No Make No Life (nmnl) is a Japanese & Korean beauty subscription box. "The name itself stands for: *no makeup no life*, since beauty and makeup products are some of the essential aspects in our daily life."
nomakenolife is a subscription-based service that delivers you a box of Korean and Japanese cosmetics plus skincare. Each box, curated personally by our in-house beauty consultant, includes 8-9 high quality, exclusive and limited edition beauty products in several categories including skincare, bath and body, hair care, makeup, tools and accessories, masks).
FYI, COVID-19 Update: Learn about delays, updates to shipping methods, and more right here.
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About the No Make No Life Box
The Subscription Box: No Make No Life (nmnl)
The Cost: $35 a month + shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.
The Products: A mix of 8-9 full-sized Japanese & Korean beauty items from 6 different categories: skin, body, makeup, hair, bath, and tools.
Ships: Worldwide via DHL for $10.95. Get all the details on shipping info here.
November 2020 No Make No Life "Harajuku Sweet Dreams" Review
Before we get started, it's worth noting this is the third box I've received since March. Japan faced shipping backlogs, suspended shipping to a growing list of countries, returned shipments, and other complications due to COVID-19. More from nmnl:
NOTICE FOR USA BASED CUSTOMERS: Unfortunately, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, on April 23rd Japan Post announced that flights to and from the USA have been reduced by 90% which resulted in delayed shipment of up to 4 months for Air Mail, with no guarantee of shipment. As such, we have made the decision to use Surface Mail, as it continues to operate during the COVID-19 crisis with a better guarantee of shipment at an estimated delivery time of 60-90 days.
Because of continued challenges, it looks like nmnl is moving away from Surface Mail in favor of other options. You can get all the details here.
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The booklet gives you detailed information on each item, as well as instructions on how to use certain products. This month's theme is 'Harajuku Sweet Dreams.'
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Choosy X Milky Lip Pack - Retail Value $2.76 (currently out of stock)
This lip pack comes from a collaboration with Choosy, a lip product brand, and Milky, a Japanese candy brand. I received the Strawberry Milky, but it also could have arrived in sweet Cocoa Milky or classic Milky. The lip pack is sort of a jelly-like mask that fits right over your lips. You can apply it, almost like a suction, to sit tightly around your lips for extreme hydration that can last up to 7 days! I love wearing lipstick, which means I really need to keep my lips smooth and hydrated in order to achieve smooth application without clumping. I have never used a lip pack mask before so it was sort of a strange experience at first, but I will say that I was very happy with the results! They have felt hydrated and smooth for days now!
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Skin's Boni Yogurt Mask Pack - Retail Value $4.04 (currently out of stock)
My skin has been in bad shape lately, from stress and the weather changing, it has been dry and breaking out. So I was really excited to receive this hydrating mask! It is made with lactic acid bacteria and works to help skin elasticity. The mask had a thick yogurt serum on it that smelled super sweet. To use, I simply washed my face and applied the mask for 20 minutes before removing and applying my night moisturizer before bed. I can't say that I noticed a huge difference in my skin, but it did have a nice healthy glow when I woke up the next morning after using the mask. While the super hydrated feeling that it left me with didn't last more than a day, I was happy with how it looked right after using!
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Choosy X Milky Sugar Lip Scrub - Retail Value $11.12
This scrub is another collaboration with Choosy and Milky, the brands we learned about above. The scrub is made with soft petrolatum and jojoba oil. It is so sweet and delicious and works to remove dead skin cells from your lips to leave them extra soft. They recommend using this lip scrub before using the lip pack to help exfoliate and then rehydrate your lips. I honestly love a good lip scrub and this worked perfectly! It was yummy and really got my lips feeling smooth.
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Vivid Color Nail Stand - Retail Value $4.23 (currently out of stock)
This nail stand is so interesting! I wasn't sure what it was when I first took it out of the box. After looking at the monthly booklet I saw that it is a suction cup nail stand. All you have to do is place two fingers through to help keep them steady while you paint your nails. You can use this on your toes as well! It only holds two fingers steady at a time, but with the suction, you can easily slip your fingers out and new ones in as you paint. I thought the top was meant to hold your nail polish bottle, but depending on the size of the bottle they actually don't fit easily. So I think the top is just meant to look like a diamond ring. I can't say that I am totally blown away by this product, but I think it is fun and interesting! I might try to use it to paint my daughter's nails soon!
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Skin's Boni Yogurt Wash Off Mud Pack - Retail Value $4.73 (currently out of stock)
I received this mud pack in the Black Charcoal Pore Cleaning, but you could have received it in Pink Green Tea Soothing & Protecting or the Yellow Pine Improving Color & Elasticity. The booklet recommends warming the pack in your hands first so that it can go on smoothly. Once you are ready to apply, simply wash your face, apply the mud pack generously over your face, leave it on for 15 minutes, and then rinse. The mask went on wet yet sticky, but after 15 minutes it was totally dry and a light grey color. I could also see larger grey areas where my pores are, almost like the mask was going into my pores for a deep clean. Once I rinsed, my skin felt super soft and very clean. I will say though that the next day after using this my skin felt incredibly dry, more so than normal. I had a lot of flaking and dry spots for a few days after as well. So while I think it did a great job cleaning my skin, it might have been too much for my skin type because ultimately it left my skin feeling a bit worse in terms of dryness than it was before using the mud pack.
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Sho-Bi Slown Fruits Cheek Color Palette - Retail Value $5.22 (currently out of stock)
This little palette is so cute! You can use both colors to highlight your cheeks and cheekbone. The palette colors come in baby orange and coral pink. The photo of me with the blush on makes it look a bit on the lighter side, but I felt like the color was more pinky and bold in person. The palette comes with a mirror and magnet closure, making it great to just toss in your makeup bag and go. The only thing I don't love is the teeny tiny brush that came in it, it is a bit too small to get a good application.
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It's Skin Macaron Lip Balm - Retail Value $8.66 (currently out of stock)
I love this little macaron lip balm case! I do sort of wish it came in pink, though. The balm comes in Grape, Pineapple, or Choco. The monthly booklet notes that this is a hypoallergenic balm so it is great for sensitive skin. It goes on clear to help moisturize your skin. Since it goes on clear you can use it as a light lip gloss over or under a lipstick or on your eyelids for a little glow. All around a nice and easy product to use every day!
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Peach Leaf Makeup Remover Wipes - Retail Value $5.22 (currently out of stock)
It might just be me, but my skin is not a fan of makeup wipes. I have tried many over the years, especially when I was younger, but my dry sensitive skin always breaks out no matter what brand I use. This wasn't any different for me, unfortunately. These wipes are made with peach leaf extract and have a very sweet peach scent to them. They are light and easy to use, and only one or two wipes got all of my day's makeup off. The only issue is that I instantly had breakouts and some redness after using these. I am going to pass these along to my sister-in-law who swears by makeup remover wipes.
Verdict: November's No Make No Life Box was so sweet! I loved that the box came with a lip scrub and a lip mask that can be used together to get your lips exfoliated and hydrated. The mud pack and the makeup remover wipes did not work well with my skin, but I have very dry and sensitive skin, so I wasn't too surprised by that. Luckily this month came with a yogurt face mask that I was able to use the night after the mud pack to provide my skin with some much-needed hydration! The lip balm and blush palette were great colors for my skin tone and are both products that I will use every day! At $35 + $10.95 for DHL shipping, I received 8 beauty items with a retail value of around $45.98. This month's products were so sweet and came with two collaboration products from brands that I loved learning about! I thought the curation felt well rounded and complete, leaving me with lots of products to pamper myself and with items that I know I can use daily.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you'll receive the December box.
Value Breakdown: At $35 + $10.95 shipping ($45.95) for this box with a retail value of $45.98, you are approximately paying $5.74 for each of the 8 items.
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What do you think of the November No Make No Life box?
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