In lieu of doing a lot of separate reviews on the gram I have opted to do one group review of all the skincare items I received though Sophie’s choice beauty box. And everyone has the chance to get one for free as there is no cost associated with these boxes, but there is a limited amount that go out each month so you’ll want to apply ASAP. At the moment you can apply via their instagram here

 

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What are some brands you want to see in our future boxes? 📦😊😍❤️✨❄️

A post shared by ✨Sophie’s Choice✨ (@sophiebeautybox) on Nov 17, 2018 at 9:00am PST

What’s in the box?

I love the movie seven

via GIPHY

From the box:

Our Winter Survival Kit includes the most trendy natural moisturizing and nourishing ingredients such as rosemary juice, organic shea butter, camellia water, centella asiatica extract, calendula flower water, and charcoal extract. Moisturize your skin, body and hair with our hand-picked products with natural-powered formulas. Enjoy!

In the Winter Survival Kit we recieved:

• Real Mary Cold Brew Rosemary Fortifying Scalp pack with charcoal
  • $15
• Real Shea Cold pressed Shea butter moisture recharging serum
  • $15
• Blossom jeju Pink Camellia Soombie Blooming Vitamin radiance Booster
  • $50
• Georganic Centella Ceramide Moisturizing Balm
  • $52
• SkinrxLab madecera cream
  • $36
• Pureforet Centella Multi Cream
  • $26
• Forencos pH 5.5 AC mask for trouble skin
  • $3
• Huangjisoo Centella Repairing Mask
  • $6
• Nacific Real Floral Toner
  • $19

I was really shocked at how generous this box was at a total value of $222. All full size items, free and fast shipping. I’m sure they were flooded with applications after seeing everyone’s unboxings. Some of these brands I either recognize or have used before, but most are new to me. I had never heard of them and some I can’t even find a retailer for. The hype is real and I hope more people get to try this out!

 

 

Tex

Now onto the reviews!

Real Mary by Rated Green Cold Brew Rosemary Fortifying Scalp pack w/charcoal

• Described by Sophie
  • Containing the cold brewed organic rosemary juice (70%), this charcoal added fortifying scalp pack provides rich nutrients to scalp and hair.
• If you’re unfamiliar with Korean haircare, packs or rinse refers to conditioners so to me this is kind of a conditioner which is good for the scalp as well as the hair.
• Scent:
  • you can definitely smell the rosemary
• Texture:
  • Thick and creamy. Although I will admit at first I was thinking this might be like those exfoliating scalp treatments which are gritty but alas it is not.
• Star Ingredients:
  • Rosemary, Charcoal
• Full ingredients:
  • coming soon
• My thoughts:
  • Normally I’m a bit leery using my peoples haircare as it tends to aim more for reducing oil and I need all the oil I can get. But I was really pleased with this. I can use this to detangle my hair in the shower, it coats everything well, seems to keep my drandruff from the crazy weather down aaaaand does not dry out my hair.
• Verdict:
  • Would buy and recommend trying

Real Shea Cold pressed Shea Butter Moisture Recharging serum

• Described by Sophie:
  • this non-sticky light serum moisturizes and softens dull and dry hair through 3-way deep moisture care from the cold pressed organic shea butter, hyaluronic acid and hibiscus
• Scent:
  • baby power… maybe a floral powder
• Texture:
  • your usual siliconey hair moisturizer but it does kind of melt a bit if your hands are hot
• Star ingredients:
  • Shea butter, hyaluronic acid, and hibiscus
• Full ingredients:
  • coming soon
• My thoughts:
  • when I first got this I thought it was a skin item so I was testing it on my hands and arm, then I read the box #classic. I can at least tell you it feels nice on the skin and the hair. Normally shea is way to sticky for my hair. It just makes it get tangled and I generally avoid formulas heavy in it. This one is the least sticky shea I have used and I would definitely pick it over the nature republic shea line for hair. It does help keep things smooth but I would generally recommend using it after the shower when your hair is still a little damp. My only qualm is the scent, but if you like powdery floral this is not terrible, smells clean at least.
• Verdict:
  • Would recommend to try, but I won’t buy because of the scent

Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Blooming Vitamin radiance Booster

• Described by Sophie:
  • Infused with camellia water, the gentle formula clears the skin of surface debris and residual impurities, while leaving it feeling refreshed and prepped for the following skin ritual.
• Scent:
  • kind of a sweet petal/floral scent. Natural floral would be how I would describe it
• Texture:
  • pretty watery, but like a slightly thicker toner
• Star ingredients:
  • Camellia, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Green tea and betain
• Full Ingredients:
  • I found these online but they differ slightly on the packaging
    • Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract, Glycerin, Water, Propanediol(EcoCert®, Natural Origin), Pentylene Glycol(EcoCert®, Natural Origin), Niacinamide, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Citric Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Betaine, Adenosine, Sorbitan Caprylate, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hizikia Fusiforme Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Algae Oligosaccharides, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Bioflavonoids, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Ecklonia Cava Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Sargassum Fulvellum Extract, Levulinic Acid, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Leaf Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Skin Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Fragrance
  • Will upload the packaging ingredients soon!
• My thoughts
  • This brand I’ve wanted to try for quite sometime but the price point was always a bit too high and it never happened. But I can see why so many people like this brand. It features a rich assortment of planty ingredients along with nice brighteners like niacinamide and licorice root. The scent doesn’t smell perfumey at all but very natural floral and the bottle is quite hefty and made of glass. And of course the whole design definitely fits the whole millennial pink aesthetic. I like that it was light enough to use as a toner and didn’t cause any issues like pilling. I don’t think that it is strongly brightening like a vitamin C serum, but I do feel like it helps with evening out the skin tone and was definitely soothing after using acids.
• Verdict:
  • I am now more interested in trying more of this brand, and would give peeps the go-ahead if you were on the fence.

Georganic Centella Ceramide Moisturizing Balm

• Sophie’s description:
  • With natural ingredients such as centella asiatica extract and ceramide, this natural balm calms and hydrated the skin and strengthens the barrier
• Scent:
  • kinda neutral
• texture:
  • not like an oily balm, more like a thicker cream. Think Nivea in a tin.
• Star ingredients
  • Centella & ceramide
• Full Ingredients
  • Centella Asiatica Extract(65%), Glycerin(Ecocert Organic), Butrospermum Parkii (Shea)Butter(Ecocert Organic), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride(Ecocert Natural), Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate(Ecocert Natural), Ceramide NP(1%,10,000), Glycosaminoglycans, Fucoxanthin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate(Ecocert Natural), Cetearyl Alcohol(Ecocert Natural), 1,2-Hexanediol, Simmondsia Chinensis(Jojoba) Seed Oil(Ecocert Organic), Olea Europaea(Olive)Fruit Oil, Squalane,sh-Polypeptide-11, Lysolecithin(Ecocert Natural), Sclerotium Gum(Ecocert Natural), Xanthan Gum(Ecocert Natural), Pullulan(Ecocert Natural), Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate(Ecocert Natural), Beeswax(Ecocert Natural), sh-Oligopeptide-1, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein(Ecocert Natural), Lecithin(Ecocert Natural), Phytosterols(Ecocert Natural), Propanediol(Ecocert Natural), Butylene Glycol(Ecocert Natural), Lysine, Histidine, Arginine,Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Methionine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Cysterine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Water, Hyaluronic Acid(Ecocert Natural), Chlorella Vulgaris Powder, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder.
• My thoughts:
  • So I had been putting off getting the dr. jart cicapair cream because of the price and have been basically using samples and other centella products for my little eczema patches that sometimes flare up etc. So I am super pleased with this balm as it really helps calm and protect the rashy, irritated patches I get especially around my eyes. I’ve even used in on my hand and different parts of my body to help with this super try weather or completely dry indoor air. It’s also thick enough to take the place of a sleeping pack imo, although I will add a little oil to it beforehand
• Verdict:
  • would definitely recommend if you are like me and get some allergic ezcema from time to time or just need something very soothing.

Skinrx LAB Madecera Cream

• Sophie’s description:
  • formulated with powerful combination of naturally fermented ceramides and centella asiatica, this gentle cream moisturizes and regenerates the skin, soothes inflammation and calms redness.
• Scent:
  • smells like the classic spa scent initially then a little powdery at the tend
• Texture:
  • standard cream, not too thick
• Star ingredients:
  • ceramide, madecassoide, niacinamide and adenosine
• Full ingredients:
  • Aqua, Glycerine, Butylene, Glycol, Betaine, Niacinamide 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, C14-28 Alkyl Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Cyclopentasiloxane, Diisostearyl Malate, Ceramide 3, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycereth-20, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycosyl Trehalose, Panthenol, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Lanolin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Madecassoside, Fragrance.
• My thoughts:
  • first off, I LOVE creams in tubes. Even though I am a fangirl for pretty packaging I use things in tubes way more often and they’re so much more hygienic too. This cream like the previous one was quite soothing on irritation. And because of its lighter texture there is still room for sleeping packs and oils at the end of the night when using this. I can’t say I noticed any additional brightening from this, but I was alternating through the creams over the course of the month so I would need to use this alone for a longer period to give you a better interpretation of the brightening effect.
• Verdict:
  • I love the tube, it’s a bit cheaper than the georganic and is easy to find in the USA, would recommend giving a try if you want a new tubular cream

Pureforet Centella Multi Cream

• Sophie’s Description:
  • With centella asiatica leaf water, madecassic acid, salicylic acid, willow bark extract and tea tree oil this cream mositurizes skin, clears pores and treats acne-prone skin.
• Scent:
  • A nice herby & tea tree scent
• Texture:
  • your standard medium weight cream that melts into the skin
• Star ingredients:
  • centella asiatica leaf water, madecassic acid, salicylic acid, willow bark extract, and tea tree oil.
• Full ingredients:
  • Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Propanediol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Sodium hyaluronate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Beeswax, Polysorbate 80, rh-Oligopeptide-1(1ppm), Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arginine, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Carbomer, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia sinensis leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Salicylic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract
• My thoughts:
  • This is fantastic for blemishes or around the nose or any area where you want to start working some blackheads out. Now this cream doesn’t force them out but if you use for around 5 days or so I found that I could massage out the blackhead with oil or oil cleanser more easily. I also love that they included some wacky Korean tiger art, I live for my peoples paintings of tigers.
• Verdict:
  • If you’re going trough breakouts or tend to get more blackheads than inflammatory acne like me, this is something you might enjoy

Forencos pH 5.5 Efficacy AC Sheet Mask

• Sophie’s Description:
  • This natural sheet mask has centella asiatica extract, which moisturizes the skin, helps fight inflammation, clears pores and fades acne.
• Mask stats
  • Material: I believe this is made from eucalyptus
  • Essence: clear watery gel
  • Scent: it does say it has fragrance but I cannot smell it
  • Fit: not bad, a little small around the mouth but everything else was fine
  • Time: about 30 mins till dry
  • Effect: a bit more hydrated, essence soaked in well.
• Star ingredients:
  • centella eggplant
• Full Ingredients:
  • coming soon
• 
• Verdict: Not bad, pretty affordable mask and the pH did come out to around 5. I don’t really have acneic skin so this isn’t the type of mask that I can test effectively but as I said not bad.

Huangjisoo Centella Repairing Sheet Mask

• Sophie’s Description:
  • this natural and organic sheet masks contains centella asiatica from jeju island. Centella asiatica nicknamed cica helps moisturize the skin and strengthen the skin barrior by providing a healthy firm looking skin.
• Mask stats
  • Material: microfiber, but it’s not very soft
  • Essence: kind of a milky richer fluid
  • Scent kind of a sweet floral
  • Fit: though the mask is a little stiff it does contour really well to the face
  • Time: about 35 mins
  • Effect: feels like I used a serum/emulsion on my face, very rich essence here
• Star ingredients
  • centella and tremella
• Full ingredients
  • Water, Glycereth-26, Trem Ella Fuciformis (Mushroom) Extract, Sodium I-Iyaluronate, Aescuwshippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Extract, Butyrospermum Park (Shea Butter), Glycerin, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) Extract, Allium Sativum (Garlic) Extract, Butylene Glycol, Lycum Chinense Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract, Morus Alba (White Mulberry) Leaf Extract, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Polyglyceryl-1 0 Oleate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Ucorice) Root Extract, Magnolia Kobus Bark Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Cyclopentasiloxan, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Ceram Ide, Coco-Caprylate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Houttuynia Cordata (Ts) Extract, Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Root Extract, Taraxacum Ofrcinale (Dandelion) Extract, Ginkgo Biloba (Maidenhair Tree) Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea (Green Purslane) Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Zanth) (Ylum Piperrum Fruit Extract, Cyclohexasiloxan, Xanthan Gum, Propolis Extract, Acacia Concinna Fruit Powder, Ethylhexylglycerin, Beta-Glucan, Arginine, Citrus Aurantium Bergam Ia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Allantoin
• Verdict: Not bad as a dry weather/wintertime mask as the rich essence makes it feel like you’re masking in a lotion almost. And it has a lot of tasty plant extracts too.

Nacific real Flora Calendula Toner

• Sophie’s description
  • With 91% Calendula flower water, this toner does not include any harsh chemicals. It includes real calendula flower petals, which help hydrate and nourish the skin.
• Scent
  • I can’t detect anything and there’s no added fragrance
• Texture
  • a true watery gel
• Star ingredients
  • Calendula, I mean the bottle is filled with calendula petals
• Full ingredients
  • Calendula officinalis flower water (91%), butylene glycol, sodium hyaluronate, calendula officinalis flower extract, propanediol, hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-hexanediol, centella asiatica extract, dipropyelene glycol, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) extract, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract, mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf extract, cymbopogon schoenanthus extract, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower extract, anthemis nobilis flower extract, chrysanthellum indicum extract, allantoin, calendula officinalis flower, disodium edta, dipotassium glycyrrhizate
• My thoughts
  • I really liked this toner back when the brand was called natural pacific and I think there was a slight reformulation, but I figure I would compare the old vs the new at a later date. As far a toner this is stunning to look at and in use it’s nice and hydrating. Doesn’t seem super soothing like my aloe/centella products, but does its job as hydrator and works well as a 7skin toner/layering toner.
• verdict: Have tried and loved this brand in the past, would recommend checking out if you like

 

Overall, I think my favs were definitely the skincare, I love the centella creams and the blossom jeju the most. For haircare I preferred the scalp pack to the hair serum.

What do you think? Are you going to apply for a sophie’s choice box?

 

Cheers