Capsule Review + Tutorial: Althea Makeup Collection

Photo heavy post ahead! 😉

Today's post is a very exciting one! As an Althea Angel, I'll be sharing with you a detailed capsule review (swatches, prices, pros, and cons) of Althea Korea's latest makeup products under their own brand.

My sister Cindy helped me craft this Althea makeup look! 👍

🌟 Althea Makeup Box 🌟

(also loving the Lunar New Year box design!)

Althea Skin Relief Spot Film Gel (P240)

Before doing your makeup, you have to have the perfect base. For imperfections like pimples you want to cover up but don't want to aggravate by piling on the makeup, try Althea Skin Relief Spot Film Gel! Put in on top of your pimple and it dries to a matte, skin-like finish that's literally invisible. This healing gel contains tea tree oil to heal acne, and Centella and pine leaf extracts to soothe redness and calm the skin down.

Before | During | After

Pros:

• Functional and hygienic packaging
• Expiry date is printed on the box and indicated on the crimp of the tube for easy reference
• Contains tea tree oil, Centella asiatica extract, and pine leaf extract
• Cooling and soothing feel
• Mild scent
• Effective in drying up acne
• Can be used day (under makeup) and night (as spot treatment)
• Invisible finish

Cons:

• Learning curve, mine peeled off when I applied makeup the first few times I used it

Just make sure to not touch your skin after you've finished applying your makeup, or parts of the gel might come off and make your skin look "flaky". But for me, this is best used at night as spot treatment so you won't have to worry about the flakes.

Althea Flawless Creamy Concealer (P200)

Swatches:

#01 Vanilla, #02 Ginger, #03 Honey, #04 Mocha

Shade guide:
#01 Vanilla - A brightening pink beige #21 shade
#02 Ginger - A warm ivory #21 shade for natural coverage
#03 Honey - A warm peach shade to suit skin tones between #23-#25
#04 Mocha - A deeper yellow-based shade best suited for over #30

My first impression on the Althea Flawless Creamy Concealer - it's very creamy indeed! I've tried a lot of drugstore concealers in the past, but none has been as creamy and easy to blend as this one! I did my arm swatches (unblended) and it took me some time to get the best photo, so when I rubbed each shade on my arm, it still glided like butter. (How did you do that, Althea?)

This pigmented and long-wearing concealer has buildable formula that's made with Aquaxyl to moisturize and improve the overall health of the skin. All of my face shots below (up to the end of this post) are raw, unedited photos. You can see how this concealer made my dark circles disappear.

Pros:

• Expiry date is printed on the sticker on the base of the tube
• Very affordable (probably the most affordable good quality concealer out there!)
• Pigmented
• Long-wearing
• Doesn't easily oil up, crease, or fade
• Comes in 4 shades
• Contains 6g of product
• Won't cause breakouts

Cons:

• Very minor: the rim of the product gets quite messy with daily use so I need to wipe it regularly

 

Bare face

BB cream + Althea Flawless Creamy Concealer

My makeup artist sister taught me how to use this concealer correctly. Extend a bit to the cheeks and don't just put dots on the dark circles. I first used #02 Ginger all over my dark circles, and topped #01 Vanilla to brighten it up and subtly highlight my nose bridge.

Because we're living in the Philippines and it can get really humid here, I topped off my base with Althea Petal Velvet Powder in Pink Lavender (limited edition shade that's already sold out). I love it because it smells very calming. This powder instantly mattifies my face while feeling so lightweight. Even with the lavender scent, it doesn't cause any allergies so we're good. Don't forget to fill in your brows and get ready for the next step: EYES!

Althea Eye Palette Sunrise & Moonrise BCL X ALTHEA (P1,780)

Shades are just named as numbers from top left to bottom right:

#1 - A shimmery nude with pink undertones

#2 - A matte light brown to create definition

#3 - A metallic rose gold with pink undertones

#4 - A metallic gold

#5 - A rich brown with golden shimmer

#6 - A deep wine shade

#7* - A pearly pink shadow with purple undertone

#8 - A cool purple with a subtle shimmer

*#7 contains carmine AKA red pigment from crushed bugs. Not cruelty-free, but props to Althea for their honesty.

Swatches:

🌠 A mix of shimmers, mattes, and glitters 🌠

🌠 Perfect for day and night 🌠

For this look, we used shade #2 as base on the lids and even to contour the nose. (It works!)

A very remarkable shade would be #8. It looks purple on the pan, but looks more reddish/burgundy on the skin. These shadows have a super creamy, velvety feel as well. They seem to blend and look gradient even when you just wear a single shade. For this look, we used #2 as base, #8 as the main color, #7 to blend both shades together, and #3 on the center of the lids.

When I did my makeup on another occasion, I find that #7 as base, #8 as contour, #4 on the center of the lids, and #1 to highlight the browbone also works beautifully.

Pros:

• Beautiful floral box! I can't throw it away.
• Sleek palette design with magnetic closure
• Palette feels heavy/premium
• Expiry date is printed on the box and base of palette
• 8 pigmented and versatile shades
• Perfect for day and night looks
• Mix of shimmers, mattes, and glitters
• Large pans
• Contains 15g of product (will take ages to finish even with daily use)
• Buttery formula
• Easy to blend

Cons:

• Premium pricing vs drugstore makeup
• Minimal fallout on some shades
• Shade #7 contains carmine (not cruelty-free)

This eye palette is a KEEPER in my makeup kit. Never letting go of it! 💖

 
Add eyeliner and falsies for maximum effect! Now for the last eye makeup step.

Althea Spotlight Eye Glitter (P300)

Swatches:

#02 Pink Light & #01 Gold Light

Althea Spotlight Eye Glitter doubles as eyeliner and eyeshadow! For budge-proof brightening of the inner corners of the eyes, you might want to try this.

#02 Pink Light when worn

I don't usually go for sparkles on a normal work day, but this one ups your makeup look during special occasions.

Pros:

• Versatile - can be used as liner or shadow
• Long lasting - sticks like glue once it sets
• The expiry date is printed on the box and the tube itself

Cons:

• Mild burning sensation when applied on the upper lids because of the thin skin + glue-like formula (no issues on the lower lids and inner corners of the eyes)
• #02 Pink Light contains carmine

PS. The photo above is not edited. See how my dark circles are missing? Althea Flawless Creamy Concealer did it!

Althea Watercolor Cream Tint (P240)

Time for a hybrid product because Korea does it best: the pigmentation of a lipstick, the long-wearing power of a stain, and the moisturizing formula of a gloss all in one tube! Sounds promising, right?

Swatches:

#01 Plum Cream, #02 Strawberry Cream, #03 Peach Cream, #04 Marron Cream

Bare lips

#01 Plum Cream

A rich, luxurious plum shade, perfect for a night out

#02 Strawberry Cream

A juicy red reminiscent of freshly bitten strawberries

#03 Peach Cream

A brightening, fresh coral with pink undertones to suit both warm and cool skin tone

#04 Marron Cream

An MLBB shade made from browns and pinks for a chic, everyday look

My lip swatches are blended out using my finger for a more subtle, natural look. I don't apply this one full-on because it's super glossy that way. I just want a healthy sheen. 💋

For this look, we used #01 Plum Cream on the cheeks (yes, as cheek tint) and on the lips with a gradient effect.

#01 Plum Cream on cheeks

+ shimmery nude #1 eyeshadow from the BCL x Althea Eye Palette as highlight (SO NICE!)

#01 Plum Cream on cheeks

+ metallic gold eyeshadow #4 from the BCL x ALTHEA Eye Palette for a frosted look

Pros:

• Nice and sleek packaging
• Expiry date is printed on the box and sticker on the tube's base
• Delicious fruity/candy scent
• Contains squalene and hyaluronic acid
• Glossy finish makes my lips feel healthy
• Not drying at all
• Leaves a faint pink tint even as it wears off 
• Doesn't darken my lips even with daily use
• You can get it as a boxed set at 10% off (perfect for gift-giving!)

Cons:

• Some shades look a bit similar when blended out
• No nude and pink shades in this collection (Like it would be better if the 4 shades were red, pink, nude, and coral)
• Not long lasting - it comes off even when I drink water 💦

Soft and glowing Althea makeup look by Cindy

Super happy with how the Korean makeup look turned out! 💖 Hope you learned from my Althea makeup tutorial, as we truly enjoyed making it for you. 😗

Get 20% off your first order at Althea HERE!

Love,
Helen

FOLLOW @LUCKYCITRINE ON INSTAGRAM 💋

Shopkins Lil' Secrets looks like my fave 90s toy!

Hi, I'm Helen and I like tiny toys. Even after decluttering my stuff, I will never let go of my old Polly Pockets from the 90s even if they're older than some of my sisters. 😂 We didn't have a lot of Polly Pocket toys way back since they were expensive and my parents were prudent about saving. Our humble stash were mainly gifts from doting cousins who had salary and found us cute. LOL

Just last week while shopping at SM North's sale, M and I spotted tiny toys that would not skip my radar. Shopkins has released tiny lockets that look and feel like Polly Pocket lockets! WOW! I had a hard time picking just one because they're all so cute. In the end, M got me this cute pink one, and I also bought another design (Swirls Froyo Bar) as "backup" in case my niece catches me playing and wants one, too. 😝

Thought: Thank God for nieces because I not-so-secretly enjoy going to toy stores just to look around. Whenever the sales people ask me how old the kid is so they could recommend toys... sometimes I say it's for ME!!! 😀
 

How cute is this?! 😍😍😍
 

Shopkins Lil' Secrets Secret Locket in Picnic Dreams
 

Each set contains the following:

• 1 Secret Locket
• 1 Tiny Shoppie
• 1 Tiny Shopkin
• 1 Thread
• 1 Collector's Guide

I don't think the thread is adjustable, but my head can fit in it and it actually reaches my neck. Not that I'm going to wear it when I'm out... I might just do that at home. LOL

As for the collector's guide, I'll be sharing photos below!
 

My Tiny Shoppie is Valentina Hearts. What a sweetie! This set is all pink and look at her hair from the back. It's braided into hearts. This one's actually a super cute gift to give this Valentine's Day. I think adults (or 90s kids) like me appreciates this more than little kids because of Polly Pockets! 😍
 

I don't really collect Shopkins toys but I do find them cute. I was so tempted to get the Shopkins Happy Meal toys from McDonald's, but I'm afraid to just add clutter to our already chaotic house. But these Secret Lockets are another story. I could collect all 9 designs! And Shopkins has a really nice selling strategy. Each locket comes with a Tiny Shopkin. And there are 3 Tiny Shopkin designs per locket. For example, Valentina Hearts could come either with Chocolate Boxy, Ring Box Rena, and Rosey Bouquet at random. I'm okay with either, but I think I got the best one! 💍 (I told M this ring does not count. Haha)
 

There's a tiny world inside! The curtains are movable, and the round disk where Valentina Hearts is standing can be turned.

Collector's Guide:
 

Swirls Froyo Bar, Picnic Dreams, and Rock Pool Swim School are part of the Wave 2 release.

And to answer the curious question in your mind, can the Tiny Shoppie stand inside your vintage Polly Pocket sets?

No. 💔 They won't fit the round slots on the Polly Pockets, but they can balance themselves and you can make the Tiny Shoppie sit, too. That's good enough for me.
 

Someone's turning 30 but still playing. Who could she be?

Price: P299.75

Bought from SM Department Store but also available in Toy Kingdom and Shopee

I love this toy so much. Thank you, M! 😃

Love,

Helen

Follow @LUCKYCITRINE on Instagram 💋

Sample Room Haul + Why I'm Switching to Naturals by Watsons

And now, my first Sample Room haul for 2019! I've been a member of their website since 2012, and whenever I see a sulit sample, I make sure to get it! Some of my colleagues have asked me in the past if Sample Room is just for bloggers - no, it's for everyone! 💖 You can sign up and instantly get 100 points to shop for FREE samples, just pay for shipping. You can earn back your points when you review the items on their site, so you could get more samples next time.

This one's my 21st order, and the items are very tita. Isn't it amazing that I was able to get a month's supply of Vitamin C at Sample Room?! 😂

Haul:

☑ Naturals by Watsons Rice Bran Cream Bath (worth P199)

☑ Derma-C by Poten-Cee Serum Face Mask (worth P75)

☑ Poten-Cee Forte 1000mg 30s (worth P292.50)

I got all these items for free, and just paid for shipping (P140). 💰

I'm very satisfied with all the items I got, and I will review each one in detail over at Sample Room, but one particular product stood out for me so much, I had to go to the mall to check out the rest of the items from the same product line.

Naturals by Watsons Rice Bran Cream Bath has worked so well for me, that I ditched my pricier shower gel for it. You see, I've always had dry skin on my body. The level of dryness: my torso would get flaky and itch often. Just recently, my skin has become really dry to a point where whenever my clothes would be pressed on my skin for a few minutes (like when I'm sitting), it would leave red marks on my thighs/legs and it would get extremely itchy. I had to control the urge to scratch or else it would get worse. I then replaced my body wash to Naturals by Watsons Rice Bran Cream Bath and just after 5 days of using it, my skin now has relief from extreme dryness. To think that this huge 490ml bottle only costs P199! It actually looks and feels more premium than it costs.

Pros:

• Contains certified organic rice bran extract (that's rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E) and rice bran oil (that brightens the skin) from Japan
• Free from paraben, mineral oil, silicones, colorants, sodium lauryl sulfate, soap, isothiazolinone (MIT, CMIT, BIT)
• Classy packaging with pump
• A little goes a long way when used with a bath lily (saves money!)
• Has a mild and very fresh floral scent that lingers for a while
• Hydrates my flaky, itchy skin
• Rinses of easily
• Very affordable and easily accessible

My skin used to be so dry, you can "write" on it because it would turn white where scratched. Now, it has a healthier sheen, particularly evident on my shoulders, arms, and lower legs. Sometimes, it even looks a bit glossy even with no lotion on. Glossy as in it reflects light, not oily. What a miracle! I have used up bottles of Watsons body wash before, but this one's the best one I've tried from the brand. It even beat the performance of my pricey shower gel. Because of this experience, I'm switching to Naturals by Watsons. I'm honestly on a low-buy this year when it comes to cosmetics, but I will certainly repurchase when I use up my stash.

Cons:

• While the product may seem natural and organic, and even states that it's free from sodium lauryl sulfate, it still contains sodium laureth sulfate. While both are similar, sodium lauryl sulfate is a skin irritant that can cause minor skin irritations like dry, itchy skin. Sodium laureth sulfate is formulated be much milder and not irritate the skin. (Source: chemistrystore.com)

Naturals by Watsons Rice Bran Cream Bath (P199)

Of course, I went to Watsons to see the other Natural by Watsons Rice Bran products!

Naturals by Watsons Rice Bran Body Serum (P199)

This body serum has a very light texture and a lovely fragrance. The perfect partner for the cream bath! Thankful for testers because you can try before you buy.

Naturals by Watsons Rice Bran Hand Cream (P99)

So you can bring rice bran goodness everywhere. Money saving tip: decant the huge bottle of body serum into a small pot or pump bottle and you get instant hand cream. 👍

Naturals by Watsons Rice Bran Body Scrub (P179)

Must try this one! The last time I used a rice bran body scrub was way back in 2014. That was from another brand but it's now discontinued. I'm just finishing my two tiny tubs of olive and pink grapefruit body scrub, then I'll also purchase this one for sure!

Try before you buy at sampleroom.ph! 💋

Love,

Helen

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