Review| Althea Bare Essentials Cleanser, Toner, Moisturizer.

The first step is the cleansing cream.

Althea says: “It is a rich and foaming cleanser available for all skin types, packed with with soothing Ice Plant and detoxifying Lemon Myrtle extracts, that removes impurities improving blood circulation and reduces bloating and swelling for that defined, enviably slim V-shaped look, densely containing micro capsules that burst upon contact with water to gently cleanse, exfoliate dead skin cells, and detoxify skin gently, leaving the skin feeling cool and refreshed too.”

Step 2

The Primer Water 

Second important step: Toning.

I personally find this product very interesting because it is neither watery nor gel-like consistency. It actually felt like a semi-gel liquid and I personally like to apply this without the use of cotton pads. I would just squeeze out little amount onto my forehead and then spread it across my entire face.

I said “squeeze” because the bottle was not made of glass but plastic. This is very convenient to me because I didn’t need to stress out for not having enough product out of the bottle. I hate shaking products out of a glass bottle anyway because it might slip off my hand and fall to the ground. Messy aftermath, as you can imagine already. So, with this one here, I won’t need to feel annoyed at the beginning of the day already.

It did not take long to absorb into my face. I pretty much just needed 10 seconds or below to let it sink into my skin. Unlike other toner, this doesn’t feel heavy or sticky after being absorbed. It is almost as if I had never applied it at all! Such a wonderful feeling! I did notice that my pores were smaller after using this product. Though it is not a very significant result but I’m confident that my pores can be smaller with the help of other products along the skin care routine.

The minty feeling from the previous step did not stop from here! It had continued and I was feeling fresher than every! It was as if I had enough sleep when I actually don’t get enough sleep. Not many products can create such amazing feeling after using them, ya know! (Unlike most toners.. Muji’s gave me the sticky feeling too, unfortunately.) Also! It can last about 6-8 months!
SHOP TONER

Step 3 / Final Step

The Fixer Cream 

 50g RM50.00

Last step: Moisturizing.

Althea says: “This non-oily, quick-absorbing formula harnesses the power of Trehalose, an ingredient found in the cactus plant that prevents its moisture loss, to provide the skin with 24-hour revitalization and hydration. This ultra-nourishing wonder cream is also rich in antioxidants derived from Camellia Sinensis (green tea) seed oil, and helps to promote collagen regeneration using Baobab Tree extracts. Upon application, your skin is left looking great and feeling bouncy to the touch. Suitable for all skin types.”

This product size may seem small but just like the cleanser, you only needed a very little amount for your entire face! Just the size of a baby grape is efficiently enough to moisturize your skin for the entire day, which is amazing. The texture of this cream is pretty gel-like, which promotes easier spreading and quicker absorption.

 

I’ve always had issue with moisturizers, especially cream, because they tend to make my skin feel sticky and heavy, leaving my skin unable to breath (like Palmer’s). Some would also caused stinging due to high amount of acid (like Mary Kay). But this moisturizer did nothing like that whilst providing moisture that my skin had desperately needed. You have no idea how much joy I had felt when I discovered that I can finally use a moisturizer with ease and without stress. Not only that, this product is pretty affordable too, despite its size. I believe that it could last me at least 3-5 months since I don’t need a lot of it for my face.

The minty feeling remained until few moments after applying the moisturizer. The after-applying feeling is still pleasant because my skin did not feel like there is any sticky residue left behind. I get those feelings after using certain products, which tends to irritate my skin even more because it felt uncomfortably sticky. However, this product did not give me that kind of problem! (Not even Clinelle’s Sleeping Mask can do this good!)

SHOP CREAM

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My Verdict

I think I’ve finally found a skin care series that really suits me with what I’ve needed it to be: effective, efficient, affordable and minimalism. I usually prefer lesser skin care products, which basically means these three are just what I needed, except they are way more than just what they are (e.g.: the toner works as a primer too!) Extensive skin care routines might suit people who are more hardworking when it comes to skin care, but I find them redundant for myself. Since my skin takes a while to absorb products, using lots of skin care products in one-go can create an unnecessary layer which remains on my skin rather than being absorbed, thus costing me more than it needed to be.

I think one set of this could easily last me from 4 – 6 months. This means that I can ease my mind from re-stocking, unlike other products that only lasted me 2 – 4 months. (Boooooo!) I am also feeling relief because these products are completely suitable for my eczema prone skin without any irritation at all! All while providing my thirsty skin with moisturizing benefits, allowing me to have restful sleep during the night (since it tends to irritate more often around 3am/4am). You have no idea how insanely in love I am towards these products. I don’t even need to spend over RM120 for the entire set (which unlike other brands, buying moisturizer alone can already cost over RM60, while buying a set of cleanser+toner+moisturizer could easily cost over RM200).  The smell of the products are within the range of floral but unlike the typical floral smell such as lavender or rose, which really creates an (highly positive) impression.

Any skeptics that I previously had towards this products were completely gone. They are absolutely safe to use and deserve way more love than they are right now. Don’t trust me? Well, try to prove me wrong by trying them. I’d wager that you’ll fall in love with them too 😉

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Free mirror!

I was given a free mirror that is absolutely unlike those cheap-arse blurry mirrors. This one is so clear that I started to think that my vision outside the mirror is blurry. You see everything clear and sharp!

As of now, you can still grab one from Althea when you purchase this series. However, it may also depend on its availability too!

Don’t forget to grab some of the samples too when you see that it is available! Give it a try and maybe you will fall in love with these products too! If you don’t see any samples, you can jump straight into purchasing the full-sized products too because there is a 10% discount at the moment if you had purchased the entire set.

Original price: RM116

Discounted price: RM 104.4 + a Free Mirror

From https://my.althea.kr/bare-essentials

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That’s all for this post!
Check out my other blog posts that may be potentially helpful to you! 😀

Update 18/8/18: After 4 months, I’ve officially finished my moisturizer! I don’t use it all the time and yet my skin is still moisturized thanks to the cleanser and primer. If I use it every day, it should take half the time than what I’ve used. I still have half the cleanser and toner!

Update 14/11/18: It’s the 208th day (6 months and 25 days) and I found a spider in my cut-opened container of my cleanser. I was about to finish the remaining cleanser and I’m pretty sure it would last me for the next two months but unfortunately, I had to throw it away… I still have 1/5 of the toner left! I can conclude that these two items can really last a very, very long time.