BomiBag is a monthly Asian beauty subscription from BomiBox containing mostly sample sizes, enabling you to try new products before spending money on the full size. You will receive a combination of Japanese and Korean samples. Cancel or skip months at any time by logging into your account.
BomiBox offers three options: BomiBag, BomiBox Quarterly, and BomiBox Luxe.
This is a review of the BomiBag $19.99/month subscription.
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About BomiBag
The Subscription Box: BomiBag
The Cost: $19.99/month + free US shipping
The Products: Sheet masks, deluxe samples, and/or trial sizes of Japanese and Korean beauty products
Ships to: The US for free and worldwide for varying rates at checkout
BomiBag December 2019 Review
There was no information card included in the package. I found more about the bag contents here.
Heimish All Clean Balm (50 mL) + bonus mini - Estimated Value $7.92 (Buy 120 mL for $19)
I was super confused when I saw both of these items in the bag, because they are a mini and a full size of the same item. But based on the informational post about the bag (linked to above) that was deliberate. I guess you could always use one for travel. As it happens, this is a product type I use fairly often as the first step in a double cleanse and it works quite well to remove my makeup so I don't mind getting both packages. (I am not including the value for the mini here because it's not clear what the size is.)
Neogen Naturals Real Ferment Micro Essence (20 mL) - Estimated Value $5.07 (Buy 150 mL for $38)
I don't have the discipline to use both a toner and an essence, so I'm using this instead of a toner. Which honestly seems to be working well for me since we've finally had a cold snap and this is moisturizing rather than drying. This has a lot of different fermentation extracts, which is somewhat different from having probiotics, because it has the compounds secreted by microorganisms instead of the microorganisms themselves, but that is probably OK, because probiotics in skincare are not really proven to colonize the skin, but at least you're getting the benefit of what they produce. I'd expect this to be high in amino acids and vitamins and to include a lot of small molecules that actually stand a chance of penetrating the skin.
Neogen Real Flower Cleansing Water, Rose (20 mL) - Estimated Value $1.47 (Buy 300 mL for $22)
Naturally the least expensive item of the month is my favorite new discovery. (I love the Heimish balm, too, but I have tried that before.) I don't know if I am using this as intended, but sometimes after a double cleanse, depending on the mascara I've been wearing (like if it's one that's difficult to remove), I end up with dark areas under my eyes. I just put a little of this on a cotton pad and it takes the remnants of the mascara right off, while still being gentle. Plus it smells so good that I usually want to put it all over my face anyway.
I'm Sorry for My Skin Moisture Comma Mask - Retail Value $2.20 (found here for $1.10)
I had to look at the post about box contents to figure out what this was called. At the page above linked to in the item name, only 10 ingredients are listed and some are pretty common in sheet masks like water, glycerin, and propylene glycol. All of these will be moisturizing or inert, of course. There are some chemical structures and the one on the right is ectoin, which is new to me. It is supposed to protect the skin from stresses like UV radiation by stabilizing cellular structures and proteins. That's not really something you can assess after one use! There is another structure on that page that I think is supposed to be ceramide but it's drawn in such a strange and incorrect way that I could be wrong (keeping in mind that I have a PhD in chemistry). But the mask does contain ceramide, which is another moisturizing compound. This is actually a pretty good one for covering multiple bases and would be suitable for use at least a couple of times a week if not daily.
Nature Republic Madecassoside Real Comforting Mask Sheet - Retail Value $1.90
If you have used Centella asiatica extracts in K-beauty products, you have used madecassoside, even if you didn't know it, because this is one of the major components of Centella extracts. However, it is my understanding that this ingredient is present in lower quantities in Centella plants than some of the other components of the extracts, and also the quantities of all the components can be variable depending on growth, harvest, and processing conditions. So by adding madecassoside in on its own, you can control the amount and get more of it than with a plant extract. Anyway, this compound has antioxidant activity and is promoted as helping collagen synthesis and skin circulation but those are not really things you can assess after using a sheet mask one time. However, this one was also pretty gentle and didn't interfere with my makeup (I used it in the morning) so I am happy.
Verdict: I calculated a total value of $18.56 for the December BomiBag. That does not include the mini balm, which is easily worth more than $1.50, so you are probably doing slightly better than breaking even with this month's package. I was happy to see the full-sized balm as it is a product I like and that will get used, and I particularly loved the rose cleansing water and may even purchase that again once I use up all the cleansing water in my stash (in other words, it'll be awhile!). Anyway, all the items were good fits for me and my skin this time around.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you subscribe today? No, your first shipment will be January's. Also, there *may* be some variation in box contents based on what I have received versus what the Bomibag website says I should have received.
Value Breakdown: At $19.99 for this subscription, you’re paying approximately the following per item:
- Large balm $8.53
- Essence $5.46
- Flower water $1.58
- Comma mask $2.37
- Madecassoside mask $2.05
- Mini balm - bonus
Check out my past reviews of BomiBag and see the Beauty Subscription Box List for more great K-beauty subscriptions!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What did you think of the December 2019 BomiBag? Do you get any K-Beauty or Asian Beauty subscriptions?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.