The Hunt for a Real Exciting Macaron LABUBU Box: A Seller's Confession

I remember the exact moment the LABUBU Macaron craze hit my little corner of the internet. It wasn't a slow burn. It was an explosion. One week, I was stocking them as a cute new series from Kasing Lung and Pop Mart. The next, my DMs were a warzone of desperate collectors trying to secure a case, a box, anything. The search for a real exciting macaron labubu box became less of a hobby and more of a full-blown quest.

And honestly? I get it. The original series, officially "The Monsters Exciting Macaron Vinyl Face Blind Box," was lightning in a bottle. The concept was simple: LABUBU, but as pastel-colored macarons. Each one had a simple, expressive vinyl face peeking out of a macaron shell. It was adorable, instantly recognizable, and hit that perfect sweet spot of cute and weird that defines the best designer toys.

The lineup was iconic. Sea Salt Coconut, Black Sesame, Lychee... But the one everyone lost their minds over was Soymilk. That creamy, off-white little guy became the chase figure of the entire set, even more so than the actual secret, "Galaxy." At the peak of the madness in late 2022, I saw a single Soymilk figure, out of the box, sell for over $120. For a figure that came from a $15 blind box. It was pure chaos.

This is also why the fakes appeared. And they appeared fast. When demand skyrockets like that and supply can't keep up, the bootleggers see an opportunity. Suddenly, eBay and AliExpress were flooded with fakes that, at a glance, looked pretty convincing. This is what spawned a million "real vs. Fake" guides.

But here's the thing those guides don't tell you.

The Fakes Are a Symptom, Not the Disease

The real story isn't just about spotting a fake; it's about understanding why this specific series became a prime target. It was the perfect storm of hype, scarcity, and a breakout "chase" character in Soymilk. The fakes for the Macaron V1 series got good, I'll admit. They copied the box art, the foil bags, even the little collector cards.

For a while, the community relied on tells. The font on the bottom of the box. The color saturation of the print. The quality of the shrink wrap. But the fakers learned and adapted.

As a seller who has handled hundreds of these boxes, both from Pop Mart directly and from collections I've purchased, I can tell you the number one tell that has never been successfully replicated: the smell.

Open a real Pop Mart box. It has a clean, slightly sweet vinyl smell. It's the "new toy" smell we all know. The fakes? They reek. It's a sharp, chemical, almost gasoline-like odor that hits you the second you open the plastic. Your nose knows. If it smells toxic, it probably is.

Another pro-tip is the weight and feel of the vinyl itself. The authentic LABUBU figures have a certain density and a smooth, matte finish. The fakes often feel lighter, hollower, and have a greasy or overly glossy texture. You can feel the cheapness. It's a tactile difference that's hard to describe in a blog post but is immediately obvious when you have one of each in your hands. This is the kind of detail you only pick up after a lot of experience, maybe after going through the whole process of a LABUBU unboxing multiple times.

Then Came V2: The "Heartful Series"

Just as the V1 hype started to settle into a new normal, Pop Mart dropped the sequel: "The Monsters Exciting Macaron Heartful Series." Let's call it V2. And this is where things get really interesting for collectors.

V2 isn't just a repaint. It's a complete overhaul. The faces are now heart-shaped, the designs are more intricate, and the "flavors" are brand new. We got figures like Strawberry Custard and Pistachio, each with more complex paint applications and little accessories.

I was skeptical at first. Was this just a cash grab on the Macaron name? But after getting my first case in the shop, I was converted. The quality is, frankly, better.

Let me be specific. The seam lines on the V2 figures, where the two halves of the vinyl are joined during manufacturing, are significantly cleaner and less noticeable than on many of the V1s. The paint application is crisper, with less of the minor overspray that you'd sometimes find on the originals. The vinyl itself feels a tiny bit denser. It's clear that Pop Mart's production process has improved in the years between the two releases.

The box and packaging also got an upgrade. The V2 boxes have more texture, embossing, and spot UV finishes. They just feel more premium in your hand. It's a small thing, but when you're a collector, these details matter. It shows care.

Real Talk: V1 vs. V2, Which Box Should You Hunt For?

This is the question I get from customers all the time. And my answer is always: "It depends on what kind of collector you are."

Go for V1 (The Original) if: * You're a historian/investor. The original Macaron series is an iconic piece of designer toy history. Owning a full set, especially with Soymilk and the secret, is a major collector flex. The value of these key figures has remained relatively stable on the secondary market.

* You prefer the simpler aesthetic.It's pure, classic Kasing Lung.

But be warned: the risk of getting a fake is much higher. You absolutely must buy from a trusted source. If a deal seems too good to be true, it is. Nobody is selling a sealed case of V1 for retail price in 2024.

Go for V2 (Heartful Series) if: * You're collecting for fun and display. V2 is more readily available from official retailers and trusted stores like ours. You can actually walk in (or click) and buy a box without paying a crazy markup. * You value quality and detail. As I said, the production quality on V2 is a noticeable step up. The designs are more elaborate and, in my opinion, more visually interesting on a shelf. * You're new to LABUBU. This is the perfect entry point. You get the Macaron theme, but with better availability and quality, and a lower risk of getting scammed.

Our Take: Honestly, I find myself recommending the V2 Heartful Series to most people who ask. It delivers a better out-of-the-box experience, the quality is fantastic, and you're not paying an insane "hype tax." The original V1 will always be the icon, but V2 is the one I'd rather open and display right now. It's a joy to unbox, and the figures look incredible when you finally get them all lined up on a proper LABUBU shelf.

The Collector "Tricks" Are Dead. Long Live the Collector.

Remember the old days of blind box collecting? People would bring tiny scales to the store, trying to weigh boxes to find the heavier secret figure. Or they'd shake the box next to their ear, listening for a specific rattle.

I'm here to tell you: for this series, and for most modern Pop Mart series, those tricks do not work.

Pop Mart got wise to the weighing trick years ago. For the Macaron V1 series, people swore the secret was a few grams heavier. By the time V2 came out, it was a moot point. I've personally weighed entire cases of the Heartful series and the weights are incredibly consistent, often varying by less than a single gram. They either standardized the figure weights or, in some series, add tiny, imperceptible counterweights in the packaging to throw you off.

The shake test is just as useless. The figures are packed snugly in their foil bags and often have a cardboard insert holding them in place. Shaking a box just tells you nothing. You're more likely to damage the box than you are to guess the contents.

The only "trick" that works is buying from a place you trust. That's it. That's the secret. A good retailer ensures their stock is authentic. When you're looking for LABUBU, especially popular series like the Macarons, finding a reliable source is half the battle. If you're browsing online, it's always worth checking out a dedicated LABUBU collection to see what's available from a specialist.

The story of the "real exciting macaron labubu box" is a perfect snapshot of the designer toy world. It's about hype, art, community, and the unfortunate reality of fakes. The original series was a phenomenon, a moment in time that created a legend. The new series is the perfection of that idea, a better-made and more accessible product for a new wave of fans.

Which one is better? Neither. They're just different chapters in the same delicious story. The real question is, which chapter do you want to be a part of?

Disclosure: PopNya may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page.