Unboxing + Capsule Reviews: New picks from Althea
It's hard to believe that it's almost been a year since Althea Philippines completely changed the K-beauty game in our small part of the world. Now, the PV Team's shelves are filled with fairly unique Korean finds that would otherwise have been a pain to source. We're still lazy girls at heart, to be honest, so the convenience of shopping at Althea is probably our favorite thing about it.
We also like that the huge online store also keeps adding new, in-demand products and brands every month. We're really looking forward to trying out Son&Park, which just came out there recently. Anyway, here are a few new things we picked up at Althea last season!
Laneige BB Cushion Pore Control SPF50+ PA+++ (P1,320 with refill). This is the latest version of their Pore Control compact. I love how poreless my skin looks (see the FOTD below for proof) and how easy it is to blend on my skin! It wears well during the day as long as I retouch whenever I get oily or sweaty. Also can't argue with the high SPF. My only problem is that the shade I got, No. 23C Cool Sand, is still a bit light on me. This is the darkest available shade at Althea, unfortunately.
Pony Effect Nice Shading in Behind Story (P960). I love Pony's work, so I was quite excited to try my first Pony Effect product. It's not exactly cheap so my expectations were a bit high! I was disappointed when I saw the packaging - it's flimsy and the product itself was small. It only contains 3 grams, while most powder blushes would clock in 3.5 to 5 grams.
Still, the formula is so nice! It's smooth, creamy, and blends so easily. The color, Behind Story, is a warm nutty shade that looks subtle at first but works well for my skintone once layered. It's not too grey nor too warm; it's just right! I can't go wrong with it if I just want some natural shading around my face.
Staying power is average at 4-5 hours for a contour product. Not bad! My Pony item also came with a lipstick sampler kit, which I think is a great way to convince people to try out more PE creations.
Peripera Peri's Ink Velvet (P370). I've tried Peri's Ink previously and loved how solid and bullet-proof it is on my lips, for a tint! The Velvet version seemed to be creamier and *gasp* a little matte. It's rare to see ultra matte K-beauty lip products so I was quite surprised to see this as a recent upload. As it turns out, this liquid lipstick isn't really matte. It's more of a creme gloss - opaque, but with a sheen. It doesn't really set on my lips but it is moisturizing, which I like.
No. 6 Celeb Deep Rose is described as a "tone-downed rosy hue (MLBB)". I expected it to be darker and redder based on my hand swatch; it registers more as a reddish-browny pink. It's hard to describe! It's a cute color though and a welcome change from the Korean affair with bright oranges, pinks, and corals
In the look below, I'm wearing the Laneige Pore Control Cushion as a base and the Pony Effect Shading Powder as a light contour. Love how my skin looks here! On my lips is a Labiotte Wine tint which I was shooting for a different story.
Here's a proper lip swatch of No. 6 Celeb Deep Rose.
Overall, I'm pretty pleased with my latest pickings from Althea. I can see these products being part of my everyday 15-minute routine. ^_^ What do you think? Did you get anything interesting from Althea recently?
