It is that time of the year again, when our favorite one stop shop for all things korean beauty is celebrating their birthday. Althea Korea Turns 2!!!

I'm sure you're all very excited to see what items I picked this time around. If you follow me on Instagram, you would know that I buy the Althea Box from time to time. So, I really just bought items that I needed at the moment and the rest are freebies and samples.


Here's the list of items I got, in random order:

Witch's Pouch Selfie Perfect Eyebrow in Gray Brown
Etude House Sunprise Watery Light Sunscreen SPF50
Aritaum Magic Contouring Highlighter
Beauty People Fast 10's Gel Liner Auto Pencil in Real Brown
Banila Co. Prime Hydrating Primer

Since it is Althea Korea is celebrating their second Birthday. They have prepared a lot of exciting giveaways for all of you.

Here's a sneak peak:


The First 5,000 customers will get the Limited Edition Althea Birthday Box design that looks like a cake! which includes a Birthday Kit and a Birthday sample pack for lucky early bird shoppers.


There will be Birthday Sales & Promotions for customers:
- 20days of Beauty Giveaway on @Altheakorea (Instagram)
- Althea Birthday Giveaway Festival for customers
(free products every other day in July to add into cart)
- Althea Beauty Box July - Birthday Makeup Box (theme) 3/7 released


Weekly Lucky Shopper Contest to win Althea credits


Instagram #AltheaTurns2 Contest - snap & show your decorated birthday box to win amazing prizes from Althea!


So what are you waiting for!?! This is the perfect time to shop for your favorite Korean Skin care and Makeup products.

You may visit their site HERE
Follow them on Facebook and Instagram

Enjoy Shopping!

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***

Yes you read that right. We were very blessed and lucky to have our first Cebu Beauty Bloggers Meetup at the Beauty Affair Face and Slimming Hub. We all got to experience different services depending on what our skin needed. In addition to that, we got to hang out with the gorgeous Owner Ms Reese Borromeo and fabulous Host Nico Ivan Velasquez.

Beauty Affair offers you the best facial care services with organic selection, whitening solutions and non-invasive body slimming procedures that makes use of the latest technology available in the scene. All services always come with touch from the heart coming from their professional line-up of beauty attendants who are there to make sure you feel and look good after every appointment.


The place has a really nice and calming ambiance. It was very clean and feminine. They offer a lot of skin care services as well as slimming services, thus explains the top of the line equipment they had. Despite the expensive equipment they offer their services at an affordable price.


One thing I noticed was that, their staff were friendly and personable. They wore genuine smiles on their faces which made me feel really comfortable and welcomed. Their Wifi is extremely fast too, which is a definite Bonus!

I tried their ELP Acne Laser Treament with Facial. I don't really have an acne prone skin, but I opted for this service since I had a some pimple spots on my face. This treatment, will help reduce pimples and lighten acne scars as well.

They first performed the facial procedure on my face and thoroughly cleaned it. Once done, they began the laser treatment then completed the service with a sunscreen.


Overall, it was a really pleasant experience. I even already plan to get some of their packages. Beauty Affair Hub is Hollie approved and would highly recommend this place for your facial care needs.

Visit them every Tuesday to Sunday from 12:00 NN to 9:00 PM at the 2nd floor of the Alcon Arcade Building, F. Cabahug Street, Mabolo Cebu City. You can also reach them through 09772020598 or 09179789809.  You can find them on Facebook and Instagram

Ongoing Discounts

They offer a 10% discount to Hoteliers, BPO Employees, Residents of Mabolo Area and Followers on my Blog until December 31, 2017.

All you need to do is show them this blog post and avail your 10% Discount!

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***

What it is:
A limited-edition blockbuster palette featuring cult-favorite blush and bronzers.

What it does:
Iconic Benefit Cosmetic blushes and bronzers rally together in this cheeky, must-have palette. The all-new GALifornia blush teams up with top players like Hoola bronzer, both original matte and lite, to warm up the complexion. Rock on with a rose-gold flush or baby pink pick-me-up. With five shades to flatter any skin tone, this Cheek Parade is sure to get the good vibes rollin’.

What it includes:
Full-size GALifornia blush (golden pink).
Full-size Hoola Matte Bronzer (natural bronze).
Full-size Hoola Lite Matte Bronzer (natural light bronze).
Full-size Rockateur Box o’ Powder Blush (rose gold with shimmer).
Full-size Dandelion Box o’ Powder Blush (radiant pale pink).
Mini natural-bristle powder brush.

Retail Price: Php 3,400.00 ($58 in the US)

What I like about it....
* value for money. I get five full-sized products for the price of two.
* has beautiful and sturdy packaging
* pretty shade selection
* comes with a free brush
* has a big mirror
* has a really nice citrus scent, not overwhelming
* excellent color payoff
* has a smooth texture and very easy to blend
* did not experience allergies or irritation

What I don't like...
* Some of the shades don't show up well on my NC35 skin tone
* a tiny bit powdery

My rating: 4 out of 5

This was one of the products released by Stila last year for their Holiday Collection which was exclusive for Sephora. I just thought it was perfect since I've been wanting to try their liquid lippies for the longest time. Especially when I came across great reviews of the shade Patina.




Caramello is described as Neutral Nude, Patina is described as Dusty Rose, Como is described as Bright Violet, Aria is described as Magenta Plum, Chianti is described as Deep Plum and lastly Fiery which is described as Deep Red.

What I like about it...
* affordable since it comes with 6 lippies
* comes with a versatile shade range
* has a pretty packaging
* it has a creamy matte texture that is not drying
* feels lightweight which makes it very comfortable to wear
* applies smoothly so it helps with even application
* it does not flake or crack on my lips
* stays for a good 4 to 5 hours on me depending on how much I ate and drink.
* has a nice scent, kinda smells like caramels
* did not experience any allergies or irritation
* easy to find locally, you can find Stila at Rustans

What I don't like...
* The shade Caramello looks too pale on my NC35 skin tone.

My rating: 4 out of 5


Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***

I recently had the opportunity to experience the TIGI Bed Head workshop here in Cebu City. It was held at the Expose Salon in Crossroads, Banilad. It was the first time that I joined a workshop related to hair styling, since I honestly don't know much about hair products. (teehee)

I was just in awe seeing Ralf and Andy, teach the hair stylists from all over Philippines, their tips and techniques in cutting, coloring and styling the hair. They worked on several models swiftly yet still precise and the results were just amazing.


Ralf Boss, owns a TIGI Salon in Germany for over 15 years. He became the TIGI Art Director in Germany and soon joined TIGI in 2007. He moved to Taipei to lead the first TIGI International Academy in Asia. He is currently the TIGI Creative Director for Taiwan and Asia Pacific who also leads the Asia Educator Team.

Andy Cheong, has been in the hair industry for over 30 years and has received several awards for hairdressing in Asia. He is currently the TIGI Regional Education Director for TIGI Copyright Colour and closely works with Ralf touring all over Asia.


I saw them both in action and definitely learned a thing or two. The workshop was geared towards hair professionals since it was very technical. It also talked more about the new Shift Collection 2017 using the Tigi Bed Head Colour Trip line.

 
The 2017 Tigi Collection: Shift, shows a changing mood in hairdressing and colouring, embracing natural texture and creating personalized, distinctive styles. Eight new cuts and colours have been created to inspire creation of forward thinking looks for the contemporary client.


The workshop took all morning to finish. Then they showcased all the models they styled and worked on that morning, explaining what the main points were. (It's where I learned, focal point for the hair...lol)


I was fortunate to have the TIGI Bed Head experience. Andy, asked me what color I wanted and I told him something purple so he suggested and mixed the perfect color that he thought suit me. I also left Ralf to decide what hair style would suit me best.

This is the first time I had my hair bleached, and I was surprised that it remained soft and healthy. I was honestly dreading that it would become dry and brittle, but they proved me wrong.


There is one thing, I noticed about TIGI Bed Head products. Everything smells divine, and I mean literally. That even includes the bleach they used on my hair. I honestly did not smell that strong chemical scent you normally get at a local salon. From the bleach, the hair color, to the shampoo, conditioner and the styling products. It all just smells so darn good.

You can head to the Expose Salon, located at Crossroads, Banilad and experience it yourself. You can also buy Tigi Bed Head products at the Salon. For those looking for the Purple Shampoo (used to maintain hair color), they have it! It retails for Php1,800.

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***

I know this is long overdue. But I just had to share my thoughts on this Becca Champagne Splits Shimmering Skin Perfector Mineral Blush. It has been hyped since the holidays last year (2016) when it was launched with the Becca x Jacklyn Hill collection. I was able to snag one of the shades during the Sephora VIB sale late last year. (thanks to my good friend and fellow beauty enthusiast Mykym for making this possible...hehe) 

I initially wanted the Champagne Pop-Flowerchild variant, but it got sold out so quickly and Champagne Pop-Hyacinth was the only shade available for the Champagne Splits line. And I was like, "oh well, at least I finally got to try the very hyped up Becca Champagne Pop".

There are so many anti-aging tips and tricks out there that you sometimes get tired of all of them and give upon looking for something more useful and productive. One thing however is clear; in order to avoid early wrinkles on your skin you must first of all moisturize it every single day. You can also use the best night cream for wrinkles. That is to say, make moisturizing your number one skincare routine whether you have normal, dry, oily or problematic skin. There are specific anti-aging skincare routines for everyone. Find yours and enjoy!

Moisturizing Against Aging
So, as for the moisturizing, women divide into two groups; those who prefer using natural DIY techniques and those who buy special products from cosmetic shops or recommended by their dermatologist. Whatever you choose the most important thing is the result. If the chosen technique really works then continue using it. If it won’t show at least a little change after a month then give up using it. The first positive result should be the shine on your face. The second one is the fact that wrinkles start to disappear gradually and finally, the third huge change must be the tone of your skin; it is supposed to be monotone and fresh.

The best anti-ageing secrets are generally those that come from old times but innovative techniques and hacks also allow us to get elastic, smooth and wrinkle-free skin. While the majority of celebrities opt for a variety of ways and spend lots of money on plastic surgeries and cosmetic products to look younger, some women look gorgeous without any additional change even after 50’s.

So, what’s the secret? The secret however is the genetic factor but the right skincare routine also plays a great role. It’s a proven fact that women who use natural products and homemade masks get what they want. Although, this doesn’t mean that everything depends on the marks you use.

Asian women, for example opt for lots of hydrating and moisturizing creams and face oils along with massages to keep their skin so youthful and fresh. In fact, they sparkle with their flawless skin and differ from the rest of women with their capturing beauty. Thus, use as much natural face oils as possible to moisturize your skin and try to accompany it with the right face massages that boost elasticity.


Does Moisturizing Prevent Wrinkles ?
Wrinkles, as we know are a natural and unavoidable part of getting older. It becomes thinner, drier and loses its elasticity as it starts aging. Your lifestyle plays a great role in the health of your skin as medical news proves that everyday habits can bring to early aging and wrinkling. Smoking, dehydration, heavy drinking and sun damage from UV rays are the basic factors that make wrinkles develop.

First, it’s recommended to give up on bad habits if you want to get rid of wrinkles. Second, you must use moisturizing products in your everyday skincare routine. Third, avoid too much use of heavy makeup and even in the case of its usage; never forget to remove it before bedtime. If you keep up these 3 basic steps you will assure that they prevent wrinkles.

I haven't posted anything fragrance related for some time now since I've been trying to finish my current perfume bottles. From the 6 bottles I had on hand, I used up 3 bottles already. So, I decided to get myself my first bottle of Jo Malone London Cologne.

I've heard so many good things about this fragrance and finally got the Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey. First off, let me just say that I really love the packaging. It's so simple yet so elegant at the same time. It's pretty straight forward, clean and no fuss. I typically don't go for these type of scents, since the smell can sometimes be too overwhelming or can be weird. Thus, I picked up this variant since it was the most light scented among the Jo Malone bunch.


London's Covent Garden early morning market. Succulent nectarine, peach and cassis and delicate spring flowers melt into the note of acacia honey. Sweet and delightfully playful.

Top Note: Cassis
Intensely juicy and ripe, it gives a crisp edge to the fragrance.

Heart Note: Acacia Honey
This deliciously honeyed note suffuses the scent with its smooth, sweet accents of beeswax and blossoms.

Base Note: Peach
A lusciously, juicy note, succulent with textural velvety softness.



At first I didn't really liked this scent, it took a lot of getting used to since it is quite uncommon. Especially for something that can be described as Fruity Floral. In my opinion, it first comes off as a fresh, almost green, earthy scent then goes on slightly fruity after a few minutes. Some expressed that it's too simple and linear but I thought otherwise.

My only complaint about this scent is it only lasts for about 4 hours on me. So, the longevity isn't that good compared to my other fragrances. But that's probably normal since this is a Cologne and not a Perfume. (Perfume bottles are oil based, thus have excellent longevity on my skin)

Overall, I'd rate this 3 out of 5 stars.  It's quite pricey for what it is, considering it is a cologne and not a perfume. But I have to give it to Jo Malone in terms of packaging, this bottle will definitely turn heads when you put it in your vanity.

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***