After first seeing the contents of the original Fermented Cosmetics Superbox, I felt like I missed out majorly and decided to purchase the second edition if it was ever offered. And here it is! Knowing that every product inside will be full-sized, I was really excited to finally dig in and discover some new beauty treasures.
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
Take $5 off any purchase using code EUXACK. Not my code, actually, I didn’t get one for August 🙁
Take $5 off your purchase of 3 boxes or more using code MEMEBUNDLE3.
Take 10% off your purchase of $100 or more using code 10%OFF$1004U.
Take $8 off your purchase of 4 boxes or more using code MEMEBUNDLE4.
Wish Formula Panda Eye Essence Mask – I’ve been eyeing [no pun intended!] these masks at Wishtrend for a while now, because they claim to effectively combat those dreaded undereye circles. Each mask pack comes with two eye patches, thoroughly soaked in solution, enriched with vitamins C, E, and various fermented plant extracts, that work to brighten the area and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
The manufacturer recommends leaving these masks on the skin for 20-30 minutes, and keeping the rest in the fridge so they provide cooling and de-puffing effect when used. The company also claims that it’s safe to leave them on overnight. I roll around too much, otherwise I’d be up for trying that for sure. So far i used this mask once, and while I definitely saw some noticeable brightening in my undereye area, that effect was temporary and only lasted a few hours. I did not notice any visible changes to my fine lines, not even temporarily, like with some other masks, however, my skin felt very soft and nourished, and that feeling lasted for days. I would definitely buy these eye masks again, but without counting too much on their wrinkle-reducing promises.
Wish Formula Aesthetic Reparative-K Cream – This cream is sold as part of Wishtrend’s professional line of products, and can’t be purchased on their site [you have to email them to inquire about salon-grade skincare], so I’m excited, because I don’t think I could get my hands on it any other way. It was formulated using top-grade ingredients for people with ultra-sensitive skin, painful skin conditions, and those recovering from plastic surgery.
The formula features well-known ingredients, such as centella asiatica extract, jojoba oil, wheat oil, sunflower seed oil, and panthenol, that will soothe and moisturize the skin, and create a protective barrier to shield it from elements. I don’t plan to use it just yet, but I was really curious to find out how it feels, so I tried it on the back of my hand and really liked the result. My skin became instantly plumper and softer, and felt very comfortable. I was afraid this cream would be too sticky or too rich, but it absorbed very quickly, leaving no film behind.
SOYBIO+ Fermented Soap – Skin care soaps are huge in Korea, and because there is so much competition, the quality is also much higher. But high quality comes with high price tag, and this one is fairly expensive. I know most of us would never spend more than $10 on a bar of soap, so I was shocked to see it sold for $32 [and that was the lowest price on gMarket!]. So if you want to try one, I’d recommend checking out eBay – people putting up these soaps for sale don’t know their real value, and you can score one really really cheap.
Memebox says this soap is very effective at dissolving impurities and removing makeup, while being gentle on the skin. Consider me intrigued! I have two cleansers open right now, but as soon as those are empty, I will add this soap to my rotation. Anybody here tried this one yet? What do you think so far?
Boscians 5th Edition Cycle Repair Whitening Spot – I’ve seen Boscians BB cream reviews around the blogosphere, but that’s about it. I do have some skin discolorations on my right cheek, neck, and chest that I would love to brighten a little bit, but I’m not putting too much faith into a cream that’s under $10. I will try it for sure, but will keep my expectations realistic.
According to Memebox, this spot treatment is enriched with various fermented extracts and hyaluronic acid, that work to brighten the skin and increase its elasticity. Since this is a targeted spot treatment, it has to be applied directly to the treatment area, rather than spreading it all over like a moisturizer. It doesn’t say anywhere how often this treatment should be used, so I’ll start with once a day and see if that’s enough, based on my skin’s reaction.
Tosowoong Time Shift Skin Toner – Tosowoong is a Korean cosmetics company that is better known in the US for their makeup [particularly their UD-quality Makeon eyeliners], but they make all sorts of beauty products, from tools to skin care.
First of all, woah, I think this is the first real Korean toner that I tried! I vaguely remember seeing on Wishtrend a few months ago, but never thought I’d ever actually own it. I already knew that what we call toners over here and Asian toners are very different. This toner is not another step of cleansing routine, and not an astringent – it’s like a lightweight essence to seal in moisture. The consistency is very similar to boosters and other essences I tried, and I’m guessing it should be used in the same manner – by being lightly patted into the skin right after cleansing.
Dermahouse Galactomyces Wrinkle Care Essence Mask – You all know my unhealthy obsession with sheet masks, and the only thing I was sad about here is the fact that we only got one. Considering that Dermahouse masks are fairly inexpensive, I feel like Memebox could have included at least another one or two.
According to Memebox, this particular mask is soaked in a whole bottle of galactomyces and adenosine ampoule, and is supposed to make the skin firmer and brighter. I don’t know about the tightening effect, but galactomyces really do seem to make my skin look brighter, even if only temporarily.
The Skin House Face Calming Galactomyces Cream – This cream is cheap. Like, really cheap [current gMarket sale makes it even cheaper]. But you know what, I love it! I know it’s crazy to proclaim love for a skin care product after trying it only a few times, but my skin actually felt better and looked amazing after just one use. I wonder if it contains ingredients similar to my other all-time favorite Dear by Enprani Bounce Cheese Cream? I think they even smell the same.
Memebox doesn’t give this moisturizer a lengthy description, they mostly mention that it soothes and replenishes moisture to reveal healthier-looking complexion. The consistency of this cream was perfect for my combination skin – it was rich, but not too rich, and absorbed really well. I’ve been applying it at night for about a week now, and I really like how my skin looks and feels in the morning – it’s smooth and soft, but not over-moisturized. My only beef with this product is the packaging – I love my moisturizers to come in pump bottles, or at least squeeze tubes. However, at the speed I’ve been using it so far, I think I’ll empty it out way before it gets all gross and cross-contaminated.
D’RAN Wonder Serum for Regenerating & Firming – This serum was the first official spoiler for Fermented #2 box, but then Memebox sent everyone an email informing us that they received these serums with very little shelf life left, so they will be replaced with another product instead. Memebox also said they will include these serums anyway, in case we want to try them. That sure worked out for me!
With only a few months left until the expiration date, I made a habit to use this serum religiously every day, and really like how it feels on my skin so far. I don’t know if I’m seeing any actual improvements, but I do enjoy that grassy-floral scent, there is something oddly calming about it. My product card says this serum is enriched with seven powerful fermented plant extracts, snail slime, placenta [eek!], and peptides to effectively treat all visible signs of aging by increasing the speed of cell turnover and promoting skin elasticity.
THE VERDICT
This was clearly a very skincare-heavy box, but that was kind of obvious from the description. It will take me a while to give all of these wonderful products a thorough test drive, but I am very happy with the assortment I received. I already incorporated D’RAN serum and The Skin House cream into my routine, and will certainly find a use for the rest of the goodies. The value of this box was also outstanding! I paid $24.99 for this box, including shipping [using points and a discount code], and received a whopping $168 worth of products. Not too shabby! This just might be one of the most valuable Memeboxes to date.
Product | Retail value |
---|---|
Wish Formula Panda Eye Essence Mask | $8.97 |
Wish Formula Aesthetic Reparative-K Cream | $43.00 |
SOYBIO+ Fermented Soap | $32.00 |
Boscians Cycle Repair Whitening Spot | $8.99 |
Tosowoong Time Shift Skin Toner | $31.99 |
Dermahouse Galactomyces Wrinkle Care Essence Mask | $2.00 |
The Skin House Face Calming Galactomyces Cream | $7.17 |
D’RAN Wonder Serum for Regenerating & Firming | $34.79 |
Box Retail Value | $168.91 |