My Skincare Shelfie [2018]

It's been a while since I did a skincare routine post. These are the products I'm currently using. 😊

#Shelfie

Cleansers

For my makeup remover, I'm using Simple Micellar Water.  I used to think that all micellar waters are the same. I've used up Maybelline, then switched to Garnier because the formulation is almost the same but for some reason Garnier is cheaper. Simple is the third micellar water brand I've tried, and I like it the most because it's very gentle but powerful. It doesn't have alcohol and perfume in it, yet it removes my makeup fully with no dryness or irritation. It contains skin-brightening Niacinamide and also German chamomile extract to relieve inflamed skin and calm sensitive skin. I know micellar water brands claim to not need rinsing after, but I always double cleanse.

For facial cleaners, I alternate among three Althea brand exclusives: Contour Cleanser (though this one is not for dry skin as it's a tad drying) and Real Fresh Skin Detoxers AKA 10-second wash-off packs that also double as bubbly facial cleansers. I use the Rose variant during the day, Green Tea at night.

Toners

I have this (bad) habit of opening several bottles of toners just to try them out. 😑 I'm trying to correct that now, and as of press time I only have 2 left (Swanicoco and Althea). Good job, Helen!

Swanicoco A.C Control Care was from my Althea Trouble Breaker Box last year. I'm just using it up because it's expiring soon. I've used up 2 bottles of Snow Pore Minimizing Toners already, it's my cheapie thrill. It feels so minty on my skin, and it really prevents breakouts from even happening. Shiseido White Lucent Luminizing Infuser is super GOOD but expensive at P3,950 for a full-sized bottle. Althea Primer Water is not like all my toners; it has a thicker consistency (almost like an emulsion), and it feels so hydrating. I like using it during the day and I apply it using my hands in a patting motion. Sometimes, I sneakily skip moisturizer when I use this.

Serum & Eye Cream (THE BODY SHOP!)

Say hello to my first (brand) love! 😍 I haven't been blogging much about them since all I do is repurchase my favorites and that would feel repetitive to write, but right now, I'm still using The Body Shop's Wild Argan Oil shower gel, Olive body butter, Strawberry Lip Butter, etc... and of course these babies!

The Body Shop's Drops of Light Pure Healthy Brightening Serum ALWAYS works for me and never fails to make my skin better. It's a skincare investment at P1,895 for a small bottle, and I'm praying for a flash deal to happen again this year so I can hoard this good stuff. Haha! Whenever I religiously use this at night, even just once a day, I am able to maintain clear skin even if I wear makeup every day. Whenever I stop using this... HALA! Basta, it keeps my skin clear and healthy. The Vitamin E Eye Cream I just got because it was on sale then. I never expected it to work wonders, but one day after I used it, I was told na "lumiit eyebags mo". OKAY, SOLD!

Moisturizers

I currently alternate between these two from Althea and The Body Shop. I use the Althea Fixer Cream on cold(er) days and nights because it has a thicker formulation. It's also what I use whenever I plan to wear my Fenty Beauty foundation since that foundations needs a heavy duty moisturizer to work. I discovered The Body Shop's Vitamin E Gel Moisture Cream from my friend Monica. She LOVES The Body Shop, too! She gave me a sample of this moisturizer in a tiny pot, and I liked it enough to buy my own tub. (That's the power of sampling!) I got mine at 50% off a few months back when they did a moisturizer swap deal. 👍 This one's 100% vegan, and contains no mineral oil and paraffin. It's made for normal to combination skin, and I like how it's instantly absorbed by my skin. It's a gel cream, but sometimes it feels warm on my skin and I don't know why, but so far so good, no breakouts. Since it's not exactly made for oily skin, do not expect oil control from this product. It also has a strong fragrance to it. For me, this is an okay moisturizer, but I don't think I'll be repurchasing just because I'm into trying out new products.

So that's the rest of my 2018 Skincare Shelfie! Whew. Care to share yours? 😉

Love,

Helen

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Althea Bare Essentials Capsule Review

When I first tried the Althea Petal Velvet Powder (which is my favorite translucent powder to date), I wished that the brand would come up with more products since the first one was really good. I got my wish and more - now they have the Althea Petal Velvet Powder in Shade #23 Warm Beige and a minimalist 3-step skincare line! 👍
 

Althea strips down to the Bare Essentials with their new skincare line. Dropping all the non-essentials and focusing on the basic fundamentals of skincare, this 3-step skincare line promises to give you the benefits of a 10-step Korean skincare routine! The packaging looks really simple, clean, and basic. It somehow reminds me of Muji beauty products.

Contour Cleanser (P300 for 150ml)

When I first saw this, I found the name really strange. A cleanser that contours the face AKA skinny cleanser? The star ingredients of this product are soothing Ice Plant and detoxifying Lemon Myrtle extracts.

You only need a pea-sized amount as this cleanser foams up richly. Upon massaging it on your face, you'll be greeted by a subtle but invigorating lemon verbena scent. It improves blood circulation to decrease puffiness for a V-shaped look - not that my face needed any more slimming. 😂 The micro-capsules in this product are unlike regular facial scrubs - they burst upon contact with water, so they literally melt away while whisking away dirt and dead skin cells. This one's the most gentle scrub wash I've tried, and it can definitely be used everyday. This mild cleanser leaves my skin clean (never dry and squeaky), balanced, and soft - ready for the next step.

Primer Water (P550 for 200ml)

This toner looks like a bottle of cloudy water. Upon further inspection, it has higher viscosity (similar to an essence) than a regular toner. It's more on the nourishing side vs astringent-type toners that can strip moisture off your skin.

At first, I thought that the toner and moisturizer came in glass packaging. The Primer Water comes in a soft plastic bottle that you can squeeze gently to control the amount of product you're dispensing.

I use this in two ways:

(1) On regular days, I just use this alone with a cotton pad after cleansing. It's gentle yet able to remove leftover dirt on the skin.

(2) On days when I wear heavy makeup or when my skin's itchy and on the verge of breaking out (from stress), I use my trusty Snow Pore Minimizing Toner with a cotton pad to remove dirt and cool down my skin, then use my hands to apply the Primer Water with a patting motion to nourish my skin back to health.

The primer water is a hydrating toner + primer in one. Patented dewdrop formulation gently fills the gaps between pores and allows hydration to penetrate deep within the layers of the skin. Snow Lotus extracts make your skin softer, smoother, and brighter.

From the first try, my dehydrated cheeks drank the Primer Water up, said "ahhhhh", and thanked me. It's good!
 

Fixer Cream (P640 for 50g)

When they said that this moisturizer is made for ALL skin types, they weren't kidding. The Fixer Cream can be used no matter if your skin is dehydrated, dry, normal, or even oily. My skin's acting up by being itchy dry on the cheeks and shiny elsewhere, so this moisturizer is exactly what I needed.

This water-based moisturizer contains Trehalose (found in cactus plants that prevent moisture loss) to provide the skin with 24-hour hydration. Wild Green Tea extracts pack on antioxidants, while Baobab Tree extracts promote collagen regeneration.

My experience with this one: The first time I used it, I got too excited and put on too much product, so it took a while to get absorbed and it made me look shiny. When I used it again with just the right amount of product, the result was perfect. My skin just looked healthy and dewy, and it felt plumper, too. The only con for me is the initial sticky feeling before it gets fully absorbed by the skin, but once it gets absorbed, you will love how glowing your skin is. I use this day and night. During the day, my face feels balanced (and my cheeks do not get flaky and itchy) despite staying for more than 8 hours inside an air-conditioned environment. At night, I use this before sleeping and I always wake up to soft and supple skin!

Contour Cleanser, Primer Water, and Fixer Cream
 

Expiry dates are indicated on all Bare Essential products 👍

You can get the entire Althea Bare Essentials set for less than P1,500 - a steal considering its quality! Althea is giving out an additional 10% off when you buy the full set + a FREE beauty mirror while stocks last. 🛒 Get P200 off your first order with a minimum purchase of P1,500. 💝

You can buy the Bare Essentials products here.

Love,

Helen

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