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."
nmnl is a subscription-based service that delivers you a box full of unique japanese beauty products from tokyo to straight to your doorsteps. our aim is to introduce japanese culture via beauty products that not only look good but make you feel good. each box, curated personally by our in-house beauty consultant, includes 5- 7 items in several categories including skin, body, make, hair, bath and tools.
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: nmnl
The Cost: $35.00 a month + free shipping
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 for free
December 2019 No Make No Life Box "Glitter & Glam" Review
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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 'Glitter & Glam.'
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Elle Vie Whitening Eye Cream, 144 g - Retail Value $4.22
I don't have an eye cream in my skincare routine so I was excited to give this rollerball whitening cream a try! The booklet recommends using this in the morning and before bed under your eyes for best results at reducing dark circles and uneven skin. The rollerball is super easy to use, just give it a little squeeze to get the product out and roll away those dark circles! I have only used this product a few times so I can't speak to the long-term results, but I have noticed that I wake up looking way less puffy around my eyes than usual. No dark circles and less puffy? Count me in!
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Sho-Bi Glitter Hair Gel - Retail Value $5.89
I thought this was a funky mascara at first, but after reading the booklet I realized it is a hair gel! This reminds me of something I would have rocked in the '90s with a few butterfly clips. You can receive one of four color varieties including party pink, dream blue, shiny silver, or champagne gold. I have super curly hair so I was having a hard time getting the wand to apply any glitter to my hair. No worries, my son saw what I was doing and wanted in on the fun, plus his hair makes a much better model! As you can see in the photo, it really creates a wet look with specks of glitter here and there. I think this would look really cute with your hair pulled back or just a light coat right in your hair part for a subtle look. I will say it was pretty tricky to get the glitter to apply to the wand at first, but after a few squeezes of the gel, I was able to get it to apply nicely. I don't know if I will be using this gel too often, but I know we will be rocking it in my son's hair for this next "crazy hair day" at school!
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Champion Lash - Retail Value $2.02
Oh my goodness these lashes are so funky! As you can see in the photos, I'm really trying to give you lots of sass which is what I think these lashes needed! You could have received one of eleven different designs, and I'm kind of obsessed with the design that I got this month. These were super easy to apply and stayed in place nicely. I could have used a small cut at the end to make the lashes fit my eye a bit better, but I think they still look cute as is. While I wouldn't wear this look every day, I love that these were included in the holiday box! These would be perfect to wear to a holiday party or out for New Year's Eve. What do you think, did I pull these funky lashes off?!
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Eyenlip Gold Peel Off Pack - Retail Value $2.90 (on sale for $0.99)
I have never tried a peel off mask before so I was super excited to see this pack! This mask works on removing excess sebum and enriches your skin with keratin to keep your skin looking youthful. The booklet instructions recommend applying the mask, letting it dry completely for 15 to 20 minutes, peeling it off, and then rinsing. Since this was my first time using a peel off mask I wasn't sure how much to apply, but I do think I could have used a bit more to really pack the mask on nicely. I did feel some mild burning when I was applying the mask that went away quickly as the mask hardened. After about 15 minutes I went to remove the mask, all I did was a quick smile and frown and the mask edges popped, making it super easy to peel away. Removing the mask honestly felt like taking off one of those pore strips, and I could even see spots where my pores were which was really cool! My skin felt squeaky clean after removing. I will say that I have very dry skin, especially right now that the cold weather is in full force where I live, so I felt extra dry after removing and even the morning after using this mask. If you are dry like me, I would recommend following this mask up with a heavy moisturizer and serum. I don't think I would use this mask too often since it made my dry skin even drier, but I did enjoy the clean and fresh feeling that it left me with!
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Champagne Hand Soap - Retail Value $4.37
Champagne always feels extra fancy so I loved this hand soap bottle design, it really dresses up my bathroom sink! You could have received either pink or gold with the champagne scent. While this says hand soap on the bottle, the booklet says that you can use it in the bath as well. Bonus! The scent wasn't too strong, it was very clean with a light sweetness to it, and it left my skin feeling super soft. I can't wait to add this to a bath, especially since the scent isn't overpowering!
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Etude House Tear Drop Liner - Retail Value $7.46 (on sale for $6.34)
I love using eyeliner so getting a new tube is always a win for me! I received pink, but you could have received beige or white as well. I love layering my liner so I added a line directly above my black liner to add a little glitter blast! It is hard to tell in the photos, but the sparkle really made my eyes look so wide and really pop. The liner brush itself was super soft and the liner was very wet so it was tricky to apply at first. With a steady hand though, I was able to get a nice line. Since the liner is so wet, I had to keep my eyes closed for a minute or so to make sure it fully set, otherwise I would have gotten it all over my eye. I am so happy with this little liner and can't wait to use it again when I'm feeling festive!
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Glow Hill Makeup Morning Facial Mask - Retail Value $0.90
This mask is made to use specifically in the morning since it already has your moisturizer, makeup base, and skin cream all in one! The booklet instructions say to apply the mask in the morning for five minutes and bam, you should be glowing and ready to apply makeup! The mask was very wet with a lot of excess moisturizer on it when I first removed it from the packet, but I was happy to see that it applied nicely to my face without any dripping. The mask itself does have a bit of glitter to it which did transfer over to my face so I would say if you don't want to have some shimmer to your skin this might not be the mask for you. After my five minutes were up I removed the mask and rubbed the moisturizer into my face to make sure I got it all in there. I did a few other things from my morning routine while I waited for my skin to dry a bit before I applying my makeup, and in that time my skin did become a bit pink and warm. I will say that my skin is currently very dry so it can get irritated easily, something as simple as the glitter could have made it red, to be honest. Once my skin dried a bit I was able to apply my makeup, which went on smoothly, and I was left with glowing skin! While I don't think I would order this mask on my own since it irritated my skin a bit, I do love the convenience of an all-in-one morning routine mask that is perfect for traveling!
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Rhinestone & Pearl Hair Tie - Retail Value $1.11
I have been wanting a statement hair tie like this one for so long! This is a big score for me! I love that the hair tie itself is thick with a larger circle so it holds my thick curly hair nicely. I wore it loosely in a low ponytail, but then I tried it today in a low bun and it looked so cute and festive! I am happy with the design and quality and know I will get a ton of wear out of it. I might even let my daughter borrow it now that I can get her hair into a ponytail!
Verdict: No Make No Life Box was the perfect holiday assortment to get me excited and prepped for upcoming parties and family gatherings. This was my first time receiving nmnl and I was delighted from start to finish on the overall curation and quality of each item. Both masks were sort of a miss for me, but I think that had more to do with my skin type rather than the mask itself. While the makeup items were a bit more funky than my day-to-day routine, I still loved that the items were perfect for a holiday party or a big night out on New Years Eve. My favorite items are between the hair tie and the eyeliner, both are festive yet subtle enough that I know I will use them outside of this holiday season. The total retail value for this month's box comes to $28.87, about $6.13 shy of the $35 monthly cost. While I was happy with the products featured, the price difference is pretty high despite receiving eight items. An additional item like a bold lipstick or sleep mask might have brought the retail value up a bit more, but overall I was happy with the quality and assortment that was featured this month. I am officially in the holiday spirit and sparkle!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you'll receive the January box.
Value Breakdown: At $35 for this box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:
- Eye Cream: $5.11
- Hair Gel: $7.14
- Lashes: $2.44
- Peel Off Pack: $3.51
- Hand Soap: $5.29
- Liner: $9.04
- Mask: $1.09
- Hair Tie: $1.34
Check out all of our nmnl reviews and some of our other favorite beauty subscription boxes!
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What do you think of the December No Make No Life box?
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