Shop Review: KAWAII GOODS

I wanted to do a review for this store for two reasons: firstly, I couldn't find reviews after 2011 and secondly, most of the reviews were only so~so about the company. So here I am at my computer typing up a lovely little review for the shop. Well, it's hardly little but you guys enjoy the details.

Not surprisingly, this shop is actually quite popular as a lot of bloggers have made reviews for Kawaii Goods. Most of the reviews are positive but a lot of them explain a lack of communication and explain the hot gluing of a lot of items to be rather garish. I am here to tell about my experience so you may see how the shop has changed since 2011. ^^

I ordered from this gal four times within two weeks and spent over $130 USD in her store in that short amount of time! Why? Because every item in the store is so amazing. I certainly can't say it's "thrifty" of me but for what I received: quality, amount, customer service, etc, it is really a reasonable price and the shipping isn't too bad either: especially because it is so easy to spend $40.00 USD in the store which qualifies you for free shipping.

Order One:
Starry Bear Heart Necklace ($12 USD)
Fuzzy Starry Bear 2-Way Clip ($8 USD)
Starry Bow 2-Way Clip ($7 USD)
$7.95 USD  Shipping
Order Two:
Fuzzy Bear Headband (Lemon) ($12 USD)
Dreamy Sky Wings 2-Way Clip Bow ($5.50 USD)
Dreamy Sky Wings Necklace Ver.3 ($12 USD)
Dreamy Sky Wings Necklace Ver.2 ($12.USD)
Starry Dreamy Bow 2-Way Clip ($5.50 USD)
FREE SHIPPING
*Order Three: PREORDER (Shipped Out Yesterday Actually. xD)
Fuzzy Bear Headband (Pink) ($12 USD)
Fuzzy Deco Bear Hat (Ivory) PRE ORDER ($25 USD)
Skeleton Hand 2-Way Clip ($6.50 USD)
FREE SHIPPING
Order Four:
Fuzzy Bear Ice Cream 2-Way Clip ($12 USD)
$4.50 USD Shipping

*Order Five: PREORDER
Heart Bear 2-Way Clip Ver.3  ($12 USD)
Fuzzy Starry Bear 2-Way Clip ($12 USD)
Sweetie Dream Tights PRE ORDER ($20 USD)
FREE SHIPPING

*Order included a preorder item, therefore the items are not shipped out until everything arrives. I am still waiting for these orders.

My apologies! I didn't take a picture of the packaging - on my old blog I used to BUT with future orders I shall take pictures since the packaging is important. It's becoming difficult since my mail doesn't come until 4:30PM usually and now it is getting dark very early here since Winter is arriving. So daylight is slowly not becoming an option.

SO ONTO THE FIRST ORDER I thought almost eight dollars for shipping was steep until I saw how well it was packaged. Three little items needed a huge envelope because it was mummified in layers and layers of bubble wrap! I struggled to get the package open, needing scissors to carefully cut my way into the package. Everything was safe, nothing damaged, and I just about died from the cuteness - honestly, I thought I could feel my heart melting.

I wasn't certain about this necklace when I ordered it - I adored how it looked but the bear's head looked heavy so I thought while wearing it, the necklace might tilt to the side with the bear on it. Thankfully Mister Bear's heavy head is balanced out by the stars and heart handing on the opposite side. I have worn this necklace A TON as it is my new favorite and I have never had a problem with it tilting. However. . .I did have a different problem.

I was out at lunch with a friend, happily eating my way through a delicious soup when K (that's what I am calling her here) pips up and says "Didn't you have a charm on that chain?" I looked confused, wondering which item she could possibly be talking about - and then she pointed to my necklace. I felt my heart skip over several beats as panic rose within me. Had it fallen off onto the floor somewhere when we were browsing through Sanrio? Or perhaps when we were getting ice cream? Maybe when we stopped into Claire's to see if they had anything cute! Luckily it had fallen onto my napkin in my lap so the charm was safe and sound.

I thought I was prepared for everything since my purses often weigh so much but sadly I don't walk around with pliers to fix jewelry. So I took the easy way out - hooked the charm back on and bent the ring so it would not fall off again. . .as elegantly and discreetly as I could since we were in a restaurant. Totally fixable but it is something you should be aware of~ ^^ Now I wear this necklace absolutely everywhere.

Onto the star clip which is one of the nicest fuzzy stars I have ever purchased! Maybe this girl just happens to know what she is doing more so than the rest of the girls. I adore the ones with pearls and more lolita-esque items but I love that this clip looks for Fairy Kei! The starry bear, the shape, the colors - very Fairy Kei! My only concern - and this is always a pet peeve of mine - is that you can see the clips from the front. I thought that if she put the alligator clip on the bottom and the pin on top that they might not show. If it really bugs me down the road I might try to carefully remove and hotglue them. For now I have so many other accessories that I made due without it or a style my hair to cover up the clip and pin.

Lastly is the Starry Bow which has gotten a lot of wear already as well. Everywhere I go people comment so positively on the necklace and bow and want to know where I got them! This product is made so well and the quality is so nice that I honestly have no complaints at all with the item! I love it: easy to wear, adorable, reasonably priced, sturdy.

ORDER TWO CAME WITH SO MANY CUTE GOODIES!

The packaged arrived as it is shown above in the yellow envelope. The envelope does have some bubble wrap on the inside so keep things safe. Then it was packed into the flat-rate shipping box. Inside everything was wrapped in a cellophane bag.

WHAT! A! HAUL! First things first - the bear headband. I wanted this in white and then as soon as my paycheck came in the next day it was sold out in white. The remaining colors were lemon, purple, or blue. I picked the lemon since I really wanted one. I have to say that I am so happy! I was a little weary when ordering: what if the headband turned out to be a bright yellow or if the headband was too small for my head and became uncomfortable to wear? I am so glad that I went for it because all of my worrying turned out to be a waste of time. It is a perfect pastel yellow and the yarn has sprinkles of blue, white, and pink which make it super cute. The yarn is super soft and it is large enough that it still fits on my head for long hours without making my head sore. Yet my sister, who is much smaller than myself (and I don't know how that happened), can also wear the band comfortably. It doesn't have a habit of sliding around which means I don't need to constantly check my head to see if it has fallen off haha ~ The pink stars and purple bows are placed symmetrically, which I am picky about so yay~ The pink actually makes it look like the inside of the ears, which I think is super cute. Recommended product!

Next onto the 2-Way Bow Clips for $5.50 USD each. Both are super cute, I love the idea, but I did run into a problem with these. The yarn likes to droop on the bottom, causing little rings to appear under the bow which is really unflattering.

(A special thank you to my giant Eeyore for having no shame in modeling the droopy bow) I can pile up accessories to cover it up, or if I throw my hair into a cute sidebun and put the bow on top it tends to keep the yarn from drooping. If you aren't moving around too much you can tuck the drooping yarn into the bow itself. Pushing them up through the center of the loop makes the bow appear fatter and look cleaner.

It's a cute idea and the design is sugary sweet but they design should be thought out a little more. If you have a way to fix the bows then it's a great price for them. If not, I hope my tips help. Would I recommend these? I really want to say yes but unfortunately with the unattractive drooping I am going to have to say no. I can't think of anyone who would want intentional drooping on their bows.


Onto the necklaces: right away I tightened the circle chain loops on them so the charms wouldn't fall off and so the pearl chains wouldn't break. Then I fawned over them for an hour, putting outfits together to showcase the necklaces when I wear them. I LOVE these because they are very fairy kei but also very mahou kei (magical style - very much like fairy kei and spank but mixed with all of your favorite mahou shoujo flair)! The pearl strands are so cute and they both pay perfectly. With the star the resin edges can poke at your skin (not break through the skin, more of an itching sensation like a tag in the back of a tee-shirt or dress) so I recommend wearing the star shaped necklace with a top/JSK/etc that has a neckline that is higher than where the resin star hits just so the itch doesn't bother you. Super happy with both of these. I would recommend these in a heartbeat!

ORDER FOUR - but third in this post since I had a preorder order.

This is my FAVORITE ACCESSORY/JEWELRY IN MY COLLECTION. Can you believe it? I have a new favorite! It used to be the My Melody x PiPi bag and phone charm exclusive in Japan.

 

(I also have the cosmetic bag as well. Thought about getting the tissue box cover but I decided against it.)

Now I have a new favorite item which is the ice cream bear clip. I love the shimmering pink jeweled eyes, the pink pearl nose, and his little mouth/nose shape. The star tail hanging off of it is super sweet too. I might actually love this more if it was just a bear head but I am too afraid of damaging it if I try to take the white cone shape off. TT ^ TT Still, I LOVE MISS FUZZY BEAR. ^^ It works so well with OTT Sweet, Mahou Kei, and Fairy Kei which are my three styles of clothing. Plus it hangs so beautifully~ I recommend this product to anyone and everyone in sugary sweet styles!

- - - - - - - -

Communication: STARS 10 / 10 STARS ~
Never had to contact Claudia so I am giving her full stars since I have no reason to put the rating down. She sends conformations when the orders have been shipped and it automatically sends your order details once you buy.
Shipping: STARS 10 / 10 STARS ~
It's easy to reach free shipping and her prices accurately cover the cost of shipping.
Arrival Time: STARS 10 / 10 STARS ~
Items arrived a couple days after order. (Aside from the preorders, obviously.) I call this speedy shipping!
Product Safety: STARS 10 / 10 STARS ~
NONE of the items arrived damaged or broken.
Product Quality: STARS 8 / 10 STARS ~
The two yarn bows are very droopy and need constant adjustment, or need to be hidden by other accessories.

Grand Average Total: STARS 9.6 / 10 STARS ~

Overall experience: I would recommend this store in a heartbeat! All of the products are so adorable, well made, reasonably priced (I mean, look at Etsy and Brand) and very unique! Product seems to rotate out fairly quickly - at least the fairy-kei items do. So if you see something you like you must be quick to jump on it. I noticed that the fuzzy hat I ordered was only up for two days before it sold out! The white bear hairband also sold out quickly so I missed my opportunity at getting it. (So sad, I already had outfits planned around the white one. TT ^ TT) If you are looking for accessories I recommend this store!

KAWAII GOODS SHOP
KAWAII GOODS YOUTUBE
KAWAII GOODS TUMBLR
KAWAII GOODS TWITTER

**I was not sponsored (meaning payment in goods, services, or legal tender) by this designer/seller to promote his/her products.

EASY OATMEAL FACIAL SCRUB (OATMEAL & WATER)

Those of you who know my old blog will recognize this post but I thought it would be super helpful and fun for all of you! All of my new text will be in this bold pink.

HELLO OCTOBER! I wanted to start off this month with an exciting new post! Well...this is actually quite old content but I still use this recipe and I find it works amazingly well. I thought you, my readers, would enjoy seeing this especially if you haven't seen it before! SO HAPPY OCTOBER ~ (This is my favorite month and Halloween is my favorite holiday so I am excited). 

Lolitas are suppose to have the image of perfect skin just as a porcelain doll would have flawless skin. There are certainly amazing BB cremes and foundations that can really help the look of having flawless skin, however I find that some of the best are also some of the most expensive. If you already pour money into fake eyelashes and all of your cute lolita coords then spending $50.00 USD on foundation can seem rather cumbersome. So I have found that with me, having healthy skin underneath means I can skimp on the designer foundations and use something from a drugstore.

I stand by this oatmeal scrub recipe!! When I am being good and using it every day my skin feels so refreshed and it tends to limit zits, pimples, and redness for me. What may sound crazy is that is only uses TWO INGREDIENTS! Oatmeal and tap water! 

Oatmeal is not only super healthy for your waistline but for your skin as well! I know some people don't like oatmeal and others hate the way it smells but oatmeal is my go-to all natural scrub for summer. It's especially easy because you only need two things: oatmeal and water! I love making scrubs where all I have to do is open a kitchen cupboard. Firstly I can make breakfast at the same time I am doing my beauty routine and secondly it costs less than buying scrubs in store or online! Who doesn't love saving money?

So why is oatmeal so good for your skin? The number one thing oatmeal does is act as a moisturizer. A term that might be familiar from biology classes is polysaccaride. In summary a polysccaride is a very complex carbohydrate. When you eat a polysccaride it provides energy and breaks down into gluclose. Usually polysaccarides are fibrous and help lower cholesterol, but not always. What polysccarides do when applied on your skin is really good for you too. Since polysccarides expand in water they link together to create a thin mask on your skin. It keeps your pores moisturized as well as protects the skin from any irritants from getting in.

Also oatmeal helps with sunburns, chickenpox, poison ivy, rashes, insect bites, and much more! Just apply the facial scrub explained below to the irritated area. If there is simply too much to cover at once, take an oatmeal bath! ^^ I had my mom fix oatmeal baths for me all of the time when I got the chickenpox when I was little. I practically lived in the bathtub!

The benefits of using an oatmeal mask don't stop at mositurizing. Oatmeal contains saponins which is a metabolite found in natural things such as plants, and for skin it acts as a cleanser. For something that is used to naturally help chemical exposer, of course it does a wonderful job cleaning your skin! The saponins act as sponges to soak oils, odors, and anything trapped in them away and off with the next wash! This is why oatmeal is found in one variation or another in a lot of facial cleaning products.

THE RECIPE
This basic recipe is super fast to do. Simply plug the sink, take a small handful of oatmeal and run it under lukewarm water until it becomes damp. Squeeze out the water and collect it in your free hand - the water from the oatmeal should be a transparent khaki color. Put the water on your face especially in the dry areas of your face. If you don't have any dry spots go ahead and put it where you have acne. Next take the damp oatmeal and rub it all over your face. Oatmeal will drop off, but that's why the skin is plugged! Oatmeal can clog the drain! Let the mushy oatmeal sit for a few minutes and then rinse it off with water. I use a small mesh strainer to fish out the oatmeal and put it in the bathroom garbage. Then de-plug the sink and let the water drain!

A friend of mine uses collodial oatmeal all of the time - I do it sometimes. Colloidal oatmeal is just oatmeal that has been ground up into a super fine powder. I have three coffee grinders in my house; one for coffee, one for spices, and one for beauty materials such as oatmeal. If you only have one coffee grinder then clean it really well before and after. Put in your oatmeal and grind it up until it is a super fine powder. When it's a thin powder you can really make it into a paste with a little bit of water. (If it is not becoming paste-like then add a teaspoon of baking soda to the mix, works every time!)

Adding a drop or two of honey to your oatmeal masks are an excellent variation. Honey is also good for your skin. Sorry vegans - blue agave nectar doesn't do the same thing here. Honey is so full of so many nutrition for your skin and tummy that I could dedicate an entire blog to it! But, someone already has a webpage all about honey so I shall link it here. The site even lists recipes for anti-aging, ance removal and every other facial treatment under the sun involving honey so check it out!

Likewise lemon is amazing for your skin, but a little bit of lemon goes a long long way! Livestrong has dedicated many articles to how beneficial lemon is for your skin, hair, and body. Thanks to all of the vitamins crammed into lemons, it's a wonder add on to oatmeal masks, especially if you have sensitive skin that cannot take all of the lemon juice!

Oatmeal lives on my counter next to my mouthwash and my sister's detangling spray for her super curly hair.

I am constantly refilling this cute jam jar full to the brim with oatmeal. In a week I shall need to fill it again!

Just a handful of oatmeal is needed, this is at most what I use unless I am making a really thick paste-like mask.

Quick in-and-out under the warm water and the oatmeal is already mushy!

Even though most of the water drained while I carefully picked up my camera, you can see some of the transparent tan-ish colored water from the oatmeal. Be sure to use all of the nutrients in that water! Rub that 
amazing water on your skin and then scrub with the oatmeal! If your skin is sensitive don't rub too vigorously but if you have tough skin like I do then go for it! If the oatmeal is too thick then you may need to get more dry oatmeal and restart the process since thick oatmeal doesn't spread well. After scrubbing I like to leave it on my face for a couple minutes. Then you just rinse it all off with warm water (and check for any oatmeal that may have gotten into your hair) and you should be done!

It helps to plug the sink while doing this so your skin doesn't clog with oatmeal bits. The same applies if  you are using this in the shower or bath - plug the tub before you start. I use a mini plastic strainer to gather all of the oatmeal bits and then I just throw them out.

Random note: MY NAILS ARE SO SHORT! My nails were so damaged after removing the tips that I had to cut them down all of the way to let the damaged nail grow out. Applying vitamin e oil to the nail and cuticle every day is helping them grow out a lot faster though! :D