Charcoal, volcanic ash, and seaweed are all surprisingly fantastic cleansing ingredients. Charcoal is of course used in a variety of industrial filters and purifiers, and seaweed combats acne and reduces toxins. I was really excited to get the Earth & Sea Memebox and slather myself with clay and kelp. The box didn’t quite meet my expectations, but it’s a fantastic box all the same.
I planned to review Earth & Sea next, but I didn’t have time to take pictures, so let’s look at Korea’s Most Wanted instead. I had no idea what this box might be about, so I took a chance on ordering it, and it paid off!
It’s a day that ends in “y,” so time for another Memebox review! I really only rock a NMM look on weekends because I work in a dull environment and I like to liven it up with colorful eyes or lips. But I do like keeping my face minimal, especially since the temperature in my room is so variable. So I jumped on this box, hoping for products that would be light and neutral.
The last of the scent bundle boxes is Sweet Shop. I thought it would be sweets like pastries: chocolate, hazelnut, caramel. Memebox was thinking sweets like candy, so that’s what we got. Hmm. I would have preferred pastries.
Today I have the second of the most recent scent bundle: Tropical Fruits. I liked this box quite a bit more than the Floral box; it’s probably my favorite of the three.
I missed the first round of scent boxes, so I picked up the next three in a bundle that advertised buy two get one free. They were each $15, so I spent $37 (including shipping) for all three (using a code that gave me free shipping on one of them). That’s probably more than I should have paid for these three boxes, considering what I got, but I do like several items in all of them. First up, the Floral Box.
Collagen products are marketed for anti-aging; they’re supposed to plump up the skin to smooth out wrinkles and provide an illusion of youth. I read somewhere that collagen doesn’t actually absorb topically, so the effects of these products are short-lived, but I’ve noticed a definite smoothing effect. That could simply be from better hydration of my skin, but I’ll take what I can get.
As I’ve mentioned before, Asian standards of beauty primarily involve clear, pale, blemish-free skin. Historically, that was a sign of wealth and status, so almost all Korean skin care products contain ingredients to “whiten” skin. They’re not meant to bleach away pigment as much as they brighten and even tone.
I jumped on this chocolate-themed box so fast I’m amazed I didn’t burst into flames from the air friction.
The story goes that women working in a sake factory noticed that their hands remained smooth and soft through the years from being immersed in the fermenting yeast all the time. That’s likely an apocryphal tale, but new research shows that fermentation does assist in anti-aging products. High-end lines like SK-II use fermented sake, while its mid-price dupe Missha uses fermented beer. I drink a lot of hard cider, so I’m fermenting from the stomach out; why not try it on my face?
I missed out on the first Fermented Box, and was totally bummed when I saw it revealed because I wanted it. So I jumped right on Fermented 2, and I’m so glad I did!
formul8edphrase 