[Hotel Review] The Palace Within A Mine: Palace of the Golden Horses

Nestled in the shining silver high rise buildings and money making machines, hidden amongst the hustle and bustle of the city and the contagious pressures of society forever locked in a race against time to succeed, is a not-so-secret sanctuary frozen in time. 

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. 

Only a half hour's drive from either of the two international airports in Kuala Lumpur is an almost impossible city within a city. 

The Mines Resort City is now home to what developers proudly call The Seven Wonders of Malaysia, namely a resort, business, residential, conference, and entertainment facilities all catered for within the 1,000 acres of land. 

But once upon a time, it was the largest tin mine in the world. 

And then it was nothing. 

Picture from http://www.minesgolfclub.com/web/index.php/course/history

The Mines Resort City was built from what others considered to be a wasteland, left behind after its natural resources of tin have been depleted. 

In 1988, Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew saw this two kilometres long and a kilometre wide hole that's 200 metres deep and envisioned a city. And then, he built it, taking advantage of it's unique landscape to construct a city that is unlike any other. 

The remnants of mining activities, holes left behind that filled with rainwater, were not filled, but incorporated into this city. These two man-made lakes were then connected via a canal and a RM15 million hydraulic water system that allowed boats to travel from one to the other, linking what are now The Mines shopping mall, Waterfront Business Park, Sapura Group HQ Building, and the Mines Resort & Gold Club. 

It is within this city, by the shores of the 150-acre lake, that you will find Asia's most extraordinary hotel, a world-class award winning luxury hotel that has been temporary homes to the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, the Sultan of Brunei, Madeleine Albright, Tiger Woods, and many more. 

The Palace of the Golden Horses is not just a hotel. It is an escape, an experience, an enlightenment to the senses. 

An entourage of golden horses gallops outwards and welcomes you into it's doors, lest you find yourself wandering off to the picturesque lake, eager to take you on a cruise around the city of wonders and show you what it has accomplished.

The grandiose architecture of the palace grounds is as inviting as it can be overwhelming, but the staff (servants?) will show you exactly where you need to go and what you can do. Sweeping staircases and imposing statues will transport you back in time, filling you with the charms and grandeur that is unattainable in the minimalistic, modernize, -inferior- hotels. 

This is not a hotel. It is a palace that has earned it's title. 

But beyond the extraordinary decor and well-preserved history, in the comforts of the rooms, the illusion shatters. 

The check in process is professional, the linens fresh, the laundry facilities immaculate and the WiFi? Fast and free, of course. 

It is an indulgence, certainly, but one that doesn't necessarily have to break bank. You can check out the price of the Golden Horses here, where the starting price for this hotel is RM362.88, something which stunned me at the end of my long research into this hotel and how it came to be. That's RM362.88 inclusive of tax with free breakfast. And judging from the raving reviews, you would get to dine like the queens and kings you (temporarily) are. 

The palace grounds is huge and there will no doubt be empty rooms during off-season. For those of you adventurers and daredevils, there is a room that you can go to between 1am to 3am where you might be able to see something. 

Or if you're a chicken like me, you'll do well to avoid Room 5044 and room 5042 altogether. Yes, haunted hotel research is something that I do before booking hotels. It's important, alright? Still, the claims of the hotel being haunted are mostly from way back in 2011 and it is possible that the ghosts have moved on. 

So bright. How to haunt?

Between you and me, I am as sold by the decadence of the palace and the richness of its history as I am swayed by the simple fact that it is an actual palace. It feeds into the fantasy of being beautiful and fabulous, deserving of all the wonderful things in life. 

For all those yearning for a taste of freedom and history, the Palace of the Golden Horses stands tall and proud, an echo of a time past, but not forgotten. 

This super extra hotel introduction is brought to you by Traveloka, a wonderful new travel website that has everything from flights, to accommodations. For the best prices of anything travel-related, visit Traveloka. ^^

[Vitamin C Review] Tia'm My Signature C Source Serum (Previously OST C20)

Price: $14.40 (RM60)

(Use affiliated coupon at checkout C10T190S3 for 8% off) 

Verdict: 8/10

Repurchase: Yeah.

Name Change & Shop

O.S.T. C20 changed it's name recently from O.S.T. C20, to Tia'm My Signature C Source Serum, which is an interesting change in my opinion. Nothing has changed other than that. The only thing that's changed is the name. The product and ingredients, production line and I'm assuming even the people responsible for making these are the same. Tia'm kindly informed me that the reason for the name change is because people (me included) frequently mistake O.S.T. C20 for By Wishtrend, which are actually completely different.  In addition, there's an issue of trademark rights about C20 in the US, so the name change was necessary in order to extend the product line. I'm really pleased Tia'm is transparent about that. ^^ Thank you. 

Tia'm is actually a brand I've never heard of before. Their website seems to be exclusively in Korean, but the instagram page is helpfully translated, which lets me follow their new products launch and whatnot. There are other items that they offer, though none that I've tried before.

Anyways, I actually won this product from an instagram competition hosted by Tiam Korea and did a first impression on my instagram here, which is really very cool! I love it when I get items from the source! Makes me feel special. XD I was really excited to try this out since I've already tried O.S.T. C21.5 and has seen no effect whatsoever. I reviewed the O.S.T previously here:

[Review] O.S.T. Pure Vitamin C.21.5 Advanced Serum

Several shops have started to carry this immediately after the name change, so I'm curious if they distributed stickers and new boxes to just replace the older ones. XD My favorite shop, BBCosmetic seems to be carrying it cheapest at $14.40 with an additional 8% off (with code C10T190S3 to bring the price down to $13.40) and free shipping with no minimum purchase. Here's the link.

Product (What Is Tia'm My Signature C Source?)

All said and done, what exactly is this that the name change is such a big deal? This is a vitamin c serum that's HG (holy grail and forever repurchases) for a lot of people out there. It uses 20% L-ascorbic acid to help prevent premature signs of aging, protect, soften, and moisturize the skin. It's an exfoliating serum that can help with all sorts of skin conditions and has been proven to work for many people to help fade scars, lighten and even skin tone, and brighten skin.

The best thing is, it's not one of those gimmicky products without scientific research to back up it's claims. The ingredients in the product makes sense, with vitamin E included to work together to the vitamin c  and increase it's effectiveness. The vitamin c  (L-Ascorbic Acid) included in this has been proven to improve/heal scarring and counter aging. However O.S.T C20 is fairly famous for being unstable, meaning after opening, this needs to be used up asap.

Ingredients

Ingredients: Water, Ascorbic Acid, Ethanol, Sodium Lactate, Butylene Glycol, Glucose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosa Davurica Bud Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Sodium Hyaluronate, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Xanthan, PEG-180, Gluconolactone, Beta-Glucan, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil,Zinc PCA, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ubiquinone, Diisopropyl Adipate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben

Because the main ingredient in the product (other than fancy water) is Ascorbic Acid, or L-Ascorbic Acid that, in this product, is highly unstable, this product has to be finished within a short time of opening. It also has to be kept in low temperature in a cool, dark space and moved minimally to reduce oxidizing.

Vitamin C in skincare is a powerful antioxidant that can fade hyperpigmentation, increase photoprotection, and stimulate collagen production. It's basically a magic active that is mildly exfoliating.

Another ingredient, as I mentioned earlier is the Vitamin E, which on it's own blocks free radicals from the body, which plays a large part in the aging process. It works in synergy with vitamin c and improves it's effectiveness.

There's also niacinamide, which helps brighten complexion. There's been debates that this particular ingredient doesn't play well with Vitamin C. KindofStephen debunked that with a really amazingly research piece. Basically, there's no proof that their benefits would be disabled if they're used together, like in this particular product.

Sodium hyaluronate is added as a hydrating ingredient in this otherwise fairly drying product, but I don't believe it's present in high enough concentrations to help, since this is still fairly drying. This could be caused by Ethanol, which is an alcohol that can be potentially be an irritant. Alcohol generally helps product absorb better and I generally don't mind when it's added to skincare products since my skin is fairly oily and the alcohol helps it stay matte and less greasy.

Texture and Directions

The liquid in the dropper bottle is clear and only slightly yellowish. It smells a little fruity but the smell is almost indiscernible unless I'm sniffing this directly. The thing feels and spreads like water and absorbs very easily. However, it does leave a somewhat sticky residue when compared to the O.S.T. C21.5. I didn't mind the stickiness though, since I had to apply my other moisturizers over this after the wait time anyways. 

Since it is pH sensitive, I'm careful to apply a pH adjusting toner prior to application. You could also wait 20 minutes for your skin's pH to decrease. Likewise, if your cleanser has a low pH already, you wouldn't need an additional pH adjusting toner or wait. 

After applying the serum, I wait 20 minutes before moving on with my routine, such as adding more actives or just going straight to my hydrating lotion. There are, of course, other ways to use it. If the vitamin c is too harsh on it's own, you can mix this together with a toner, and apply it there without bothering with wait times and whatnot.

Instructions says to apply this on areas with tired and stressed skin or to mix this with a hydrating toner. Also, do be sure to apply sunblock when going outside, which is a must regardless. Always wear sunscreen. :) It doesn't matter how well your skincare routine is if you ignore sunscreen.

I use this product at night and every other day. Do take note that this is an exfoliating product, so if you're new to actives, best introduce it slowly.

Performance

It's only been a few weeks since I started using this but I've actually been using the OST. C20 for the better part of the year, so opening the package was purely for my own satisfaction of wanting to make sure that the Tia'm My Signature C Source and O.S.T. C20 was exactly the same. Spoiler alert: It was. I'm actually really glad!

Like the O.S.T. C21.5, this didn't show me a result immediately. It does, however, seem to be doing a better job than the O.S.T. C21.5 at brightening, which is a good thing, but the improvement was sloooowwww, like, it took months for the effect to finally be noticeable and by the time it was noticeable, I almost missed it if not for the fact that it's made my pimples and pimple scars more jarring.

There's an odd pale patch of skin on the side of my cheek that only appears when I get too tanned. It helped either a) even out the skin tone and make it disappear, or b) keep my skin tone bright enough that the white patch is no longer noticeable. Either way, I'm really glad it's finally gone! That annoying discoloration has been there since I was in high school, which feels like a lifetime away.

It stings a little when my skin is sensitive, which happens when I use a cleanser that's too stripping and that, in turn, tells me to stop using the cleanser. I really like that it does that, since I generally like the squeaky-clean feeling and this tells me, 'No. That's not right. Stop it."

What it doesn't do for me is fade pimple scars, which, I mentioned, is a problem because as it brightens my skin, it makes the scars more clear. >< Still, I will continue to use the Tia'm My Signature C Source Serum for the anti-aging effect and find something else for fading acne scars. :) It does work, but just really slowly and you've got to be patient to see effects from this and use this diligently and it's not a fix-all. At least it wasn't for me. I was really happy with what's it's achieved and will repurchase once I'm finished with my bottle. YMMV.

Price: $14.40 (RM60)

(Use affiliated coupon at checkout C10T190S3 for 8% off) 

Verdict: 8/10

Repurchase: Yeah.

I also do quick, short reviews on my instagram so if you're up for it, do follow me here too! :D https://www.instagram.com/peachy_amy/
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[Benton Review] Benton Papaya-D Sun Cream SPF38 / PA+++ 50g

Price: ~$20

Verdict: 8/10
Repurchase:  Probably Not

Benton Product & History

It's no secret that I love Benton products. It's one of the brands with products that seem to work for me consistently and I'm slowly building a routine that's made with more and more Benton products. I've reviewed another product of theirs, the Benton Cacao Moist & Mild Cream here. I have oily/combo skin that's proving to be quite sensitive and I've yet to come across a Benton product that my skin dislikes.

Benton is inspired by and named after the movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", in which Benjamin Button grows younger with time. It's one of my favorite movies which I will probably never want to watch again because it's not one of those feel-good movies. It's a movie about a man who ages backwards, growing younger and younger, which is where Benton comes in, aiming to restore the skin back to it's healthy condition with healthy recipes. Benton presents freshly made products by sticking to small batch productions, which is pretty great.

I was lucky to be chosen as one of their reviewers for their first ever sunscreen product, the Benton Papaya-D Suncream SPF38/PA+++ 50g, available on benton's official site for about $20. The main ingredient of papaya had me curious, since it's one of my favorite fruits and the trees grow readily around my house. ^^ I'm guilty of not wearing sunscreen consistently, so I'm extra grateful to be able to try this out since it kind of obligates me to use sunscreen daily.

Packaging & Directions

Like the Benton Cacao Cream that was released earlier, this cream also came in tube packaging, which I really enjoy, since it keeps the contents inside sanitary and clean. I do miss their larger tubes that are cheaper per ml though. I can't quite get over the fact that they're charging almost $20 for 50ml of sunscreen, which is pretty high-tier, especially considering how much sunscreen is needed daily for best protection. Anyways, the tube comes with a foil seal. In addition, Benton utilizes 

Anyways, directions say to apply a suitable amount evenly in the last skincare step. It needs to be applied evenly to the face and other parts of the body before sun exposure. Be sure to apply sunscreen on your neck too. I always forget to apply sunscreen on my neck and now my face and neck are two different shades. =.= Reapplication is needed if you're sweating (since I don't think this is waterproof) and in case of strong sunlight exposure. 

Ingredients 

This is a combination sunscreen, both chemical and mineral agents present in order to protect the skin from UVA and UVB rays. Ethylhexy Methoxycinnamate and Isoamyl p-MEthoxycinnamate are the chemical sunscreen agents in the ingredients while the mineral sunscreen component is the Titanium Dioxide. Titanium Dioxide, BisEthylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine and Ethylhexy methoxycinnamate are all capable of blocking both UVA and UVB rays.

The main ingredient here is of course, Papaya -  Carica Papata Fruit Water, Carica Papaya Seed Oil, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract and Papain. These extracts are meant to help keep skin moist and vibrant.  The Papain is a protease obtained from the papaya that is effective in pore care, controlling sebum and dead skin cells.

In addition, the suncream contains niacinamide and adenosine for brightening and smoothing complexion. There are plenty of moisturizers, emulsifiers, and emollients in the long list of ingredients. I like this functions both as a sunscreen and as something that's beneficial for the skin, though I don't particularly like how many things they've added to it. For example, they've seem to have added Algin, which ranks 4 as both an acne stimulant and irritant. It's a binding agent and a fragrance. Several oils are also added, with the citrus oils seem to be contributing most to the fragrance.

Cosdna can be found here: Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Water(55%), Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil,  Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aluminum Hydroxide, Panthenol, Carica Papaya Seed Oil(5000ppm), Glyceryl Caprylate, Stearic Acid, Water, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract(750ppm), Tocopherol,Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate,Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Papain(100ppm), Propanediol,Adenosine, Sodium Gluconate, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Algin, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Bud Extract, Glucose,Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Oil

Texture and Fragrance

The texture is a little creamy and quite thick, but spreads fairly easily. The initial white cast actually helps a little in showing me which part of my face I missed and absorbs fast enough that it's not much of a problem. It smells like sour plums but the scent fades pretty quickly so it's not much of a problem.

This is the effect it has on my hand. As you can see, it makes my skin fairly shiny and even thought there's no obvious white cast, there's a definite difference pre- and post- sunscreen. It never quite sinks in. The cream doesn't dry matte and is a little tacky. I suppose it's the lack of alcohol in the product. In addition, a full day of use seems to make my skin oilier than usual. 

Performance

The sunscreen, when applied on my face, leaves my skin kind of reflective. I can't quite capture the effect with my shitty front facing camera. At first I thought I was overreacting, but my mom commented, while on video call, why my skin was so 'white' and if I was wearing too much makeup. T.T So yeah, definitely not a good look on me.

After a few hours of wearing this, it leaves my skin oily and super reflective. That happens when I use creams that's too heavy for my skin. I have oily/combo skin, so maybe this skin, with all the moisturizers, emollients, and oils in the ingredients were just too much for my skin to handle. Thankfully, other than feeling mildly uncomfortable at the end of the day, the cream doesn't do anything bad.

It does, however, seem to be helping me fade acne scars on my forehead. I just need to remember what not to use. 

So, do I love this?

Well, short answer is, no. It's one of those creams that's just a little too heavy for me when applied for too long a time. I think it might work better for those with dry skin and in weather that's drier than here in Malaysia! The hot and humid weather here means any heavier creams will freak out my oily/combo skin. ><

Price: ~$20

Verdict: 8/10
Repurchase:  Probably Not

I also do quick, short reviews on my instagram so if you're up for it, do follow me here too! :D https://www.instagram.com/peachy_amy/
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[Jolse Review] Hope Girl Jamong Cleansing Balm

Price: $16.98

Verdict: 9/10
Repurchase:  Probably

Price & Shop

I received this Hope Girl Jamong Cleansing Balm from www.jolse.com in exchange for honest reviews but all thoughts are my own, as usual. Jolse is one of the first korean skincare stores I've shopped from and they've been consistently amazing. ^^ Shipping is free with any purchase and you get $3 store credit towards your first purchase (I believe it's only applicable once you reach $20).

The Hope Girl Jamong Cleansing Balm is available for $16.98 on Jolse.com but currently discounted to $14.43, price subjected to change according to conversion rate and deals. I really appreciate that Jolse gives a good few weeks in order for me to really try out the product and form and opinion. This is a truly interesting cleansing balm and I'm really enjoying this. Thank you, Jolse for the opportunity to try this! 

This balm is meant to keep the skin moist even during removal of thick make-ups and waterproof makeup products. The moist sherbet type balm dissolves smoothly on the skin and cleanses gently. This is a hypoallergenic product which is suitable for all skin types and does not include parabens, benzophenone, triclosan, triethonolamine, and BHT. 

Packaging

I'm honestly in love with the packaging of this product.  The colors are bright and vibrant, creating a lovely contrast on my vanity shelve full of products that's either white, green, or some variation of pale tones. The bright grapefruit design just brings a smile to my face every time I glance at it. 

There's a generous amount of product in the tube. This 75g cleansing balm is sure to last a good long while. In general, I like my products in tubes to keep it more sanitary, but that's impossible with this product due to the thick, sherbet-like consistency. 

Texture & Ingredients 

The tube survived the trip all the way from Korea to the sweltering heat in Malaysia without melting even a little bit! I was so impressed and it genuinely made me happy. The cleansing balm itself is pretty solid, as you can probably see from the picture, but a light touch from the spatula provided is all that is needed to spread it around. In addition, it melts into the skin so wonderfully! It smells wonderfully and decisively fruity. It's supposed to be grapefruit sherbet, which I'm not sure the scent of, but this is wonderful.

The first ingredient listed is *drumrolls* mineral oil! Hahaha. There's a lot of negativity surrounding that particular ingredient, but really, I don't think it's all that bad. Mineral oil is lightweight and helps reduce water loss from the skin. When used in cosmetic products, like this one, it's highly purified and completely safe to use. If you're worried about the product clogging your skin, then just use a second cleanser to wash it off properly afterwards, which is what's recommended anyways. ^^ 

There are plenty of great ingredients in the product, including grapefruit extract for its antioxidant effect,, citrus peel extract for elastic skincare, macademia seed oil to keep moisture, aloe leaf juice for moisturizing skin, and orbignya seed oil for hydration. As mentioned earlier, this is formulated without parabens, benzophenone, triclosan, triethanolamine, or BHT. 

Instructions & Performance

Instructions says to simply scoop up the necessary amount with the spatula and apply on clean hands, then gently massage the balm on the skin. Then, to cleanse, rinse it off with warm water. Here, I used a waterproof  Diamond Beauty Eyeliner. This eyeliner has caused me so much pain. I love it because it doesn't smudge and is practically permanent marker every time I use it. Removing it is another story altogether. 

I have to use my cleansing oil, then several cleansing waters before it's even barely off, blinding my eyes in the process. Then, after using my second cleanser, I'll leave the bathroom and use the toner to make sure everything is properly washed off, only to find residue still there. 

Yet, I continue to use it because I often forget I'm wearing eyeliner and rub my eyes, and all other eyeliners I've used had turned me goth when I do that. I'd rather be pretty and worry about the pain of removal later, thank you. <3 

Alright, I'll stop ranting. I made sure the eyeliner was dry, testing it by rubbing it with tissue, then getting it wet and trying to rub it off again. I applied a small amount of the sherbet cleanser. making sure there's at least enough to spread it around I'm stingy though, and didn't scoop up a lot. 

The back of my hand is so gross, but as you can see, it's melting the color off my hand so wonderfully! In addition, it has a pleasant, moisturizing touch, making the removal process all the more pleasant. 

After that, all I needed to do was run water through my hand and the liner was completely gone! Dayum. I've since tried this on full-face makeup and this has transformed into my favorite first cleanser. It takes off my eyeliner without blinding me or getting into my eye! Yasss!!

Overall Impression

As you can see the balm works perfectly on cleaning off makeup! I've used this several times throughout the month, taking off not just makeup, but also my sunscreen. On days when my skin feels particularly clogged up, I'll massage my face with plenty of the balm, and then wash it off with water. 

As promised, just a gentle touch is needed and the sherbet balm melts into the skin wonderfully. I am, however, deducting a point because this sort of leaves my face deceivingly moisturized. I have clog-prone oily/combo skin, so I have to be careful to make sure my skin is properly cleansed. I'm sure to use a second cleanser after using this since I'm worried that the dewy finish is caused by the mineral or olive oil in the product. Perhaps the ingredients list could use a little bit of tweaking, but why fix something that's not broken?

If you can't tell already, I'm a fan of this cleansing balm! It's really super amazing and I love pretty much everything about it, from the packaging and the smell, to the way it melts off makeup and cleanses without being drying. It's really pretty awesome.

Price: $16.98

Verdict: 9/10
Repurchase:  Probably

I also do quick, short reviews on my instagram so if you're up for it, do follow me here too! :D https://www.instagram.com/peachy_amy/
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[Lifestyle] Malaysia Subscription Box: Cubecrate June Box

Price: RM35/RM44 for Sabah/Sarawak

(Given a free in exchange for an honest review by cubecrate.com) 

Verdict: 9/10

Repurchase: NA

Cubecrate is a surprise subscription box that costs RM35 per month and includes a variety of locally sourced products ranging from beauty to decor and handmade items that you wouldn't think to try out on your own. For three months, the subscription is RM90. They also have a wine subscription if you're into fine wine. ^^

Subscribe With Cubecrate Here.

Disclaimer: I received this box in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, as usual. ^^ You can also check out: 

2016: October's Box, November's Box, December's Box

2017: January's Box, February's Box, March's Box, April's Box, May's Box

June's Box

Cubecrate's June box is Raya Themed, as you can probably tell. It's a wonderfully festive box with plenty of variety and a familiar brand. ^^ There's plenty to look at and try out here, which makes it a good box for all occasions. I spy a few repeats in the box, but I didn't really mind it all that much considering those can be counted as bonuses and extras, since the box is pretty full already. 

Oishi Tea: Lychee

Oishi Malaysia Green Tea is back! The flavor of the month being Lychee. I'm saving this for a rainy day. Or a particularly hot day, where a cold, sweet cup of tea would put me in the best mood.

Oishi Green tea is brewed from 100% organic tea leaves, grown on certified organic plantations. Using only natural ingredients, Oishi preserves the authentic Japanese feel and flavour while maintaining the key benefits of green tea. I've tried plenty of flavors of the tea, but this seemed to be particularly local, lychee being a local fruit, so I'm quite looking forward to it. Their tea isn't too sweet or fragranced with a mildly bitter tea that leaves a sweet aftertaste.

PepperMint Avenue: Nail Polish

This is a new name in the box. Peppermint Avenus is a vegan nail polish brand that doesn't use unnecessary chemicals but is able to ensure that the nail polish is long-lasting, glossy, and looks stunning. They have plenty of variety and the colors Cubecrate sent out were different. 

I'm quite fond of the color that I got! I wore it for a good long while without anyone noticing I was wearing it at all, which is how I like my nail polish, unnoticeable. ^^  The color is quite similiar to my nail color, allowing me to get away with wearing it. :) 

After a week or so of wearing it, the colors have chipped somewhat, but since it's near my skin color anyways, the only one who notices that my nails were no longer perfectly colored is me. XD 

PepperMint Avenue: Website | Instagram

Dirty Benefits: Classic Obsession Coffee Scrub

I'm really excited to see this in the box. Dirty Benefits is an all-natural skincare brand created for the bold and adventurous. I've been a follower of their instagram for a while and it's exciting that I can finally get to try this out! 

Classic Obsession Coffee Scrub is made with coffee, raw brown sugar, pink himalayan salt, cold pressed avocado oil and cold pressed grape seed oil. A full sized 220g pack is RM69 on their site. @.@ Pretty expensive if you ask me, but I'm excited to see if it's as good as it promises. 

It's aimed to heal dry, flaky skin and target pesky skin conditions like cellulite, stretch marks, eczema, and psoriasis. Lots of promises! I'm keen to see if it delivers. 

Dirty Benefits: Website | Instagram

Wunderbath: Kuih Soaps

My favorite items in the box is probably these two soaps that look so much like kuih (dessert!). I've seen Wunderbath's realistic soaps of food around since I follow their instagram and am estatic to finally get to try them! They've also included a gift voucher.

The Kuih Talam and Kuih Dahlia are made from coconut oil, palm oil, stearic acid, vegetable glycerin, sucrose, sodium hydroxide, decyl glucoside, cocomide KET, propylene glycol, sorbitol, citric acid, titanium dioxide, fragrance oil, and soap color. Nothing too jarring on cosdna, which surprised me a little considering how beautiful it is. 

They're coco-pandan scented. You can get a set of four of these for RM20.90. 

Wunderbath: Website | Instagram

Chocolate Chip Cookies from Rackun Kiss

Next is the other food in the box! The assorted chocolate chip cookies from Rackun Kiss tastes like cookies from famous amos, which I absolutely adore. This is a repeat from last month's box that I didn't mind in the least, since it's delicious cookies. 

The cookies are made from butter, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, vanilla essence, chocolate chips, coco powder, and walnut. 

Rackun_Kiss: Instagram

Curated By Popculture 

Last but not least is a year-long Curated by Popculture e-magazine subscription worth RM72, which is pretty cool! This is actually a repeat from last month, but I didn't really mind since it makes sense to have it in case of new subscribers. There's also a pretty pink and purple raya packet. :) 

Curated: Website | Instagram

Overall Impression

I'm really pleased with the items in this month's box, though I'm docking a point for not one, but two repeats, even though they might just be extras (three if you count the oishi tea). The selection of items are delightful though, and for the price, it's definitely worth trying the box out! 

For the initiated, Cubecrate also carter to custom favors, birthday boxes, wedding favors, and events!

Subscribe With Cubecrate Here.

Price: RM35/RM44 for Sabah/Sarawak

(Given a free in exchange for an honest review by cubecrate.com) 

Verdict: 9/10

Repurchase: NA

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