Hi all! To make this post less than the length of a full thesis, I will get right to the point: products purchased from Beautyboxkorea (part 1) and Jolse (part 2).
Here is an overview of the purchase from Beautybox:
Once again, Beautybox is definitely the deity of packaging. Everything was so securely wrapped in their bubble wraps--to the point no boxes were dog-eared, no papers were bent, etc. Leave it to Beautybox to give the most excellent packaging service. Your products will arrive in top-notch condition, I assure you.
First off, you might spot some non-beauty products. I recently discovered the Korean brand Marymond, which sells various products with beautiful pressed-flower patterns. These pressed flowers were created originally by Korean "comfort" women (victims of sexual slavery by Japanese troops during 1931-1945). Marymond redesigns these pressed flowers into gorgeous patterns with an ethereal feel to them. The brand also supports and donates to these "comfort women" through their profits. When you purchase from this brand, you not only buy a unique fashion piece--you are also supporting their cause.
(If you keep up with Mamonde, one of their cushion designs was a collaboration with Marymond.)
Anyhow, I was drawn into buying some bags from Marymond:
The black clutch on the left is made of a faux leather material that is quite sturdy. This clutch is very useful for when you just need to grab something on the go for errands or any casual lunch date. It is quite big, as I can fit my big and long wallets into it with much ease. There are two more little hidden pockets inside, which are good for sliding your phone into or putting some small makeup products (lip balms, oil blotting sheets, etc.). I bought the black one, but they also have a lovely pink and grey one. The quality and practicality of this clutch is definitely beyond its price for just $18.49.
Rating: ***** 5/5
The eco-tote on the right is just as it seems--a sturdy eco tote excellent for carrying books around in. I was a little afraid that the size wouldn't be big enough for my books, but this tote can fit even the largest of my college textbooks with no difficulty at all! The material was another source of concern when I was ordering it, but the material is quite thick and very sturdy. I do not have to worry about my heavy books ruining and ripping the bag. An excellent catch for just $12.08.
Rating: ***** 5/5
So, if you recall, I said that I found these wonderful products first. Then did Beautybox just happen to carry these products? No! They in fact, helped order them and added them to the website so I could purchase these products. I present to you the wonderful "Product Request" section they have on their website! If you have anything you would like to order from Korea, you can just write a post on that forum stating your product name, the option you'd like, the quantity, a description (optional), and a link to the product you want to buy. This option is eons better than trying to order things through other purchasing websites such as Avecko and Korean Buddy. Beautybox won't charge that ridiculous extra fee in addition to the high shipping price. Much love to Beautybox for helping make our dreams come true <3
Anyhow, here are the rest of the products I purchased:
An adorable White Milk Cream from Stylenanda 3CE.
Lately white/tone-up creams have been all the rage, and I have tested quite a few. The Cloud 9 Whitening Cream (see my review here:
http://globalexpressreviews.blogspot.com/2016/03/cloud-9-whitening-cream-review.html) and Banila Co White Wedding Dream Cream are two other whitening creams I have tried. As you can tell from my Cloud 9 review, I loved that cream the most. But when I used it in the blazing summer heat, it did not last nearly as long on my face. But it is the most economical option out of these three at $14.45 on Amazon.The Banila Co White Wedding Dream Cream is another popular whitening cream, but I feel it lightens my skin tone a lot less than the other two creams do. It provides your skin with a naturally lightened and luminous sheen. If you do not need as much lightening and just want a beautiful glow, this one is the one for you at around ~$20.
The most expensive one out of the bunch is this 3CE White Milk Cream (~$30). But I assure you, the whitening effects and its longevity are paralleled with the increase in its price. Take a look at before and after:
The before is the right half of my hand, and the left is after applying the 3CE White Milk Cream. **Just for reference, I like using these creams not because I want to look like a ghost or a Chinese Peking opera singer but because my face tends to oxidize throughout the day (my face is a lot lighter right when I wake up, and also right after my shower). If I do not apply anything, my face actually becomes darker than my neck...
Anyhow, even though this cream drastically whitens, it makes it look very natural on the face. It is also very hydrating without becoming too oily for me. It lasts a lot longer than the Cloud 9 one does, even in summer heat. Most of all, this baby is WATERPROOF. I washed my hands after swatching everything, but the white milk cream did not come off. Thus, this cream is great for my lazy days when I don't feel like putting on base makeup. There is no fragrance when you put it on, but if you smell the whole can of product, it smells amazingly like whipping cream!
Rating: ***** 5/5
Next, is this stick blush from VDL:
*Please excuse my leg in the background of the swatch photo =_="
I actually rarely put on any blush usually, because I have a boxcar scar left by acne from the good old days of puberty. I feel like sometimes it makes my cheeks just look oddly reddened and enhances the scar's appearance. But this color was just too pretty and natural to resist. The formula is smooth and creamy, and the blush lasts around 3-4 hours before disappearing.
Here is how I apply blush now to avoid my old problems (works only with stick/cream/liquid blush):
Before foundation and after primer, apply blush on (don't worry about being too lighthanded). Then, apply the foundation over the blush to create a blossom from within look.
Anyhow, other than the longevity, this product is great.
Rating: **** 4/5
And finally, last but not least, these eyebrow pencils from Aritaum.
Aritaum's matte formula is known for being a dupe of Shu Uemura's hard formula eyebrow pencils. However, I've never tried Shu Uemura's so I can't really tell you about the comparison with Shu Uemura. All I know is that these pencils are GREAT. They look extremely natural on your brows, and can definitely make your brows look as if they were just born that way. I use the blonde one on the right (light brown case) for the heads of my eyebrows, and I use the pointy dark brown pencil on the left for any areas that are sparse and need drawing in. When I draw the hairs in, it looks really as if those hairs were alive. It's that wonderful.
Unfortunately, longevity isn't that great. I have used some other eyebrow pencils in the past (Innisfree's brow pencil) and though they don't draw as nicely, they last the whole day with no problem. But these will wear off towards the end of the day (~8 hours) and can be wiped off easily when you are feeling oily or sweaty.
Rating: **** 4/5
Well, that's all of the products I bought from Beautybox this time! Until next time!
*Note: all of the products are bought with my own money, not sponsored by Beautybox--so these are all of my most honest opinions :)
Oh, and mustn't forget the lovely samples batch they sent me <3:
