I decided to go with the curated box for my January 2016 Birchbox, which was themed ‘Korean Beauty’. It was packed with some of the ‘brightest stars in K-Beauty’, including a bright lip stain and primer, as well as quite a few skincare products like facial masks and essences. So keep on reading for my unboxing, rundown of all the beauty products in my box, and my overall Birchbox ‘Korean Beauty‘ January 2016 review!
‘Korean Beauty’ Birchbox Unboxing
‘Korean Beauty’ Birchbox Review
In total, the January 2016 ‘Korean Beauty’ Birchbox came with seven smaller-sized samples in the makeup and skincare departments. (It probably had the most skincare products I’ve ever seen come in a box before!) Here are the products I received, along with my initial impressions of each.
RE:P Bio Fresh Mask with Real Calming Herb – I’m most excited to try out this mask. It claims to both exfoliate and soothe the skin (which I could absolutely use during this time of the year!). I especially love the pretty generous sized sample, which I can see lasting for 4+ uses.
Goodal Waterest First Essence – This is supposed to be an alternative to your regular moisturizer, and claims to both purify and hydrate skin with a blend of natural botanicals. First off, I love the smell – it’s very fresh – and my skin really seems to ‘drink it up’! I didn’t find it sticky or heavy – it has more of a gel like consistency that absorbs very quickly. Really love this stuff, especially when I need some extra hydration in the Winter.
Manefit Beauty Planner Cucumber – I’m currently stocking up on these facial masks – they’re really great for some extra pampering, and leave my skin super hydrated. This one got a ton of great reviews on Birchbox, so I’m looking forward to seeing what it can do!
Goodal Phytowash Yerba Mate Bubble Peeling and Cleansing Foam – The Bubble Peeling side of this sample is a foaming cleanser that doubles as both a peel and a scrub. I’m really excited to try this, as well as the cleanser which is supposed to be super gentle, soothing, and hydrating. Looking forward to trying this out soon!
IPKN Flash Cream Radiant Primer – I love IPKN – I’ve been using their BB cream for a while now, so I was excited to get something new from them with this box. It’s actually really pretty and creates a pink-toned shimmery highlight (without any heavy glitter).
TONYMOLY Delight Tony Tint – I’m not a big fan of lips stains, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one – it seriously lasts forever, and almost instantly stains your lips on contact, so you have to move fast! I find it best to apply it over a layer of lip balm, which gives you time to smooth it over for more even coverage.
Here are swatches of both of the makeup products:
Final Thoughts
Overall, I was very happy with the January 2016 ‘Korean Beauty’ Birchbox. The samples were decently sized, and focused primarily on skincare (which just so happens to be my favorite beauty category when it comes to getting samples!).
If you’d like to try out Birchbox’s monthly box, sign up here and enter code HAPPY5 to get $5 off your box (valid through January 9th, 2016). And if you are subscribed, let me know what you thought about your January 2016 Birchbox samples!
