Jumpstart Your Korean Beauty Obsession with Memebox

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

The discovery of Korean beauty brands no longer requires a Korean bestie or mom thanks to Memebox. The SF-based beauty startup delivers curated boxes of Korean beauty goodness to your door at prices far below the collective value of the included products. It's a new spin on the "beauty in a box" trend, and one that I find more compelling than others for reasons beyond the fact that I'm a big advocate for the skincare and makeup that come from my parents' motherland.

For starters, the boxes include a balanced mix of well-known brands in addition to the more obscure. My Korean Beauty Starter Kit ($39) had a cleansing oil from Skinfood and a moisturizing mist from Tony Moly—two of the more popular names coming out of South Korea—and items from Goodal and It's Skin, two brands that I had yet to encounter. I also like that the kit's information card provided new beauty tips that bring new insight even to the most seasoned skincare enthusiast. Before receiving my Memebox, I never knew to follow an oil-based cleanser with a foaming one. But ever since trying the method, I won't ever stray from the routine.

The only aspect of the service that I find disappointing is that the kits sell out. So the very box that I tested (and very much enjoyed) is no longer available to purchase. That said, there are still plenty of compelling box options to purchase like the Must Have Skincare Box: Spring Edition ($40) for a refreshed beauty regimen. Buy one for yourself and for all your friends—because everyone needs that bestie to fill her in on all the Korean beauty trends, even if that bestie is actually Memebox.