Okashi Connection August 2014

Okashi Connection is a monthly subscription box full of Japanese treats. They ship internationally with free shipping for only $22 a month (just over £13), and using code GEEKERY will get you a $1 discount. I haven't faced any additional customs fees but my bank charges a Foreign Purchase Fee of £1, so be wary of that. The package comes with a printout which briefly explains what each item is, and contains a password to a members only blog post for a more in-depth description of that month's box. 

Here is what I received this month:

Country Ma'am Cookies

This box of cookies are a special edition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Hello Kitty. There are 10 individually wrapped cookies - 5 vanilla and 5 strawberry flavour. The vanilla ones are just like regular chocolate chip cookies, but with a softer texture. They're delicious! The strawberry ones have a pinkish colour, and the strawberry overpowers the taste of the chocolate.

Ottotto Crackers

These crispy hollow crackers are in the shape of sea creatures and are Takoyaki flavoured. I have never had Takoyaki, but these taste like sticky BBQ ribs with a hint of Worcestershire sauce to me. The box contains 2 packets.

Pai no Mi

Pai no Mi are little pastry puffs and these ones have a mild cotton candy flavour filling. The soft, creamy centre and the flaky pastry go beautifully together. These were my favourite snacks this month and are very addictive!

Koala no Machi

These Koala no Machi, which translates to Koala's March, are chocolate banana flavour biscuits. They are little crunchy parcels with koala bears on them and contain a creamy banana filling. The banana flavour is quite intense and lingering.

Caplico Giant Panda 

This is a wafer cone with a creamy white chocolate that's light and bubbly, like Nestlé Aero. The cone is filled with a fluffy milk chocolate. It's a very crumbly, messy treat but has a delicious cookies and cream taste.

Baby Star Ramen

This is a pack of four Baby Star Ramen crisps comprised of (from left to right) salt, spicy soy, sauce mayo and chicken flavour. They are a savoury snack that look like thin crispy noodles that remind me of pretzels. The salt and sauce mayo flavours are the best of the bunch.

Overall, I am impressed with the quality of this subscription box. These are items I can't purchase here in the UK and it's excellent value for money. It's a fairly new company but the owner seems very pleasant and offers great customer service. I can be a bit flaky with some subscription boxes but this is one I can see myself staying loyal to. It's such a fun and interesting experience to try these snacks, and one my boyfriend and I both look forward to each month.

MyGeekBox August 2014

MyGeekBox is a UK-based monthly subscription box featuring items relating to nerd culture (films, comics, video games, etc.) with prices starting from £14.99 including shipping. It comes in a bright blue, MyGeekBox-branded cardboard box which arrives inside another plain box. Like Loot Crate, each month they cater towards a specific theme, this one being Quests. 

The first item in my box is a set of four The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey postcards.I'm not a big fan of the franchise but my boyfriend enjoys it. If only these had arrived a few weeks earlier when he was visiting family in Canada. 

Next up is a limited edition T-shirt featuring a mash-up of The Lord of the Rings and Dog Soldiers to create Rivendell Dogs. 

Then we have a box of Harry Potter Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. My younger brother has been bugging me to play Beanboozled, a game with coloured jelly beans that have nice flavours and not-so-nice flavours but that are indistinguishable, so you can't tell whether you have chosen peach or vomit flavoured until it's too late. We played it once a few months ago and it's a lot of fun but the nasty flavours are disgustingly authentic. He'll be excited to try these Harry Potter ones. There are 20 flavours including banana, black pepper, candyfloss, booger, grass, earthworm, marshmallow, rotten egg, lemon and earwax, to name a few.

The last two items are both Game of Thrones-related, which I was desperately hoping would be included. The first is a vinyl figure of Drogon, the fiercest of Dany's three dragons. 

And then we have a House of Stark book mark, which I will definitely be making use of as I finish reading A Feast For Crows and A Dance With Dragons.

Overall, I was a bit underwhelmed by the items in my box, but I'm very happy about the Game of Thrones goodies. The theme next month is Apocalypse which is right up my street! I just love all things zombie.

Loot Crate August 2014

The Loot Crate theme last month was Villains, so how very fitting to follow that up with Heroes. The inside of the box has been given an awesome Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-inspired redesign and even has a pop-up sofa.

It's only appropriate, then, that the first item I discuss is a TMNT Ooze Action figure. This little figurine is the perfect size for playing (or displaying) with the cardboard sewer lair. There are six various characters available - Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter and Shredder - of which I received Raphael, who comes with a pair of glow-in-the-dark sai.

One more TMNT item this month, a pair of sunglasses styled as the iconic bandanna. These would be great for a lazy Halloween costume. I got red ones but they are also available in blue, purple and orange.

Another wearable item next, a pair of Schwings lightning bolts. These silver and neon green lightning bolts lace onto your shoes to jazz up your outfit. 

Also included is an Epic Scents air freshener. I received Mega Man in Cool Rush scent. This would be good to hang in a small space such as a car or in your wardrobe. 

Then we have a magnet of 'Willson's Chimichang'Os, the breakfast of anti-heroes!', a take on Chimichanga as a cereal box in reference to Deadpool.

Loot Crate have included a trio of exclusive bonus digital content. The first code downloads the full game of  Defense Grid: The Awakening on Steam. The second code unlocks characters for the free app, Doctor Who: Legacy. And the third code unlocks Mask of the Wyrm Slayer, an in-game helm for Gauntlet, available for purchase separately. 

The final item in my box is a Guardians of the Galaxy vinyl bobble-head figure of Groot, which glows in the dark and is yet another Loot Crate exclusive. 

The obligatory magazine this month has a great article about the origins of various heroes and the complexities behind what it takes to be one. There is also a match the quote game and spot the difference, followed by a run down of the products included in the box. As usual, the Loot Crate badge features the same design as the  magazine cover. Speaking of which, the cover fits together with the previous issue to make one complete image. 

Overall, this was a pretty decent box, although I'm a little sad that they didn't include a T-shirt this month, as I always look forward to seeing what cool design they will come up with next. 

New subscribers save 10% with code HEROES at checkout.

GlossyBox August 2014

This month's box marks the 3rd anniversary of GlossyBox and features a slight revamp with a pastel pink matte finish. Even the product description card has had a fancy makeover. 

There are 6 items this month; the usual 5 products and a birthday bonus. 

The first is a highlighter in Cashmere by Kryolan with exclusive GlossyBox packaging. You apply this creamy balm to your cheekbones, cupid's bow and brow bones for a sheer shimmery glow. This 4.5 g product is full sized and worth £12.95.

Then we have an 20 ml sample (full size 80 ml, £6.95) of Figs & Rouge Hand Cream in Rose and Berry scent. It smells similar to Vaseline Healthy Hands + Stronger Nails Hand Cream. It absorbs nicely into the skin and leaves no residue behind. I really like the lid on this, the hexagonal shape is so easy to grip when your hands are covered in slippery cream. 

Another hand care product next, a 15 ml pot of All That Jazz Cuticle Balm. I received it in Chocolate Orange scent which smells like orange flavour Jacob's Club bars and cocoa body butter. You just rub this into your cuticles and it's designed to hydrate and nourish the nails. This is full sized with an RRP of £11.99.

Next up is Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, a pre-shampoo treatment for improving hair manageability. You apply it to wet hair and leave in for 20 minutes minimum, rinse and then follow with shampoo and conditioner, shampooing twice if you have very fine hair. My hair seems to lack elasticity and snaps easily with tension, so I'm excited to try this out. This is a 40 ml sample, the full size costs £38 for 250 ml.

Also included is a 2 ml sample of L'Amour by Lalique. It has a beautiful floral fragrance with a soft muskiness to it. A 50 ml bottle is priced at £67.

The birthday bonus item is a 3 ml mini Yves Rocher nail polish in Rose, a pretty pink shade that matches the colour of the GlossyBox. This is a full sized product with a value of £3.60.

Overall, I am quite satisfied with the diverse range of products included in my box this month. It's not just cosmetics but hair and skin care too. I'm especially glad for the chance to try out the Elasticizer, as £38 for a full size is a rather steep investment.

You Beauty Discovery August 2014

The theme for You Beauty Discovery this month is Summer Essentials, with an emphasis on skin and hair care and hydration.

There are 4 free extra treats in this box, the first of which is a 2 ml sample of Jimmy Choo Eau De Parfum. This perfume has a fruity citrus fragrance. It's quite sweet, I find it has a very slight hint of lemon sherbet. 

A second Jimmy Choo sample is also included - a 2 ml bottle of Man Eau De Toilette. This cologne has a musky woody scent that reminds me of Paco Rabanne's XS, one of my favourite male fragrances. I'll definitely be asking my boyfriend to wear this. 

Another freebie this month is a 2 ml sample sachet of FaceD 3-Luronics Instant Effect Cream Serum. This face cream is designed to reduce the visibility of fine lines and improve skin hydration and firmness. I can't account for how well it reduces wrinkles but I can certainly attest to how soft and smooth it makes your skin feel. 

The final bonus item is a 4-way nail buffer. This is a spongy block with 4 different sides designed to file, smooth, buff and polish your nails. I love these things, they're so convenient and the numbered steps on each side make it easy to use.

The two products I chose from the August menu were the Gazelli Triple Youth with White Oil Duo and the Louise Galvin Sacred Locks Masque. 

The Gazelli Triple Youth luxury set consists of Ultimate Firming Serum (5 ml) and Intensive Age-Repair Cream (5 ml). This was the most expensive item in my box, with a value of £16.00 - double the cost of the entire thing! You are supposed to use the serum morning and night to nourish and firm the skin, then apply the cream to protect the skin, hydrate and plump out fine lines. I gifted this to my mother who hasn't used the cream yet, but she has used the serum and is very impressed with it. 

My second product, the Louise Galvin Sacred Locks Masque (100 ml) is an intensive hair treatment which nourishes hair, restores moisture and leaves it feeling very soft and healthy. You use it twice a week by applying it to towel dried hair, leaving it for a minimum of ten minutes, partially rinsing to disperse it through the hair then combing and rinsing it out. Alternatively you can use it as a daily conditioner.

Overall, I am once again very happy with my You Beauty Discovery box. High quality products at a very affordable price... what's not to love about that?