Spotlight | Althea Milk Peel Cream Mask.

It hasn't been long since Althea launched their own brand of sunscreen, and now they're back in the spotlight once again with another new product. Althea is on a roll these days when it comes to developing and launching new products, and it's such a delight to be able to try, test, and share my experience with each new item that they bring forth.

That being said, here's what I think about the Milk Peel Cream Mask, the latest addition to Althea's growing family.

Althea Milk Peel Cream Mask.

The Althea Milk Peel Cream Mask is a gentle peeling mask that promises to give your skin a 'big gulp of hydration' and 'refreshed complexion'. It combines the power of AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) and BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid) with the gentle formulation of milk to slough away dead skin cells, unclog pores, and moisturize the skin. It also contains kaolin, a naturally occurring clay mineral that has long been heralded for its ability to detoxify, cleanse, and soothe even the most sensitive skin.

Nothing much to read here so I had to look up all the pertinent information on the internet, lol.

As with the other Althea products, the Milk Peel Cream Mask has a simple, minimalist packaging. It comes in a 50 mL pump bottle housed in a white box with hardly any English text on it. I had to look up all the pertinent information on the internet because hey, that's what Google is for (lol). At least I knew beforehand that this is a wash-off mask (not a peel-off mask as I originally thought it was) and it's tested by dermatologists, as indicated on the box.

Got milk? :)

Pump bottle.

To use, simply apply an even layer onto damp skin and leave it on for 30-60 seconds before rinsing it off with warm water. You get a creamy clay texture as you pump the product out of the bottle, but as you slather it on your skin, it transforms into a bubbly foam. That tingling, ticklish sensation that I felt as the product turns into a foamy lather reminded me of the Bubi Bubi Lip Bubble Lip Scrub, which I use to exfoliate my lips. Its mild, powdery scent, on the other hand, reminded me of the baby cologne that my son currently uses.

Creamy clay texture.

My skin feels really smooth and clean - bouncy, even - after every use. I don't apply this on a daily basis, though, as my skin tends to be dry during this time of the year and the last thing I should be doing is over-exfoliating my skin. I use the Althea Milk Peel Cream Mask twice a week at the most, but if your pores need a bit more unclogging, you can use this product thrice a week. This product is ideal for all skin types, even for those with sensitive skin.

Bubbly! 

The Althea Milk Peel Cream Mask retails for Php 490 and is exclusively available at the Althea website. For a limited time, you can get free shipping on all Althea exclusives using the code PBSHIP at checkout. In addition, you can get a 20% discount on your first order using my referral code.

Say hello to my new hair! :)

And yes, I finally had the chance to change my hairstyle, just in time for my birthday. Speaking of which, thank you Althea for my birthday gift! You guys are so generous that I have more than enough Reward Points on my account to splurge on skincare with! :)

Spotlight | Human Heart Nature Pollution Defense Face Mask.

Is your skin feeling dry as if all the moisture has been zapped out of it? Or does your face look tired and haggard even after a good night's sleep? I know it's Halloween, but your bare, no-makeup face shouldn't look like you're a character from The Walking Dead about to go Trick or Treat-ing.

Dull complexion is often caused by stress, sleep-deprivation, dehydration, or a lacking skincare routine - either you're not using the right products for your skin type, you're not exfoliating, or you're not moisturizing your skin. Either that, or you live in a polluted area where you're constantly exposed to air pollutants such as smoke, dust, and fumes. These environmental elements, on top of constant UV exposure, can definitely wreak havoc on your skin.

Now this is where Human Heart Nature's Pollution Defense Face Mask comes into play. Launched simultaneously with the Bare Necessity Cleansing Balm, this new product 'lets your skin breathe clean' by cleansing it from pollutants.

Human Heart Nature Pollution Defense Face Mask.

It contains bamboo charcoal, whose purifying properties have been hailed since the ancient Egypt civilization. The bamboo charcoal contained in this product is 'activated' - infused with oxygen thus increasing its ability to absorb toxins - making it even more effective at drawing out dirt and impurities from the skin.

Product description and usage instructions.

List of ingredients.

Also found in this product is moringa seed oil, which works by counterfeiting the ill effects of pollution on the skin. Its anti-aging properties makes the skin look healthy and helps improve its complexion.

Typical squeeze tube with flip top cap.

This clay-type mask is made with a blend of bentonite and kaolin clay, making this product suitable for all skin types. Bentonite is known for its ability to suck excess sebum from the skin, making it a an ideal product for oily and acne-prone skin. Kaolin, on the other hand, is known for its impurity-absorbing, skin-tightening abilities sans the adverse reactions.

Squeezed a small amount on the back of my hand.

To use, simply squeeze out a generous amount of the product on your fingertips. Spread the product across your face, starting from the bridge of your nose towards the apples of your cheeks and upwards to your temples. Wait for 10-15 minutes or until the product feels stiff before washing it off with warm water. 

Spreading it a bit on the back of my hand.

I love the tightening, pulsating feel on my face as the mask starts to dry. It feels like all that dirt, gunk, and toxins are being pulled and sucked from my face! However, I don't wait for the mask to actually flake and crack as it runs the risk of dehydrating and irritating the skin.

The mask starting to dry.

While I'm not too keen about this mask's earthy, herbal scent, I love the refreshing, moisturized feeling you get after rinsing the product off your face. Not only does it cleanse the skin, it also softens smoothens, and brightens the skin, thereby improving your complexion with regular use. And by regular, I mean once or twice a week only.

How the mask looks like as it dries on my face.

The Human Heart Nature Pollution Defense Mask comes in a 100-gram tube and retails at Php 450. It's currently being sold at an introductory price of Php 395 at all Human Heart Nature branches across the country and on the Human Heart Nature online store. I reckon this offer will last until the next magalogue turnover (which happens mid-November) so I suggest you take advantage of the discounted price while you can.

Squeezing in a photo of my bare face because why not, my skin looks good anyway.
Excuse the eyebrows, though. :)

Review | Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask.

While my skin is nowhere near the likes of Song Hye Kyo or Lee Min Jung, I'm thankful that it's not acne-prone or troublesome, to the point that I would need treatment or regular visits to a derma clinic.

Around two or three weeks ago however, while I was doing my makeup, I noticed that my once small and almost invisible pores have opened up and become recognizable. I freaked out at the sight of dots, dots, and more dots patched on my inner cheeks. Add a sequence of numbers on those tiny holes and you might as well play 'connect the dots' on my face.

I was quite surprised to see these, as I have a basic skincare routine which I follow religiously. But I guess constant exposure to the elements have taken toll on my skin. Remember, I now leave the house on a daily basis since Yue started school. That means everyday exposure to the sun, the wind, and San Pablo City traffic.

My skin needed rescuing, and fast! The first thing that came to mind was the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask.

Sachet + Jar.

I ordered a few sachets first from my favorite seller of Korean cosmetics. After about three uses and getting satisfying results each time, it was only then that I decided to go full-size.

As the name implies, this Innisfree clay mask has volcanic properties that originated from Jeju Island. These volcanic properties are actually called 'volcanic clusters' - lava spewed by the volcano that have hardened through time. This pure ingredient has the capacity to absorb sebum, remove impurities, and moisturize the skin. 

What makes this ingredient so precious and rare is the fact that volcanic clusters can only be found in the island of Jeju.

The clay mask, up close.

The mask itself is a brownish-gray cream. It has a very light scent that's common to most clay masks. Unlike mud packs, this one dries faster and doesn't feel like cement once it dries.

Remember my gripe about Korean cosmetics? How most of the boxes and labels are written in Hangul without the English translation? That's what sets Innisfree apart from the other brands.

Not Hangul! :)

Their products have English texts on their boxes - from the description, to the instructions, all the way to the ingredients.

Tree-hugger!

In addition, Innisfree uses eco-friendly materials - recycled paper for the boxes, low-carbon plastic for the containers, and labels made from tangerine skin.

See that blue handkerchief on the foreground?
That's actually a freebie that came with my clay mask. As part of their Eco-Friendly drive, Innisfree launched the Eco-Handkerchief Campaign in 2010 which aims to preserve trees by minimizing the use of tissues. Neat, huh?

My son stays away from me when I have a mask on, lol!

Now aside from using this all over your face, you can use this solely for blackheads and zits, too.

For blackheads: Apply a generous amount of the clay mask on your blackheads zone (aka the nose). Let it dry, and wash off after 10-15 minutes. Wipe off the sebum using a small piece of cotton or cotton buds.

For breakouts: Before bedtime, dot the troubled area with the clay mask. Leave the mask as is. Wash off in the morning.

I usually don't end my product reviews with a numerical value, but if I were to rate the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask with stars, I'd give it five, plus the moon. Haha! That's how highly I think of this product.

The Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask is currently on sale at the Innisfree website and at E-Mart for 12,000 KR Won. That's more or less Php 450 when converted to our currency. 
You can check out my trusted seller of Korean cosmetics, too. :)

Makeup over Flowers.

A friend of my MIL came home from Korea last week. She's an OFW like my husband, and will be vacationing for about three weeks here in the Philippines. She was also kind enough to bring home these 'pasalubong'. From my husband, of course.

Korean cosmetics, what else? :)

Oh, the pretty packaging! That's Missha Signature Real Complete BB Cream and Missha Wrinkle-Filler BB Cream - two of the best BB creams ever, as far as I'm concerned. I actually began with testers, and after being satisfied with the results, decided to go full-size.

I have yet to do a review for the Wrinkle Filler BB Cream. As for the Real Complete BB Cream, I did a review about it some six months ago - one of the first product reviews posted in this blog.

Also one of the best wash-off masks that I've used is the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask. My pores were being stubborn a couple of weeks ago, so I ordered a few testers of this online. After the first use, this mask left my skin soft, supple, and pore-less. Hence, the upgrade to a 100mL jar.

And because I'm totally obsessed with my undereyes, husband got me the Missha Super Aqua Lifting Eye Cream. I was actually torn between this and the Golden Snowflake Eye Cream, which is just as popular as the Super Aqua.

I ended up with testers from the Golden Snowflake and Time Revolution line, anyway. Although I have yet to figure out which is the serum, the booster, and the eye cream from this bunch.That's my only complaint when it comes to Missha. Almost everything is written in Hangul!

That cute little compact, by the way, is a lip color palette. It came as a freebie, too.

And because the husband knows I need a daily dose of caffeine, he sent me these ready-to-drink Maxim coffee. The pink sticks are Cafe Latte, the brown sticks are Cafe Mocha.

Isn't my husband the sweetest? He may not surprise me with roses on Valentines Day or other special occasions, but not many husbands out there would go to a cosmetics store and buy stuff like these for their wives. I consider myself lucky to have married someone who does. :)

Sharing with Pink Friday, Pink Saturday, I Heart Macro, and Mellow Yellow Monday.