Memebox Korean Beauty Starter Kit Review #beginwithskin

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Memebox Korean Beauty Starter Kit is the first box that was curated by the USA team after the company made a decision to stop shipping Worldwide, except for US, China, and Korea. Most of these new bundles come as “naked” boxes, where the contents are completely revealed.

HOW IT WORKS: Memebox is not a typical subscription service. They periodically curate boxes filled with assorted beauty products popular among Koreans, and those Limited Edition bundles are sold on first come first serve basis. Prices vary depending on the type of the box. At this time Memebox ships to USA, China and Korea. All themed boxes tend to sell out fast, so by the time you read this review this particular box probably won’t be available for sale anymore. Click here to see available boxes.

Coupon codes:

• Use code FABFIVE to get $5 off $50 in Memebox USA shop and XO Memebox products. Can be used 3x per account.
• Use code SOOTHING10 to get 10% off your entire order when you buy Soothing Sista Eyeshadow Quad. Yes, it works on boxes, too!
• Use code WELCOME to get 15% off your first purchase. Works only for first-time customers.

Skinfood Black Sugar Cleansing Oil – The first step of Korean beauty routine is cleansing with an oil or a balm, so Memebox included this popular bestselling oil from Skinfood. It contains Brazilian black sugar, various fruit extracts, and minerals that help effectively dissolve makeup, oil, and lift up mineral sunscreen particles. It’s not the best cleansing oil I tried, but it works well enough and I look forward to incorporating it in my routine. keep in mind, it has to be used in tandem with a foaming cleanser.

How to use: Apply one-two pumps with dry hands to dry face, massage in, and wash off with lukewarm water. Suitable for all skin types.

It’s Skin Cleansing Foam – There were four variations of this cleanser sent out: Orange, Green grape, Pomegranate, and Banana, and I received the Orange one. Most Korean foaming cleansers don’t work well for my skin, so I was not expecting to like this one either, and sure enough, I didn’t. It has a pH level of 9.5, which is too high for my skin – these days I try to keep my foaming cleansers within pH5-7 range, and it seems to be working well so far.

How to use: Work a pearl-sized amount into foam and apply to wet skin, then wash off with lukewarm water.

Goodal Phytorain Murumuru Seed Hydro Serum – This serum is great for those days when my cheeks feel tight and dry, its nourishing concentrated formula offers deep nourishment and soothes irritation. Memebox also recommends mixing a few drops with your favorite foundation or BB cream for luminous finish. CosDNA analysis shows a couple yellow flags, but nothing in that ingredient list looks particularly alarming. I think we got a pretty nice product here!

How to use: Apply to cleansed and toned skin all over, or to areas that need an instant boost of hydration. Suitable for all skin types, except oily.

Tony Moly Bunny Mist – I’ve been wanting to get my hands on one of these bunny toners for a very long time, and kept hoping that it’ll show up in a Memebox one day. I got a different bunny – the perfume stick – so now I have this cute little guy, too. I like how it feels on the skin, and of course the adorable packaging, but I wish it had a micro-spray nozzle instead of the regular one. Did you know that Sephora now carries Tony Moly? I’m hoping that means they will add more lower end Korean brands as well, and it won’t be just SK-II, Dr. Jart and AmorePacific.

How to use: Hold your hand 12″ away from the face and spray onto the skin when you want to feel refreshed. Suitable for all skin types.

[BONUS] Meme Mask – Memebox included one of their Meme-branded hydrogel masks, which are actually quite nice. The price is on the lower end for gel masks, and the essence they’re soaked in provides cooling, soothing, and lifting effect. I like it!

How to use: Spread the mask sheet over cleansed and toned skin, and relax for 20-30 minutes, then remove the sheet and pat in the remaining essence. Suitable for all skin types.

THE VERDICT: This bundle is a decent value although it’s nowhere near as good as Memebox Global boxes used to be. I ended up liking everything, except the cleanser, which was the cheapest product anyway, so it’s no big deal.

Have you tried anything from these popular Korean brands? 

Product	Retail value
Skinfood Black Sugar Cleansing Oil	$8.80
It’s Skin Cleansing Foam	$2.99
Goodal Phytorain Murumuru Seed Hydro Serum	$34.00
Tony Moly Bunny Mist	$15.00
[BONUS] Meme Mask	$3.00
Box Retail Value	$63.79

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