Kawaii Box Review | January 2015

Today I'm back with another Kawaii Box review! I hope you don't mind too much that I didn't review last months box but you can take my word on it that it didn't disappoint.

On with the review!

Snacks, snacks, oh glorious snacks. Everyone loves them but what makes a snack even better? When they come in cute packaging of course! This months box came with two packets of Rilakumma rice crackers. You may recall that I received a packet of these in the Kawaii Monthly box that I was previously subscribed to and if I can remember correctly they were delicious!

Kawaii Box is known for its charms and keyrings and January was no exception. I'm running out of places to keep them all! I'm not sure what the pink plush is meant to be but it's super cute. There was also a squishy, foamy phone charm with what looks like the :3 face on and a decoden one with a mirror on the back.

I am always more than happy to welcome any new pens into my humble abode as they tend to disappear faster than a cat spotting a mouse. Other stationary items included these cute monster stickers and a stamp that says 'magic is happy.' My only problem with the stamp is that it doesn't come with anything to cover the stamper over with so once you've used it you may end up with ink everywhere.

My favourite item in this months box was most definitely these Hello Kitty glasses. I actually squealed when I saw them! Complete with bow and whiskers they are the definition of 'kawaii.' I love them so much that I had to post a picture of me wearing them on Instagram. You honestly wouldn't think that I was 19 years old! I was also treated to a new nail polish! Mint green is one of my favourite colours so I was beyond happy with it. I did have to apply a good few coats of it but it does the job!

I'm not a huge jewelry lover but I do really like this mermaid-esque bracelet. Unfortunately I haven't worn it yet as it doesn't go with any of my winter attire but I do have a few summery outfits that it will go perfectly with!

The final item in the January box was this coral polka dot coin purse. However, I'm not using it to carry around my loose change. I like to keep my two USB sticks for college in here so that I don't lose them!

Overall I was pretty happy with this months box! If you're interested in signing up and receiving cute items like these every month then you can subscribe here.

Until next time,

Elijah xo

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Kawaii Box November '14 Review

I'm back today with another Kawaii Box review! And I have to say that I'm pretty damn excited about this month's box. Usually with these kind of subscription boxes it's very hit or miss, but with the exception of two of the items, I'm pretty damn pleased with it all.

First we have a super cute cat keyring. I'm not sure if this is a specific branded character or just a random cat. The only problem I have with these soft, plush keyrings is that I never want to actually attach it to my bag in fear of it getting all dirty and ruined! So, instead I have this sitting nicely on my shelf.

Along with keyrings, Kawaii Box always seems to come with at least one phone charm. This month is no exception! I am totally in love with this macaroon phone charm. It reminds me of those decoden phone cases that people make! Again, like the keyring, I'm not actually going to use this as a phone charm but use it as a cute decorative shelf piece.

As usual Kawaii Box comes with a yummy snack! Pocky are my favourite biscuits ever so I was super excited to find these in the box. Although, I will admit to wishing that they were a more exciting flavour than just chocolate. If you've never tried Pocky before then I highly recommend that you do! The European branded name for Pocky is Mikado which you can find in pretty much any supermarket!

Naturally no box is complete without a variety of stationary items! Despite never actually using them as much as I would like, there's just something overly exciting about stationary. Surely I'm not the only one who gets over-excited on entering Paperchase? Here we have some cute panda stickers and some mini sticky notes! I'm sure I'll find a good use for these.

Apologies for the crappy photo, but here's another decorative/stationary item, a set of decorative stationary stickers. I used these to decorate one of my glass mason jars that I use to keep my cotton pads in. I did struggle a little trying to stick it down as it's all in one roll and I had to cut it, and once stuck down some parts did unstick but that could have just been the glass surface I stuck it on.

One of my favourite items in this month's box was this little sheep mini desk calendar. IT'S SO CUTE! The sheep is making a different face on every month. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that it actually started this month so I don't have to wait until January to put it up. Am I the only one who gets a calendar for Christmas and is disappointed over the fact that they can't hang it up straight away?

Another one of my favourite items were these cute My Melody socks. My Melody is a character from the brand Sanrio who are the brains behind Hello Kitty. Anyone who knows me knows that I am OBSESSED with socks so I was more than pleased about these! I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the material though. I'm no good with explaining things but it feels a little more rough than usual sock material, but I'm hoping they may feel softer after they've been through the wash.

There's always bound to be at least one item in these kind of subscription boxes that you're not overly fond of and for me it was these two. An 'OMG' keyring which I probably would have found cool back when I was ten and a zip bracelet which I think is pretty cool but I would probably never wear.

As I said, I was pretty pleased with the November box overall! I really hope that there's some Christmas related items in next months box. I'm already too excited about it!

Until next time,
Elijah xo

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Kawaii Box October '14 Review

Apologies for not getting a post up last week. My college work has been piling up and any free time has been used to catch up on TV shows, anime & YouTube. I know, I know, I'm a bad blogger! But I am back with another subscription box review!

You may remember that in my last review post I mentioned that I was going to change subscription boxes. That I have done and I'm so glad I made the switch. Not only is this box slightly cheaper but I much prefer the contents of Kawaii Box to Kawaii Monthly and feel like it's more worth the money.

I really liked how the box came with a postcard with a handwritten note on it! It wasn't even a photocopy. I feel sorry for the person who had to sit and write each note!

The difference between Kawaii Box and Kawaii Monthly is that this one has a lot more smaller miscellaneous items such as charms and stationary.

The first item was this furry little creature. I think it's meant to be a cat and it's just so soft and cute! There's a little hoop on the top of its head so I'm guessing you're meant to hang it somewhere. I don't really have anywhere to hang it so I've got it sitting on my shelf instead.

Next is this adorable cat sharpener. I never use pencils so I haven't actually tried it out. I get the impression that it might be like those plastic kiddy sharpeners that never work properly, but as I haven't used it I could be wrong. It does make a really cute addition to my desk though!

Pens always seem to disappear in my house so new pens are always welcomed with open arms, especially Hello Kitty pens! It has a little charm on the lid of what I think is meant to be a chocolate bar. Keeping on the topic of sweet treats, there were also these sweetie hair bobbles. They remind me of something I would've worn when I was younger.

This was probably my favourite item in the box. A Korilakkuma charm! I actually have a similar Rilakumma charm that my best friend got me. These charms are squishy and would make good stress balls. But I'd never take my stress out on these cuties!

Just like Kawaii Monthly, there's always a sweet treat included! Like most Japanese confectionery, these chew sweets aren't like your average Starburst or Fruitella. Oh no. The packet describes these sweets as a 'soft yoghurt candy' with small gummy pieces in. I've never been a huge lover of chew sweets, but these are decent. The gummy parts kind of pop out of the soft chewy part as you eat it! I received the grapefruit flavour but there are a number of other flavours available. And can we just appreciate how cute the packaging is?!

Next is this rather colourful flannel/face cloth/whatever you want to call it. It's always useful to have several of these bad boys around the house. I especially like this one as it has a little hook in the corner so you can hang it up instead of just draping it over the side of the bath. In saying that, there's no where around my bath to actually hook it so it'll still end up draped over the side.

This little note card is really handy for birthdays or any other gift giving occasion. Although I am tempted to not use it and just keep it for myself.

Naturally, no 'kawaii' subscription is complete without stickers! The October box came with these cute cupcake stickers. You are never too old for stickers! I also received these 'fashion stickers' which are pink peals that you can use to decorate your phone, iPod, laptop, pretty much anything you like. I'll definitely find a use for the cupcake stickers but as for the pearl stickers I'm not so sure.

And last is this cute pouch that could be used as a make-up bag or pencil case. I have so many of these things that I don't know if I'll put this one to use straight away but it's always useful to have things like this on hand, especially when you're travelling.

If you guys are interested in subscribing to this box yourself, you can do so HERE. It's a must have for any lover of cute things! If you read any of my Kawaii Monthly reviews, which box do you prefer? Feel free to let me know!
Until next time,
Elijah xo

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Kawaii Monthly Review - August '14

Another month, another Kawaii Monthly box. However, before I delve into this months review I'd like to say that this will be the final time I review a Kawaii Monthly box. But do not fear for I am going to subscribe to a similar box! This one is called Kawaii Box and is slightly cheaper than Kawaii Monthly and instead of five items you get between 10-12. The items included are usually smaller, miscellaneous things such as keyrings, phone charms and small accessories. I feel like I'll get a lot more use out of Kawaii Box than this one. But anyway, ON WITH THE REVIEW!

Rilakkuma Strawberry Puffs

As always, this months box included a snack. These are branded Rilakkuma strawberry corn puffs. They're basically like little balls of cereal with a strawberry flavoured coating. As soon as you open the tub there is a strong scent of strawberry and the flavour is no different. They taste a little like strawberry Pocky but instead of the biscuit it's corn. They're very moreish and I could have easily finished the whole tub in one sitting. I love it when snacks come with something extra, and these came with an adorable Rilakkuma sticker. And not to mention the packaging is super cute!

Kumamon Deco Tape

I've always wanted some fancy, decorative tape but have never actually bought any. I'd only end up not wanting to use it and just have it out on display. But I finally have some! This deco tape features the bear Kumamon who is the mascot of the Kumamoto area of Japan. The tape is made of a traditional material called washi paper which is made from completely natural ingredients. I'm going to try my hardest not to just leave this sitting on my desk as a decoration. I'm planning to use it for wrapping birthday/Christmas presents. Whether I follow through with that plan is a completely different story.

My Melody Pencil Case

I've always been that person to have a pencil case. I would never dream of taking it out and putting it on my desk, but you could always guarantee that I'd have one in my bag. Despite some people possibly thinking this pencil case completely childish, I've been using it for college. It's a good quality pencil case and features the super 'kawaii' character, My Melody who is a character from the brand, Sanrio (the brains behind Hello Kitty) and is an officially licensed product. The design is super cute and girly and as you can see is very pink. It's also the perfect size and fits into my bag nicely.

Romantic Falsies Case

This is probably the product that I'm least excited about this month. However, I will admit that it's a super handy thing to have. This vintage style plastic case is the perfect size to pop in your handbag and an easy way to keep your curbies, hair bobbles or any other small bits and bobs together when you're out. There's also a mirror inside which is always useful to have! I think it'd also be handy to keep jewellery in, especially earrings.

Oshibori Set
The final product in this months box was something I had never heard of or seen before. 'Oshibori' means wet towel in Japanese and this set includes a face cloth and a super cute container. Wet the face cloth, roll it up, place it in the container and pop it in your bag. The container helps to lock the moisture in the face cloth so you can use it to clean your hands or cool off when you're out and about. I think this item could be super handy, however I don't think I'll use it all that much. A simple face wipe can achieve the same result. The container is pretty compact and the moisture does indeed keep well in the face cloth.

And that's it for my final review of Kawaii Monthly. The first review of Kawaii Box may be a little later as I'm not sure how quickly the first box will arrive. Are any of you subscribed to either of these 'kawaii' boxes or are you subscribed to another kind of box? Feel free to leave a comment below letting me know!

Until next time,
Elijah xo

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Kawaii Monthly Review - July '14

Hello everyone.

You may or may not know that I have a slightly odd obsession with Japan. I don't know what it is about the country, but I love everything from the food, the culture and yes, even the anime. I desperately want to visit the country and experience it all for myself. However, while I wait (rather impatiently might I add) for that day to come I have subscribed to a monthly box that contains 5 items STRAIGHT FROM JAPAN in order to satisfy my obsessiveness and I thought I would share it with you guys.

As mentioned above, Kawaii Monthly is a monthly subscription box that is delivered straight to your door and contains five random items from Japan ranging from sweets, beauty products and officially licensed Sanrio and Rilakkuma products. The price is fairly reasonable for what you get each month at £12.60/$18.99 per month.

Earlier this week I received my third box and thought I would post my review on this months products.

Doraemon Leisure Sheet

Doraemon is a manga and anime series. I had heard of it before but haven't actually seen it. However, this mat is super practical especially for these warmer months. I can easily see it being used as a picnic blanket or a table cover. It was thinner than I expected it to be and I feel like it could rip a little too easily. It is waterproof though and the Doraemon icon itself is super cute!

Retro Japanese Sensu

This was by far my favourite product in this months box. This sensu, or a fan to us English speakers, has a beautiful Chrysanthemum design on it with a gorgeous detailing on the wood. I can't see myself using it for its proper purpose considering I live in the UK, but I am planning on using it as a decoration and hanging it on my wall. I like how Kawaii Monthly includes traditional Japanese items alongside the titled 'kawaii' items. 

Puchitto Kudamono Apple

I'm always up for trying new foods from different countries which is why I love how Kawaii Monthly always includes some sort of food product and this month did not disappoint. Not only is the packaging super cute but the sweets themselves are delicious. I'm sometimes a bit wary about Japanese candy as Japan is well known for it's odd flavours (yes, I'm looking at you Baked Potato flavoured Kit Kats), but these sweets were safe with an apple flavour. Both the scent and flavour itself were pretty strong and they reminded me a bit of the Maoam sweets, but with a slightly more foam texture. My mum, sister and brother tried them and they definitely approved! The packet is also resealable which is always beneficial.

Sanrio 3D Deco Stickers

I may be 18 years old and an adult now, but I still love childish things including stickers. So imagine how happy I was to find these in the box! Not only were they 3D but they were Hello Kitty who is my favourite Sanrio character. They are super cute, waterproof and include a velvet textured bow and jewelled heart which I think add a special touch to the stickers. I'm not sure where I'm going to stick them yet, maybe on my 3DS or a notebook or folder. On opening the stickers I discovered that you also received chewing gum with it. I tried a bit of it but it wasn't the best. The flavour was lost quickly and had an unpleasant after-taste.

Cocoon Massage Balls

The final item in the box definitely left me curious. These massage balls are 100% natural and are meant to cleanse your pores and moisturise your skin. Simply soak the cocoon balls in warm water for 5/10 minutes, wash your face, place the cocoon balls onto your fingers and stroke your face with them. I will admit it felt a little weird doing it, but it did leave my face feeling a little smoother. I'm guessing that in the long run you would notice more of a difference. This packet contains four of the cocoon balls and they can be used up to three times.

You can subscribe to Kawaii Monthly HERE!

If you enjoyed this post then I'd love for you to let me know by leaving a comment below. I also thought that I might make these review posts a monthly thing. Let me know if you're subscribed to this or a similar box and have reviewed any of the products. I'd love to read them!

Until next time,

Elijah xo

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