From Manila with Love Blog: korean makeup

You guys know about Althea Korea by now for sure. The online Korean Beauty destination has captured every Kbeauty enthusiast in the Philippines (and Southeast Asia!). Just in case you've been living under a rock here are some links (here, here and here) to get you acclimated to the wonderful world of Althea.

Althea finally released their own makeup brand, the first product being this Petal Velvet Powder made for all skin types and more importantly (to me at least) made from natural ingredients + CRUELTY FREE!

Claims :
- Translucent
- Controls sebum but non-drying
- Blurs pores and leaves a lightweight, smooth velvety finish
- Non-comedogenic
- Made from natural and cruelty-free ingredients

The main highlighted ingredient are "Althea seeds" which give hydration, sun protection and provides anti-ageing properties.

Full ingredient list : silica, mica, vinyl dimethicone/methicone silsesquioxane crosspolymer, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, methicone, hibiscus syriacus seed extract, hydrogenated lecithin, 1,2-hexanediol, glyceryl caprylate, maltodextrin, fragrance

Packaging is a simple and compact screw-cap lid jar. Not surprisingly, the puff included is very soft and useable. I would assume the people behind Althea know the woes of having 'trash' applicators included in the product.

Compared to another cult KBeauty loose translucent powder - Innisfree 'No Sebum Mineral Powder', this is priced at P220/3g while the Innisfree one is P260 (sale price)/5g. Althea's is cheaper but barely. For how much you get, it's more sound to get the Innisfree one.

If you want to try something new and if the added bonus of Althea seeds, sun protection and anti-ageing intrigue you Althea's might suit you better. Apart from the aforementioned claims, I don't see anything different from what they both hope to achieve, which is to set the makeup, control sebum and leave a silky soft finish on the skin.

Experience

Ok I admit the price is up there for 3g but you really don't need much especially for these types of powders. Let's start with the aesthetics and other superficials. The packaging with the Althea branding is great. It's compact and the plastic material isn't the cheap kind. You know those types of plastic packaging that break easily?

The scent is very light to me. There is a noticeable scent but it's faint. As for the product itself, it sets the face well leaving my skin velvety smooth (true to the claim) but that's the case for most translucent 'silica'-y powders. I do like the added benefit of anti-ageing, sun protection and hydration (from the Althea seeds).

I can also commend the fact that it's non-comedogenic (my sensitive skin didn't break-out thankfully), cruelty-free and has ingredients that are natural. As for the oil control though, as someone who has dry skin my t-zone still oiled up. It didn't dry out my skin though and if you put a little too much it can tend to make your skin look REALLY dry.

Though it's nothing a little face spray can't fix. I wouldn't say it's the magical product for all oily-skinned people. It's a pretty great touch-up powder too because there's no colour it doesn't alter your face base.

Bottom-line: It's not bad. At all. The price is good. The product works sufficiently well. There's no white-cast that I can claim. But I wouldn't necessarily wax poetic about this powder.

Have you tried this powder? Have you tried any loose setting translucent powders? Share below!

xx,
CJ

PS. Thanks Althea Korea for sending this over and letting me try it!

Interested in writing for us?

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Today we're highlighting my most used eyebrow pencil lately. This Korean product has been tried and tested and tried again within the past month or so and I think it's about time to introduce you guys.

This Skinny Eyebrow Pencil (in Lingering Mocha) is part of Glam21's One Shot!!! line same as the lip gloss + lip tint + lipstick + balm hybrid I reviewed here.

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Glam21 one of Coswel Korea's brands, is a mid-range priced product (approximately) that rivals that of other high-end brands in Korea. One of their aims is to deliver amazing quality at a reasonable price-point.

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0.028 oz / 0.8 g good for 12 months after opening.

Ingredients: Ceresin, Stearic Acid, Cyclopentasiloxane/Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Iron Oxide Black (CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Polyethylene, Mica (CI 77019), C12-15 Alkyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-2 Trilsostearate, Iron Oxide Red (CI 77491), Iron Oxide Yellow (CI 77492)

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As you've read from my title, you might be asking is it really a dupe for the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz? To be honest, I don't know...

But! Based on the video reviews and pictures I've seen all throughout the blogosphere and YouTube community it's extremely close and it's highly likely they have the same sized pencil "lead" one that is very skinny and tiny.

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Compared to my Ellefar (Daiso) retractable brow pencil (top), it's about half the size in width (or is it diameter?) which I find pretty amazing since it hasn't broken or snapped — It's surprisingly solid and firm despite its looks.

FORMULA / APPLICATION

As I've mentioned, the texture of the pencil is more firm and solid than let's say, Nichido's famous (creamy) brow pencils or The Face Shop's Design my Brow (non-retractable). Because of that coupled with the size, it's easy to shape and be as precise as you can when creating natural looking strokes.

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Look at that nasty brow hair that clung to the spoolie.

It's also a hard kind of wax texture that doesn't pull on my eyebrow hairs unlike those soft creamy-waxy ones that some people here generally like to keep "their brows in place". I also like the dense, firm and non-scratchy spoolie. I know that's weird because usually these are scratchy but I found that this works so well compared to others I've tried whether they're attached to a pencil or not.

FEATURES

Smudge-free
Long lastingWaterproof
Easy to draw (use)

Long-lasting and Waterproof - CHECK. Yes this pencil lasts long on me. It doesn't smear when smudged even when I spritzed my face with water and even when I sweat (unless you really rub your skin hard which I doubt you want to do).

BUT it does smear when smudged with oil. I found that when I use my oil cleanser (Biore) it washes off pretty easily. So I have to warn you oily-skinned girls, wear a good primer and/or set your face with a good powder before or after using this OR just skip this altogether.

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First image : No product. I'm also growing my brows out. #excuses
Second image : Just the pencil lightly filled in.
Third image : Glam21 + Pinkies Collection Black eyebrow pencil and Maybelline's Brow Drama Gel in Dark Brown.

My only gripe about this is that it's too brown for my black hair. Even if the colour is a cool non-red/orange brown, I prefer my brow hair to match (the rest of the hair on my body). It's also a notch lighter.

UPDATE (4/1/2016)
The colour still works well on me with my dark hair. It's lighter yes, but the cool undertone of the brown makes for a very natural brow look. It's not dark like the rest of my hair, but recently I realized that whenever I use pencils with the same colour as my hair (Black/Dark Gray), I tend to look, nene-ish (teeny-bopper-ish). As I've said it's good at defining and I like it for shaping or making the outline for my brow since it is light it's not super harsh.

Apart from being brown and light, there's no worries about smudging or sliding off of my face all day. Keep in mind my skin type isn't oily, I only get oily on my t-zone normally and I don't have really oily lids.

It's also easy to use and looks natural, even if having lighter brows isn't the most natural for me.

It retails for PHP 949 at ABOUT FACE PH (formerly PURPLE TAGS PH). It comes in Fling Brown (lighter than this) and Stud Charcoal ( dark charcoal gray) the latter I think would suit me more.

xx,
CJ

PS. I personally prefer a more natural brow. I only do the #onfleek highly defined pageant brow if it's a super special occasion. And that's my reason for the "a little unkempt, but it works" brow work... And I call myself a beauty blogger. #shame #notreally
PPS. I wish Glam21 would offer refills in the future. I personally don't like having to buy a new one for 949 every two or so months.

ABOUT ABOUT FACE PH

It's a new online store / brand that sell from the obscure to the well-known products to beauty lovers especially the Korean beauty addicts in the Philippines. You can check out their products on their website or Zalora!

http://www.aboutface.ph/
https://www.facebook.com/AboutFacePH/
https://www.instagram.com/aboutface.ph/

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The tulip brush or tulip sponge is not the newest thing in Korea but as you know the rest of the world is having a cosmetic crush on them at the moment so everything they've loved for eons ago we're only just getting a taste of recently.

To be honest this product was introduced around 2011 so not necessarily new but not as old as the snake and snail/venom-infused skincare they've been slathering on for years.

Like I've mentioned in the title, it's like a paddle (traditional foundation brush) + makeup sponge hybrid. And yes, it does look weird (-cute). I mean look at it.

HOW TO USE

The sponge itself is the typical latex sponge so if you're wondering about the texture it's nothing like the beauty blender but it's smooth and soft so you can rest easy. You can wet it or not it doesn't matter because it doesn't expand. It's used like any other latex sponge, so you smooth/spread it onto skin then afterwards you can bounce it to push the product more onto the skin and/or get rid of streak marks.

I didn't know I could pull out the sponge for cleaning so I kind of manhandled the first time I washed it - which explains the tear at the base :(. Cleaning is also easy. You just pop out the sponge from the plastic base handle and wash it just like any other sponge.

SELLING POINTS

Because of the shape and the "petals" it's easier to reach the sides of the nose, under the eyes and around the mouth.

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The plastic handle at the base also makes it very sanitary for people who don't like the regular sponges that you need to hold with your bare hands —this is a nice alternative.

CONCLUSION

It's a little odd at first but I get the idea behind it but I like my "beauty blenders" more. I do enjoy the petals, it does a great job of reaching the crevices of my face.

It's not bad at all, I'm just more used to the regular sponge blenders. I think makeup artists would find this particular sponge extremely useful though for their gigs because of the handle.

You can get this at AboutFacePh for Php 449 and Zalora.ph for Php 359 (ON SALE!).

What do you think of this sponge? Would you try it? I think it's better than the lollipop looking ones, you know with the long brush handles and sponge on top. With those you can't take out the sponge and I heard they don't last long.

xx,
CJ

PS. This came with the chok-chok lip tint glosses that I also received from Purpletags.ph. Thanks Trixie!

http://www.aboutface.ph/
https://www.facebook.com/AboutFacePH/
https://www.instagram.com/aboutface.ph

I have a new product to showcase for you guys today and it's the Glam 21 One Shot!!! (Chok)2 Lip Tint Gloss. That's Chok-Chok by the way, if you're wondering how to say the name.As most of you probably know Korean beauty in general aims for that really dewy almost wet/oily kind of complexion and that doesn't exclude the lips.

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Glam 21 (a brand by Coswel Korea), I confess, is a brand I haven't heard of before despite being the avid K-beauty consumer that I am. Good thing Trixie of AboutFace.Ph (formerly Purple Tags PH ) contacted me for a collaboration aaaand poof that's how you make coco crunch.

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From what I've seen from glam21's site it's a little more up there in price compared to let's say Etude or Holika Holika and I believe it's a direct competitor to another Korean brand —3CE (3 Concept Eyes) which is very well known in Asia already. They both kind of have the same sleek all-black packaging with just text going on. 3CE's more expensive though.

PACKAGING | HOW TO USE

The cardboard it came in is made from recycled materials as evidenced by the recycle logo on the cardboard box —awesome! Onto the tube itself and to the most interesting part.

It looks like a typical (pretty with the ombre effect going) sturdy lipstick tube at first glance but upon closer inspection there's a slanted sponge tip at the top with a hole in the middle instead of the usual cream stick. To get the product out you twist-up the bottom part of the tube, as you would a liquid pen concealer, until the liquid lip colour is pushed out onto the sponge-tip.

I think it's designed well. I've never seen a product like this before. Tints that I've used and seen from all other brands have the doe-foot wand type of packaging or the marker type but not this. I quite like the quirkiness of it. One point for Korean packaging.

APPLICATION | TEXTURE | PERFORMANCE

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Whole In ONE!!!-
It provides long-lasting while keeping lips moisture and shine. Lips stay moist and protected. You can get 3 POINTS from the tint, lip stick, lip gloss AT ONCE!!! - Glam21 (Coswel Korea)

According to the description it's essentially a moisturizing liquid lipstick with a very glossy finish. And I agree. It's extremely pigmented (almost neon-like) economical (you only need a little) and lasts through eating. (still fades a little like other Korean tints I've used)

It's also non-drying and keeps my lips supple but I wouldn't say it can replace your standard hydrating lip balm.

NOTE : As a rule of thumb it's better to exfoliate your lips regularly and always drink a lot of water before you apply any lip colour.

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I don't like orange-based reds or plain orange on my lips because it makes my teeth SUPER yellow. I avoid it as much as possible so I use the Scarlet Orange strictly as a light tint.

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The consistency is thicker than most lip tints. The latter would usually be watery and thin so I would really classify this as a liquid lipstick. It doesn't have any fragrance in the ingredients (so hurrah for those who don't like fragrance in their cosmetics). But it does smell like talc and wax which is part of the ingredient list. So if you're anticipating a sweet or candy-like scent (and taste) that other tints typically have you'll be surprised with this one. By no means is it bad smelling, strong or overwhelming , some people might just dislike baby powder-scented cosmetics.

I wear this as a tint and tap it on my lips rather than apply it full-on. I prefer the stained look if I'm using tints, but you can definitely increase pigmentation by gradually applying more. Don't glop on a thick layer on the onset because it remains emollient throughout the day and will probably just move around your face if you don't use a lip liner or lip coat. It's not sticky like a gloss though so don't worry.

One other thing to note is that they're cruelty-free which is great news. I know for sure Amore Pacific is completely cruelty-free. Other brands though are aren't 100% verified. This chok-chok tint gloss retails for Php 899 (3.8g / 20g with bullet) and I believe it comes in 4 colours but the site only has these two shades as of the moment. The other two are a soft coral-nude-pink and a red.

CONCLUSION

If you're looking for a tint that's as pigmented as a lipstick, light and non-drying, check it out. Plus points for being cruelty-free too. One can argue that it's a little steeper than most affordable Korean tints for sure, but still within reason especially if the tech, packaging and ingredients behind it are high-end and high-quality.

Skip if you like sweet / floral-scented cosmetics or don't care much about cruelty-free products.

What do you think of the packaging and the shades? Isn't it nice that a lot more Korean brands are accessible to us now?

xx,
CJ

PS.I read that there are a tonne of other beauty brands in Korea that hasn't reached international exposure unlike Laneige, IOPE, Etude, Tony Moly and Missha to name a few.

PPS. Chok-chok is a term used when something (in reference to your or someone's skin or lips) looks dewy, shiny, plump and moist. Like really glowy, bouncy and healthy-looking.

ABOUT ABOUT FACE PH (OLD NAME PURPLE TAGS PH)

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For the latter part of 2015, I dare say I've accumulated a few new lip things. This isn't counting the already sizeable lip "things" I currently own. But let's just focus on these fairly recent ones. Besides I haven't done a makeup haul post in a while.

Most were bought but two in particular were given as gifts by family (EB Advance Liquid Lipstick and Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm). Here's a run-down with the prices.

Pinkies Collection in Calalily and Bark - Php 169 (Price is currently Php 199)
Secret Key Chubby Jelly Tint Pack in Plum Purple - Php 300
EB Advance Liquid Lipstick in Soft Lace - Php 180
Maybelline Lip Polish in Glam 6 - Php 150 (Sale)
Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Sultry - around Php 287 (Sale)
Essence XXL Shine Lipgloss in Nude Candy and Wood of Roses - Php 50 each (YES)

You know how enabling instagram is. With the perfectly arranged outfit, lunch, motd or ootd it can both be inspirational and envy-inducing. Especially with makeup, at least for me. I got these Pinkies Collections Matte Lipsticks after I've seen a few pictures of it online. I have swatched a few in person way before I saw the pictures, but turned the other cheek as I deemed it too drying or too unwearable. That is until someone posted Bark. Next thing I knew I was at the counter with said colour and another in tow—Calalily. Both are "natural" "nude" colours. Bark is a deep mauvey-old-rose kind of shade while Calalily is a light pinky light-nude beige—perfect for dark dramatic looks.

As for the Maybelline Lip Polish (Or Colour Elixir depending on the country) they were having a 50% off and Php 100 off sale on a lot of their items so being the opportunistic little ~~twit~~ beauty enthusiast that I was, I grabbed a shade that really "spoke" to me. I just wanted to try out the texture and Glam 6, a seemingly creamy (non-glitter) deep purple shade was something a little more unique in my eyes. That and there weren't a lot of choices at the time. Touted as the first of its kind, this liquid lipstick+balm+gloss hybrid is smooth, moisturizing and pigmented. It's a pretty and shiny non-sticky lip gloss for non-lipgloss wearers (me).

I asked my sister to buy me the Revlon Matte Balm in Sultry as my advanced Christmas gift a few months before December. It was on sale for half off and I've wanted to try it for the longest time. I settled for one of the three shades available because these were flying off the shelves. Apparently our Revlon here hasn't been that generous (huge discounts) in a long time. Sultry is a deep old-rose shade a tad similar to bark (I'll be investigating this soon). A little mauvey but on my lips pulls a little more brick red. It's still pretty and moisturizing despite the matte part in the name. It's so weird using something dubbed as a matte balm, but it does feel really comfortable. Not at all drying. Glides on smoothly and really delivers on pigment akin to a matte lipstick. Good job me.

Same story as the Maybelline Lip Polish, I got suckered in by Essence Cosmetic's half-off sale and settled on Nude Candy and Wood of Roses. I figured if they were too sheer I can always put them on top of my lipsticks to alter the colour. Surprisingly these pack quite the pigment. It's not as sheer as I thought especially Wood of Roses—a slightly reddish brown with multi-coloured shimmers. Also it's not as sticky as I thought. Like the Lip Polishes, these are very comfortable to wear. As you can see there are glitters but they aren't chunky nor do they look "kiddy", you know like play makeup? It also has a scent that reminds me strongly of Fruit Loops (a little "kiddy" but who cares).

I learned that Nude Candy, the creamy baby nude pink with silver shimmers, is a good dupe for Nars' Turkish Delight lip-gloss.

If you remember my post about the Korean gimick that is the lip tint packs/masks, you'd know that while I was intrigued I was also perplexed. So I got one to try out. Ssssh it's for SCIENCE.

I think it's a little pricey considering you need to use a thick application each time but it stays true to the lip tint claim. The gimick lasted until after the first try then I realized I'd rather use a regular lip tint than wait for this to dry and peel costing me precious minutes. Minutes I could be using to eat.

I'm still testing these out but I'll definitely be posting reviews about most of them. What do you want reviewed first? Let me know!

xx,
CJ

PS. Maybelline only had the sale until Dec 31, 2015. Revlon isn't on sale anymore :(. Essence might have a few things still on sale but I wouldn't bet on it.

UPDATE :
Review of the Pinkies Collection Matte Lipsticks and lip pencil here.
Review of the lip glosses here.

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