Memebox Haul: you win some, you lose some.

I love the Memebox stores here in Korea. They have a good variety of products to browse, and I love testing the Pony Effect makeup. But honestly, I rarely buy anything. I find lots of the products kinda pricey for what they are (I’m tight, but I’m saving money hard right now, so even tighter than usual!), there’s stuff I like but rarely things I just HAVE to purchase, and my experiences thus far with their products been fairly hit and miss. And the little haul I did this time was exactly the same…

Pony Effect Stay Put Eye Stick

Let’s start with the good! I LOVE this product. I went for the shade Bumpy, which (despite the unattractive name choice), is a gorgeous matte, pigmented, mustard yellow/brown shade. It’s so different to anything else I own, and different to the shades I’ve seen in other Korean stores here. It’s quirky, and it manages to achieve a cool, unique pop of color, whilst still looking relatively natural, and possible to wear to work. I’ve been wearing it on my lower lash line both during the day at work with neutral makeup, or pairing it with a purple lip and thicker lines on weekends. It’s incredibly versatile.

The texture of the product is quite creamy, and doesn’t drag on application (something I despise in eye sticks). Although it can be blended immediately after application, you have to be kinda quick as it does dry down, making it hard to move around.

The packaging is a nice and simple twist stick, with the classic luxe rose gold lettering, typical of Pony makeup. The stick of product itself is quite thick, but as I’ve only been using it under my lower lash line, and not for tight-lining my upper lash line, the thickness hasn’t been a problem for me. 

Not onlyyyyy all of the above, but the eye stick actually does ‘stay put’- thank god as we enter gross monsoon season here in Seoul. It’s hard to get this stuff to budge without makeup remover, and it lasts very well all day or night.

Overall I’m super happy with this product- well worth the 8000 won sale price I paid, and also worth the full regular 16,000 won price IMO. I’d buy more!

I’m Nail Polish x2

I went for shade NS204 Peach Juice, and NS602 Lilac Scent. Both colors are gorrrrgeous, and very summery.

Peach Juice is my favourite, and has been staying on for about 4 days chip-free, which for me is something like a small miracle. It’s also very smooth in texture and formula, giving an even, non-streaky finish. (Tip- finished with the Modi Jelly Top Coat, it’s got the appearance of a gel mani).

Lilac Scent is a very pretty color, but as with so many light shades, it’s hard to get an even, opaque finish. It still looks good, just not quite as smooth and professional looking as Peach Juice. It’s quite streaky, and hard to get right.

I also really liked that the brushes are straight cut on the bottom, which means you get a straight line when you apply at the base of your nail. It’s a pet peeve of mine when brushes are uneven and leave a mess.

The polishes were 1+1 so I got them for a shocking 1,500 won each. A steal! Memebox regularly have nail polish deals so keep an eye out.

Pony Effect Metallic Matte Lip Color in Surreal

Okay so this was a risky purchase- although I loved the swatch, I knew there’d be a chance I would end up not having the courage to wear it out. I still bought it regardless, as again it was something very different to anything I own, and was 30% off.

It’s a metallic, matte, lip gloss type product. It comes in a tube with a wand applicator.

The packaging is a smooth tube, with simple Pony Effect lettering in black. The wand is seemingly fine, however I’ll talk about how my thoughts on that changed in a second.

First, the color and formula. When I originally swatched it on my hand in store, it seemed perfect. I went for Surreal shade, which is a stunning metallic purple. It looked opaque (damn you tricking me, store lighting), and dried down to matte shimmer.

However, when I came to wearing it for the first time, things weren’t as they seemed at first swatch! It doesn’t go on completely opaque as I thought. The first layer definitely needs a top up, however it isn’t that simple. You need to wait until the first coat is completely dry, otherwise the product ends up kind of clumping and becoming uneven. So that takes some time and practice.

Now let’s go back to the wand. I’d say I’m pretty good at makeup application. However, this is an extremely pigmented, and difficult to work with, formula, therefore the wand is just too clumsy for precise application.

I couldn’t get the edges of my lips anywhere near neat enough, and it took lots of cleaning up, which is difficult without messing up the whole look because of the formula. It would be better to come with a lip brush, and I intend to use my own from now on, not the wand. However having to carry my own tools isn’t easy for on the go top-ups, which (after eating out when wearing this) I’ve realized are absolutely necessary. If this was a super cheap product , I’d get it, but at regular price 23,000 won, I expect the applicator to be better suited for the product.

Yes, so I wore this out to eat, and it was a disaster. Like, to the point where my boyfriend, who never notices  makeup, was agreeing that I needed to take it off. It completely came off in the centre of my lips, and bunched up in lumps around the edges. It was awful, and because of the original application difficulties discussed above, topping up isn’t really possible, and instead means taking off the whole lip and starting again. Not practical. On the flip side, if you’re not doing any eating or drinking, it stays on very well! But really what’s the frequency of those situations?

Since I bought it, I’ve been very nervous to wear it out because of all the issues I’ve listed. I don’t want to end up looking a hot mess, and unfortunately, that’s a high risk unless I intend not to drink or eat anything when I’m out (haaa right). It’s a shame because the color really is stunning, and it’s such a fierce look. Although it’s a fun addition to my collection, I just wish the formula was better, and I’m honestly pleased that I only paid 16,000 won and not the full 23,000. 

Yep so, as always with my Memebox hauls, I had some wins and losses. Overall I’m happy with my purchases, and hopefully I can still find the right times to wear the metallic lip color. I was also very happy to receive a free Pony Effect navy blue plastic shopper with inner lining. It feels nice quality and is perfect for taking bits to work in rainy season! What’s your best Memebox purchase? I’d love to know in the comments!