Spotlight | Althea Makeup Box + Simple Makeup Tutorial.

Oh yes, you read it right! Our favorite K-beauty shopping website, Althea, now has its very own line of makeup. And if you're following me on Instagram (or in my other social pages), then you've probably got a glimpse of the new Althea exclusives.

Althea's all-new makeup line + the hanbok-inspired Lunar New Year box.

The Althea makeup line consists of an eyeshadow palette, eye glitters, concealers, and lip tints. They even included the Skin Relief Soft Film Gel in the hanbok-inspired box that they sent me, but I'll write about that in a separate post. For now, I'll just talk about the makeup products and show you how I used them.

Althea Flawless Creamy Concealer.
Shades from L-R: #01 Vanilla, #02 Ginger, #03 Honey, and #04 Mocha.

The Althea Flawless Creamy Concealer (Php 200) is an easy-to-blend concealer that covers undereye circles, blemishes, dark spots, and other skin imperfections. It has a buildable formula that gives medium to full coverage, and comes in a range of shades that can cater to different skin tones.

Swatches from L-R: #01 Vanilla, #02 Ginger, #03 Honey, and #04 Mocha.

The Althea Spotlight Eye Glitter (Php 300), as its name implies, is a glittery eye product that can be used as an eyeshadow and an eyeliner. It has a silky-smooth liquid formula which dries down to a long-wearing finish. It also comes with a precise brush for easy application.

Althea Spotlight Eye Glitter in #01 Gold Light (left) and #02 Pink Light (right).

Swatches - Gold Light (left) and Pink Light (right).

Then there's the Althea Watercolor Cream Tint (Php 260), an innovative lip product that combines the pigmentation of lipstick, the moisturizing feel of gloss, and the staying power of stain. The Althea Watercolor Cream Tint has a lightweight, buildable formula that allows you to wear the product two ways - gradient or full-on. They come in four highly-pigmented shades, each with a mild, sugary scent.

Althea Watercolor Creamy Tint.
Shades from L-R: #01 Plum Cream, #02 Strawberry Cream, #03 Peach Cream, #04 Marron Cream.

Swatches from L-R: #01 Plum Cream, #02 Strawberry Cream, #03 Peach Cream, #04 Marron Cream.

Finally, we have the Althea Eye Palette Sunrise & Moonrise BCL x Althea (Php 1780), Althea's very first eyeshadow palette. Made in collaboration with Indonesian singer, actress, and style icon Bunga Citra Lestari (more popularly known to fans as BCL), this palette contains a mix of matte, shimmery, and glittery shades. There are eight shades in total, and they're all beautifully-pigmented, long-wearing, and easy to apply. The glittery ones have a bit of fall-out though, but nothing a setting powder can't handle.

Althea Eye Palette Sunrise & Moonrise BCL x Althea.
Shades have no names, but the ones on top are numbered 1-4,
while the ones on the bottom are numbered 5-8.

Swatches: Shade number 1 on the bottom, shade number 8 on the top.

And now for my quick makeup tutorial. Keep in mind that I'm no makeup artist, so please bear with my so-called skills, lol.

Using the Althea Flawless Creamy Concealer in shade #03 Honey.

After my morning skincare routine (and yes, that includes sunscreen), I applied a primer first, followed by a layer of cushion, and then the Althea Flawless Creamy Concealer. I dotted it along my undereye area and blended it using a beauty sponge. I also used the concealer to cover the tiny red patches on the side of my nose. Once I've blended the concealer in the 'troubled areas' of my face, I applied the Althea Petal Velvet Powder in Pink Lavender to set everything in.

How it looks like after blending. 

Ideally, the next step would be to groom, line, and fill in your brows. But because I'm weird (lol), I usually apply eyeshadow first, then work on my brows after. The shades with arrows on the right are the ones that I used for my simple, daytime look. 

Shade number to cover the entire lids, shade number 3 as the main shade,
and shade number 5 on the crease and outer V.

I applied the matte beige shade number 2 on my entire lid and used the metallic rose gold shade number 3 as the main color on my lids. To add depth and dimension, I used the shimmery golden brown shade number 5 on my crease and outer V.

Using shades number 2, 3, and 5 for this look.

To complete my eye makeup, I applied black eyeliner on my upper lashline, a bit of the Gold Light Althea Spotlight Eye Glitter on my water line, and mascara on my lashes. Then I worked on my brows, which is usually the most time-consuming step of my makeup routine.

On my lips - the Althea Watercolor Cream Tint in #03 Peach Cream.

I then used a dusty pink blush on my cheeks and the Althea Water Color Cream Tint in Peach Cream on my lips.  

My daytime/Valentines look using Althea makeup.

Ta-daaa! This is the final look. :)

My daytime/Valentine look using Althea makeup.

It was such a joy working with all these products from Althea's exclusive makeup line. I love playing with the colors on the palette, and now I'm wearing eyeshadow almost everyday - well, for this week, at least. :)

You can purchase all the products featured in this post on the Althea website. There's a storewide sale going on right now, because it's Valentine's Day. We don't normally celebrate this occasion (I'm the scrooge of Valentine's Day, lol), but I hope you all have a Happy Hearts Day! :)

Spotlight | Peripera Fashion People Carrier Mini Luggage Set.

For this summer, Korean beauty brand Peripera launched an eye-catching set of their best-selling inks and tints, all in miniature sizes. And I say eye-catching, because its packaging is an adorable pink trolley luggage, complete with wheels, a retractable handle, and stickers for you to decorate the luggage with.

Peripera Fashion People Carrier.

I was not able to buy this while I was still in Korea, as this product hit the stores a few days after we left the Land of the Morning Calm. Thankfully, Rox of Ciel Azure still had a few pieces available; I purchased one right away, because this limited edition item sell like hotcakes online!

Unboxing the Peripera Fashion People Carrier.

The Peripera Fashion People Carrier comes in two different colors - New Yorker Yellow, which features New York-themed stickers; and KPop Girl Pink, which features Korean-themed stickers. Mine is the latter, because... Korea!

Mini luggage with wheels + retractable handle.

Peripera logo at the side.

Product details at the back of the box.

Inside the luggage, you'll find miniature bottles of the following: Airy Ink Velvet (2.7 grams), Vivid Tint Water (3.5 grams), Ink Velvet (2.7 grams), Ink Concealer (4.2 grams), and Ink Multi-shadowing (2.7 grams). The luggage, by the way, has the same dimensions as my Samsung Note 5.

Inside the luggage.

The bottles are made of plastic, about 2 inches in size each, and all come with doe-foot applicators.

They're this small. 

Shade reference at the bottom.

Shade reference at the bottom.

The Peripera Airy Ink Velvet is a souffle cream lip stain with a velvety matte finish. The shade included in the set is #5 Elf Light Rose, a lovely, muted shade of pink and one of the most popular shades in the Airy Ink Velvet Line.

Peripera Airy Ink Velvet #5 Elf Light Rose.

True to its name, this product feels light as air when worn. It's also long-wearing, as the color does not budge even after a full meal and a cup of coffee. However, this product has a rather strong floral scent, which may be a turn-off to some. I certainly do not mind, though, and I might just buy a full-sized version of this shade the next time I fly to Korea.

#5 Elf Light Rose when worn.

The Peripera Ink Velvet is a creamy, lip stain with a lacquer-like matte finish. The shade included in the set is #2 So Grapefruit, a warm and bold red with orange undertones. 

Peripera Ink Velvet #2 So Grapefruit.

Like the Airy Ink Velvet, the Peripera Ink Velvet is lightweight, easy to apply, and does not dry the lips. It has a subtle, sweet scent - much lighter compared to the Airy Ink Velvet's. The color pay-off is gorgeous, and the wear-time - an impressive 12 hours. I've had lunch, dinner, went to sleep, took a shower the following morning and the color is still there. How amazing is that?!

#2 So Grapefruit when worn.

If matte lip products aren't up your alley, then you might find the Peripera Vivid Tint Water more to your liking. Made with real fruit extracts, this water tint has vibrant color and a mild and fruity scent. The shade included is #3 Apple Squeeze, a sheer berry red shade.

Peripera Vivid Tint Water #3 Apple Squeeze.

Like most lip tints, this one has a thin and watery consistency. It's lightweight, moisturizing, and has buildable coverage. However, it's not as fast-drying as my favorite Labiotte Wine Lip Tint, and has a tendency to seep through your mouth and stain your teeth. Despite that, I like this lip tint nonetheless. 

#3 Apple Squeeze when worn. 

Swatches (L-R): Airy Ink Velvet #5 Elf Light Rose,
Ink Velvet #2 So Grapefruit, Vivid Tint Water #3 Apple Squeeze.

Swatches under natural light.

Swatches, 12 hours later.

Now as for the two other products included in this set, I'm not too keen about them because both the Ink Concealer and the Ink Multi-shadowing come in shades that are a little off for my skin tone.

Ink Concealer on the left, Ink Multi-shadowing on the right.

What I do like about the Ink Concealer is its silky smooth and long-lasting coverage. This product is available in two shades - #1 Cover King Vanilla and #2 Blemish Hider Beige. I reckon the darker shade would suit my skin tone better, unlike the shade that came with the set which looks ghastly white against my skin.

Under natural light.

As for the shading cream aka Ink Multi-shadowing, I tried contouring with it, but the shade just sort of disappears when blended on my skin. This product also doubles as an eyeshadow, but I hardly wear eyeshadows these days.

Products used:
FACE: Beyond Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base,
Peripera Ink Concealer #1 Cover King Vanilla,
The Cellin Essence Cushion.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner,
Clio Salon de Cara Backcomb Cara,
CHEEKS: Tony Moly Cristal Blusher in Pleasure Peach.
LIPS: Peripera Vivid Tint Water #3 Apple Squeeze.

All in all, this set is a nice collector's item, especially if you're into Korean (beauty) products and a sucker for cute packaging like me.

With regards to value for money, I'm on the fence because the concealer and shading cream didn't work well for me. Part of me wishes that they should have just included four lip products and a BB Cream, the way they did when they released the Mini Girl's Cabinet set last year. 

But then again, I do love the lip tints and the Airy Ink Velvet is such a wonderful beauty discovery!

Spotlight | Ever Bilena Liquid Concealer.

After staying in South Korea for a month, I came home to a mailbox filled with utility bills, credit card bills (most of which had been paid for before I left the country), registered mail notices, and a package from Ever Bilena. The latter contained these - two tubes of the all-new Liquid Concealer, recently released by Ever Bilena.

Ever Bilena Liquid Concealer.
Medium on top, Light at the bottom.

If you've been following this blog for awhile, then you probably know that my sunken undereyes are my perennial problem. It gets worse when the dark (undereye) circles appear, which usually happens whenever I lack sleep. Hence, concealers are my best friends.

Ingredients listed at the back, written on the plastic seal.

The Ever Bilena Liquid Concealer is formulated to 'help minimize minor skin imperfections such as blemishes and dark circles'. 

Light and Medium.

It comes in a simple, no-fuss packaging - a clear plastic tube with a twistable cap and the usual doe-foot applicator. And they're available in two shades - Medium and Light. 

Ever Bilena Liquid Concealer in Medium.

Both shades are yellow-toned, which is a plus since yellow-based concealers flatter most - if not all - skin types. The Medium shade, I reckon, would be a perfect match for most Filipinas.

Ever Bilena Liquid Concealer in Light.

Still, it would be great if Ever Bilena can come up with more shade options in the future. Say, something in between Light and Medium, and something a bit darker than Medium.

Swatched: Light on the left, Medium on the right.

As for the concealer itself, its consistency is a bit thin and runny, which makes it easy to apply and blend. It has a semi-matte finish and gives sheer to medium coverage.

Blended: Light on the left, Medium on the right.

Performance-wise, this product delivers in its promise of covering dark undereyes. The Medium shade is a great match for my skin tone, and does a good job in brightening up my eye area.

Bare face, sunken undereyes.
Not as dark as before as I've been catching up on sleep since I came back.

I like how this concealer does not crease or cake given the current weather conditions (hot, humid, not very makeup-friendly), and it does not settle on the fine lines underneath my eyes.

With concealer on underyes-
Medium on the left, Light on the right.

It's actually a pretty good buy, if you ask me. It costs only Php 140 a pop and it's available at most beauty counters, drugstores, and supermarkets. :)

All made-up! :)
FACE: Innisfree No Sebum Blur Primer,
Tony Moly Luminous Goddess Aura BB Cream,
Ever Bilena Liquid Concealer in Medium,
Peripera Snow White Pride Up! Pact.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Pen Liner,
Tony Moly Simply Style Slim Curling Mascara.
CHEEKS: Ever Bilena Cheek Blush in Raisin.
LIPS: Beyond Rich Color Tint Balm in Tok Wine.

Spotlight | elf All Over Cover Stick.

It was very thoughtful of elf Cosmetics Philippines to include the All Over Cover Stick in the package they sent me a couple of weeks ago. They must have heard of my perennial battle against dark undereyes, hence the concealer.

All Over Color Stick from elf Cosmetics Philippines.

The elf All Over Cover Stick is a concealer infused with active skin polymers and natural ingredients to camouflage dark undereyes and other problem areas. It comes in a 4 gram stick, which is very handy, hygienic, and easy to use. Simply twist the stick, apply to troubled areas, blend, and that's it!

The shade I received is 3201 Apricot Beige, which is suitable for those with fair skin.
It has a very distinct orange scent which I find quite odd. I've tried quite a handful of concealers in the past, and this is perhaps my first encounter with a scented concealer - and orange at that.

The consistency is creamy, and the product lightweight and easy to blend.
However, I suggest you wear a primer before applying the All Over Cover Stick, as it has a tendency to crease and settle on fine lines.

Now see what happens to this bruise on my right knee after using the All Over Cover Stick. 
Pardon the brightness in the first photo. That one was taken with flash, haha!

Coverage is pretty good! 

Not exceptional, but it works fine in covering darkness, discoloration, and blemishes. I mean, where else can you get something like this that's worth a little over one hundred pesos only?

What I love:

- Hygienic and handy tube packaging.
- Very affordable at Php 129 only!
- Creamy consistency.
- Easy to blend.
- Seven different shades to choose from.
- Not tested on animals.

What you might not like:
- Tends to crease and settle on fine lines

The All Over Cover Stick, and other elf products are available at elf stores nationwide. Visit an elf branch near you!

Disclaimer: Product was sent to me for review. Thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.