PinkSeoul Plus is a bi-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 two subscription types:
- The PinkSeoul Box is $39.95 every two months with a retail value of over $60.
- The PinkSeoul Plus Box, recommended for subscribers age 35+, is $49.95 every two months with a retail value of over $80.
- These two boxes are shipped bi-monthly and each box contains at least 4 full-sized items plus an accessory item.
This review is of the Sensitive Skin Type, PinkSeoul Plus Box, which costs $49.95 every two months.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first box!
CODE: MSA10
This box was sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
First Impressions
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Everything comes neatly packaged and wrapped with tissue paper, sealed with a sticker. 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 (I can't believe how long I thought I had oily skin!). Also, PinkSeoul has now switched to electronic info sheets, sent to your email when your box ships. I always get a little excited when I rip the tissue paper/sticker to see what comes in my box- the extra step with the packaging really adds to the overall experience.
The Breakdown – What’s Inside The Box
Elizavecca Milky Piggy 24K Gold Snail Cleansing Foam, 180 ml - Retail Value $18
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Right off the bat, I loved the packaging of this cleanser- the box is shaped to look like a gold bar! Once I opened up the very gold tube and used this cleanser for the first time, I found a hydrating cleanser with a thick, creamy texture. I wouldn’t describe it as “milky” the way the name would imply (once water was added the texture becomes foamy), but this was very gentle on my skin and didn’t leave my face feeling dry. The star ingredients here are snail secretion filtrate and 24k gold particles, and there’s a nice blend of botanical extracts in the formula as well.
Secret Key Aloe Toner, 248 ml - Retail Value $18
Thanks to subscription boxes this isn't my first Secret Key product, but I believe it's my first time trying their toner. The ingredients list is really nice- it has three forms of aloe, hyaluronic acid, beta-glucan, snail secretion filtrate, and multiple botanicals. I love that this is alcohol-free, and while this does have added fragrance that is all the way at the very bottom of the ingredients list. This worked well as a hydrating toner for me- I just wish it came with a spray top so it would be even easier to apply. Subscribers received one of four variations of this toner, so I appreciate that PinkSeoul pays attention to our customization answers to curate a box that best fits our skin type.
Nature Republic Aloe Soothing Gel Mist, 150 ml - Retail Value $7.90
I’ve tried this mist before, but it’s been a few years. For a mist that’s less than $10, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find one better. The nozzle spritzes out a very fine mist that feels refreshing and gently hydrating, and it’s a great way to add hydration to dry skin without adding heaviness. The formula is 92% aloe, so this mist would be good to spray all over your body- anywhere that was out in the sun for too long or is red and inflamed from heat (like my boyfriend’s back once he’s done with a 12-hour shift wearing a bullet-proof vest the entire time). If you plan to use this as a soothing body mist instead of a facial toner, I recommend storing it in the fridge- that cold temperature makes this even more refreshing on warm skin.
Jumiso Super Soothing Cica + Aloe Ampoule, 5ml – Estimated Value $4 (buy the 30 ml version for $24)
I’ve tried this ampoule before (which was also a cute mini green bottle like this one), and honestly, I wish this was the full-sized ampoule we received in this box- it’s really nice! The formula is 72% centella asiatica extract (a great ingredient for soothing skin), and it also has aloe, amino acids, and seven different types of hyaluronic acid. All of those great ingredients combined make for a super soothing serum, so I definitely think this product was appropriately named. This layers well in my morning skincare routine when I desire thin, hydrating layers, and I didn’t experience any stickiness with using this, either.
Elizavecca Marine Collagen Ampoule, 50 ml - Retail Value $14
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With the Elizavecca brand, you can always expect fun packaging, but the gorgeous fuchsia color of this ampoule takes fun packaging to a brand new level. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen such a vibrantly colored skincare product that wasn’t a face mask! The formula is 95% hydrolyzed collagen paired with fruit extracts (think blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, and cranberry). You would think a product this vibrantly colored would have artificial colorant added to it (I sure did), but based on the ingredients list I’m not seeing any- that color really must come from all of the berry extracts. Along with looking gorgeous this ampoule has the texture of a thin serum and is designed to help with skin elasticity and add hydration, with long-term use hopefully improving wrinkles. I’m not too sure about the efficacy topical collagen has on the appearance of wrinkles, but this is a fun product to use in my skincare routine that isn’t sticky and layers well, so it’s getting used regardless of if the only benefit is hydration.
JM Solution Lacto Saccharomyces Golden Rice Mask - Retail Value $2.49
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I really, really love JM Solution face masks, but I am passionately against masks like this that require you to pop a small pouch into the larger mask and massage it to integrate the formula. I am an almost-27-year-old attorney- I should be able to pop a sheet mask, right? And yet, each time I use one of these, it takes way longer than it should (I’m talking about more than 10 different attempts trying to fold the bottom perfectly so the pouch opens and disperses into the rest of the sheet mask). Because of that, by the time this mask was actually on my face I was rather annoyed. Did I love the ingredients list and really enjoy how this left my skin soft and hydrated with a touch of glow? Yes, but I wouldn’t recommend this or seek it out just because the user experience is so frustrating.
Nature Republic Real Nature Green Tea Sheet Mask - Retail Value $1.90
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This is a sheet mask I have tried before- I don’t have anything negative to say about it, but nothing about it really stands out. I like how affordable this sheet mask is, and the thin mask material means it fits my face well. The key ingredients here are green tea, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid, and this is a solid mask for hydrating dry skin or gently soothing irritated skin. I will say too that Nature Republic makes a hydro-gel version of their Real Nature masks, and those are some of my absolute favorites.
Mise en Scene Damage Care Treatment, 180 ml - Retail Value $16
Every box comes with an accessory item- in the past, I've received reusable bags, fun beauty products, scrunchies, and even socks! This month was a hair treatment from the brand Mise en Scene. Their packaging is completely in Korean, so I always need a little extra internet help when receiving products from this brand (this is my third one between my two K-Beauty subscriptions, and honestly I have enjoyed all three). This is formulated with argan oil, royal jelly, and rose water, and it works as a deep conditioning treatment for dry or damaged hair. This works pretty well for my dry curls, but not as well as the Perfect Serum Treatment from this same brand that came in my July 2021 Bomibox.
Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $49.95 bi-monthly + free US shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first box!
CODE: MSA10
Value Breakdown:
- Elizavecca Cleanser: $18
- Secret Key: $18
- Nature Republic Mist: $7.90
- Jumiso: $4
- Elizavecca Ampoule: $14
- JM Solution: $2.49
- Nature Republic Mask: $1.90
- Mise en Scene: $16
I was actually a bit surprised the total value added up to only $82.29- this box definitely felt like it had a higher value to me with the five different full-size products.
Key Takeaways
If you're a fan of K-Beauty products, I don't think you can go wrong with a Pink Seoul subscription. I can always count on receiving interesting and fun products that are hard to get here in South Louisiana, and over my years of subscribing, I've discovered multiple brands through this box that I really love. This may not be the subscription box where you feel like you've paid a low price for really expensive beauty products, but I generally consider the value to be there and the curation to be well-done, especially considering most, if not all, of these products are mainly sold in South Korea. Plus, I really appreciate that they take your skin type into account- I'm not aware of any other K-Beauty subscription box that offers that feature.
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add PinkSeoul to your subscription list or wishlist!
Other Things You Should Know
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No, your first box will be a PinkSeoul PLUS welcome box (valued at $100+).
Good to Know: Your first box will ship within 5 business days and subsequent boxes will ship by the 25th of every other month.
What do you think of the PinkSeoul Plus box? Do you prefer monthly or bi-monthly beauty boxes?
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