Beauty Box: MEMEBOX SUPERBOX #69 Banila Co.

Phew. If you've seen my slightly pathetic attempt at blogging during the week, you might have gathered I was stuck in an essay blur. I had had to be very stern with myself and say that I wouldn't write a blog until I had finished said essay. Of course, I just started looking at poems about procrastination and time instead - perhaps the definition of procrastination? Anyway, my latest MEMEBOX was like a little ray of sunshine that arrived on my doorstep during a long week, and now that I've finished my essay (albeit a bit of editing) I think it's time that I shared its contents. Yay!

Banila Co. is apparently a bit of a big deal in China and South Korea. I hadn't actually heard of it but when I saw that MEMEBOX was releasing a box dedicated to the cosmetics brand, I decided it was time I had an introduction. It was pretty exciting to get a box filled with goodies for my face. It practically had an entire routine covered. The make-up removal balm and peeling clay face scrub are both really interesting. Don't you just love the name Claypatra? Amazing. The balm is described as having a sherbet like texture. Not sure about that. But it made my skin feel really soft.

And I also got some make-up goodies. The gel eyeliner arrived at a great time as I'd just lost mine. I'm pretty sure I have a make-up eating monster, as well as a sock eating monster, living under my bed. I also got a primer, which I'm not so keen on because it has quite a greasy texture, and a bright red lipstick which I'll probably add to my stash or re-home. I might have mentioned before that I only wear lipstick very rarely. I just haven't managed to find the one for some reason. My favourite product is the tint balm. It's a bit magic. It is very transparent in colour in the pot but when you add it to your lips it gives a really natural pink blush. What is this witch craft? It'll be a great addition to my handbag to give my everyday look a bit more polish and colour. I have to actually leave the house tomorrow and submit my essay so maybe I'll take it for a spin. Wish me luck.

What do you think of my latest MEMEBOX? What's your favourite handbag product?

Beauty Box: MEMEBOX Global #16

If you regularly read my blog you'll already know that I'm a big fan of Korean beauty box brand MEMEBOX. I have yet to receive a disappointing box, and they are always packed to the brim with exciting, full size products. MEMEBOX's latest Global box is no exception. Advertised as providing all your beauty essentials, I certainly found a few new things to incorporate in to my beauty routine. The box contained 6 full size products with a joint value of over $100. Not bad considering I bought it for $23.

I had quite a long day out in London last weekend. I went with friends to a food market at Southbank and then on to fireworks in Hackney. It ended up being a lot of fun but a lot of travelling around and time spent on my feet. I certainly could have done with my new Elizavecca leg cream which apparently shrinks and soothes swollen calves after a long and stressful day. Regardless of what the cream's like, I'm smitten just because of the cute pig on the packaging. I think I'm becoming immune to the surprise of discovering snail mucus in products too. The Mizon gel recovery cream contains 74% snail mucus and I actually put it on my face. It smells pretty good and is meant to provide non-irritating blemish and wrinkle care. This is right up my street because being in my twenties I guess a small part of me somewhere is thinking about wrinkles, yet I still have to deal with teenage style breakouts. A confusing time indeed.

My favourite product was the RiRe skincare system. It included a blackhead brush cleanser and a pore refining cream to use afterwards. It is designed specifically for the nose area, which is a problem area for most people, but I imagine it could be used to target other areas too. I tried it on my nose and my skin felt really cleansed and soft afterwards. I also really liked the Hair + nutri-injection which is designed to be left in hair after washing and conditioning. I did give it a little try. I washed my hair as normal and then put the cream through the ends before drying and styling. My hair was a bit heavier and limper than usual but I just wore it in a ponytail. When I next washed my hair I was delighted by how soft and shiny it was. Really great little find.

I went to see Lykke Li at Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith last night which was ruddy amazing, and I think I'm off out again today and tomorrow - despite my best intentions to have a quiet week. I am rubbish at lying in so feeling a little tired today. I could definitely do with a spritz of my new Unni Recipe vitamin re-charger mist to liven up my face for the day. Or a power nap.

What have you been up to this week? What do you think of my latest MEMEBOX?

Beauty Box: MEMEBOX Special #43

I get so excited when a MEMEBOX beauty box arrives. I always know that there will be at least one exciting, bizarre, or useful product nestled amidst the best of what the K-beauty scene has to offer. This box was a K-style special, which means it is based on all the latest beauty trends in Korea.

I'm in a bit of a make-up rut. I always go for the same daytime look and rarely mix-up my evening look. I guess I'm not all that adventurous with make-up, or at least have been less so since I grew out of my grungy teenage phase. It was really exciting to see this MEMEBOX filled with make-up goodies, and I received six full-size products. It gives me the perfect excuse to try out a couple of new looks, and sample some Korean make-up at the same time. I was particularly excited to find a Tonymoly tattoo eyebrow pen in my box as it's exactly the right shade for me, and promises to keep eyebrows in order for up to seven days. I don't have a lot of eyebrow so I tend to give them a little bit of definition, and it'd be great if this stayed put for a few days - one less thing to remember in the morning. I'll have to be really careful when applying it though, I don't want wonky eyebrows for the best part of a week! I also liked the look of the Vella BB cream. BB creams are everywhere now but this one is filled with flower extracts and smells really nice. MEMEBOX suggest using it in collaboration with another product in the box, Secret Kiss' make-up base. The light-weight, silky primer also contains flower extracts and can be used as a highlighter too. MEMEBOX suggest mixing it with the BB cream for a natural glow. My face is going to smell so pretty. I am going through a bit of a floral phase at the moment, as there isn't much much in the way of flowers left outside, so these two products will hopefully help to brighten my day.

MEMEBOX also included some colour adding items to include in my make-up routine. I'm particularly fond of Style Y's lip and cheek tint. The pink shade looks pretty garish but actually leaves a nice glow. It reminds me of spring time and meadows and lots of other romantic clichés. But I think two is probably enough.

I really liked this beauty box, and I think MEMEBOX are consistently good at providing an innovative and exciting range of contents. Of course, their concept won't appeal to everyone as some of the stuff can be pretty novel and unfamiliar. But if you don't mind the unusual, it sure beats a box full of body creams and nail varnishes.

Have you tried MEMEBOX yet? What new make-up trends are you going to try this winter?

Beauty Box: MEMEBOX X Coffee with Dani

I’m late to the party. Again. But I have finally caught the MEMEBOX bug. The beauty box company is the leading Korean beauty retailer and it provides innovative and exciting boxes with products sourced directly from Korea. I am officially hooked.

I chose a collaboration box by Coffee Break with Dani because I always enjoy testing out products chosen by beauty bloggers with more experience and knowledge than me. Apparently Dani was one of the first bloggers to start reviewing MEMEBOX.

I have always wanted to go to East Asia. And visting South Korea’s capital, Seoul, is high up on my bucket list - especially now that I know how interesting the K-Beauty scene is. I think the area really appeals to me because the culture and lifestyle is just so different. It would be refreshing to visit somewhere that is really quite untouched by Western culture. A close friend of mine is currently living in Hong Kong and I am desperate to get over there for a visit before she heads home. 

Anyhoo.

Although a beauty box is a rather small, insignificant thing, I think it shows, on a fairly shallow level, just how different other parts of the world are. The Korean take on design and ingredients would definitely be considered unusual around here. I think it's great. I absolutely loved the small bottle of Hanskin Bio Origin Royal Ampoule BB Cream complete with a small pipette to release the small drop of cream that is apparently all that's required. I’ve also been intending to buy a new eye cream for ages, having reached an age where I feel preventative aging measures are necessary, and the tube of Chamos Acaci Snail Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream will last me ages – if I can get used to applying snail slime to my face.

I really couldn’t fault this box. It was an absolute pleasure to explore all the goodies I received. I can’t wait to try out the tiny nail masks by Kocosar and to give myself a thoroughly good scrub with the Golden Glove Exfoliating Gloves. I definitely think that beauty boxes this side of the world could learn a thing or two from MEMEBOX – I can’t remember ever getting EIGHT full-size products in a box before.

Have you tried MEMEBOX? What unusual items did you discover?