little white truths

In my Memebox experience (which, it must be said, isn't super extensive), the more expensive boxes do tend to be more hit than miss: I've had a few boxes arrive that I haven't been impressed by, and they were all $23 boxes. So I might keep that in mind once my self-imposed spending ban is lifted and I'm free to choose another box.

Before we get stuck into things, here are my January Affiliate Codes:

Just click the Memebox banner to the right of this blog, or click here to enter the Memebox website and start shopping!

This box, as the title suggests, was compiled based on bloggers' personal beauty picks from other Memeboxes. If I see another box like this come up, I'm definitely hoping to snatch one (and am saving all my review points so it won't cost me anything!). 

I think it's a great idea to curate boxes based on what the beauty community thinks of particular products.

Eight full-sized items - waaaahhhoooo!

As usual I'll go through each item in turn now, and then update this post once I've used things and can comment on them. I'll also likely do stand-alone, full reviews on the items over time.

Please note that all prices listed below are in USD.

N.S.M ReBorn Tint (RRP $18 for 5g)

You could have received either the CC Sorbet Melting Tint, the Exciting Snow Cooling Tint or the Sorbet Tint. I got the CC Sorbet Melting Tint.

According to the card, these products create a bio-film over lips to protect and maintain moisture and nutrition within. The texture distinguishes these products; the moment you apply them, they will instantly melt into your lips with a soothing and cooling feeling without being too glossy or sticky.

Sounds interesting! I'm definitely looking forward to giving this one a crack.

Full review here. As you can see, it's super bright and therefore probably not for everyone, although I'm sure you could dumb it down with a pale gloss over the top. In any event, you need a gloss (or at least I do) because it's a very drying product. It's basically like colouring in your lips with texta - not that I've ever done that but hopefully you know what I mean (!). The benefit of that is: it stays put.

I like it. I'll use it. Yay.

LadyKin Aqua Exfoliator for Body (RRP $14 for 150ml)

This is enriched with cellulose components from papaya and pineapple extracts, and apparently removes all bodily dead skin cells and impurities without you having to scrub down hard enough to stimulate sensitive skin.

To use, spray it all over and then softly roll away the dead skin cells. You apply it after the shower.

I definitely don't have anything like this in stock, so I'm looking forward to using it.

UPDATE: Full review here. This is a seriously ridiculous product. I quote: 'spray it all over and then softly roll away the dead skin cells'.

All this product does is coat your body in a layer of film, and that's what you'll have to 'roll away'. It does nothing to exfoliate your skin - unless you count the part where you have to scrub yourself down with a towel after using it, in an attempt to remove said film.

Did I mention the word ridiculous? You're better off applying it before your shower (because it smells nice and has a cooling effect) and then washing it off, to save yourself the hassle of removing it without water.

Croquis Dual Concealer (RRP $27 for 8.1g)

I was super excited when I saw the Croquis box in this pack. I received the Croquis Alight Pact in Special #36 Meme's Pouch and love it to bits, so I have high hopes for this one!

The product contains an anti-wrinkle concealer and a spot concealer in both ends. You use the anti-wrinkle concealer over areas with fine lines and wrinkles, and apply the spot concealer over red spots and breakouts/imperfections.

My challenge now will be to finish the concealers I have open before opening this one!

UPDATE: I'm still familiarising myself with this product, but I've used it enough to give some initial comments here before doing a full review later on.

At first I thought it was pretty rubbish - it's very runny and can be a little hard to use because it can slip off the area you've applied it to - but after having played around with it some more, if you apply it more thickly it actually conceals pretty well. You can probably see that from the swatch below - it's paint-like in texture and look.

How I use this is: put the lighter colour on your under-eye bags (to bring them forward) and the darker colour on the skin above the bags and under the lashline (to bring that area back). I've found this is the best way to conceal dark circles and I love receiving products that have two shades, allowing you to do this.

A product I'm liking more than I first thought: it certainly pays to play around with things properly before discounting them.

Hair+ Velvet Nutri-injection (RRP $5 for 12ml)

This is for people with dry and damaged hair (that's me!). After washing you apply it throughout your towel-dried hair, especially at the ends.

Despite the fact I have enough unopened hair products laying around to last me a decade, I'm excited about this one and it may just jump ahead in the queue ; )

UPDATE: This product is fine, it's just not the best hair moisturiser of this nature that I've used. Full review here. It has a chemical smell and doesn't do much to tame flyaways, and while it does add some moisture, it also has a tendency to weigh your hair down.

Still, it's a good purse-sized hair product and it will get used.

Evas Cosmetics Vitamin Cleansing Dessert (RRP $18 for 130g)

I received 01 Berry Mix of the four available options. Apparently these cleansers completely remove makeup and impurities to give you the best down-to-the-pore clean feeling. Micro bubbles penetrate deep into the pores to extract blackheads, whiteheads and acne-causing bacteria, giving you flawless skin.

Hmm big claims - and we know how big claims make me suspicious! Still, I'll definitely use this and I'm happy with the inclusion.

UPDATE: Full review here. Unfortunately I don't think much of this cleanser, and it's gone straight to the body wash section in the shower. In short, it's super thick and doesn't foam particularly well as claimed, plus the container design isn't great - so it's going to be hard to get the product out once I'm halfway through the tub.

It's a bit of a saccharine-smelling mess that doesn't seem to clean that well. I've seen that a lot of people don't think much of this, so it's hard to imagine how it wound up in a bloggers' picks box?

23 Years Old Air-laynic Pore Mask (RRP $14 for one)

Is it just me, or does receiving a product shaped like a syringe freak you out a bit? I'm sure the company's aiming to make this item look all scientific and shit - like you're giving yourself an injection of some amazeballs elixir - but the packaging actually turns me off.

Anyhoo. This product contains gel that tightens enlarged pores and fights against blemishes on the nose and cheeks (the most sensitive and oily parts of your face). To use, you spread the gel over the included sheet masks and place those over your nose and cheeks, then sit back for 30 mins before rinsing off.

Sounds like too much hard work to me, but I'll no doubt use it at some point.

UPDATE: I just used this and absolutely hated it - everything about it. It's weird and thick like some kind of wobbly slime, plus it bubbles (worryingly: I wasn't keen on putting it on my skin), smells disgusting and chemical and just off, and the feel of it on my skin was so yuck (thick and oozy and bubbly and globby) that I only lasted 15 min with it on, rather than the suggested 20-30 min.

Yuck gross yuck. Won't be going near this again. Did it do anything? Who knows. I was too concerned with scrubbing every last ounce of it off me that my skin looked a bit raw afterwards anyway.

Purebess Galactomyces 100% (RRP $15 for 50ml)

Now this one appeals. It works not only to lock in moisture but also to rid your skin of residues piled up in your pores and remove fine lines along your contours, leaving your skin glowing.

From the looks of things, you use it in place of toner, after cleansing and before moisturising. I might actually contact Memebox to confirm this - I've found once before that the function of an item wasn't completely clear and Memebox was helpful in confirming usage for me.

UPDATE: I'm not getting any love from this product. Full review here. It's the second one of these waters I've tried and I haven't seen results from either of them. Indeed, they seem to be drying more than anything else and don't add anything to my skincare routine.

You apply it without a cotton pad (unlike most toners) but if I don't see some results soon, I might start using it instead of my toner once that runs out, just so that it at least might perform some kind of grime-removing function. I'll let you know how it fares when used that way if I do.

Secret Key Color Recipe The Pink Cream (RRP $34 for 55g)

This specifically targets signs of fine wrinkles and lines on your face, and works to tighten and lift dry, sagging skin for a more youthful, healthier-looking complexion.

To use, you massage it all over your face until all the capsules from the cream pop and absorb completely into the skin.

Sounds fun! I like products that are interesting to use so I might really enjoy using this one.

UPDATE: I quite like this product (full review here). It's not really a cream (it's clear like a gel, and feels like one) and it has a slight brightening, tightening effect - kind of like it's performing a toning action. My skin definitely looks fresher after using it, but it's not particularly moisturising/hydrating so it's not one I can use on its own: I prefer applying it throughout the day over makeup.

Verdict

For a $32 outlay, the RRP value of this box is $145. Not bad!

It contains a good, interesting mix of products and I suspect I'll use and keep everything.

It's one of the better boxes I've received and I'm glad I chose it - it was one of the last boxes I ordered before my self-imposed spending ban, so it's nice to be going out on a bang ; )