Daebak Box - Winter 2020

Well, I tried to keep all my reviews for products from 2020 in 2020. But I just got overwhelmed and thought it was too much to keep up with for those last few weeks in the Year That Shall Not Be Named. *shrugs* It is what it is.

For those who many not know, this Daebak Box is a quarterly subscription of all things Korean - pop culture, makeup, skin care, snacks, clothes, etc. It’s way too much fun for its own good and has led me to purchase more (insert item here) from their on-line store after hooking me via the box.

You can purchase this service two ways: 1) pay $54.99 each quarter, or 2) pay $199.96 for the whole year. Either way you’re saving some good money. Check out the website for ALL their other subscription services and store fronts. DAEBAK

I pay for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones.

If I haven’t mentioned it before, the actual cardboard boxes are very thick and sturdy. I’ve repurposed a few into storage containers! Also this month we got a cool, smaller booklet that actually tells us what everything is. Now, did I save mine? I have no idea…

STATIONERY/LIFESTYLE

I forgot to take separate pics of that little fuzzy bag on the left. It’s just about the right size for a cell phone, maybe a thin wallet, too. It comes with a removeable strap. The tag says “I Was Plastic” - can’t remember if that’s the brand or just the description. Because this little fuzzy pocket WAS plastic and recycled into that cute bag.

Apeach Mirror: I think I have one travel mirror (one of those metal cases that snaps closed - except mine doesn’t really close anymore and the mirror keeps falling out). So this is perfect!

Bookmark Pen: Yes, that is a pen shaped like a banana leaf. It works great as a bookmark, too. I’m going to keep it in that sparkly silver 2021 planner. (EDIT: I’ve already misplaced it somewhere in the Black Hole of my office…*son of a bitch*)

iStyle Planner: I’m going to use this as a planner for author stuff (cons, readings, publishing stuff) because gods know, I don’t have enough fucking calendars and planners in my life. I just love how shiny it is!

QMask Face Mask/Strap: These particular material/style masks as super comfortable. And I love that it came with a strap you can hang around your neck. Now I don’t have to worry about which pocket I stuffed the damn thing in next time I’m at the dentist or doctor.

The Saem Hand Lotion Set: I do like a good hand cream. These are very nice - just thick enough, and absorb so damn fast. Good thing to have in this time of excessive hand washing. I gave one away because it said it was sage scented and I’m not about that. Right now I’m using the Green Grape one. It has a slight scent of grape with a powder/perfume finish. Very nice, if a little strong.

FOOD

Lotte Pepero Rich Choco: If you don’t know what Pepero is - what have you been doing with your life (also Pocky - basically the same thing, but I think Pocky is from Japan)? These are rod shaped cookies (sometimes pretzels) covered in various flavors of chocolate. This one had white and dark layers. SOO FUCKING GOOD. You can find them in a lot of places here in the US now, so you really have no excuse not to give them a shot. Unless you have diabetes or something…then I’ll let it slide.

Lihan Rice Paddle: We have the generic plastic paddle that came with our rice cooker years ago. It’s soooooo 2005. I love this one. The textured surface helps grab all the rice, the size has good heft while still being light, and the base is weighted so it’ll stand up straight when you need to set it down or after washing to let it dry. How cool is that?

SKIN CARE

Mediheal Sheet Masks: Two different skin care options came in this pack. I have so many sheet masks already that I gave a couple of these away, too. Mediheal is a big name in skin care so I’m excited to give them a try.

Mediheal This Patch: Now, I did try some of these and honestly, my skin said no way. To be fair, my skin is super sensitive so I’m not surprised that at least one thing in this box didn’t work for me. I have given these to a friend so I hope she can get some good use from them!

Tenzero Therapy Essence: I love these little individual packets of serum. I do smell a bit of mushroom (truffle, so not a surprise there) but my skin enjoyed the one I used. (EDIT: I used another one and yes, my skin still likes it.)

That’s the Winter 2020 box. I’m still really enjoying these lifestyle boxes. I love being surprised each quarter with the items! Until next time, hope you all are hanging in there and keeping safe and healthy.

Daebak Box - Fall 2020

For the uninitiated, the Daebak Box is a quarterly subscription service. It contains all things South Korean: pop culture, makeup, skin care, snacks, and lifestyle. Not sure what all the hullabaloo (or hallyu - sorry, inside joke) is about, head over to the site and check them out. You can sign up for the annual subscription ($199.96) or get a one time season order ($54.99) to test the waters. It’s up to you! DAEBAK CO

(I purchase this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

General overview of the box and it’s contents. I love the shiny detail of the name and the mountain. So pretty!

I am never disappointed in these boxes. They are huge (that’s what…nevermind), and almost overstuffed with goodies. I may not end up using everything in it, but in general, these are great boxes and worth the price. I’ll break down the items into separate categories - otherwise, it gets a little overwhelming.

Hot Brew Vanilla Latte (I think the brand is HY but I can’t be sure): Collab with BTS, there are two flavors - Americano or Vanilla Latte - and I’m glad I got the latter. It is already sweet, but not over sugary. I opened it first and downed it. I needed a little pick me up that afternoon, and it was perfect. Not mad about J-Hope being on it, either. Yes, I saved the bottle. Shut up.

Petitzel (again, I THINK that’s the brand) Water Jelly in Mango: I absolutely love these water jelly drinks. They’re basically like Jello that hasn’t set all the way, making it easier to suck through the straw opening. I’ve gotten a few in the Snack Fever box, too, and they’re just fun. Also delicious, but mostly fun.

There are always some kind of coupons, and cards, and promotional stuff included in each box. And this month, there was just one beauty/makeup product. You may have thought it was really a Hershey bar but no, dear friends, it’s makeup.

Etude House Hershey Eye Shadow Palette: I’m not a huge fan of Etude House skin care stuff. My skin has a 50/50 chance of reacting to their products, but I’ve never had any of their makeup (I don’t think). In general, it seems to me anyway, that Asian powder makeup products are very soft in color. Not just the shades, but also the pigment. These are NOT patchy at all, but no matter how much I pile the powder on or build up, the color remains soft. This isn’t a bad thing at all. In fact, I might actually turn to this palette first if I want to do a soft neutral/brown/bronze look. The shadow are soft and perform very well. And that packaging. I mean, come on. How fricken cute!

I love the stationery products this month, and I think they’re all from iStyle. The notebook has lined pages, as well as the graph style (good for practicing your Hangul), and blank pages. The cover is a cool, soft matte. The pocket sticky notes are sweet - for those times you want to leave more than just a simple note! I do like that the planner band is something separate, so you can move it to from one book to another (as opposed to the attached ribbons or dividers normally in a notebook or planner.

I’m not mad at the clear plastic pouch either. Those things are great for travel when you have any toiletries or makeup that might spill and ruin everything in your suitcase!

Cica gives us the Smoother, which is basically like aloe vera gel, but doesn’t leave a film or residue on the skin. It’s a really nice moisturizer that’s great for the warmer months. So…not so much right now for me as we move into winter. But it’s a GIANT ASS bottle of product, right?

Teehee by Daebak is a vegan face mask, in stick form! It’s really cool. You just wipe it across your face directly from the tube, wait 5-10 minutes for it to dry, then wash off. Even though it feels like a clay mask, it comes off very easily. I’ve used it a couple times now and my skin really likes it, and feels very soft afterwards.

The Le Plein hair and body spray is…not good, though I do appreciate the size of the bottle. This and the two fabric sprays we’ve gotten in the box are not my favorites. They don’t work, and the scents are just too heavy. Not a fan.

The slipper socks ARE MY FAVORITIST THING EVAR. Since I got this box a couple of weeks ago, I haven’t gone one day without wearing theses. The fabric is a little on the thinner side, so I wear them over my regular socks. I wear them to bed; I wear them around the house; I wear them outside. I LOVE THEM. (I threw away the original package and label so I don’t remember the brand, and they’re not for sale in the Daebak store)

The Kakao Friends tumbler is totally adorable. I always seem to get Ryan on any Kakao product, so I’m glad he was on this, too. It’s a smaller cup (more like a regular eight ounce glass, as opposed to the American favorite of 64 ounces or more), a removeable lid, and a friggen screw on cap to protect the straw. How cool is that?

There was also a gift bag with the members of BTS on it, as well as a few coupons and promo cards. But otherwise, that’s everything. As usual, I loved about 95% of what’s in the box; I’ll probably use about 85% of the products.

Have any of you purchased this service? What do you think?

Daebak Box - WINTER 2019

My Google Reports tell me that most of the views on my website (or my site was found via this post), come from my first Daebak subscription box review. I’m not really sure why - except that maybe, right now, Korean culture and music is YUUUUUGE in the US. It’s been here for a while but I think it’s expanding ever farther each year.

And with that, I’ll add another review to a Korean culture/lifestyle box - the Daebak Winter box for 2019.

If this is new to you, Daebak is a quarterly subscription box that’s jam packed with all sorts of Korean cultural items. Each is valued at $75+ and costs $49.99 per month, or you can pay for a yearly subscription for $179.96 and save $20. If you’d like to check it out, click on the link - DAEBAK.

It’s only my second box, but I’m still amazed at how much stuff comes in each one, including stationery, skin care, accessories, and more. And look how fucking cute all that is!

Let’s do the character stuff first.

Kakao Friends Square Pouch (Ryan): I’m so glad I got Ryan, since he was on the tote and face mask from the Fall box. And though it’s a small bag, I was rather surprised at how much I got in there the first time I used it. Not my phone, but if I’m just running out to dinner or a quick errand, I don’t need my phone on my person at all times.

Romane Brunch Brother Winter Collection: I don’t know who the Brunch Brothers are, or the company that makes them (Romane), but this duck flannel blanket is super soft. It’s more like a small throw, but I’m not the Jolly Green Giant so it works for me!

Here are all the skin care things this season:

Nature Republic EXO Edition Face Mask: I can’t remember if I’ve already used this (my bet would be ‘yes’). It’s hard to say whether these things do more than add hydration, but I am never mad at a sheet mask. I don’t know much of EXO’s music, but I do have “Mama” on my iPod. It’s a good one. And one member (Byun Baek-hyun) played a prominent character in one of the most fantastic KDramas I’ve ever seen: Moon Lovers - Scarlet Heart Ryeo.

The Saem Healing Tea Garden Cleansing Water: I can’t find much info on whether or not The Saem brand is cruelty free (so many things are changing in South Korea, requiring all companies to be CF as of last year, but the whole China thing is still an issue, and even THAT is changing….GAH!). But this cleansing water is phenomenal. If I haven’t worn makeup or gotten dirty over the course of the day, just using this to cleanse my face, before serum and moisturizer, is fine. And I couldn’t really ever do that before.

The Saem Care Plus Baobab Collagen Cream: I’m on the verge of using up a thick cream by The Ordinary so I’ve been on the lookout for something new. Again, not sure if The Saem is cruelty free, but I plan to use this when I run out of my current moisturizer (though I do still have a cream from Nature Republic from the Fall box to use, too).

And now for ALL the stationery:

Kakao Friends 2020 Small Table Calendar: I’m not really in NEED for a desk calendar, but this is kinda cute, man. If I can just clean off the desk in my office, I could totally use it.

OohLala 50 Stickers: Who doesn’t like stickers? Apparently, this stack is from one of the most notorious brands, OohLala, and includes their eccentric character designs. I’m not sure what makes them notorious, but them’s pretty strong words. They’re not exactly my style, but I’m sure I can find a use for a few.

7321 Design ‘The Color My Book’ Diary: It’s actually a planner and it comes with…wait for it…stickers! I really have no use for this, as I’ve got a large planner already in use, and a small one for my purse. So if anyone wants this, just let me know!

Lucalab Shining Gel Stick: These are pretty cool. I’ve never seen nor used anything like them. They’re kind of like crayons, but smoother, if that makes sense. I dig ‘em.

That’s it for the Winter box. Lots of fun stuff to play with! If you get this box, what’s your favorite item you got?