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!)
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.
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!
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.
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!
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
