My Althea Lunar New Year Haul!

"I konmari-d my vanity dresser over the weekend," I told my sister, who came over yesterday to visit the kids.

"Oh, you watched the show?" she asked.

With a head shake and a finger wag, I replied, "No, but konmari is all over my Facebook news feed and I just did what everyone else seems to be doing. I needed space for all these beauty products that I'm getting."

"I stopped watching after the first episode."

"You didn't like the series?"

"I liked it. So much, that I ended up throwing half of my husband's stuff after episode one," she answered, before bursting into a fit of laughter.

My sister and I live apart so we don't see each other very often. But when we do, we talk about everything under the sun - from our married lives to our travel plans, to serious 'adulting' issues like life insurance and property investments, and of course, kikay stuff like upcoming makeup launches and the skincare products that I'm buying from Althea. Case in point, my latest beauty haul.

Ringing in the Lunar New Year with this haul from Althea!

Halfway through January, my Althea family sent me another surprise gift - $50 worth of Rewards Points credited to my Althea account. And with that, I was able to purchase all these without having to spend a dime. Awesomesauce, right? :)

Now here's a quick run-through of what's inside my Althea Lunar New Year box:

Laneige Essential Power Skin Refiner Moisture, Php 1100.

Laneige Essential Power Skin Refiner Moisture (Php 1100).

I received a complimentary travel-sized bottle of this toner when we visited the Laneige Flagship Store in Ewha last spring. Unlike most toners, the Laneige Essential Power Skin Refiner has a thicker, more viscous formula that deeply moisturizes the skin from the get-go.

The cold months usually wreak havoc on my skin, and this toner was quite the wonder worker. It kept my skin from looking dull and feeling dry, and you get soft and smooth skin in an instant. I just couldn't get enough of that 'chok chok' (dewy, bouncy, hydrated) effect from this toner so I decided to go full-size! 

Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum, Php 1090.

Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum  (Php 1090).

To complement the Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Lotion that I've previously bought, I got the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum which now comes in a new packaging. Not sure if they also changed the formulation, but I hope they did not because the OG formula is already hydrating and nourishing as is.

Mise en Scene Perfect Repair Serum, Php 400.

Mise en Scene Perfect Repair Serum (Php 400).

I've been using the same brand of hair serum for more than five years now, and giving the Mise en Scene Perfect Repair Serum a try is like breaking out of my comfort zone. I've read tons of positive feedback about this product, and I just had to satisfy my curiosity as to why they love this hair serum. I just hope the curious cat in me won't have regrets later on. 

Missha Superfood Apricot Lip Scrub, Php 240.

Missha Superfood Apricot Lip Scrub (Php 240).

Because we can't get enough of lip treatment products! Also, I was very much drawn to the packaging. Supreme vibes, yes?

Tony Moly New Pureness 100 Mask Sheet, Php 40.

Tony Moly Pureness 100 Mask Sheet (Php 40).

One thing I love about Tony Moly sheet masks is how they fit nicely on my face. I've tried the Snail variant of this sheet mask before and it was so damn good. Very moisturizing, and your skin looks glowing the morning after. Unfortunately, the Snail sheet mask wasn't in stock when I placed my order so I settled for the Hyaluronic one instead. I hope this variant will be just as impressive.

I have another beauty haul arriving in a few weeks. Should I take my sister's lead and konmari my husband's stuff as well? :)