once it touches water. Scrubbing it all over my face, I could smell the lavender and green tea which provide a relaxing, spa-like effect. I have to say the sugar can be a bit rough to the face (the sugar particle somehow managed to scrape my little finger. -_-), so I won't recommend massaging your face for 2-3 minutes as the company suggests. I think the cleanser is effective at removing dirt and exfoliating my face, leaving it clean and still supple.  

Pros:

• calming smell
• non-drying
• effective
• affordable

Cons:

• messy application 
• EO can be sensitizing 
• sugar beads are a bit rough
• short shelf life

Will I repurchase? Probably not. It's a good cleanser & exfoliator, but I prefer my Krave Beauty's face cleanser. If I need some exfoliants, I'll stick to my peeling gel or AHA.

The next product in line is TBB's Fresh Face Facial Mask. It's a clay mask with jasmine extract, making it smells amazing! I have only used it once, so I don't know how fast the clay is going to last before it dries out, but hopefully it lasts for quite a while. 

The mask is housed in a sturdy glass jar containing 50 gr of product, and it's supposed to be perfect for normal-oily skin. 

Product Description (taken from the website):

A combination of Kaolin Clay and Bentonite to draw out pore-cloggers and shrink large pores. So it feels clean, smooth, and fresh. Also contains Rose Hip Oil and Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate to maintain skin moisture deeply and treat skin texture. 

Ingredients:

Water, Kaolin, Propanediol, Bentonite, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Price: IDR 149,000

It's said that we have to apply a thick layer of the mask and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. When I first used it, I applied too thinly and the mask dried within the first 3 minutes after application. As my face felt tightened and dry, I quickly rinsed the mask off. Sadly, my face felt a bit tight afterwards, so I had to apply an extra layer of moisturizing toner & essence to counter attack the dryness. I have to try applying it again, thickly this time, and see if it still dries me out. The product also promises a pore-tightening effect and blackhead/whitehead reduction, which I can't attest to for the time being. 

Pros

• Easy application
• Relaxing smell
• Adequate amount of product in a jar

Cons

• slightly drying
• not suitable for dry skin
• results are not noticeable rightaway

Will I repurchase? Probably not. for now. If I fall in love with it after a few more tries, I'll probably update it here. 

Among all the products from TBB, its Hyaluronic Acid serum is the one I was the most curious about. It's one of TBB's latest releases, and it claims to be formulated with the smallest HA molecule able to penetrate deeply into the skin. 

Texture wise, the serum is very thick and has a funky flour-like smell to it. Despite its viscous consistency, it spreads amazingly well to the skin and leaves no sticky feeling like other HA based products I've tried before. I can see the product works amazingly for very dry skin. I have a combination-oily skin, and my face feels bouncy and hydrated immediately after. I don't even need a moisturizer again afterwards, for it is THAT moisturizing! It does need some time to be absorbed completely, probably around 2-3 minutes, which I don't mind at all. When layered on top of other products, it doesn't pill. 

Product Description (from the website):

A combination of low molecular Hyaluronic Acid, Niaciamide, and Crithmum Maritimum Extract to restore skin moisture and hydrate dry skin intensively. Also enriched with White Lupin Extract, Edelweiss Extract, and Brown Algae Extract to maintain skin elasticity, firmness, and brighten skin complexion. 

Ingredients:

Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Seed Oil, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol

Price: IDR 299,000

I'm super satisfied with my experience so far with this HA serum. It doesn't cause breakout, is non comedogenic, and stays true to its claims. It makes my skincare routine more exciting, too!

Pros:

• simple yet effective
• great texture & consistency
• fast absorbing

Cons:

• Pricey (the most expensive among TBB products)
• may be too much for some oily skin

Will I repurchase? Most likely, yes, if I'm in dire need of instant hydration and can't find a better replacement out there.

Last but definitely not least, TBB Lupin Squalane Firming Facial Moisturizer. 

TBB is very much in love with plant-based squalane (theirs is derived from sugar cane), and they love putting squalane in many of their products. This moisturizer in particular isn't pure squalane (which they also have), but is mixed with white lupin extract. Looking at its consistency, I'd much rather call it a facial oil, not a moisturizer. When I think of a moisturizer, I think of a creamier, more viscous consistency. But this one is completely liquid-y, clear, and well, oily. 

I want to love it so much since it's my first squalane-based product and I've heard great things about squalane (like how Biossance is practically basing all its products on squalane because squalane is that versatile). But this product falls a bit short for me. It's not horrible, yet it's not special. As a dry oil, it doesn't make my skin even oilier - great - but it somehow pills on my skin, which is very uncommon for an oil-based product. I can't layer it with another oil afterwards, so it's kinda a bummer. However, I'll still use it every day for my night time moisturizer, replacing my one-year-old muji moisturizer that I've had enough of, when I don't feel like layering. 

Product description (from the website):

Squalane has traditionally been one of the best emollients. Squalane is non-comedogenic and offers a silky, smooth and elegant texture, with no greasy, heavy after-feel. It is an exceptional hydrator to restoring skin’s suppleness and flexibility.  We combine it with White Lupin Extract from France to maintaining skin elasticity and firmness. We use sustainable and renewable plant-derived squalane from sugarcane. 

Ingredients:

Squalane, Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract.

Price: IDR 199,000

Pros:

• sustainable (not derived from animals)
• clean ingredients
• affordable
• moisturizing

Cons:

• so-so performance
• not easily absorbed
• bottom line, very forgettable

Will I repurchase? Meh, I don't think so. I have other moisturizers I'm more interested in. 

The next brand I want to bring into the spotlight is called Nature Green. It's still a home industry, and doesn't have its own professional factory-grade process. Everything is done manually, but its owner is very passionate about organic skin care and natural ingredients, and she tests every product vigorously. Nature Green is known for its wide range of powder face mask with mostly plant based ingredients. Then the owner started to formulate some skincare products like face oils, cleansing oil, and even eye gel. The two products I bought is the Aloe Vera Gel Moisturizer and Expert Eye Gel Serum.

First, the Aloe vera gel. Its ingredients are straightforward: aloe vera and vegetable glycerin. 

Because of its minimal ingredients, its smell is not the most pleasant. With no other chemical emolients, the gel is not crystal white clear like other aloe vera gel on the market. Instead, it has a slight yellow tint to it. But that's how you know it's actually aloe vera. I think it's the best aloe vera gels in a sense that it's truly natural and genuine. Regarding its efficacy, I can't say aloe vera is life-changing. I've been using aloe vera gels from various brands for almost two years for multiple purposes, e.g., facial moisturizer, body lotion, hair conditioner, but the only thing aloe gives me is an instant cooling effect. Its hydrating effect is very short-lived, and it's not moisturizing enough to replenish my dry skin. Yet i still want to keep an aloe vera gel in hand for times when my face is too heated up from excessive sun exposure. Basically, aloe vera gel is a decent first aid for face burnt and dehydrated skin due to its cooling and healing properties, but you can't rely on it to fix any other issues you have with your skin. 

The second item I bought is the expert eye gel serum. It has ginseng extract, kakadu extract, and some other oils that target to improve signs of aging -- fine lines, wrinkles -- and diminish dark circles. It comes in a small roller ball packaging, and quite expensive for only 15ml worth of product (IDR 115,000). As the name suggests, this eye gel is a gel-like consistency and quite thick. It is so thick that the gel doesn't get through the roller ball. I find myself shaking the tube vigorously to get a tiny amount of product out. The packaging is definitely something the company has to work on. 

As I have only used it for a couple days, I haven't seen any improvement on my eye area. I do have fine lines and dark circles, but none has changed. Hopefully with more consistent use, the product can prove itself worthy. 

Is there anything that pique your interest among all the products featured here?

You can get The Bath Box on its website: www.thebathbox.co.id

Nature Green: sadly you can only purchase it via its local distributors and it has no website at the moment.