nmnl is a monthly beauty subscription box by the brains behind Tokyo Treat and Yume Twins. Does the box look a bit different than my last review? Don’t worry — this is the new and improved nmnl! For the last few years since their launch they have only included Japanese beauty brands but have taken subscriber wishes into consideration and have redesigned it to feature both Japanese and Korean beauty!
DEAL: Use coupon code HELLOSUBS at checkout to save 10% ($3.50) on your first box!
The booklet has also been redesigned and features the same content as before, from box contents to contests and photo features.
One of the reasons why in general Korean beauty boxes tend to be more “full” is because their items’ price points are much lower than Japanese beauty brands (and I’ve been online shopping for both for over a decade). With websites like Jolse it’s a lot easier to shop kbeauty as well, which leads to big hauls that cost very little. This definitely is going to be a benefit for nmnl, as you can see the first box of 2019 has eight items, compared to the 4-6 we would normally receive when it was exclusively Japanese beauty.
Kocostar Kiwi Slice Sheet Mask ($5) — Kocostar (short for Korean Cosmetics Stars) is sold all over the world. In Canada and the US you can find them in Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, American Eagle, Ulta. This is a pack of 12 “point masks” which are small sheet masks you can apply on areas that need extra help, such as dry elbows, forehead, cheeks, etc. The Kiwi variation contains vitamin C which provides mild exfoliation of dry, dull skin.
Tonymoly Blueberry Lip Mask ($3.20) — I love how silly lip masks are to wear! They look so funny but they generally work to keep lips soft and hydrated. This is a berry one with blueberry, strawberry, blackberry and bear berry.
Etude House Etti Shower Puff ($4.95) — Etude House is know for their super cute packaging and accessories. I have one of their cat headbands and this pink cat shower puff is SOOOO adorable!
Soy Milk Face Cleanser ($6.79) — Soy milk is a great ingredient for how gentle and hydrating it is, and the small amount of natural lactic acid means there is some gentle exfoliation as well. I don’t know how much effect is gained from cleansers since you rinse them off, but any good ingredients are a great bonus.
Watering Makeup Wedges ($0.71) — Basic makeup wedges for applying foundation and other cream products. I use my Beautyblender exclusively, and these are something you can easily find at the drugstore, so I didn’t find them too interesting.
Flower Bouquet Soap ($3.74) — How gorgeous is this packaging? I wish I could unwrap it to show you but it is going to be a lovely gift for a dear friend of mine — it’s a pretty pink soap that smells like a fresh cut floral arrangement. The sentiment on the front says “Present for You” and some investigation revealed to me that this soap company makes gift style soaps with thoughtful sayings like “Thank You” and “With Sincerest Gratitude” on them, making for beautiful presents.
Missha 3D Mascara ($2.28) — Missha is a gateway brand to Korean beauty because their products are good quality and inexpensive.
Denkyu Lip Tint ($9.64) — Korea and Japan are big fans of sheer, bright colours and the gradient lip look. Lip tints like this help stain your lips to achieve that look, as you can apply many layers to build up colour. It’s a soft red that applies really nicely and didn’t dry out my lips.
So this is kind of interesting because when I was Googling to find out more information about this product, I found that nmnl actually now has their own sort of comparison page on their website where they break down the prices between Amazon and this nmnl box. Check it out here! This helped me find some more accurate pricing and product information (since my kanji skills are lacking to google certain things) but also I do want to point out that their prices for the Korean products are based off of Amazon.jp, and not a direct source from Korea like Jolse. Thats why some of my values are slightly lower. Additionally, most Japanese items on Amazon.jp can’t be shipped internationally, so that’s also a point in nmnl’s favour.
nmnl’s declared value: 40.62
Actual value based on Amazon.jp for Japanese products, Korean shops for Korean products: 36.31
So with my breakdown, it does work out to being pretty much the exact cost of nmnl which is $35 monthly. Another thing to consider is that nmnl has free shipping, which would add up for shopping from Amazon.jp and other shops. Overall I think this is a great move for nmnl as they can now garner the support of fans who are also into Korean beauty, too, as well as bring in popular Korean brands to boost the overall value of the box. I’m really excited by how many items were included and I hope this continues!
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