Friday 3 October 2014

Memebox Special #34 Whole Grain 2


Top row, left to right
Seven DIAS Medi Anti-Blemish Serum
My skin issues are in the exact opposite end of the spectrum of blemishes, so this thing will go directly into my gift/trade/sell-pile. Too bad, it actually seems like it contains some of those nice heavy hitting ingredients.

Young Face Nuruk Natural Mask & Scrub
Nuruk is a type of kneaded flour that releases konjic acid which is one of the new wonders of skincare. So far so good, but: You mix the powder with water, milk, honey or yogurt, apply the paste to your face, put a gauze mask over that, then add another layer and leave it for a while.
So not only do I have to mix it myself, I also need to purchase some gauze and cut it into shape and all?
See petty, lazy complaint at the OMG box about my dislike for DIY in beauty stuff.

Echoice Wash Oatmeal Body Scrub
Nice little body scrub with walnuts and oatmeal.

Tosowoong Timeshift Emulsion
I think I’ve never owned a real honest emulsion before? I have the toner in this line too, it came from my jackpot box. Funny coincidence. I will move the toner out of my storage and use these two together.

Bottom row, left to right
Young Face Natural Soap
Seriously, on the little pamphlet thing, this soap looks like a slice of cheese. Like a slice of pecorino cheese with some blue mould going on at the edge. Why does this thing look like a cheese? Who decided that that was the most flattering picture?

Osho Whitening Cream
This should be a prop in some sci-fi movie. Seriously. A shiny white orb with a sort of slightly reflective, glistening finish to it. It’s probably a good cream though.

Verdict
I’m pretty excited about the emulsion. 
Happy with the body scrub. 
Neutral about the cream. 
Mildly uninterested in the DIY mud mask powder-thing. 
Totally uninterested in the soap. 
The anti blemish serum just wouldn’t be right for my skin.

Hmm. Yea, I think this just adds up to a whole lot of “meh”, unfortunately.

Gotta give it to Memebox though: This box stayed on message and kept the promise as all the products contained grains, some even of several kinds.

Thursday 2 October 2014

Memebox Special #32 OMG 2

So the OMG series was supposed to be the funniest, weirdest and freakiest products that are available in Korean beauty. Snake venom, exotic plant extracts, bee venom, bizarre ingredients in the strangest and most interesting products.
But the first OMG-box was widely criticised for not being OMG at all. The products were nice and all, but bloggers were unhappy with the lack of “OMG” to them.
I first encountered the Memebox too late to order the first OMG-box, but I’d have to say some of the “normal” stuff I’ve received before are far more OMG than the first OMG-box from what I can tell.
I’d also say that in my experience, some times some boxes just completely and totally fail to live up to their initial description.
Still, I ordered the second OMG box when I saw it on the website. (And the third. And the fourth)


Top row, left to right
Seatree: Syn-Ake Total Solution
You randomly received one of two Seatree products and I received the total solution instead of the essence.
This contains syn-ake peptides which are similar to snake venom and hylaluronic acid. So, this doesn’t even contain snake venom, but something chemically similar.
Yea, not OMG.

Priori Aroma Ac Moisture Gel Mist 
It’s a moisture mist with a funny sort of gel-like consistency to it, like the name promised. With bee venom and a bunch of weird plant extracts in it.
It promises to "purify both my skin and my soul". What?
Maybe I’m hardened with this, but the bee venom doesn’t make me go “OMG”. The only OMG is the shameless description of “purifying my soul.” I repeat: What?

Cristallin Cellulose Mask
This is a sheet mask. Yea, that’s about it. A sheet mask made from plant cell wall material.
The only OMG-thing about this is the description: “The jelly-like texture feels like an octopus wrapped around your face.”
Uh. What.
The only “OMG” worthy about this is how little shame Memebox have about their descriptions.

Ladykin Vanpir Dark Repair Cream 
This is a moisturiser with melanin-inhibiting properties, so basically a whitening cream. It has little vampire fangs on the front of the jar.Yea. Not OMG-worthy either. It has a very thick consistency and a funny spicy scent.
Since I now have more creams than I can use and probably more on the way (21 boxes on the way between now and some time in November… Yea, I do think I have a problem, why do you ask?), I have adapted to my luxury problem and I will probably use some of the whitening creams on the scars on my shins instead of using body lotion. Not sure if I should feel bad about it or not.

Bottom row, left to right
Haruen Dorothy Haruen 
It took me a little while to figure this thing out: So, it’s a volcanic rock rollerball thingie that you roll on your face to absorb excess grease. Sounds to me like it would get kind of icky after a while.
Hubby took one look at it and asked if it was some sort of sex toy(!). His comment was “OMG!”-worthy, but the product isn’t. Also, I wouldn’t ever use this thing since my skin is slightly on the dry side.
Seriously, this is just an oil blotting paper that you have to reuse until it has absorbed too much grease and you don’t want to use it anymore.

Milky Dress Bohr-effect Carboxy Gel
Okay, take note, Memebox: This is how a sheet mask works:
  • Clean face
  • Open pack
  • Apply essence-soaked mask to face and chillax for half an hour or so
  • Remove mask and move on with your life

A mask should not work like this:
  • Clean face
  • Apply a gel to face
  • Massage gel into face
  • Open pack
  • Apply dry sheet paper mask to face
  • Massage more gel into paper mask

Why wasn’t the gel in the sheet mask already?
This actually makes me go “OMG”, but only for being so irritating and messy.
For those curios, the Bohr effect is that a low pH in the blood will increase the CO2 concentration in the blood, which makes the haemoglobin release oxygen. On the cardboard box it says it “Shrinks pores through Bohr-effect.”
I fail to see what this has to do with an unnecessarily troublesome skin product.

Verdict
Honestly, I’ve received more OMG-worthy items in non-OMG-themed boxes like the Memebox Special #31 Earth & Sea Cosmetics that contained an awesome volcanic ash “mud” mask that even made Mr. Igor curious enough to want to try it, a charcoal mask and a cleansing foam with collagen from pig skin and spider extract. Not impressed.

Sunday 28 September 2014

Not sure what to think

My Hubby has never really cared about my hair. In the beginning, he thought it was plain odd. Over the years, he seems to have a slightly amused but slightly indifferent attitude.

He will complain when I buy hair stuff, but likes to play around with the tassel of my braid. Especially when he can use it to tickle and irritate me!

But suddenly yesterday he said he wanted to “See more of my hair”. I wasn’t sure what he meant by that and I didn’t press for more information.

Hmm. Maybe I should do more fun thing with my hair instead of sticking it in my usual braid to braided Nautilus-thing when I’m around the house?