The Bin Diaries Part VII: Products I'm Throwing Away

Hi fellow nomads,

Who is ready for another fascinating peek into my bin??

I thought so. Round up one and all, for here are the products I have loved (or not so much, in some cases) and lost. My bin's been a bit backed up of late - ahem - so some of these I finished a little while ago. On the plus side, that means a few catch-up-bin diaries! An omnibus, if you will.

On with the empties!

LJH Tea Tree 90 Essence // I got this in my first ever Memebox and it took me forever to get through it, but I did quite enjoy it. It's a serum you apply after toning and before moisturising, and while it was a bit of a faff to get used to using, I got there in the end. As for those people with >15 step skincare - I bow down to you. How do you do it?! Well, as to whether this improved my skin, I don't know. I think a little? 

To buy (again) or not to buy? I actually got another of these in a subsequent Memebox. So I'm weighing up whether to go again with this or give it away - currently on the fence. 

Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara // This was from back in the day, before I found my holy triumvirate of L'Oreal Miss Manga / Too Faced Better Than Sex / Benefit They're Real. I searched for high street mascaras and gave this one a shot. I didn't enjoy it - it was clumpy, not particularly lengthening and always always transferred to under my eyes.

To buy (again) or not to buy? Nope.

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief // Here we have some bonus time bounty (the only time I ever shop Clinique) and I did quite enjoy using this one. I hit this one hard in the summer when its lightweight gel texture was just what I needed. It's a fairly heavy duty moisturiser that doesn't feel like one - good work, Clinique.

To buy (again) or not to buy? Next summer, I would genuinely consider it (but only at bonus time, hobviously)

Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream // I received this in my British Beauty Blogger Dream Box and was pretty intrigued to try out some Benefit skincare. I find that Benefit stuff can be really hit or miss for me and sadly, this came into the latter category. I mean, it's a perfectly nice eye cream but it didn't get rid of my dark circles like it promised it would - not that I think anything will ever get rid of them, because I have them due to thin skin and nothing is going to actually add skin to my face (I hope), but you shouldn't go around making claims like that if you can't stand up to them.

To buy (again) or not to buy? Marketing rant aside, if this were a bit better value then I might consider it, but at over £25 for a 15ml bottle I'll be passing

Superdrug Extracts Caring Coconut & Sweet Almond Conditioner // So there's a funny story behind this one. I took a trip to Riga earlier in the year, and managed to leave my entire washbag behind. Cue me trying to find a Boots-a-like in picturesque Hanseatic architecture, hoping to try some great local brands, and all I can come up with is Superdrug stuff. Superdrug! Anyway, I bought it, and used it, and was pleasantly surprised. This was back when my hair was a total dried out nightmare, and this managed it reasonably well. Now my hair has been fixed up a bit, I think this may do an even better job. Smells good, too.

To buy (again) or not to buy? Yeah I think I would actually

Batiste Dry Shampoo // The original and best. What kind of Bin Diary would this be without a dry shampoo? This mini was fabulous for travel and lasted surprisingly long, given how often I used it. 

To buy (again) or not to buy? Yup yup yup

Rituals Hammam Delight Foaming Shower Gel // Rituals is a serious and enduring love of mine and I adored this body wash. It's a warming kind of scent, which meant it sometimes got a bit much when the weather was very warm in the summer, but for Spring and Autumn it's divine. I love this scent so, so much - it smells like a super deluxe expensive spa every time you have a shower.

To buy (again) or not to buy? Once I've saved up for a bit, yes I certainly will. I'll also probably get the reed diffuser, the body scrub, the paste...


Here ends this Bin Diary entry - until next time, rubbish bin voyeurs...

-Rachel 

Memebox Global #15: Unboxing and review

Memeboxes. They're a little like buses. You wait for one for ages... and then two turn up at once. Sorry if anyone's offended by the back-to-back Memebox action, but I for one am loving it so let's get cracking with the latest Memebox to arrive on my doorstep.

Right here we have the Memebox Global #15, which I ordered in the dim and distant past (March, I think), so it's like a present from past-Rachel. For those not already aware, Memebox is a Korean non-subscription beauty box, so you can just buy boxes as and when the fancy grabs you (and you have enough pennies left in the housekeeping budget for the month). You can find out more about them at their website here, but the short story is that they create one-off boxes of various types and price points, and the contents of these boxes are usually a secret until you receive the box. Oh, and it's incredibly addictive. So, now we're all up to speed, let's get on with it.

Tosowoong Makeon Lip Manicure 30 Seconds // I'm not sure what constitutes a lip manicure, but this is basically a lip stain that dries to a semi-matte finish. It’s an alright colour, fairly bright but not hopelessly unwearable. I've swatched it at the end of this post so you can check out the shade - it packs a fair punch. It did fade after eating and drinking, however it did so quite evenly which makes all the difference. This is ok, but I have lip products which I like better.

Mise en scene Perfect Repair Treatment Pack // At first I thought this was a shampoo, but thanks to the handy instruction card included with the box I now see that it’s an intensive repair treatment. I always love a good hair treatment, so I'm keen to give this a go, and the other Mise en scene products I've received from Memebox I've found very impressive. I love the shiny tube, too (I'm so shallow). 

Mise en scene perfect serum // I do find hair serums quite hard to get through, because they last for-ever. But hey, the more the merrier, and my hair most certainly needs some perfecting. I have only had the chance to use this once, but it’s made my hair silky soft. I’ll wait and see whether it leaves any buildup on my hair, but so far, so impressed.

Miss.age Snail Anti Wrinkle Serum // This is a decent sized face serum, and comes in a very deluxe looking bottle. It promises to revive damaged skin, give moisture and nutrition, and treat signs of aging by tightening and lifting sagging skin and improving skin elasticity. Well, the moisturising sounds good to me but I definitely do not need any more anti aging done to my face seeing as I got mistaken for a teenager again at the weekend. Luckily I'm not too skeeved out by the thought of snail mucus on my face – is it weird that I don't really understand what the fuss is about? It's an extract, like gelatin, and I eat gelatin for goodness sake. 

Tonymoly BCDation All Master SPF30 PA++ // Having always heard such good things about Tonymoly products, I was excited to get this on my face. However, it didn't quite do it for me – I have dry skin, and I feel like this just sat on top of it and made it look even drier. I’ll try it again with a different primer/moisturiser combo, but for now this is going on the experimental shelf. I've swatched this at the end of the post as well.

Ariul Stress Relieving Purefull Cleansing Foam // I have to say, I've never found cleansing particularly stress relieving before (I'm usually too busy trying to make sure it doesn't go in my eyes), but maybe I'm doing it wrong. I always need a good cleanser, so this will be my new morning cleanser when my current one runs out – which incidentally was also from a Memebox.

Shara Shara I Wanna Pencil Gel Liner // Here we have a nice, dependable, deep brown automatic eyeliner which is waterproof and has its own sharpener. I think this is a product which, while not particularly exciting to fish out of a box, will actually turn into a staple of mine as I can see myself using it in my waterline very often. And here's a swatch of it, alongside the Tonymoly BCDation and the Tosowoong Makeon Lip Manicure:

Overall I felt this box was good, but not one of the best I have ever received. I think next month is going to be the last of these Global boxes that I have on pre-order. Actually, I think it's the last box I have coming at all - for the first time since I discovered Memebox. Sob! How will I cope without my fix?

Have you got a Memebox on order? Don't forget, if you use the code CCZK at the checkout, you'll get $5 off your next order. I release you now to shop here!

Have a fabulous Thursday,

-Rachel

Is this the best Memebox ever??! Unboxing, review and discount code...

So you know how I'm a little bit addicted to my Memeboxes? In case you didn't know, they're a Korean non-subscription beauty box and cosmetics retailer and they ship to many countries worldwide, including the UK. I now have enough Korean cosmetics to open my own small distribution facility, and my friends and relations have learned to eye any skin product I offer them warily, for fear it contains snail mucus or other such unforseen ingredients. 

So it was as an existing firm fan that Memebox** got in touch with me and offered to send me one of their boxes to review on these here pages. Of course I said yes, because I love the company and anything I can do to get more people hooked on those snazzy pink boxes is all the better for me (more customers = more demand = more boxes for me to buy!). Just don't buy up all the best ones before I can get my hands on them, okay?!

I was delighted to find out that I'd be receiving the Memebox Global #14 because I'd actually already ordered one for myself, which I'd received about a week earlier, and it had gone down in history as my Favourite Memebox Ever (except perhaps My Cute Wishlist, I still dream about getting another box that good). If you're new to the Memebox game, the range of boxes they have can be a little confusing. They must get that a lot, because they've produced a page which may help choosing a little easier - it's here. 

Anyway, on with the box. Now, seeing as I received the box twice, I'm in the happy position of having got two different variants of some products. I will tell you what I thought of each, in those cases, and which I prefer. Onwards!

Shower Mate Perfume de Whip Body Wash in 03 Marilyn Red Fantasy // OK so I'm not sure I like Marilyn gazing at me like that while I'm minding my own business trying to have a shower first thing in the morning, but a shower gel is something I will always get through. This one is scented pleasingly enough, with slightly musky undertones. Of course I'll use it up and quite happily at that (twice actually, as I got the same one in both boxes). 

Shower Mate Perfume de Whip Body Wash in 02 Pure White Blossom // Look there's Marilyn again! I just can't seem to get away from her. I like the scent of this slightly less than the Red Fantasy, as I'm generally not one for floral scents. Again I got the same in both boxes, so I think I'm going to use the first tube myself, and then the second tube I will put in my guest basket for any overnighters who may have forgotten to pack their own Marilyn shower gel. 

Beauty People Miss 100 Super Waterproof Gel Liner Auto Pencil in Glimmer Bronze // This is where the box starts to get really, really good. This was my favourite liner from the selection tin I got in the My Cute Wishlist box, and raved about here (and here). Even better, this is a full size and is a twist up pen so there's no product wasted whatsoever. This is a beautiful colour, goes on so easily and stays put once it dries. I got the same colour in both boxes which I'm delighted with. Glimmer Bronze 4evah!

Recipe By Nature Golden Time Vita Capsule Essence // A full size of this product which looks like an expensive perfume, but is actually a vitamin essence. This is to be applied after toner, and promises deep nourishment, brightening and evening out of skin tone. Sounds grand to me, and this will look super chic in my bathroom (tell me it's not just me who considers this?!).

Sua Young Mineral Essence in Liquid Foundation SPF 33 PA+++ // I'm always keen to try new foundations and this one has been great so far- although I've only had the chance to try it once or twice. I love that it's got a decent SPF in it and the colour matches me very well - one of the few times I'm pleased to be quite as pale as I am. It also gives a light coverage which is what I go for. So far, so good.

 

VOV Good-Bye Black Smuge Waterproof Mascara in 01 Lash Proof Mascara (pink) and 02 Volume Proof Mascara (orange) // I received some variation in the form of both options for the waterproof mascara. I'm pleased about this, because I was intrigued as to the difference between a 'lash proof' and a 'volume proof' mascara. Turns out, not a great deal - both have a scary brush, both go on quite clumpily at first but then with perseverance work out to give fabulous length and definition (unusual in a waterproof mascara, in my experience), and are extremely difficult to get off. I honestly think it's the same formula in both tubes, and the only difference is the brush - the lash proof has a straight brush with 3 'lines' of bristles and the rest of the brush is bare, which is a bit intimidating, and the volume proof has a curved wand which doesn't fit my eye shape particularly well so I just ended up using the convex side. It didn't matter, because the end result was pretty good in either case, so I'm not complaining!

Sally's Box 4SET (Love Recipe Apple Mask, Delight Ceramide Hudrogel Mask, Delight Collagen Hydrogel Mask, Delight Pantenol Hydrogel Mask) // This pack contains a whopping 4 masks all with cute illustrations on the front. The apple mask is to soothe, balance and moisturise rough skin (hello perfect), and the others are basically deep hydration masks. This is absolutely perfect for my skin type as I'm always looking for some extra moisture, and these proved to be a joy to use. 

Kocostar 4 Package Set (Ggonji Hair Pack, Face Spot Mirror Patch, 5 Finger Nail Pack, Foot Peeling Pack) // More masks! So many masks. I was particularly excited to receive these because I'd been lusting after them for ages, and had even sourced them via eBay but had hesitated just before pressing purchase. I'm so glad I did, because here they are! And, as a side note, I'm very glad I got my second box because now I can put a mask on all 10 fingers! Hurrah!

a;t fox Fantasy Holic Lip & Cheek Designer in Rose Beige and Sweet Orange // This little pen is definitely tying in first place with the beautiful Glimmer Bronze gel eyeliner pen for Favourite Product Of The Box. In my first box I received Rose Beige, which is my perfect lip colour. I just adore it, and have used it all up already (gulp). I did ruin it a bit whilst trying to sharpen it, so I'd say that's the only downside of this product. Now I have Sweet Orange, I'm keen to wear this one to death, too, and I'm hopeful that I'll enjoy it just as much as the Rose Beige.

All in all, I think this was a fantastic box. I either instantly loved or will happily use every single item in the box, and unbelievably all the products (except the foundation) are full size. Crazy. I think Memebox is great value for money, considering this sells for just $23 plus P&P. If you use offer points, free shipping, etc then this can be reduced by a surprising amount. Obviously I was sent the second box by Memebox, for which I'm very grateful, but I did pay for the first box and would happily do so all over again.

If you're interested in purchasing a Memebox, they release new boxes all the time, so it's best to head over to the website** to see what's new and still in stock (they tend to sell out fast!). Boxes currently tickling my fancy include the Memebox Empties box, because who doesn't love a good empties post, and the Seoulites City Girl box, as I'm visiting Seoul later in the year and I have to look the part, y'know. 

If I've pushed you over the edge into making a purchase, then I have a code for you which will get you $5 off your purchase - just use CCZK at the checkout. It's valid until the end of October, but if you're anything like me then it won't last that long!

Did you receive this box? What did you think of it? And what boxes are you currently lusting after?!

**Affiliate link - don't feel you need to click through this, but if you do, it really helps me out and I greatly appreciate it.

Thank you to Memebox for providing one of the boxes featured in this post. Keep up the fabulous boxes, please!