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When "Best Beauty Forward" was released, I knew I needed this box. I still consider myself to be new to k-beauty, with barely seven months of learning about and experiencing new products under my belt - but Memebox was my gateway into this world, and I look to them to keep my skincare stash and routine at it's very best.
With hundreds of new K-beauty products hitting shelves every year, how can you tell apart the goodies that you'll be loving for a lifetime and the duds of the century? Beauty experts at Memebox tried and tested the most talked-about skincare and body products of 2015 to curate the most perfect box, jam-packed with Memebox-tested winners that will up your gorgeous factor this year. We promise.
1. Rimbi Powerful Treatment Essence (full size; 125ml) $34
Powerful Treatment Essence functions as a toner and essence, and is enriched with 85 percent galactomyces ferment filtrate - a key ingredient that penetrates deep into the skin to balance the skin's renewal process and boost the skin's radiance. It is also formulated with nourishing vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and organic acids to enhance the efficacy of the complete skincare ritual. With daily application, this essence hydrates, brightens, diminishes the look and size of wrinkles, improves texture and clarity, and contributes to a more beautiful, balanced, and glowing complexion.
How to use: After cleansing, use a cotton pad or your fingers to apply the essence all over your face.
I remember this being a spoiler for this box, and a huge reason behind me wanting it. I was introduced to galactomyces with one of my first Memeboxes and my skin loves it. This toner and essence hybrid provides light moisturization back to your skin that may have been stripped during washing, and preps your skin for better absorption of your following skincare items. This essence has very little scent to it (it reminds me slightly of the grainy smell of the SK-II essence, but not as strong - huge plus for me) and absorbs nicely into my skin. This is the highlight of the box for me!
2. W.Lab 3P+ CO2 Pore Crown Pack (Sample size: gel syringe & mask sheet*1) $13
(Full size: gel syringe*3 & mask sheet*6; $79)
These powerful yet gentle blackhead butterfly patches instantly remove blackheads and unclog pores while tightening and cleansing the pores. Complete with a carbonated gel syringe and a butterfly shape mask sheet, this two-step system features optimal pore-purifying benefits for clear, healthy-looking skin. The refreshing, fizzy carbonated formula gets down deep into the pores to remove the deepest, darkest pore-dwellers, and stimulate the skin to exfoliate dead surface skin, and soothing tea tree and green tea soothe the skin. The results? Skin is healthy, glowing, and radiant.
How to use: Take the mask sheet and place on hard surface. Inject the contents in the syringe onto the butterfly mask sheet, and spread until evenly distributed. On cleansed face, place the butterfly mask sheet onto the center of the face, so that the mask covers the nose, and cheek areas. Leave on for 15 minutes, remove, and rinse well with lukewarm water.
This was the other box spoiler, and another product I knew I'd love. A holy grail pore cleansing product for me is the 23YearsOld Air Laynic mask, and this certainly seems similar. The claims this product makes about cleaning out your pores and renewing your skin are completely true with regular use. The gel inside the syringe bubbles when applied to the "nose" strip, and it's that carbonation that works it's way deep down to clear out your pores. These are perfect for oily skin like mine.
3. SecretKey Perfume Peeling Body Scrub (200g) $24
Randomly selected from "Fun & Fruity" or "Clean & Soft"
This gently exfoliating body scrub hydrates skin and locks in moisture in the skin while the rubbery peelings form to resurface, enrich, and revitalize. Without the use of hard granules, this formula is enriched with nourishing sweet almond oil, milk proteins, shea butter and walnut powder for an irritation-free cleansing. Roll it onto the skin to slough away dead surface skin to reveal radiant skin underneath. Continued use provides the healthy of the skin to come into balance.
How to use: Use approximately a dime size of scrub and spread it onto your face. Massage in a light circular motion. Rinse with lukewarm water.
The term "scrub" is used pretty loosely here, as this is not a scrub at all as we would think of them here in the Western culture. This is a peeling gel with no scrubbing or rough granules involved. You apply the gel to your dry skin and gently massage it in. The gel bonds with the dead skin cells building up, and forms them together so they can be easily rinsed away, leaving your fresh radiant skin behind. I am a big fan of peeling gels, and it sounds like this one is made to be used on both the face and the body. I've been using it as such and am pleased with it's gentle effectiveness.
4. SUR Nail Polish (full size) $6
Randomly selected from: Nobelesse Red, Nobelesse Purple, or Stea Glam Gold
Love your nails with bold, beautiful nail polish colors that last. Each lacquer is formulated with a unique combination of resins and waxes that provide fast-drying, long-wearing shine. Get high coverage in one stroke, from classic must-have shades to vibrant, fashion-forward hues.
How to use: On clean and filed nails, apply a base coat. Shake well. Then, place the brush at the base of the nail and spread the polish to the tip of the nail. Apply multiple coats if necessary. Wait a few minutes until the polish has dried, and finally add a clear top coat for longer-lasting wear.
I was a bit surprised to see nail polish in this box. Nail polish isn't something that comes to mind when I think of winning products of the year for beauty. Maybe it's because my nail polish never lasts, or because I do too much dirty work with my hands and it gets covered in other paint or crud right away, or maybe it's just because my nails break too easily so I don't enjoy showing them off. Who knows.. As you can see above, I received the gold glitter polish, which applies nicely with just one coat (shown in the photo). I wouldn't mind wearing this alone, or on top of another solid colored polish. The formula lasts a good few days without chipping, which is a good amount of time compared to other polishes I've tried.
5. Ferfree Ultra Facial Intense Hydration Cream (full size; 50ml) $16
This comfortable moisturizing cream is an oasis-in-the-desert for the skin, continuously plumping it with hydration for 24 hours. It improves the appearance of fine lines, flakiness, and tightness, leaving skin looking and feeling happier and healthier - all day long. The olive oil and squalene formula forms a protective hydration coat over the skin that protects the skin from environmental toxins and agressors, and locks in moisture, imparting a coveted dewy glow.
How to use: After cleansing the skin, take a dime-sized amount of cream and massage all over the face and neck. Use daily, morning and night.
The first thing that caught my attention was squalene: which is a naturally occuring oil found in the liver. Apparently, for commercial use, this oil is extracted from fish oil - which I've found to be quite healthy when taken in vitamin form, so I have high hopes for this cream.
This is a wonderful sounding cream, that is surprisingly not heavy or too rich for my oily skin. It instantly provides moisture to even my oily skin, bringing to it a healthy glow. It is a bit too much for me during the day, but using this cream in the evening somehow transformed the moisture content of my face overnight and I found I did't need as much moisturizer to keep my oil balanced during the day. The smell is very light and subtle, which is also a positive note for me.
6. Virgin Farms Double Care Fresh Gel & Ultra Cream Set (sample size: 3g*7 gel + 3g*7 cream foils) $15
(Full size is 100ml of gel & 100ml of cream; $94 each)
Virgin Farm's Double Care Set aggressively, yet gently and effectively targets matters that plagues blemish riddled skin, such as mild acne, redness, dryness, and sensitivity as it enhances the skin's moisture balance and elasticity. The dual skincare set uses natural ingredients such as boabab seed and fermented galactomyces filtrate to deliver cosmic doses of hydration, energy, and nutrition to blemished skin, and also forms a protective hydration coat over the skin to keep vital nourishment and moisture in, while keeping environmental toxins out. Plus, concentrated doses of niacinamide brightens, corrects, and evens out the complexion for the look of real porcelain skin.
How to use: On clean face, apply Double Care Fresh Gel to the entire face. After complete absorption, apply Double Care Ultra Cream to the entire face. For best results, use twice daily. Continued use helps keep skin looking fresh and relaxed.
I tend to shudder when I see foil packets of product in any subscription box, so these immediately got the cold shoulder from me. Of course, my curiosity got the best of me and I just had to give these a try. They are a two-part system, that I used as the last two steps of my skincare routine at night. These, once again, are a bit too much for me to use during the day. I can on days where I am staying home and not applying makeup, but otherwise it provides a bit too much moisture to my oily t-zone for makeup to adhere properly when out and about.
I love that this set includes galactomyces in them - one of my favorite skincare ingredients. Of course I'm also pleased to see niacinamide as I've been hoping to lighten up some of my sun spots. So far this seems like a great duo that provides an excellent source of moisture and clarity to my skin. It's helped heal my acne, brighten sun and scar spots, and balance my skin better. I wish we had received full sized products instead of tiny samples.
7. TonyMoly Delight Tony Tint in Red (Sample size; 1.5ml) $1
(Full size: 8.3ml; $4)
One of the bestselling lip tint in Korea, this tint instantly gives vivid red color to your lips with just a single touch. It creates the long-lasting, radiant lips popular amount Korean beauty lovers.
How to use: Apply small amount of the tint from the inside to outside of your lip. Apply before lip gloss to give natural gradient lips.
I've received this tint in a few past Memeboxes, and while I love the color, smell, flavor, and texture of this product - I wish it was as long-lasting as it claims. This tint is like a sweet berry juice you gently dab on your lips. I'm not big on the radiant lip, but this produces a nice deep yet almost natural red tint to the lips that sits nicely under a sheer gloss. It does come off with eating, drinking, or licking of the lips, however.
This was a nice Memebox! I will continue to enjoy all the items, and am still giddy over the galactomyces products. I would have been a little happier to see an all skincare beauty box like this, but maybe in the future!
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Disclaimer: The Glitter Chic blog received the product(s) mentioned in this post for the purpose of review and evaluation. No monetary compensation was received for this post. The Glitter Chic blog will always provide honest opinions, beliefs or experiences on products reviewed. If you have any questions, please contact me at gothickornchic at gmail dot com. This blog contains affiliate links. The Glitter Chic is not responsible for prize delivery. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.