Memebox (미미박스) Black Friday Special 5 + January Discount Codes

A few days ago I started sorting my skincare stash by expiration date, and also opened a few Memeboxes that I set aside for photographing and reviewing. I must’ve been in some kind of daze, because I have no recollection of buying Black Friday Special #5, so I initially assumed it must’ve been sent to me by mistake and I never noticed. Then I went to my account order history, and sure enough, it was there. Looks like I needed more rest than I realized [November and December were mentally straining months for me for various reasons].

As you see, Memebox was trying something different by making info cards available online instead of sending them to us, but I don’t think they stuck with that for long, because all 2015 boxes are reported to have an actual printed product card, which supposedly looks higher quality than before. I still haven’t received any of my January boxes [bought two for myself and one to Naked Box break up into gifts], so I’ll let you know if it’s true.

HOW IT WORKS
Memebox Global 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. As of February 10th 2015 Memebox will only ship to US, Korea, and China. All themed boxes tend to sell out fast, so by the time you read this review this particular box might not be available for sale anymore.
Click here to see available boxes.

COUPON CODES
Take $3 off your order of $30 or more using code LODCS6. Expires 1/31/2015.
Take $5 off your purchase of 3 boxes or more using code MEMEBUNDLE3.
Take $8 off your purchase of 4 boxes or more using code MEMEBUNDLE4.
Get free shipping on orders above $70 from Memeshop using code FREESHIPPING.

If you don’t feel like reading my full review, I was basically very impressed how fast it works, and how great it feels on the skin. Snail slime filtrate was clinically proven to be a godsend for fine lines and wrinkles, while bee venom tricks your skin into thinking that you’ve been stung, so it produces extra doses of collagen and speeds up the recovery, so you can finally say good bye to those old acne scars. This stuff works. I didn’t believe it, then I tried it, and now I’m hooked. Sure, there are many wonderful and super effective creams that cost over a hundred bucks, but for $15 this one is not just a steal, it’s a Heist of the Century!

A.H.C Hologram Moisture Serum – At first I was like “yay, what a cool-looking product!”, then I took a closer look at the ingredient list, all baffled why they would charge so much for a little bit of cream encased in rubbing alcohol jello. Not going to lie, it’s a beautiful bottle that really looks impressive, but I wish they’d at least suspend that formula in aloe vera gel or something; it can’t be that expensive, right?

How to use: Apply evenly to skin after cleansing and toning, and pat in for full absorbance. Suitable for all skin types. I personally don’t recommend using it at all.

Memebox marked in red that this serum is best by November 2015, which I guess is still more than enough time to use it if you start right away, or soon, but most likely mine won’t be used much. On the topic of alcohol in skin care, Paula’s Choice has a great article on their website explaining why it’s bad. Basically, even if you think your skin can tolerate it, that doesn’t mean it’s actually true – you simply don’t see the damage yet. And no, I didn’t always know that, and now acting like a smartypants. It’s a recent discovery for me, too, so now I am even more selective about my skin care products.

SHARA SHARA Top Talented Skin BB SPF34 PA++ – Memebox loves sending us BB and CC creams, and so far many of them were a good match for my complexion, because of my crazy mix of undertones.

How to use: Apply to moisturized face and blend outward starting from the center for luminous complexion. Suitable for dry, normal, and combination skin.

The color is around NW15 with strong yellow tones, which is fine with me because my skin runs a tad yellow anyway. The coverage is medium, so it won’t hide imperfections, but it does even out the skin tone pretty well.

DEARBERRY Ice Cream Hand Cream 04 Vanilla – Yum! This delicious mini hand cream comes in a tiny squeeze tube that’s perfect for carrying around in a purse without adding extra bulk. I don’t think the formula is anything extraordinary, but at least it smells like vanilla cupcakes that brighten up the day.

How to use: Massage a small amount of cream into hands as often as desired. Suitable for normal and oily skin.

Since the formula is not very nourishing, this would be a great hand cream to carry around in the Summer, because it’s non-sticky and absorbs fast. And of course, even though it’s probably unintended, but I associate ice cream with warm weather 🙂

DEARBERRY Kiss of Berry Tint Lip Balm – I try to not use mineral oil-based lip products, so I will be passing this one along to someone else. The balm comes in a lovely tin that looks like a great size to keep on a bedside table or carry around in your purse. Unfortunately, this is a double lose for me, because I’m also not a fan of dipping my fingers into staining lip products – it’s so messy!

How to use: Apply lip balm with a finger or a makeup brush to the lips as often as necessary. Suitable for all skin types.

THE VERDICT
Benton Steam Cream is the saving grace of this box. I can see that some might look at the retail price of the swirly serum and get super impressed, but honestly, I would have much preferred a $15 Benton essence or toner instead. I will eventually get to Shara Shara BB cream and Dearberry hand cream, but I doubt either of those will get used up before the expiration date.