althea velvet powder review
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!






Sometimes we wake up looking (and feeling) bright, cheery and radiant. Other days, not even caffeine can help. With about a thousand things we need to think about as we rush through the day, sometimes skincare is the least of our worries.

Regardless of your stance on physical appearance, a proper skincare routine is essential. Taking care of ourselves is an important step when it comes to self-love.  So here are a few tips that might help you look and feel fresh and radiant.

Cleanse your face

Cleansing is important, regardless of how tired you are. Always take your makeup off before bed. Period. There are a multitude of cleansers out there for makeup removal and regular cleansing. Oil cleansers, Micellar waters, Foam and cream cleansers just to name a few types.

Tip: Choose one for your skin type! Foams are usually best for oil/combination skin while cream and oil cleansers are best for dry skin.

Another thing to remember is exfoliation. About once a week, use a good scrub to remove dead skin cells. Any product you use after that will apply and be absorbed more easily (apart from the baby-skin-like texture after).


Choose the right moisturizer

As with cleansers, the type of moisturizer to use depend on your skin type . Oily skin types benefit more from water based moisturizers. Dry skin needs something a little more heavy and emollient. While specific skin concerns like sensitivity, acne, ageing and whitening need specific ingredients that target them.

Read the label in the back and look for stuff such as retinol, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C – they all help the production of collagen and help your skin retain elasticity. To target acne, products with salicylic acid are great, but if you have a more severe form of cystic acne you might wish to use something with benzoyl peroxide.

Enjoy a good workout and a balanced diet

Diet and exercise play a huge part in looking and feeling healthy because most of the time they just didn't wake up one day looking the way they do. You really have to work a little more extra and the pay-off is of course worth it.


Some opt for plastic surgery though and I wouldn't necessarily say that's bad. Just like most things we shouldn't rely heavily on it. The point is, to look beautiful, you need to feel beautiful, and if you want to turn to breast enhancement and dermal fillers to help you achieve your ideal, then that’s great. It’s your body, and you get to pick what you need to do to make it look the way you want.

PLUS WATER. DRINK LOTS OF WATER!

Read : Liposuction in Perth is on the rise, and one of the most popular procedures in the whole country seems to be breast enhancement.



Play with makeup

Makeup can create confidence. A lot of people who wear it can attest to that. The key is to enhance and accentuate certain features. Or just play and see what works best for you and your skin + features! There are a tonne of blogs and vlogs that can help especially on YouTube. Makeup doesn't have to be stressful it's actually quite fun!

Looking attractive is more than just about the products you use, it’s about your lifestyle choices and
the attitude you have. Take good care of yourself and you’ll always have fresh, glowing skin with the confidence to match it.



Contributor : Amy Mia Goldsmith
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