SMD Cosmetics Saromae Radiance Emulsion Brightening Moisturizer Review

SMD Cosmetics is a premium Korean skincare brand that is now available in the United States. They sent me the Radiance Emulsion Brightening Moisturizer from their Saromae line to try.

*Disclaimer: This product was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.

SMD Cosmetics is one of the most popular and prestigious skincare lines in South Korea, and I was excited to try their products because I was born in Busan and I love finding new Korean brands. Their formulas are made with over 40 powerful ingredients that are expertly blended by accredited doctors.

They have two main lines, the Inhyunjin for ageless skin and Saromae for brightening. The Saromae line uses beer yeast extract, Uva Ursi (bear berry) extract, and Mitracarpus Scaber Extract for natural skin-lightening properties. The formulas work to reduce the appearance of dark spots, uneven sin tone, age spots, acne scars, and dullness caused by sun exposure and enviromental stressors. Also, I had no idea what Mitracarpus Scaber was, but it's a flower.

Now, here's where I have to take a bit of a detour. In Korean culture, light skin is favored. I won't go into a whole long sidebar about colorism, but I will say that I prefer to celebrate your natural skin tone, however light or dark that may be. That being said, this lotion is called a "Brightening" lotion but the front of the bottle (click photo above to enlarge) does say "Whitening" lotion and some of the ingredients are known to have bleaching properties. So if you are looking to truly whiten/lighten your skin, this lotion will likely be a good option for you. Also, I don't mean this to be a total dig at SMD Cosmetics. Like I said, Korean skincare is full of products like this and to having bleaching ingredients is not at all uncommon, but I wanted to make any readers who are not familiar with Korean skincare and culture aware of this.

Edited: SMD Cosmetics has clarified that although the lotion contains natural bleaching ingredients, they are not strong enough to lighten your entire skin. I mention this later in the review, but I will say that after a month's use it did not lighten/bleach my skin. The ingredients are concentrated in such a way that they only work to brighten discoloration and skin pigmentation issues.

Okay, this is me stepping down from my soapbox and getting on with the review.

The bottle for the Saromae Radiance Emulsion Brightening Moisturizer is sleek and beautiful and would look lovely on anyone's vanity. I unfortunately do not speak or read Korean, but I love the Hangul (what the Korean language is called) on the bottle and the rest of the packaging.

The box has directions and ingredients listed in English. This is step three in the Saromae line, but I didn't receive the first two steps to try along with this so I can't comment on how they all work together.

So what about the lotion itself? It's a very light and silky formula that glided onto my skin and absorbed quickly. I liked this more as a day moisturizer because it was so light, and I prefer a heavier night cream. It's also cruelty-free, paraben-free, and noncomedogenic (won't clog your pores). I used this for a month and it moisturized without feeling heavy or greasy. I will say that my skin didn't become any lighter in a month's time, but I discontinued use after that because I don't want to lighten my skin tone.

• Visit SMD Cosmetics to browse their full line and learn more
• Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest

Bottom Line: If you're looking for a premium moisturizer and are not averse to skin lightening/brightening, the Saromae Radiance Emulsion Brightening Moisturizer is a good option. I loved how light and silky this was and I think it would work well alone or with the rest of the Saromae line from SMD Cosmetics.

June Daily Goodie Box Review

Daily Goodie Box is a fun and fairly new service that sends completely free boxes to members in exchange for honest feedback. They're always packed with great items and are a lot of fun!

*Disclaimer: This box was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.

Daily Goodie Box is 100% free. When you create an account you'll fill out a short survey about yourself. You'll never have to enter any credit card or payment information. Creating an account doesn't guarantee a box, but they give out boxes regularly on their social media accounts (see links at the end of this post).

The Daily Goodie Boxes I've gotten have been really packed with deluxe samples and full-sized products. Since the boxes are free I wasn't quite sure what the quality would be like, but they've sent some really great products!

After you get your box and try everything, be sure to log back into your account on the website and leave feedback on the products. They only need one or two sentences of your honest opinions and experiences with each item.

June's box had another good assortment of things to try. They do a great job of sending all different types of products, and I found a lot of new favorites this month.

• BiPro Protein Water - I got the Berry Burst flavor and I was very curious about how this would taste. It was a little bit to sweet for me, but definitely still better than protein powders (which I hate). It has 20 grams of protein in each bottle with only 90 calories and no carbs.
• Prince of Pea Instant Tea Ginger Honey Crystals - I've gotten this from another subscription box and am happy to have more. I love ginger tea and these are really convenient. Each sachet has 12 grams of raw ginger.
• Tiger Balm Pain Relieving Ointment - Tiger Balm was in last month's box too and I loved the pain relief patch they sent. This ointment works equally as well and I like it because it's effective and unscented.

• Black Forest Organic Gummy Bears - The package says "America's Best Tasting Gummy Bear" and I thought ha, I'll be the judge of that! But honestly, these really are the best tasting gummy bear I've ever had! They're USDA organic and colored with natural sources (veggies, etc.). I loved them and will definitely buy more.
• BetterThanCoffee Energy Bars - These little bars are made with guarana and maca for a quick boost of natural caffeine. I got the Dark Chocolate and Mint flavor.
• Vitabath Travel Sized Body Wash - I've used Vitabath before and I really like their products. I got the Heavenly Coconut Creme scent and will keep this in my travel pack.
• Goddess Garden Mineral Removing Cleanser  - Goddess Garden was also featured last month and this time they've sent a cleanser. It has French clay to lift away impurities and a tightening effect to minimize pores. I haven't tried it yet but it sounds like it'll be a good fit for my skincare needs.

• Pure Growth Organic Snack Mix - Last month's boxes contained an oatmeal from Pure Growth Organic, and this snack mix looks great, too. It's organic with no GMOs, artificial colors or flavors, preservatives, or MSG. Even though the packaging is marketed towards kids I think this is the perfect size snack for me to munch on at work.
• Crown Maple Organic Maple Syrup - At first I thought this was a mini bottle of whiskey because of the shape! I figured that couldn't be, though, and I was right. Even better though, this maple syrup is certified organic and smells absolutely delicious!

Bottom Line: The Daily Goodie box is a lot of fun and always has great products inside! I encourage everyone to sign up on the website and interact with them on social media to help secure a box, I think you'll really enjoy them.

• Visit Daily Goodie Box to sign up!
• Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Clean Enhanced Organics Surf Spray Surf Styler Review and Coupon

Everyone loves beachy, windswept hair for the summertime, right? The Clean Enhanced Organics Surf Spray Surf Styler is made with organic ingredients to help you achieve the perfect beach waves!

*Disclaimer: This product was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.

Clean Enhanced Organics is a salon only line of haircare made with powerful organic ingredients to cleanse, condition, and restore hair. They have a broad range of cleansing, conditioning, and styling products that are all made with clean, non-toxic ingredients.

The Surf Spray Surf Styler is formulated with organic kelp, lime and patchouli extracts, organic lime and birch essential oils, and imported dead sea salts to create salty, sun-dried, and sexy wind-swept hair.

Here's a list of the ingredients. As you can see, magnesium sulfate (salt) and dead sea salts are at the top of the list, so there's plenty in there to help create a style with hold.

My experience with this salt spray has been incredibly positive, but I want to point out first that I have never found a sea salt spray that has given me waves without the help of a curling iron. That's not due to the efficacy of any of the products, but simply because I have thick Korean hair that doesn't create waves on its own no matter what I do! That being said, the Surf Spray Surf Styler is probably the best sea salt spray I have ever used!

I instantly loved this spray because of all of the texture it gave my hair. I used it on damp hair before blow drying and it helped to create volume at my roots and enough texture throughout to help hold my styles. I also used it on my roots when my hair was dry to add extra lift and it did so without feeling too sticky or weighed-down. This spray really made a difference in how long my hair was able to hold a style, so I think that someone with thinner hair would be able to achieve beachy waves easily with this.

• Visit Clean Enhanced Organics to purchase
• Use coupon code DANIELLES for 20% off!
• Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram

Bottom Line: I can't recommend the Clean Enhanced Organics Surf Spray Surf Styler enough! If you're looking for added texture and hold, this is the spray for you. It's affordable and very effective and made with organic ingredients, which makes it a home run in my book.

April Sticker Swaps Review and 50% Off Coupon

If you're looking for a fun and affordable collectible subscription, Sticker Swaps is a great option! They send high quality vinyl stickers each month from various artists.

*Disclaimer: This box was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.

Sticker Swaps sends a collection of stickers each month for only $9.99 per month, or $27.99 for a three month prepay and $53.99 for a six month prepay. Shipping is free. You'll get a minimum of 10 stickers from various artists. If you're an artist and you'd like to have your stickers featured, check out this page for more info on how to do so.

One thing I want to note is that Sticker Swaps ships from England and I live in New York. I just received the April shipment a few days ago but I'm not sure when it was sent, so this may just be a delay in getting the samples out to reviewers.

April's collection featured 10 stickers. There is no info card, but along the top of the package there's a tiny URL that directs you to a page with information about all of the featured artists. Click here to see April's assortment, or keep reading.

• Bad Puss by Julie Campbell - Julie has been working with Sticker Swaps for a few months and her Sassy Cat sticker was featured in a previous collection.
• Computer by The Cloud Artist - The Cloud Artist is from Germany who has also been featured in a previous Sticker Swaps collection.
• Eye and Sea Cow by Bondanya - 
• Everest and Crossbone by Fabio (Cocorino) - Fabio orks for Apple in London and makes tons of stickers
• Fox by Klo - This cute fox is from a street artist based in Russia.
• Hustle Hard Stay Humble by Taylor Cashdan - Talyor is a U.S.-based graphic designer.
• Coffee by Steve Hind - Steve is an artist originally from the U.K. now based in Australia. He had another coffee sticker in March's collection.
• Snail by Pencake - This is an interesting snail design from Berlin artist Pencake.

Bottom Line: I really enjoy Sticker Swaps. I've always liked collecting stickers and I think this is a fun way to build up my collection of stickers from all different types of artists!

• Visit Sticker Swaps to learn more and subscribe
• Use coupon code DANIELLE50 for 50% off any subscription length!
• Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

June Degustabox Review and 50% Off Coupon

I always look forward to Degustabox time! Snacking is my favorite thing and Degustabox is always full of fun new snacks to try.

*Disclaimer: This box was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.

Degustabox sends at least 10 full-sized food and pantry items every month. Boxes are $19.99 per month and shipping is free to the U.S. They also have a U.K. box available (this is a review for the U.S. version).

Degustabox is a nice big box and it's always packaged very carefully. There's plenty of protective padding inside and I've never received a broken item. They often send foods in glass containers and they're always well-protected.

June's box had 10 items plus a bonus gift. I think this might be my favorite Degustabox yet because they sent a ton of snacks that I already loved, plus new products that I enjoyed. Here's what was inside:

• PopCorners Salt of the Earth Bean Crisps ($3.29) - PopCorners are a favorite of mine and the Bean Crisps are new to me. They're air-popped bean crisps with a light salt flavor.
• Ritz Crisp & Thins in Cream Cheese & Onion ($1.29 each) - These didn't last long. Cream cheese and onion is one of my favorite flavors of chips and these tasted SO good. They had a ton of flavor and were nice and crispy.
• Navitas Naturals Superfood+ Bar ($2.29) - A variety of flavors were sent and I received the Maca and Maple bar. It's made with organic, plant-based ingredients, including maca, which is a plant native to the Andes in Peru. This will make a good breakfast bar for me.

• Bibigo Go-Chu-Jang Barbecue Sauce ($4.99) - Gochujang! I love gochujang. It's a spicy Korean sauce made with red peppers and it's a stable in Korean food. I think they punctuated it the way they did to make the name more pronounceable for people who aren't familiar with Korean food. I can't wait to cook up some barbecue with this!
• Julian's Recipe Waffle Thins ($3.99) - These come in sweet and savory varieties and I got the Meyer Lemon with Quinoa flavor. At first I though, I don't need quinoa in my cookies! But it's quinoa flour and you can't really taste a difference (aka it didn't negatively affect the flavor for me). These are delicious and full of lemon flavor. I want to try the Aged Cheddar & Parmesan savory kind next.
• Hodgson Mills Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix ($4.49) - Apple cinnamon is my favorite type of muffin so I will be making these soon. It has orchard-ripened dried apples, warming cinnamon, and gluten-free grain flours.

• BRIANNA'S Homestyle Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing ($3.99) - BRIANNA'S dressings are really good and the Creamy Cilantro Lime is their newest flavor. It has a creamy, zesty flavor that will work well with summer salads, barbecue marinades, or tropical dips.
• Brooklyn Organics Craft Ginger Ale ($2.00) - I love real ginger ale but don't love coconut so I'm not sure if I will like this, but I'm willing to give it a fair chance. There are five USDA organic flavors available that are all gently sweetened with stevia.
• Sir Kensington's Ketchup ($2.00) - I think I received a Sir Kensington's mayo from Degustabox a few months ago but I unfortunately did not get to use it before it expired. Honestly, I forgot I had opened it and it sat in the back of my fridge--I know, so wasteful! That being said, I've heard great things about this brand and the ketchup sounds really good. It's non-GMO with less sugar and salt than other ketchups.
• Entenmann's Minis Apple Snack Pies ($4.69) - The box has six individually-wrapped apple pies that are perfect for snacking. I heated one up in the microwave for a few seconds and it was really good. It was pretty sweet, but a nice treat for once in a while.

The box also contained a bonus pack of Viter Energy mints that I did not take a photo of (oops). It was a sample pack with two mints inside. They're made with 40 mg of caffeine and B-vitamins. I have to admit I did not enjoy the flavor.

• Visit Degustabox to subscribe
• Use this link and coupon code CJSUMMER for 50% off your first box, free shipping, and a FREE gift from Navitas Naturals!

Bottom Line: This box was full of delicious treats! I loved the Ritz crackers and Bibigo sauce the most. I think the Sir Kensington's ketchup will be great and I'm excited to make up the Hodgson Mills muffins. Overall, this box once again had a great variety of foods!