PinkSeoul is a monthly Korean beauty subscription box curated to your skin type. They focus on customized, full-sized, and curated products that are designed to guide you in your K-beauty journey of discovery. You can also shop their online store for more K-beauty goodies!
PinkSeoul offers 3 subscription types. The PinkSeoul Box is $39.95 every two months with a retail value over $60. The PinkSeoul Plus Box is recommended for subscribers age 35+, $49.95 every two months with a retail value over $80. These two boxes are shipped bi-monthly and each box contains at least 4 full-sized items plus an accessory item. The PinkSeoul Mask Box is $29.95 every month with 10 customized mask products and an accessory item.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is of the Oily Skin Type, PinkSeoul Plus, $49.95 every two months, box.
The Subscription Box: PinkSeoul Plus
The Cost: $49.95 bi-monthly + free US shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first box!
CODE: MSA10
The Products: at least 4 full-sized K-beauty products customized to your skin type and an accessory item
Ships to: USA (free shipping), Canada ($8.95 shipping), and other countries listed here ($15.95 shipping)
Good to know: PinkSeoul and PinkSeoul Plus boxes are delivered every two months depending on which month you signed up. For example, if you signed up in April, your next box will be in May; if you sign up in May your next box will be in June. The boxes are the same for the May/June period, just shipped out at different times. The May/June box is now sold out!
Check out all of our PinkSeoul reviews and the Beauty Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add PinkSeoul to your subscription list or wishlist!
Prior to purchasing a subscription, PinkSeoul will ask you several customization questions. Some products are more appropriate/recommended for a particular skin type so be sure to figure out your skin type.
The info card always lists the products in the order of recommended usage-- useful if you're not sure of where to insert products into your routine. Full ingredient listing can be found on their website.
A'Pieu Reusable Mask Cover - Value $3.58
This is a reusable silicone mask cover with ear straps that helps to keep sheet masks moist for longer, which means the skin has a longer time to absorb all the nutrients from the essence. It's like saran wrap for your face. I've heard this type of product mentioned on the internet here and there. It's an interesting if not a somewhat gimmicky idea. Sadly I ran into some problems early on-- the cover doesn't fit my face! My eye area gets uncomfortably squished under the pressure. The under eye skin puffs out from the eye holes like muffin tops. It's also too tight with the ear straps on, and my face isn't particularly wide either! I guess this mask cover isn't a one-size-fits-all type of thing. Maybe people with smaller or more angular faces will have better luck.
Skinfood Rice Mask Wash Off 100 g - Value $10
This wash-off rice mask acts as a mild exfoliating scrub and mask in one to gently remove dead skin cells and brighten skin tone. It has a rice pudding-like texture and smells fairly sweet. The exfoliating action is very mild, so those with sensitive skin should have no problems with it. After use, my face felt pleasantly hydrated while maintaining velvety soft and matte skin. The skin was so smooth I couldn't stop touching it! I didn't notice any brightening effects but I liked my first impressions enough to continue using it.
Elizavecca 97% Hyaluronic Acid Serum 50 ml - Value $12.80
These days you'll find shelves upon shelves of skincare items touting the wonderful benefits of hyaluronic acid. This serum contains 97% hyaluronic acid, which has moisturizing, plumping, lifting, brightening, and anti-aging properties, just to name a few. The serum comes in a glass dropper bottle and it's both colorless and scentless. The liquid feels viscous at first but blends into the skin like a watery gel. It also absorbs very quickly, leaving skin lightly hydrated and plump and but feeling like I hadn't applied anything at all. Best of all, it has a matte, velvety soft finish! No stickiness! I'm addicted to this serum for the finish alone, but it's hydrating and plumping effects aren't so bad either. Time to stock up!
Leaders Coconut Gel Moisturizing Recovery Mask - Value $7
This sheet mask is made from coconut bio-cellulose, which provides better adherence and absorption abilities compared to cotton masks. The mask I link to has new packaging but the formulation is the same. It has a pleasing fragrance and soothing gel-like essence. I love the bio-cellulose material because it's breathable and adheres like a second skin. After use, my face felt drenched with hydration and my skin looked brighter, more even toned. However, it was so sticky! I like everything about this mask except for the finish, and unfortunately, that's a deal breaker for me.
Leaders Anti-Aging Treatment Mask - Value $2.50
This cotton sheet mask aims to improve elasticity and firmness in the skin. Adenosine in the formula helps with wrinkle prevention and anti-aging while promoting collagen production in the skin. The mask fit was great and the essence smelled sweet. The fragrance lingered the whole time but it wasn't bothersome. After use, my skin felt hydrated, refreshed, and plump. The essence dried to a slightly sticky finish but it was more manageable than the bio-cellulose mask.
OPerla Snail Ginseng Eye Cream 30 g - Value $4.72
This eye cream contains ginseng and snail mucin extract, which promise anti-aging and whitening (AKA skin brightening) properties. The tube packaging and small opening make application a breeze. It has a mild herbal scent that dissipates quickly. The cream absorbs fairly quickly and leaves skin hydrated without tackiness. While I haven't noticed long-term improvements, it's a good formula as far as I can tell. The retail value is about $36 but it's on sale for as low as $4.72 on the internet.
Mizon Vita Lemon Calming Cream 50 ml - Value $22.50
This face cream is designed to help brighten the skin tone and calm tired or stressed skin. It's infused with minerals and lemon extract. The formula has a gel or pudding-like texture, which is a desirable consistency for my oily skin. The lightweight feel makes it great for day or nighttime use. Combined with its sweet, citrusy fragrance the cream reminds me a lot of key lime pie. Once fully absorbed, it leaves skin feeling weightless but slightly tacky. The tackiness is reduced if I use the cream in moderation. There are no long-term improvements to my skin just yet but I'll continue using it.
CosRx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser sample
Included in the box is a sample of CosRx's low pH gel cleanser. I've used this cleanser before and have nothing bad to say about it. It's affordable, the fragrance is ok, and my face never feels dry after rinsing. Plus, the low pH ensures that cleansing won't compromise the skin's moisture barrier.
Verdict: This month's PinkSeoul Plus box gave me a lot of fun products to play with. I'm impressed with the range of brands as well as the item variety! I wish the silicone mask cover worked for my face, but it is what it is. On the other hand, the Elizavecca 97% Hylauronic Acid Serum just may be one of the best subscription box discoveries I've ever made. The pretty bottle, the lightweight formula, the velvety matte finish... I literally can't wait to put it on every day!
The total value this month is about $63, which is more than the cost of the box but under the advertised $80 value. It's a situation I'm familiar with. The thing is that Korean beauty prices are highly variable depending on where you look, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes subscription boxes inflate their listed values. Other times buying from international e-retailers is a much better deal than buying K-beauty from Sephora or Target, but there are risks involved with this method such as item authenticity, long shipment times, and high shipping fees. So, when it comes to determining K-beauty retail value, it's rarely black-and-white. Ultimately you just have to do your research.
What do you think of the PinkSeoul Plus box?
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