When Memebox announced the release of Chocolate Mania Box, I instantly thought that it must be the unofficial second edition of the Cacao box. I love chocolate-scented products, so I had a feeling I would love whatever is inside no matter what! Chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and minerals, making it an irresistible treat for any skin type.
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. Memebox ships internationally, so make sure to check on their website and see if they ship in your country – chances are they do. 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
!Six Digit November Affiliate Code! Take $5 off your order of $30 or more using code ZTE2V0 or Q8J3LJ. Expires 11/30/2014.
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.
Order over $100 using this link and receive $5 off automatically at checkout, no code required.
Order over $150 using this link and receive $10 off automatically at checkout, no code required.
Skinfood Cacao Hand Balm – Skinfood is one of the most well-known Korean beauty brands, and also one of the best within that upper end drugstore range. The company’s mission is to “feed the skin”, so they always utilize edible ingredients, like fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, etc…
How to use: Gently massage a small amount into your hands. Suitable for all skin types.
This hand balm comes in a pot, and has a thick balmy consistency, sort of like a hair pomade. It’s very rich and moisturizing, and absorbs into the skin instantly. Paired with delicious scent of sweet chocolate frosting, I think it’s one of the best hand products I received in a Memebox.
Neogen Code9 Gold Cacao Cream – Memebox claims this moisturizer is good for all skin types. They couldn’t be more wrong! I have combination skin, which can get sensitive and dehydrated during the colder months, so being the goofball I am, I didn’t think twice and used this cream as a finishing touch of my nighttime routine. I woke up to the worst case of blackheads. Literally, every single pore on my face had a little gray cap on it; I could tell my skin was suffocating. It took five different cleansers, a konjac sponge and a brush to clear them out.
How to use: Apply a thin layer at the end of your skincare routine [after cleansing, toning, serums, essences, ampules, boosters etc] and gently pat in until full absorption. Best suited for dry skin.
I’m not trying to bash this moisturizer, in fact, Neogen is one of the most-loved Korean skincare brands. The ingredients look fantastic, and this is definitely a godsend for dry skin. However, if you also bought Chocomania box, and you have combination or oily skin, I highly recommend finding some other use for it, or gifting it. It’s a bad product for you, trust me! My plan is to slather it all over myself like body butter, because I hate being wasteful, I only hope it doesn’t make my body pores all clogged up, like it did on my face.
Zamian Super Gold Cacao Pack – It’s not often that we get wash-off masks from Memebox. Usually it’s sleeping packs, sheet masks, or one of those awesome peeling gels. According to Memebox, this mask contains cacao powder and real gold flecks to nourish and firm the skin.
How to use: Apply a generous layer to clean dry skin, wait 10-20 minutes, and wash off with lukewarm water. Use twice a week for best results. Recommended for all skin types, especially for problem skin.
I have not tried this yet because I still have about a third of WondeRuci mask from Cacao box left, but from what I hear this one is a lot easier to remove. I remove masks with a wet konjac sponge, so I personally never have that problem, but I can see how it could be annoying.
Shara Shara Tempting Avocado Chocolate Massage Cream – This is another wash-off mask [two in one box?]. I decided to give it a try, because it seemed to target different skin concerns than WondeRuci: it contains a blend of cocoa butter and avocado oil to deeply nourish, soothe, and restore radiance to dry and mature skin.
How to use: Apply a generous layer to clean dry skin, wait 5 minutes, and wash off with lukewarm water. This mask contains mineral oil, I recommend washing it off with a mild cleanser to prevent clogging the pores. Suitable for all skin types.
Even though I’m not a huge fan of Shara Shara brand in general, I try to keep an open mind in hopes that one day I will like something of theirs. Unfortunately, today is not that day. It didn’t really do anything for my skin, and when I took a closer look at the ingredients, I instantly knew why – it contains mostly chemicals, like silicones, parabens, and petrolatum, and all the good stuff is listed at the bottom of the list, making me think that the amounts are probably very measly. I will not be reaching for it again, that’s for sure.
Missha Cacao & Cream Facial Scrub – Missha was my “gateway drug” into the world of Korean skincare, but recently I haven’t been keeping up with their releases, although their Signature BB Cream is still my makeup staple. This facial scrub contains shea butter and cacao butter to moisturize the skin; and clusters of cocoa powder provide gentle exfoliation.
How to use: Massage gently over cleansed skin for a minute and wash off with lukewarm water. Suitable for all skin types.
I like this scrub, it seems to be very gentle, maybe even too gentle for my liking. I’ve been into exfoliating powders lately because they seem to offer just the right amount of scrubbing for my skin, but I’ll use this one, too. And who can resist a product that smells like cookies and cream? Yum!
Binu Cook Cacao Choco Pie Soap – Oh my word, they really made this soap look like one of those individually wrapped choco pies, and smells like one, too. I was totally fooled! I loved those things as a kid, so this cute soap hit a home run with me.
How to use: Lather up with water and use the foam to wash your face, hands, and body. Suitable for all skin types.
I can hardly resist licking it, it has the most amazing sweet chocolate fragrance, that doesn’t smell like fake chemicals. Binu Cook make all-natural beauty products, including soaps, and also sell everything needed to create your own – from cute molds and gift packaging, to natural essential oils and moisturizing soap base. I never tried making my own soaps before, but I like the idea of a customized DIY kit, I think it would make a great gift.
dearberry Miss Mona Lisa Eyebrow 01 Choco Brownie – This dual ended twist-up eyebrow pencil has a color stick on one end and an eyebrow brush on another. As far as I know, everyone received the same color – Choco Brownie, which works for fair to tan skin complexions.
How to use: Fill in the brows using the colored tip and brush to make them look well-groomed. Suitable for all skin types.
I wasn’t really that excited about this brow pencil, probably because I already have several that I use right now in colors that match my hair and skin tone better than this one. Also, the colored tip was really hard and had “bloom” on it, which isn’t toxic, but looks pretty gross.
Purederm Choco Cacao Collagen Mask – What kind of Memebox would it be if it didn’t come with a sheet mask or two? This particular mask works to brighten the skin and improve cell turnover with camellia, cacao, and witch hazel extracts.
How to use: Apply the sheet mask to cleansed and toned skin, wait 20-30 minutes, then discard the sheet and pat in the remaining essence until absorbed. Suitable for all skin types, especially problem skin.
Purederm makes nice inexpensive sheet masks, and I always thought they were pretty decent quality. They are drenched in essence, almost to the point of being too slimey, but in this case too much is better than too little, right? I simply shake off the excess and enjoy the pampering experience.
THE VERDICT
As you can see, Chocolate Mania box was literally loaded with products! I like that there was a nice variety of goodies to choose from for any skin type and concern, so no one was left out. My personal favorites are Purederm sheet mask, Skinfood hand salve, and Binu Cook choco pie soap. I’m sure I will fall in love with Missha scrub and Zamian pack when I get a chance to use them more than once. Products I didn’t care for were dearberry brow pencil and Shara Shara mask, because they didn’t pass my vague quality control. I’m not including Neogen moisturizer here, because it seems like a really great product, but it was too much for my combination skin. Overall, this was a well-curated selection of beauty products, and definitely one of my favorite Memeboxes to date.
| Product | Retail value |
|---|---|
| Skinfood Cacao Hand Balm | $3.92 |
| Neogen Code9 Gold Cacao Cream | $22.82 |
| Zamian Super Gold Cacao Pack | $16.45 |
| Shara Shara Tempting Avocado Chocolate Massage Cream | $7.75 |
| Missha Cacao & Cream Facial Scrub | $13.00 |
| Binu Cook Cacao Choco Pie Soap | $4.11 |
| dearberry Miss Mona Lisa Eyebrow | $2.00 |
| Purederm Choco Cacao Collagen Mask | $2.00 |
| Box Retail Value | $72.05 |
that’s a good box
It was loooooaded! I wish I could use that Neogen moisturizer, it has some seriously great ingredients. Dry-skinned ladies that bought this box really lucked out 🙂