Hey y'all. So here's the thing. Back in the early Fall, just a little bit before the original blog was reborn as Kinseng.org, it started getting some traction. You know, racking up some views. The news updates may have had a little to do with it. With views will come press inquiries, it's only natural. But I DUN GOOFED. I took too many press samples because well, I was excited! And 2-3 months later, I'm finding myself still working through the backlog of promised reviews.
My intent going forward is to not only have Kinseng be a record of my Asian / Korean beauty diary, but also to showcase great lesser-known finds from (usually) Korea that have real potential to be something special. Like maybe they're super affordable and functional, or elaborate and innovative. Or maybe it's that the packaging is graced by angelic faces of beautiful K-pop bb's. I DON'T KNOW! But I would love for you to help me figure it out as we go along. This is #missionkinseng, to be a kind of Korean skincare finder, using my Korean language skills and my whopping case of skincare addiction for the greater good. While I'm excited to share this information with you, I won't be ready to do this until I work through the backlog of press samples past me (that derp!) accepted. Which brings me to today, which is a Mishibox unboxing.
Disclosure: This is a press sample, kindly sent from Mishibox.com. I am not compensated for my views. There are no affiliate links in this post. If you are curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.
Mishibox (pronounced "me-she") is a subscription Korean beauty box company AND a regular ol' online storefront as well. They send 4-6 products every month for $19.95. The boxes are a great value and if you stumble upon something that you really love, it's also available in the shop.
So in November's box came:
- 2 Etude House Age Defense samples, a Softener and an Emulsion
- A 15 pack of Tony Moly Fresh Cleansing Tissues (deluxe sample)
- 1 White Cat Spa Potion Aqua Wrinkle Mask
- 1 Secret Key Snail Repairing Eye Cream (full size/30 ml)
- 1 D'ran (pronounced "dee-rahn")Wonder Snail Treatment Cream (full size/100 ml)
In terms of evaluating whether or not you'd be getting value for your money.. if you had ordered the November box, it would have been a slam dunk. The D'ran cream alone retails for $40. So booya. It also comes with twice the regular amount of product.
I'll share a few thoughts on each item below. I'm going from least to most exciting this time around.
First, [NOT PICTURED] the Etude House Age Defense Essential Softener and Essential Emulsion samples were a complete bust for me. The softener (essence) contains a ton of alcohol. Alcohol is something I tend to avoid because of my Sisyphean struggle to keep my skin hydrated. It's already an uphill battle, especially in the winter. I don't need Etude House to push me down the hill. At. All. It also is just so perfumed, I literally thought I was rubbing Viktor Rolf's Flower Bomb on myself. When you start to wonder if you skincare is in fact perfume, that's not a good thing in my opinion anyway. The emulsion, I couldn't get out of the bottle to try it at all, so that was a wash.
Next, the Tony Moly Fresh Cleansing Tissues are a win. Not in the "Wee, it's gonna be good for my skin" way, but more in the "YES, ENABLE my laziness" kind of way for those nights I really just can't be bothered with doing a full-on routine. So basically, Mishibox sent me another skincare KFC double down. But to be fair, the ingredients list on this one is not awful. It's the tugging and the not double-cleansing part that makes me go hmm... and use them anyway.
Like most cleansing tissues, they're good for getting off most base makeup, eyeshadows, blushes, and lip products but they're also a major fail when it comes to water resistant eyeliners, mascaras, and lip products.
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| If you want to stick your hand through the computer screen and adjust that nose flap, you're not alone. I want to too. |
The White Cat Spa Potion Aqua Wrinkle Mask is a very solid mask. A notch above an Etude House or a Tony Moly mask due to its generous fit and soft cotton material. And just a slight notch below a Leader's Insolution mask, in terms of overall results. The White Cat does extremely well at moisturizing, but fails to deliver much else. In the short-term anyway. It's a pity it's priced at $3 compared to Leader's $2. I would repurchase this at the right price.
The Secret Key Snail Repairing Eye Cream packs two high-powered brighteners into the formula, arbutin and niacinamide, in relatively large quantities, if we're to assume that Secret Key chose to list the ingredients in descending order. Add to that the emollience of macadamia nut oil, snail secretion filtrate, squalane, among others, and we've got ourselves an eye cream with a lot of potential. I have absolutely nothing but nice to say about this product. It feels rich and nourishing, without being heavy. Perhaps my only complaint is that, it can't fix my disillusionment with eye creams overall. My dark circles are permanently affixed to my face because - bone structure. (Note: this product also contains fatty alcohols and vegetable oil, in case you are prone to clogged pores or milia.)
My now empty D'ran Wonder Snail Treatment Cream container is in front of me, reminding me how excellent this cream was. If you'd like to read my full review on this cream, check out my Dry Skin Megapost, written for those contending with extremely dry skin, and currently braving either tretinoin-face (the dry, flaky skin brought on by prescription anti-aging and acne medication retin-A) or winter conditions. But the quick and slime-y on this product is that, on the nights I applied it as a night cream or sleeping pack, I awoke to baby soft skin. It was wonderful. If you ask me whether I would repurchase it, I would say that I would, if the scent wasn't a strong baby powder / floral scent.
If you want to check out Mishibox's store or subscription service, and it's your first time, my referral link will get you $5 off of your first $30 purchase.
Are you subscribed to Mishibox yet?
What did you think about this latest box?
Disclosure: This is a press sample, kindly sent from Mishibox.com. I am not compensated for my views. There are no affiliate links in this post. If you are curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.
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