Mishibox - April 2018 Review | Korean Beauty Subscription Box

Hey lovelies! It's time for another Mishibox review! Today, I'm back with my thoughts on the April box that landed on my doorstep about a week ago!

MSHIBOX is a monthly beauty subscription box that delivers hand-picked, top-quality Korean beauty products straight to your door! Every (adorable) box comes with a combination of 4-6 sample-size and full-size products. It can be anything from skincare to makeup and all the amazing things in-between. 

The cost of this monthly subscription box is simply unbeatable - $19.95!!! And, amazingly, you can choose to subscribe for the entire year (and save $12), or buy one box at a time. And they now offer FREE world wide shipping. 

I would highly recommend giving this awesome subscription box a try. The products you get are pretty high-end and very popular in Asia, plus you won't be able to get some of them anywhere else in the USA or Canada. 

MISHIBOX folks also opened up an online store where you can buy any of the products previously included in the box. Personally, I love that option, as I love one of the products included in the past boxes (The Ceramizing Cream from Skin Watchers) and was super happy that I was able to order a second batch of it!

What's in the box?!

The April 2018 box included:

➵  WANGSKIN CHOK CHOK MOISTURE CALMING CREAM | full size

        My thoughts: Oh guys, I love it! It's so moisturizing and feels amazing on my skin. I've been using it the past week and so far only good things to report - no greasiness, no break outs. I'm probably going to order more when I'm done with this jar!

➵  HEALAVIE SOFT CREAMY BRIGHTENING SERUM MASK

     My thoughts: Well, I'm not too sure if I will be using this mask, to be honest. I've been told by someone who lives in Korea, than to Koreans brightening means pretty much bleaching. And now I'm scared hahah o_o I did check the ingredients on the Mishibox website, and don't see anything harmful, so maybe one day!

➵  ALIVE LAB CENTELLA DRESSING POWDER

     My thoughts: This is something new to me. "The Centella Dressing Powder is a versatile powder that helps calm troubled skin using the natural powers of the centella asiatica plant. It is a light powder that can be dabbed directly onto pimples, or mixed with many different products to use as desired!" I'm going to have to try it out when I get a breakout and see if it really works! 

➵  MEDIHEAL THERAFFIN HAND MASK

     My thoughts: This is essentially a moisturizing therapy for your hands. Ingredients such as paraffin, shea butter, and ceramide deeply condition and moisturize your hands, while niacinamide and lemon extract help brighten skin damaged by UV rays.

➵  ARITAUM FRESH POWDER ESSENCE POUCH PACK

     My thoughts: I got the MOISTURE pack and got to try it out last night. There's enough product for 2-3 uses for sure, and it's a really nice sleeping mask. I applied a somewhat thick layer to my face (after cleansing) right before going to bed. I woke up and my face felt like there was this moist film on it. I washed it off and my skin felt really soft and fresh. Definitely going to be using it again!

Find out more:

Check out MISHIBOX Website and follow these amazing guys on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date with their shenanigans :)

Mishibox - March 2018 Review | Korean Beauty Subscription Box

Today, I am back with yet another Mishibox review! Every now and then I fall down the Korean Beauty rabbit whole.. and it happened again (#noregrets).  Here's a look at the products that were included in March!

MSHIBOX is a monthly beauty subscription box that delivers hand-picked, top-quality Korean beauty products straight to your door! Every (adorable) box comes with a combination of 4-6 sample-size and full-size products. It can be anything from skincare to makeup and all the amazing things in-between. 

The cost of this monthly subscription box is simply unbeatable - $19.95!!! And, amazingly, you can choose to subscribe for the entire year (and save $12), or buy one box at a time. And they now offer FREE world wide shipping. 

I would highly recommend giving this awesome subscription box a try. The products you get are pretty high-end and very popular in Asia, plus you won't be able to get some of them anywhere else in the USA or Canada. 

MISHIBOX folks also opened up an online store where you can buy any of the products previously included in the box. Personally, I love that option, as I love one of the products included in the past boxes (The Ceramizing Cream from Skin Watchers) and was super happy that I was able to order a second batch of it!

What's in the box?!

The March 2018 box included:

➵  Natural Japonica Seed Oil 100  | full size

        My thoughts: I have tried many oils over the years, but this will be my first Japonica oil and I’m especially excited to try it on my desert cracked heels.

➵  Pretti Ban Ban Water Barrier Cream 

     My thoughts: I’m just about done with my Ceramizing cream from Skin Watchers (which was introduced to me by Mishibox, too, and which I absolutely LOVE), so it’s a great timing! I have tried this cream a couple of times already and really like the consistency of it. It's not too heavy, but moisturizes well. 

➵  J.One (the company launched by Ha Ji Won!) Pack Luminous Mask | full size

     My thoughts: Haven't tried it yet, but it's Ha Ji Won's brand, so I am willing to be it's going to be pretty darn amazing. It's supposed to be clarifying and moisturizing - can't wait to slap it on!

➵  L’ador Keratin Power Sleeping ampoule  | 

     My thoughts: I have never used a sleeping ampoule on my hair. I am not entirely sure how I feel about it - you're supposed to wash your hair in the evening, towel dry it a bit, apply the product (rub it in) and then dry your hair and go to sleep. Sounds pretty straight forward and as soon as I have enough energy one of those evenings to wash my hair (usually it's part of my morning routine), I will update this post with the results.

➵  Mizon Joyful Time Essence Mask | full size

     My thoughts: I got the Aqua one (there was a variety included in the boxes) and I tried it the first day and really liked it. It's moisturizing, it seems to have a bit alcohol in it (I could be wrong, I am just judging by the faint smell, kind of like a toner), but it feels very gentle on the face. I had a bit of dry patches on my cheeks and the mask seemed to have worked its magic, because the dry skin felt much better in the morning (almost completely gone). Would definitely buy this again.

Find out more:

Check out MISHIBOX Website and follow these amazing guys on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date with their shenanigans :)

Mishibox - March Box Review | Korean Beauty Subscription Box

Today, I am back with yet another Mishibox review! I got the March box a while back, but didn't get a chance to post about it before.  Here's a look at the products that were included in March!

MSHIBOX is a brand new monthly beauty subscription box that delivers hand-picked, top-quality Korean beauty products straight to your door! Every (adorable) box comes with a combination of 4-6 sample-size and full-size products. It can be anything from skincare to makeup and all the amazing things in-between. 

The cost of this monthly subscription box is simply unbeatable - $19.95!!! And, amazingly, you can choose to subscribe for the entire year (and save $12), or buy one box at a time. And they now offer FREE world wide shipping. 

I would highly recommend giving this awesome subscription box a try. The products you get are pretty high-end and very popular in Asia, plus you won't be able to get some of them anywhere else in the USA or Canada. 

MISHIBOX folks also opened up an online store where you can buy any of the products previously included in the box. Personally, I love that option, as I love one of the products included in the past boxes (The Ceramizing Cream from Skin Watchers) and was super happy that I was able to order a second batch of it!

What's in the box?!

* Featured in this photo are two more products that weren't included in the box, but which I bough on the Mishibox website in addition to the box (The Aloe skin toner, Ceramizing Cream), Blueberry mask, Skymilk and two cream samples were included as a bonus.

The June 2015 box included:

➵  Enzyme Powder Wash from @skin_watchers_shop
 | full size

        My thoughts: I really like using it. It's something I've never used before and it took a couple of times to get used to it, but I love the deep clean and almost scrub-feeling it offers. It leaves my face feeling very fresh and clean. It's a product I would buy again for sure!

➵  Graymelin Foot butter | full size

     My thoughts: Living in high desert can take its toll on your skin, especially your feet and elbows, so this was just the perfect product for me. I actually ordered one of those from the Mishibox store, not knowing it would be included in the box, but no regrets there. It's a thick cream that moisturizes amazingly and smells divinely (like butterscotch candy). I definitely recommend it!

➵  Fascy Moisture Bomb Hand Cream | full size

     My thoughts: I don't use hand cream very often, as I work on my computer a lot and just don't like the greasy feeling of them, so I haven't been using this one a whole lot, but it smells really nice and seems to moisturize well. If you're into hand creams, I think this line might be worth giving a try!

➵  Monthly New Feet socks pack | full size

     My thoughts: Haven't used it yet, but I love the concept! These are socks that you sleep in, that exfoliate and regenerate your skin. I am waiting for some colder days to try these out, but they sound awesome!

➵  Pure Green Tea Whitening Mask | full size

     My thoughts: I love Korean sheet masks. That is all. 

➵  Package Melt Me Softly Blackheads Nose Pack

     My thoughts: Haven't used this one yet, either, but from my experience, all the products designed to help remove the black heads are wonderful. I've tried a couple of them, and while I don't have blackheads myself, they do help clear your skin a lot and exfoliate any sort of gunky stuff that might be hiding in your pores. 

Find out more:

Check out MISHIBOX Website and follow these amazing guys on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date with their shenanigans :)

Book Review: Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Adult, Historical Fiction
Publication Date:	April 5, 2016
Pages:	487 (Hardcover)
Published By:	Ballantine Books
Website:	Martha Hall Kelly
	Lilac Girls on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received in Once Upon a Bookcase Club Box

Where to get:

Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this debut novel reveals a story of love, redemption, and secrets that were hidden for decades.
 
New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France.
 
An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.
 
For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.
 
The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten.

(Goodreads)

Somewhere in a corner of our hearts, we are always twenty.

If I’d known I was about to meet the man who’d shatter me like bone china on terra-cotta, I would have slept in.

Turning oneself to the misfortunes of others is the best way to dispense with personal troubles. Hadn’t Lord Byron himself said, “The busy have no time for tears”

It’s just a thing, Kasia. Don’t waste your energy on the hate. That will kill you sure as anything. Focus on keeping your strength. You’re resourceful. Find a way to outsmart them.

      Written with compassion, but also unflinching objectivity, Lilac Girls is an absolutely riveting and haunting WWII story about brutality of war, courage, love and survival. Boasting a diverse, incredibly well drawn cast of characters, it's a profoundly affecting, often-times completely devastating and heart-breaking look at Holocaust through the eyes of three very different women - a Polish girl named Kasia, an ambitious German doctor, and an American philanthropist working for French embassy in New York.

     This book was... Everything and more! I am so thankful to Michelle from @onceuponabookclubbox for choosing it for her first adult box, otherwise it's likely I would've missed it! Or I would've at least put off reading it. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down. The writing style was incredibly compelling and heartfelt, and the alternating points of view offered a great deal of insight, not only into the minds of people trying to survive the concentration camps, but also into those on the other side of "the fence", like Herta, or even people across the ocean, observing the events from afar, trying to help those affected. All three women had fascinating, breath-taking stories to tell, and they all invoked many feelings in me. I despised Herta, despite the rare glimpses of her humanity, she was not a very positive character. I liked Caroline and admired her for the work she did during and after the War. And most of all, I connected on more than one level with Kasia. As someone who grew up in Poland and had grandparents directly affected by the War, I sympathized with Kasia, I understood her struggles and fears, I respected her strength and defiance. I loved her. I loved everything about her. She was an absolutely marvelous character - one that is an inspiration to me, now and forever. 

     Not only is Lilac Girls a beautifully written, engaging, often times shocking and heartbreaking story, it's also - or most of all - very powerful and important, and so relevant to our times! I loved the the different perspectives and how the characters' lives intertwine with one another, I loved Martha's absorbing and evocative writing style, and I loved that the story continued beyond the War years, to show us the consequences and how everyone was affected by the War events in the years after. It was a phenomenal reading experience and Martha is one ️immensely talented writer that I will be following closely from now on!

Once Upon a Bookcase Box:

I received the book in the very first Once Upon a Book Club box, and if you don't know what that is, let me enlighten you: it's the most fabulous subscription box ever. Michelle, the lady-boss behind this box, picks a book every month and then adds 3-5 special gifts that come beautifully wrapped and numbered with certain pages. Once you reach a certain page, you get to open the gift. All the gifts are related to the story, too! They're super meaningful and make the reading experience so much more amazing!

Take a look at the photos of the book box I got and if you're interested in subscribing, Michelle now offers the adult version and the young adult version of this box, and you can use code EVIEBOOKISH for 10% off!!!

April Mishibox Review + Giveaway

You might recall that I did two reviews of Mishibox boxes back in 2015 - I reviewed the August one and their very fist box - the June one. And I absolutely loved them both! Being a makeup and skincare hoarder enthusiast, I just love receiving these boxes and finding something new and amazing every time. But things started accumulating quickly and I had to take a break (not one that I actually WANTED to take for sure, but more of a frowny-husband imposed break).

Then when I went on Mishibox's website a couple of months ago to finally revive my subscription, I learned that there was a waiting list! Guys, Mishibox has come such a long way! They now have an online store on their website!!! And there was a waiting list!! I mean, I shouldn't really be excited about having to wait few months to get a box, but I was, because the folks behind Mishibox are amazing and they totally deserve all the love and hype - this is definitely the best Asian Beauty subscription box currently on the market, so YAY for Mishibox for rocking it!!!

For those of you who are not yet familiar with MISHIBOX, it is a relatively new (less than one year old) monthly beauty subscription box that delivers hand-picked, top-quality Korean beauty products straight to your door! Every (adorable) box comes with a combination of 5-6 sample-size and full-size products. It can be anything from skincare to makeup and all the amazing things in-between. 

The cost of this monthly subscription box is simply unbeatable - $19.95!!! And, amazingly, you can choose to subscribe for the entire year (and save $12), or buy one box at a time. When I got the first box for review, I was so excited and happy with the products included, I immediately hopped over to MISHIBOX website and ordered a couple more (the June and August one).  As soon as we move to Santa Fe and get all settled in, I am reviving my subscription again and keeping it, because the products included are always amazing and so worth the $19.95 per month!

I would highly recommend giving this awesome subscription box a try. The products you get are pretty high-end and very popular in Asia, plus you won't be able to get some of them anywhere else in the USA or Canada. 

What's in the box?!

The April 2016 box included:

My thoughts:

SKIN WATCHERS Ceramizing Cream 

Hands down, my favorite item in the box. This is a fantastic moisturizing cream. It keeps your skin super hydrated and soft, without the greasy feeling some moisturizers give you. It's formulated with ceramide, which is known for its water-retention capacity. It also helps repair the skin's natural barrier. The flyer included with the box says this cream is great for all skin types. I tried it a couple of times after cleansing my skin and it really feels amazing. It makes my skin very smooth and kind of silky to the touch. It doesn't make me feel oily, it isn't too heavy, and it works great under makeup. I would definitely highly recommend this cream!  

IT'S SKIN Todak Todak Pack  

There were 5 different typed of this little cutie in the MISHIBOX this month - Elasticity, Nutrition, Pore, Moisture and Vitality. I got the green one, which is the Pore pack - score! This is a clay pack with egg whites and apple that helps remove, control sebum and tighten pores. It's basically a mask that you apply on a dry skin after thorough cleansing and leave for about 15-20 minutes. After 15 minutes I was definitely feeling the effects - my skin was tightening fast!

I am happy I got this particular pack, because my pores has always been problematic. I need to deep-cleanse regularly and use products like these to keep them small and tight and not too visible. I like how this products works, I love the texture and the fragrance, and I love that it doesn't dry my skin up. I have a feeling I will be purchasing more of these in the near future!

ILLI mask

I haven't used this mask yet. but I am always happy to see Korean face masks in the MISHIBOX, because they're just wonderful. I received the Camellia Oil Nourishing Mask. It is formulated with Camellia Oil, Bean, and Ginseng, and it is supposedto boost hydration and skin vitality. I am looking forward to trying this mask and hopefully buying more soon!

MCC Perfect Finish Pore Pact

This is a sebum control powder pact, designed to absorb excess sebum & oil. It is also supposed to give you this blurred face effect - kind of like the Too Faced Primed & Poreless. It's formulated with some really great ingredients, like rosemary, peppermint and tea tree - for sebum and pore control, aloe very and argan oil for moisture, and chamomile and lavender for skin soothing and protection. Overall this sounds like a really great product. I have only used it a couple of times so far and it really does give you this great, smooth look, without appearing dry and powdery. It's also supposed be great as an eye primer, but I am yet to try that!

SKIN WATCHERS Natural Yam Oil Blotting Papers

My skin doesn't get very oily on regular basis, so I am not sure how often (if at all) I will get to use these, but I feel like these would be awesome at the end of a long day when you still need to look presentable, but don't necessarily want to re-touch with powder. 

The package is very compact and easy to carry with you in a purse, so I think these will eventually come in handy! Especially on a hot day when you're trying to take photos outside and definitely don't want to look oily and shiny!

BAVIPHAT Magic Girls Moisturizing Makeup Base

This is a makeup base - available in two colors - Rosemary Green and Lavender Purple. It's a color correcting base that adheres to the skin to fix the skin tone. The one I got - Rosemary Green - contains rosemary extract and arnica flower extract and it helps correct the redness. The Lavender Purple one is for dark circles, hyperpigmentation and dark spots.

I don't really have any redness problems, so I wish I got the Lavender Purple one (hello, dark circles!), but I still find this base great. It smells very pleasant and it seems to bond with my foundation nicely. For instance, I have this NARS foundation that I never use because no matter what primer I use, it just leaves nasty streaks and makes my pore way more visible, but I tried applying it today on top of this base, and it actually went on nicely. I was very surprised! I will continue using this for sure, and I will definitely be ordering the other color correcting base.

Overall:

I loved all the previous MISHIBOXes I got, but this is probably my favorite one yet. All the products included in this box were FULL SIZE, which was so impressive! I can see myself using all of them and probably re-ordering some in the future. As I said, I am most in love with the Ceramizing Cream and would recommend it to everyone, but the Todak Todak pack is also great and I am sure I will like the mask as well!

Find out more:

Check out MISHIBOX Website and follow these amazing guys on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date with their shenanigans :)

Giveaway:

One lucky person will win one MISHIBOX!

This giveaway is open Internationally, but please check this list HERE to make sure MISHIBOX can be sent to your country!

Ends: 04/25

Enter via Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I receiving the April MISHIBOX in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

January OwlCrate Review + Promo Code

Holy gloriousness!!! OwlCrate nailed it again! I thought I LOVED the December box (and really, I did!), but I have to say, I loved the January box EVEN MORE! Just look at all the goodies, people! What a fabulous way to kick off another bookish year!

The theme of the January OwlCrate Box was MAGIC, and - as you can see - it really was a magical and beautiful box!

What was included:

- Book: Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley  that came with a handwritten note from the author and a paper doll with two different outfits (and a set of books! and a doggie!!!!)
- Funko Pop! from the Harry Potter series (there was a variety of Funkos sent out, I got Severus Snape T__T - there was a lot of ugly crying while opening the box)
- A magical Patronus Lip Balm from Geek Fire Labs 
- A print with a quote from Throne of Glass and a double-sided bookmark with quotes from The Raven Boys by yours, truly! (these were exclusive designs I did for the OwlCrate folks, so they are not available in any of my stores!)
- A Bonus EBOOK - Robin McKinley's A Knot in Grain (which I thought was beyond lovely! I love eBooks!)

     Well, I might be biased, but I think this was the best box EVER! I was so happy with the choice of book, because I absolutely adore Lena Coakley! Lena's Witchlanders novel (YA fantasy) was one of the first few books I got for review as ARCs back in 2011. I was a newbie blogger then, we lived in Vancouver, I had no money to buy any books for myself so I was spending 80% of my free time perusing the local libraries! I started blogging about the books I read (Chaos Walking, Joe Hill's stuff, etc) and somehow got this ball of awesome rolling! The first package I got from an actual publisher contained Fury by Elizabeth Miles, Lena's Witchlanders, a book by Kieran Scott and one more that I can't recall now. I still get all teary eyed when I think about that! Good times! I really can't wait to read Worlds of Ink and Shadow, as it's a twist on Bronte sisters and it sounds fantastic! I have been hearing only great things about it!

    I thought the letter written by Lena herself was such a wonderful touch! As was the paper doll. Both very lovely additions to the book! 

    The Lip Balm from Geek Fire Labs came in handy very quickly, as I got sick at the end of January and, as a result, my lips were very parched. It was lovely to be able to use this lip balm and it actually helped keep my lips moist! Plus, you really can't go wrong with White Chocolate flavor! Nope, it's absolutely DELIGHTFUL!

    I loved working on the designs for January's OwlCrate (seriously guys, Korrina and Robert are both amazing human beings and they put so much care into preparing their monthly boxes, they deserve all the praise and love! I love them so much, it's scary! Don't tell them that, tho, we don't want to scare them ^__-). I think the Throne of Glass print turned out pretty freaking awesome, if I say so myself. The quality of the print is gorgeous too, and I have already framed mine and will display it proudly from now on! The Raven Boys bookmark is darker and more eerie, but it was such a fantastic project too! My favorite side is the one that says TREES SPEAK LATIN. Which one is your favorite?! 

   And last but not least, how awesome to have a Funko Pop! included in the box! I applaud this wholeheartedly, I only have one other Funko so far (Dean Winchester, OF COURSE), so I was thrilled to see Snape in my box. SO HAPPY with the Funko I got! And it's gorgeous, it's fabulous, it's glorious!!! 

    Oh! Almost forgot! The bonus eBook totally made my day, too. This was not an item that took place of something else, but simply an extra from the lovely OwlCrate team, which was so sweet and thoughtful of them! They really go the extra mile while putting their boxes together, so if you're looking for a bookish subscription box, trust me when I say - you won't find a better one! 

About the book:

Hardcover, 342 pages

Published January 5th 2016 by HarperCollins Canada

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been inseparable. After all, nothing can bond four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage out on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go.
Gorgeously written and based on the Brontës’ juvenilia, Worlds of Ink & Shadow brings to life one of history’s most celebrated literary families.

About Owlcrate

Find OwlCrate online:

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SPECIAL PROMO!!!

If you'd like to subscribe to OwlCrate (which I HIGHLY recommend), be sure to use code: ES2016 for 10% OFF your first box!