Japan Crate January 2016 Unboxing

My explorations of snack boxes available to Canadians continues : today, I received the January Japan Crate at my door, a great way to end a challenging day.  I have to say, the box is much bigger than the Freedom Japanese Market Box, which is a plus and it has a good weight to it.  No complaints here :)

 

And first thing I notice when opening the box is this mini magazine that fully explains the box's contents as well as include a small comic strip and background story of some of the items included in the box.  This is really well made.

But...before I get into reviewing the items received in the box, let me tell you about Japan Crate and their prices.  So Japan Crate brings you Japanese treats monthly in various sizes and prices:
 There's the Mini Crate at 12$/month that gives you 4-6 Japanese treats.
There's the Original Crate at 25$/month that gives you 8-10 Japanese treats and promises at least 1 DIY Kit.
And there's the Premium Crate at 30$/month that gives you 12-14 Japanese treats, 1 DIY Kit, a drink and a revolving bonus (?).
Shipping is 10-15$ depending on weight.  In the magazine, Japan Crate informed the subscribers that the DIY Kit ordered for this month were damaged during shipping process and promise to make it up in February with a bonus item.  I'm sad though, as I won't be receiving that bonus item seeing I am only subscribing one month.  But they also have what they called the Lucky Lottery where we get random items that are worth at least twice as much as the missing item and some lucky winners even got a Nintendo DS (I wasn't that lucky, unfortunately, but wait until you see what I got in this box!)

I won't be giving prices or links because, trust me, these are super hard to find online.

 First item is Usushi/ Ume Potato Chips (Light Salt or Plum flavored chips).  I'm pretty sure I got the lightly salted ones.  I wouldn't have been opposed to trying the plum ones but am equally happy to have the lightly salted ones.

Pocky's one of my all-time favorite Japanese treats so we really can't go wrong with a flavored one of these in a Japanese snack box.  Japan Crate went classic with Milk Chocolate Pocky.  No complaints here; these are delicious!

These are intriguing me : GABA is a supplement known to help manage stress and anxiety.  I actually used to take GABA supplements and found it quite helpful.  This GABA comes in chocolate form...that is perfect!

Pretz is another common Japanese treat, at least to me.  Every time I go to the Asian Superstore, I usually get a flavor or two of this snack.  I received Pizza flavor, which I have tried before and enjoyed.  These are best described as tiny bread sticks and they pack a lot of flavor.

Another intriguing snack: Sparkling Orange Gummy.  Alex is a big fan of gummies lately, so I know he'll be happy to try these.  They are described as slightly sour, yet sweet.  Sounds yummy.

Is this a bonus item?  It's not showing up in the products area in the mini-magazine.  I know for a fact that these are Hi-Chu's, which I really enjoy and they are in the flavor Strawberry.

And this is another really intriguing one...so intriguing, they were featured in the magazine.  These are Yam White Chocolates.  Sweet potato is mixed with white chocolate to make the perfect mix of sweet and salty treat.  I even appreciate that the candies are individually wrapped, so they will keep longer.

This is the other featured snack in the magazine : Asahi Calpis Gummy.  I've seen the Calpis drinks at the Asian Superstore and have always been curious to try but a bit scared since I didn't really know what it was.  Now I know: the candy is coated in sugar and filled with Calpis jelly filling which is described as a sweet milk.  Sounds interesting...

And here's my drink : Sukitto Lemon C Drink - packed with Vitamin C.  Japan Crate mentions this is perfect to keep you healthy during the winter season.  Well, I wish I had this two weeks ago before I got sick!

And I also got s Hello Kitty Strawberry Pretzel.  These are similar to Pocky and are sure to be enjoyed. Strawberry is another flavor I enjoy in these snacks.

Ok, Alex cracked me up when he saw this small package of gum : "Oh, there's Waldo!"  Fit's Strawberry and Cream gum is going to be a new experience for me, but, again, I quite enjoy strawberry flavors, so can't go wrong there.  There's a special card inside that encourages you to find Waldo...I will definitely crack this open as soon as this review is up to see if I still have an eagle's vision.

Believe me, these were a challenge to photograph.  They are Ju-C Short Cake and are apparently chip candies in the flavor shortcake; with pictures of strawberries on the cover, I assume it's strawberry shortcake.  Seems like strawberry is the flavor of the month.

And then there's Pokemon Pineapple Candy.  This intriguing candy chews like gum while slowly dissolving in your mouth.  I think that's Pikachu?  I'm a tad crusty on my Pokemon names but I find them all adorable.

And I also got two panda pencils and an egg-shaped Pencil sharpener. I'm uncertain if these are certain anime characters I have no idea about.  Please refer to previous comment about my ignorance.  I still really like these items and will use them at the office.

That sums up my Japan Crate.  I quite appreciated the variety in this box and know we will enjoy each and every one of these snacks. As always, I welcome any comments/questions.

Julep Maven January 2016 Unboxing

 Was surprised when Alex informed me my Julep Maven Box was in the mail today since I had yet to receive shipment confirmation.  I was not expecting it at all!  BUT, I am not complaining.  After my first day back at work, this is a great surprise to come back home to.

For those of you unfamiliar with Julep, it is a monthly nail polish and beauty product subscription at a reasonable price of 24.99$/month.  If you sign up on the 3-month plan (pay for three months all at once), it costs you 19.99$/month. Subscribers get to pick their choice of beauty product and nail polish on the 20th of every month and get billed on the 27th.  They are also free to skip a month if needed.

Here's what my box looked like when I first opened it:

 Ya! that`s some Junior Mints you see right there and they were a small but delicious treat :)

So first item I selected was It`s Balm Lip Crayon in Nectar Pink Crème valued at  20.00$.  As you probably know already, I am not a big fan of lip products but for some reason, I really can`t resist trying new products from Julep.  I figured it`s a lip balm, so it won`t be too deep in color and I`m right.. it`s a light sheer look that moisturizes the lips and I think it smells/taste like vanilla (am I wrong?).  I really like this..in fact, I like it a lot more than the whipped matte lip color of last month.

The first two nail polishes were part of the box, one of the last two polishes was the mystery nail polish add-on and the other was a bonus gift.  All polishes are 14.00$.

First, we have Marika described as a stone matte metallic.  I got this gorgeous color opaque in just one coat!  Who can blame me for picking this color.

Then there`s Tali which is a glacier breeze linear liquid holographic.  Let me be honest, I have never owned a holographic nail polish so when one was made available for the January box, I jumped on it.  This is super pretty!  In fact, I am putting this on as soon as the review is up.

Next, we have Janae which is a cool charcoal creme.  Looks very nice and I don`t think I own any grey colors so this is a great addition.

And last there`s Juliana which is a pink grapefruit sheer iridescent.  This is very sheer, so I can see this used to add dimension to other manicures or worn on its own but it will need 2-3 coats to reach full opacity.

And last add-ons I grabbed were nail art stickers.  I was imagining Lizanne with the golden one and possibly Tali with the snowflake one.  But my nails are a bit short at the moment so these will have to wait.  They were 3.95$ each in the Julep box selection.

The lip balm alone covers the cost of the box so I am pretty happy with this month`s selection.  The add-ons were also quite good.  Looking forward to seeing what next month has in store for us :)

My Nail Polish Collection - Update

I figured last time I posted my nail polish collection was 6 months or more ago.  I think it might be a good time to update it to give you a glimpse at what I have available.  In total, I have 65 nail polishes (I know that's a lot but what can I say, I really like this stuff :) ) and I've also managed to get rid of some of them before this post because formula just was not good anymore...or because I used it all up (shocker!  I do finish some of these bottles...most of them are tiny at 5 - 8 ml).

First, here's an updated picture of my nail polish rack.

I'll start with my odds and ends, as I'll probably be unlikely to link most of these.  I'll always proceed left to right when describing these nail polishes.

 Sally Hansen in Bold Gold was given to me from my coworker who knows just how obsessed I am with nail polish.  This one has a variety of shapes of glitters in both black and gold and looks pretty nice on  solid creme polishes.  It will dry somewhat textured so a good topcoat is recommended. 

Wet 'n Wild in The Wonder Yellows is not available anymore on the Wet n' Wild website but you can find it easily online. This is a perfect sunshine yellow that I've used quite often, mostly for nail art.  Formula on this one is fantastic, and that says a lot for a yellow.  Most yellows I have ever owned were patchy and hard to get opaque.  This one is a keeper.

Aurora Gel Effect in 4 Alarm Fire was received in my Ipsy bag this summer and I absolutely love the formula on this one.  It does have the squishy gel feel and it literally looks like you came back from a professionally done manicure once dry.  It's a pinky-red color that looks fantastic on the nails.  I remember wondering how to describe this color but when you put it beside a red, it is obviously more pink than I remember it being.

Zoya in Sasha was received in my Winter 2015 FabFitFun and I used this color for my Christmas manicure.  Wasn't completely in love with the formula...it pools on the sides making it hard to make it look good.  Also, not a big fan of small brushes.  This one, unfortunately, has one of the smallest brushes I have ever seen.  Color is described as a dark saturated blood-red creme.

Wet 'n Wild in Burgundy Frost is surprisingly still available.  I think this is one of the first polishes I have ever owned.  The name describes the color on this one, and I believe it is a classic look.  I have sported this color on so many occasions I have lost count.

Trust Fund in Elegantly Wasted is no longer available.  I received this in an Ipsy Bag and though I really like the color and it did apply well, it chipped within the same day.  I describe this as a dark lilac color perfect for spring and since it's a bit muted, I can see this being worn all year round, as long as you're okay with having to take it off on the same day..

ACO in Deep Sleep is an Ardene nail polish I got many years back.  I am surprised to see it's still holding strong.  Formula is a bit runny but it does pay off with gorgeous shimmery blue color when you get it opaque.  It may take 3 coats though, just a fair warning.

 Kozmic Colours is a brand of nail polish I got at Dollarama.  They don't come with names, so I named them based on the color.  I have never actually worn the sparkles colors on my nails and honestly uncertain if I will.  But I have them, in case I feel like it one of these days...  The small ones, however, I have used a couple of times each and they do great coverage.  I'm impressed for a Dollar Store polish.

Left to right: Green Sparkles, Pink Sparkles, Blue Sparkles, White Sparkles, Pink (looks like bubblegum on the nails), Orange (quite shimmery) and Magenta (also nice and shimmery).

Sinful Colors in Unwrap Me is a Christmas 2014 nail polish I got on sale in Spring 2015.  It is no longer available, unfortunately.  This is one of my favorite toppers; I've used it on more occasions than I can count.  It's full of black and red glitters in various sizes (more black than red) and absolutely gorgeous on The Wonder Yellows.

Sinful Colors in Feel the Vibe is described as Orange is the new black.  I like this color though it stains a bit.  It's nice for summer and fall alike (pumpkin?).

Sinful Colors in Let's Talk is described as a dark violet shimmering purple.  Whenever I wear this color, I get so many compliments; it is out of this world!

Sinful Colors in Let Me Go is described as a purple and blue shimmer and as you can see, I've worn this one quite often.  It's not only gorgeous on its own but it also can add a little bit of dimension to other nail colors.  It's also a quite sought-out nail color that I'm happy to have in my collection.  Beautiful!

These Avon nail polishes, I received as a Christmas gift from my parents this year.

Speed Dry in Rose Amour is a gorgeous muted pink color and it applies smoothly to the nails.  Formula is great and I can see myself wearing this often and I really like the shimmer on this.  I might be mistaken but I think there's a golden shimmer to this.

And then I also received some Fringe Effect Top Coats (one in Fringed and Frayed and the other in Fringed Effect).  Have to say this is adorable; they have long bar glitters that make it look like the manicure is bristly.

 As we know, I used to subscribe to Rainbow Honey, which is why I have quite a collection of these polishes...all in all though, not a big fan of their formula but I'll be sure to let you in on the ones I do like...

Just Sugar Coat It! is a shiny iridescent glaze with holographic glitters. This one is better off as a topper as it is quite difficult to make opaque.  It's alright but not my favorite topper...Yes, you do realize it's more than halfway gone...that's from trying to get it opaque on its own..whoops!

Interstellar Ice is described as Diamond Dust collides with Cosmic Ice, icy blue topper.   This dries gritty, so a good topcoat may be required but it is absolutely gorgeous!  It adds a intergalactic shimmer to any manicure you're sporting.  One of my favorites from Rainbow Honey.

Delphine: is a pastel blueberry creme packed with their signature shimmer blend.  While you can see the shimmer in the bottle, it does not transfer to the nail.  Also, the gorgeous baby blue creme fades into a cement gray after 2-3 days of sporting it on your nails.  I like both colors, mind you, but it is unfortunate it doesn't stay the way it was meant to be. This is surprisingly opaque in 2 coats.

Laguna Grande is described as a midnight swim, illuminating teal blue.  This one is an absolute beauty!  Have worn it a good amount of times as you can probably tell from the picture and this is one of the polishes with a great formula.  Absolutely gorgeous!

My Midnight Garden is described as a deep midnight emerald green with a hint of blue shimmer.  I, however, have to disagree with the description provided by Rainbow Honey; it does not look green at all!  I'd say it's a sparkly midnight blue.  Another of their polishes with a fantastic formula.  

Calama is described as a gorgeous opaque green.  The color is lovely, the formula is not.  It's gritty and does not bind to the nail very well.  It's unfortunate because this turquoise green is quite unique.

Underwater World is a glitter topper filled with different sized and colored stars and speckles.  It is quite lovely and applies really well; surprised I did not have to fish for any stars, as they readily come out.  That said, I find it quite young and I don't find myself reaching out for it often.. Might be one of those polishes I end up giving to my nieces...

Thallo Bot: Rainbow Honey describes this as a metallic summer green beauty.  The color is gorgeous, but unfortunately, the formula is not.  Again, this one is gritty and does not bind to the nail well.  Lucky for me, I have a similar shade from Julep (Francis) minus the shimmer.

Bloody Weapon described as rich, dark and bloody! In my opinion, it looks like a purplish burgundy reddish color.  It dries textured, so a good topcoat would be a good idea.  The color is beautiful and the formula is great.

La Isla Morada described as a purple lacquer sprinkled with black glitters and white shards.  It's quite beautiful but, unfortunately, a tad goopy.  It does not bind to the nail well.  As a matter of fact, I painted it on one morning and the next morning, I woke up with a whole nail missing it's polish...it removed on its own from tossing and turning.  Not good.

Jelly Red Sandals is described as a summer jelly red lacquer.  It's vibrant, it's squishy like gel polishes, and it's got a great formula.  This is one of my favorites from Rainbow Honey.

Magic Brix is described as a shiny brick-red creme.  A good formula, nice color and perfect for fall.

Cuprum Veritas is described as a shiny copper bullion.  The lacquer is a tiny bit sheer and needs 3 coats to reach full opacity (2 if you do thick coats). It is worth the effort though because it is very beautiful.

Mr Saturn  is described as a peachy creme glory.  Although this is a gorgeous color, it is not beautiful on my skin tone.  Formula is OK on this one, though.

Costa Dorada is described as  gold rush in a bottle and is one of Rainbow Honey's best polishes, in my opinion.  I especially love it on top of darker colors.

Summer Tan Nail Lacquer is described as a beautiful & opaque golden glow.  This reminds me of sand; I love the color, but the formula on this one is gritty and does not bind well to the nail. Also, not the best hue for my skin tone.

And next we have my Julep collection.  Now let me specify that this collection will keep on growing seeing as I'm subscribed to Julep Maven and get a monthly box.

My first row of Juleps are my purples/reds

Fifi is a tea time pink creme.  It's a bit patchy but the color is great.  It's an almost white pink creme polish.

Katie is an orchid iridescent chrome and let me tell you, this color is beautiful!  I got a lot of compliments on this color when I was sporting it.

Hazel is a wild violet and bronze duo-chrome.  There's a lot of talk about people not seeing the bronze shimmer in this.  It's going to sound strange but I find it shows through just fine in lower lighy settings.  That said, the purple alone is a beautiful color.

Omelia is a stardust polish in the color sugarplum.  I absolutely love the gritty texture on this polish and it looks shiny and matte at the same time...that's pretty hard to achieve.

Joanne is one of my first Julep polishes, along with Logan.  It's described as a smoky plum creme.  A perfect color for fall/winter.

Logan is a sultry aubergine shimmer.  Whenever I put this on, it makes me think of black silk.  I love this polish; one of my favorites.

Colton is described as black iris creme and I got this as part of my November Welcome box..  This is a funny nail polish: it looks purple in the bottle, but when it's on your nail, it looks black.  The flash on my camera phone captured the purple of the polish though. I like using this as a base for nail art.  It is quite thick though, so go easy on it while applying.

Jessie is described as a deep kalamata creme.  This is another one that is almost black but when you really look at it, you can see the reddish/purple color shine through.

Ilga is a rich bordeaux creme and honestly, this color is a classic.  It reminds me a lot of my Burgundy Frost from Wet 'N Wild.

Then I have my row of browns and metalics

Sawyer is a copper patina molten.  Ever since I layed eyes on this color, I knew I had to have it.  And it does not disappoint.  It's a gorgeous, rich brown with a golden shimmer.

Virginia is a mahogany iridescent molten and looks fantastic!  It's a bit sheer on first coat but builds up nicely with the second coat.

Beth is a galactic turquoise and copper glitter top coat.  As you can see, you can get it thick on its own with two coats but it would also be nice as a topper.

Louisa May is a citrine birthstone iridescent shimmer and when I sported this color, it looked just like bright shiny pennies. 

Sharna is a bronze full-coverage micro-shimmer. It leaves the nails feeling a bit gritty but it does look stunning on the nails.  I got a new bottle as part of a mystery bag...and it was good timing, I was almost out of the last bottle.

Andrea is a full-coverage gold glitter polish.  It's a bit sheer on first coat but builds nicely on the second coat.

Chatoya is a platinum silver glitter top coat.  You can get it opaque with three coats but is also quite beautiful as a topper.

Max is a black and white graffiti top coat.  I've been eyeing Max for quite some time now, so I'm glad to have this in my possession. (just got it as part of my mystery grab bag)

And my row of Oranges, Yellows and Greens.

Marjorie is a citrus orange frost and it matches the color of my car.  This was actually part of a swap I did and I have to say it looks quite lovely on the nails.

Dawn is a strange shade of yellow... it looks like mustard to be honest.  The formula isn't the best on this one, unfortunately but it is so unique, it's worth the effort of doing thin coats.

Sunny is an overexposed yellow chrome and makes me think of the Wonder Yellows from Wet 'N Wild.  I just got this as part of my Julep mystery grab bag and have to say I'm quite happy to have it.

Francis is a celery green creme and I think they got the color down pat.  It's a beautiful color for spring time.

Roc Solid is a vintage military green creme.  This is a new one from my mystery grab bag and I can think up a few ways I'd like to use this polish.  Love it!

Kendra is an army green frost.  This is another one that looks black under certain lights but definitely has a green tinge when you really look at it.

And lastly, my row of turquoises and blues

Lizanne is a sea green shimmer.  It makes me think of mermaids.  Gorgeous.  I was hesitating between putting this one with the greens or the blues but I find this has more of a turquoise than a green look.

Casey is a Galapagos teal creme and looks absolutely gorgeous!

Eliana is a soft denim creme.  It applies a bit sheer on first coat but 2 coats brings it to full opacity.

Paulina is THE color that got me subscribing to Julep.  It is a peacock duo-chrome and it is absolutely stunning.  My all-time favorite color so far.


Briana is a sailor blue creme and is absolutely stunning!  It also is a one-coater.

I will update my collection this time next year :)  Happy New Years! :D