Seeking Beautiful Skin of ‘the Gods’

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

A beautician treats eyebrows of a customer at Brow Studio by Anggie Rassly on Jl. Gunawarman in South Jakarta on Tuesday (11/12/2018).

Looking attractive has become an urban need. Price is not an issue, as it prompts people to be more practical in their purchases.

For the past six months, 20-year-old Garis Khatulistiwa, a resident of South Tangerang, Banten, has been using skincare products from Korea and Japan. She uses facial cleanser, moisturizer and gel masks each morning and night.

The student at a private university in South Tangerang had no intention of abandoning her skincare products, because they had proven to solve her skin problems. In the junior and senior high school, Garis used only facial cleansers. As a result, her face became covered with pimples.

Today, the pimples are gone. Her skin is smooth and glowing. "Now I understand more about skin problems, so I can overcome them," Garis said on Monday (12/10/2018) in Jakarta.

Garis learned about caring for her skin from several e-commerce platforms. Aside from selling the products, these sites also publish journals that provide product reviews and skincare advice. It was through these reviews that she was able to identify her dry skin type.

Garis doesn’t have a job yet, so she faces constraints in covering the cost of skincare products. She does not have a complete set of products, and still does not have sunblock or daily sheet masks. “The moisturizer that I use belongs to my mother,” she said.

Garis looked for another way, and recently won a quiz held by a Korean skincare brand. Her prize contained samples of skin cleansers, a freshener (toner), spot cream, day cream and a 14-day facial mask treatment.

She and the other winners have been asked to review the products daily on social media. The best reviewer will be awarded the full-sized products in bottles that are worth hundreds of thousands of rupiah.

“Unfortunately, I have not won yet. I might have to look for sponsors to buy skincare products,” she said, laughing.

University student Chintya Bintang, 20, also feels the high cost of skincare products. Even though she also teaches at a private junior high school, she feels the weight of what she spends on skincare products, which account for 30 percent of her total income.

She uses moisturizer, sunblock and a variety of facial masks on a daily basis, including products from Korea and the United States. She also uses a special night cream formulated by “beauty doctors”.

For example, the sunblock costs Rp 700,000, the daily mask Rp 12,000, and the moisturizer costs Rp 100,000.

Investment for old age

”Sure it is expensive, but it is necessary to invest in out old age. Facial treatments is the same as respecting ourselves,” said Chintya.

Syamrotun, 28, who works at a private company in West Jakarta, is willing to spend hours every night on her skincare regimen. Her regimen tackles the problems of her combination skin: an oily T-zone (the “T” shape formed by the forehead and nose) and dry skin.

Today, Syamrotun prefers beauty products that suit her facial skin, rather than paying a visit to a dermatologist.

The products she uses ranges from Rp 30,000 to Rp 300,000. She also prefers natural products that do not have an adverse reaction.

However, following a skincare regimen does not necessarily mean exorbitant costs. Dedy Darmawan N., 24, said he spends no more than Rp 100,000 a month. He uses alkaline water with a pH of 8.5-9.5 to keep his face moisturized.

“There are two types of alkaline water I use, one for cleansing and another for moisturizing,” Dedy said. He uses the two products regularly, each morning and evening.

Association of Beauty Experts secretary-general Fourlen Diana, who is also the owner of the Tiara Kusuma salon, said that body and face care were growing as a trend in 2018. Various body care products and techniques were in demand among both women and men.

The body care business has contributed to Jakarta’s November inflation. The Greater Jakarta provincial office of Statistics Indonesia (BPS) stated that rising prices in physical and health products, including cosmetics, had caused inflation in health expenditures.

"Inflation in this health category is quite high, 0.84 percent," said of BPS Jakarta head Thoman Pardosi. Jakarta recorded 0.3 percent inflation in November.

A similar trend also occurred at the end of 2017. The health expenditure group contributed 0.50 percent to inflation. The BPS figures reveal the growth in personal skincare treatment. Some people even aim to have skin as beautiful as "the gods"