Milk & Cookiie

*Cookiie; Lime Crime Opaque Lipsticks in 'Retrofuturist' & 'Glamour 101'

2012-02-04T21:21:00.001+01:00

Product description: Say goodbye to sliding, fading and sheer-ness with our best-selling opaque lipsticks. Loaded to the brim with pigment for maximum impact, these beauties offer unparalleled coverage in a rainbow of statement-making shades. Cruelty-free/vegan formula is smooth, non-drying and lasts for hours. Each lipstick comes encased in the signature purple tube adorned with a sparkling unicorn.

Retail price: $15.99 (Ordered at LimeCrimeMakeup.com)

The packaging

I actually wanted to rave about the packaging thoroughly, because it is simply brilliant. Even the parcel box that came with it was completely in LimeCrime's style, making the whole unboxing experience a lot more fun. However, I already have too many pictures to show so I'm skipping this part. Besides, now I won't spoil you the experience when you order it yourself. As for the lipstick packaging itself, the quality is quite good. The outside is made out of sturdy plastic and the inside from metal, making the lipstick fairly heavy. The weight is actually something I prefer, because it makes the lipstick feel more sturdy and less "cheap" (does that make sense?).

Retrofuturist
The product

Honestly, I don't have much to complain about the product. It is very similar to the Tom Ford lipstick I have, which is one of my favourites. It is very moisturizing, making it possible to use it without a lipbalm. However, because it is so moisturizing and creamy (even creamier than Tom Ford's), it will slide around very easily when you do apply lipbalm beforehand. I personally don't find it much of a problem, but not wearing lipbalm at all times is some sort of pet peeve of mine so it's just something that I noticed.

Glamour 101

Ingredients: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Diisostearyl Malate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Trioctyldodecyl Citrate, Castor Isostearate Succinate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Ozokerite, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polyethylene, Microcrystalline Wax, Phenoxyethanol, Vanillin, Capryl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vegetable Oil, BHT. [+/-] Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Yellow 5 Lake (CI19140), Red #7 Lake (CI45410, CI15850), D&C Red #6 (CI15850), Blue #1 Lake (CI42090), Yellow #6 Lake (CI15985).

The pigmentation

Again, I find it similar to Tom Ford's lipstick. The pigmentation is great and the product will also stain your lips, making the fading less noticeable when the product strips off.

However, the colours show up slightly different compared to when I swatch it on my hand. The colours look a bit lighter, making it more vibrant but also pinker. This occurs more to 'Glamour 101' than 'Retrofuturust, whereas the latter one looks more true red in person than on the picture below. 'Glamour 101' turns out to be more like a rose/cherry red than a dark wine shade. The lip swatch picture below shows an even lighter shade than the hand swatch picture; this is mostly because of the lipbalm I applied beforehand. It does turn out darker when I skip the lipbalm, but it will still show up slightly lighter.

Bare lips, applied lipbalm.

Lime Crime Lipstick in 'Retrofuturist' applied.

Lime Crime Lipstick in 'Glamour 101' applied.

Full face pictures. The quality isn't great, but I didn't have time to take them properly.
The verdict

Pretty good. Not as good as my favourite Tom Ford lippie (As it should, that baby costed me a whole lot more! Or am I just biased?), but the colours are really nice and they're very moisturizing for lipsticks. I'd definitely recommend these lipsticks to anyone who's looking for some good reds or are in for some even more daring colours, as Lime Crime is known for their bold and vibrant colours in general.

Rating: 4.5/5

*Milk; Etude House Nymph Aura Volumer in #2 (review)

2011-10-19T23:49:00.000+02:00

Product description: Makeup Multi-Cream maximizing the radiance and dewy glow on skin, completing flawless skin with plumped up moisture

Direction of use:
Apply evenly on skin with 1:3 mix of BB cream or foundation.
Use foundation brush or BB brush to get perfect blending.
When used for highlighting, apply on the nose, forehead and cheekbones with the Volumer alone.

The product

The Etude House 'Nymph Aura Volumer' comes in two shades, #1 Pure Honey, a peach toned honey shade and #2 Brilliant Nymph Aura, an opalescent light pink.

When I purchased the product on eBay, I did not know what to expect since the product was newly released and there were not many reviews on the internet. The 'Nymph Aura Volumer' is surprisingly similar to the Benefit 'Highbeam'. It is thinner in texture, but both products are light pink liquids that provide a pearly sheen. The Etude House 'Nymph Aura Volumer' has a pink lilac sheen whereas the Benefit 'Highbeam' is light pink with ultra fine silver shimmer.

The 'Nymph Aura Volumer' seems to blend better with foundation and BB cream due to its light texture and it tends to look more natural as the 'Highbeam' can look slightly 'metallic' because of the silver shimmer.

When swatched side-by-side: Nymph Aura Volumer (left), Highbeam (right)

The verdict

When mixed with foundation, the 'Nymph Aura Volumer' gives a soft sheen to the face which is great for dry skin. It really does make your skin look more moisturized. The liquid is pearly rather than shimmer, so there won't be any shimmer particles which can sometimes accentuate large pores. When mixed with BB cream, it enhances the dewy effect and can look borderline oily.

The only downside to this product is that it is very, very, very (!!!) heavily scented. I could even smell it on the inside of my arm while I was taking photos of the swatches. This is also the reason why I do not wear it on a daily basis because I do feel that it causes a bit of irritation on the skin. I only wear this when I have special occasions. I do not notice the scent after 5 - 10 minutes after application, but I am not completely sure if the scent fades away or if it is simply because I get used to the scent after a while.

This is a nice product to have for those who want to get a healthy, glowing complexion, but it is not as unique as I thought it would be. It can easily be substituted by MAC 'Strobe liquid' or any kind of liquid highlighter.

Rating:

*Cookiie; A Summer Like Autumn (OOTD)

2011-10-05T17:37:00.005+02:00

Like I promised, here's the quick OOTD post. I shot this last week when the whole week just had beautiful weather. It did give me some troubles trying to capture myself without too much sun exposure, but at least there's no grainy drama going on. :D

Sheer blouse - Gmarket • Denim shorts - Gmarket • Ring - Primark • Leather Satchel Bag - Waterlooplein Market • Studded Wedges - Desire Clothing

*Cookiie; Small Gmarket Haul

2011-10-02T00:43:00.000+02:00

A short while ago, a friend of mine in Australia wanted to purchase some beanies. He didn't know where he could get some affordable ones, so I recommended Gmarket. All the Gmarket buyers who are reading this, know how incredibly hard it can get to navigate through Gmarket; so I helped him to order. He didn't mind to do a joint spree, so I figured I could get something myself as well! I never order Gmarket directly from Holland, since the taxes would make it so not worth it. But yeah..this wasn't entirely cheaper either, so I got to find another way. Enough jibberjabbering, onto the haul!

So I didn't actually purchase a lot, since it all needed to fit into an bubble wrap envelope. I basically took this as a chance to finally repurchase the Etude House Fresh Cherry Tint in '03 Peach'. I lost mine a long time ago probably in London, so there was no chance in finding it back. But since I got all three again, I can finally do my review on it! To be continued... Oh btw, all the other products in the background are samples. Crazy generous!

Since I'm a stereotype Chinese cheaptard, I filled the extra shipping weight with random stuff. I got me some black socks (god knows why I picked black while I could pick more interesting colours) and a pair of adooorable cookie shaped earring studs. The blue gem studs and extra ear nuts were also ~~random~~ gifts.

Last but not least, shorts! Both Ella and I have finally passed our jeans-with-tees-fase and have gone kind of obsessed with shorts. You can wear them with nearly anything, at any time of the year if you combine it properly. The yellow/beige pair of shorts was actually a mistake, as I was planning to get navy blue ones. I failed to read the Korean names properly, so you can tell I felt really sad when they arrived. Blue navy shorts, I shall get you someday! *shake fist*

That's all~ I'll be posting up an OOTD with Gmarket clothing within a few days, including the denim shorts I purchased this time. Until then!

*Milk; Urban Decay Naked vs. Lunasol Beige Beige (comparison)

2011-09-27T19:51:00.000+02:00

Just thought I would post a quick follow up on the Lunasol Skin Modeling Eyes palette in 'Beige Beige'. In my previous post, I mentioned that the Lunasol eyeshadows have a soft sheen to them and have a different finish compared to shimmery eyeshadows of western brands.

I thought it would be interesting to see swatches of the Urban Decay 'Naked' palette side-by-side with the Lunasol 'Beige Beige' to give you guys a better idea with what I mean with the finish.

The top row are the Urban Decay shades in: sin, sidecar, half baked & smog

As you can see, the Urban Decay eyeshadows tend to look a bit more metallic. Both are gorgeous, but for an every day look I would prefer the Lunasol shades because they look softer and more feminine.

Hope this was helpful to some of you!

Twitter and Facebook giveaway winners!

2011-09-19T19:33:00.004+02:00

Thank you guys so much for receiving us with open arms into the world of Twitter and Facebook! It has only been a little over two weeks since we have started tweeting and interacting with you on Facebook, but so far we have been really enjoying to get to know you better.

We are glad to announce the two lucky winners...

Congratulations
Cinnabunnie & Thiamere!

We will be contacting you via e-mail shortly after this post, so please reply to us as soon as possible!

Thanks again for all of you who have liked us on Facebook and followed us on Twitter! We really appreciate your support!

*Cookiie; Before the Sun Goes Down (OOTD)

2011-09-15T22:30:00.001+02:00

First OOTD post! I decided to snap some pictures at around 7 PM (very wise) for a quick post. They're definitely grainy and not the best quality of pictures on this blog, but I think they turned out well enough. Hope you like it!

Oversized blazer - Primark • Off-shoulder shirt - Boutique in Hong Kong, Mong Kok • Jeggings - Pieces • Worker boots - Boohoo • Rings - H&M

*Milk; Lunasol Skin Modeling Eyes in 'Beige Beige' (review & swatches)

2011-09-12T22:02:00.007+02:00

Alas, after lusting after Lunasol eyeshadow palettes for nearly two years I finally bite the bullet and decided to purchase the ever so popular Skin Modeling Eyes palette in 'Beige Beige'!

Product description: What eye makeup makes the skin look most beautiful? This four-color eyeshadow set is LUNASOL´s answer to that question. We have created the ultimate combination of beige-based colors in which coloration, glow and clarity are all elaborately calculated. Shadows stand out and dimensions are added to your eyes as you apply each subtle glow in sequence.

The product

The palette consists of four neutral shades, all containing ultra fine shimmer. Even the top left color which is a super sparkly light pink feels very smooth- the shimmer is not gritty at all.

The three lighter shades give a soft finish; the darkest brown shade is infused with golden shimmer which gives a beautiful sheen.

How to

1. Apply A (Modeling Highlight) all over eyelid.
2. Blend B (Medium Color) upward from the base of eyelashes toward the eyelid crease.
3. Apply C (Nuance Color) on eyelid crease and beneath the lower lashes.
4. Apply D (Shade Color) along the base of eyelashes as you draw a line.

* Colors B and C can be used in various ways according to your desired image and finish.

The verdict

Truthfully, I was rather disappointed with the packaging. I imagined the palette to feel heavier, but instead it is made out of a lightweight material.

The shadows are very soft and easy to blend, but due to the formula the pigmentation is not as vivid ('solid') compared to, for example, Urban Decay or MAC eyeshadows. However, the soft sheen of the eyeshadows provides an easy application and does not require a lot of blending.

All in all, the palette has a nice selection of colors that are complimentary to one another. If you are a fan of shimmery eyeshadows, I do recommend this palette as the shimmer is very fine and gives a more elegant look compared to some shimmery eyeshadows of western brands (which tend to look somewhat metallic).

Rating:

IMPORTANT REMINDER! Only 5 days left to enter the raffle! If you have not joined yet, please do!
Read more about the raffle in this post. Good luck everyone!

Facebook and Twitter giveaway! -closed-

2011-09-01T18:20:00.001+02:00

Remember the surprise we promised you guys? Well here it is, another giveaway! In celebration of our new Facebook page and Twitter, we decided to do another small giveaway. A small giveaway shouldn't be too difficult, so we are going to do a raffle! Well two actually: one for Facebook and one for Twitter. Each winner will receive two Etude House Apricot Sticks (colours will be selected randomly).

See how you can join and increase your chances below ~

Rules & deadline

You have to be a follower of our blog.
Leave us a comment below to let us know your Facebook and Twitter names.
There will be two winners picked randomly:
one for the Facebook entries, one for the Twitter entries.
The deadline is set on September 17 at midnight GMT.

For Facebook entries
One entry for liking our Facebook page.
One entry for sharing our Facebook page.
For Twitter entries
One entry for following our Twitter.
One entry for retweeting our tweet about this giveaway.

Well that's it! Pretty simple right? Good luck! And hope to see you around on Facebook and Twitter~

*Cookiie; Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color in 'True Coral' (review)

2011-08-30T23:01:00.008+02:00

Product description: Tom Ford's Private Blend Lip Color Collection offers twelve universally flattering shades ranging from Bare Nude to Fire Red to Deep Brown, re–invented in a modern and authorative way. Made with rare and exotic ingredients including soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter and chamomilla flower the luxurious formula has an ultra–creamy texture for an incredibly smooth application.

Retail price: $45 in the US, £36 in the UK (I purchased mine in London).

The packaging

Simply beautiful. I personally don't like gold (I have no idea why, I just somehow don't) that much, but I just somehow am really in love with how the lipstick looks. It looks elegant and classy, just like how the most expensive lipstick should look like. Not to mention I love how the TF is carved into the lipstick, I feel kind of sad that it will disappear once I have used enough product...

The product

The product is super soft and creamy. When I first applied it on the lips, I didn't even use lipbalm and it was not drying my lips out at all. This is very impressive for me, as my lips will usually immediatly start flaking because the lipstick is so drying. My lips are generally really dry and needs a lot of moisturizing, so I think you can imagine how great I felt when I had this lipstick on for the first time.

Ingredients: PARKII (SHEA BUTTER), CHOLESTEROL, CERAMIDE 3, ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, LINOLEIC ACID, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE, CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE, CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE, BARIUM SULFATE, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, VANILIN, [+/- MICA, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), BLUE1LAKE (CI 75470), CARMINE (CI 75470), COPPER POWDER (CI 77400), RED 6 (CI 15850), RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850), RED 28 LAKE (CI 45410), RED 30 LAKE (CI 73360), RED 33 LAKE (CI 17200), YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140), YELLOW 6 LAKE (CI 15985)].

The pigmentation

If you ever plan on using one of these lippies, make sure you have a good lip make up cleanser. This stuff stains like crazy! I swatched this on my arm and after wiping it, there is still a very obvious stain sitting there. As for the lips it is the same: you get a nice red stain after the actual product is wiped off. After about 8 hours and a lot of eating/drinking, the stain is faded but still manages to show up a little. As for the pigmentation in general, it is incredibly opaque and vibrant even without a lipliner's help.

Bare lips, applied lipbalm.

Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color in 'True Coral' applied. The verdict

GET IT. No seriously, this lipstick is worth the $45, even the £36. I am actually considering to collect them all twelve, but that would be a big investment that takes a while. Even though I haven't tried all twelve, the swatches/shades really look like they would fit all skintones. I know I sound like an advertiser for them, but I'm just hopelessly in love with it.

Rating: 5/5!

*Milk; Bioderma Sensibio H2O (review)

2011-08-25T18:25:00.004+02:00

Product description: At the cutting edge of innovation, BIODERMA has pioneered micellar solutions. Specially formulated for sensitive, normal to dry skins, the Sensibio H2O micelle solution gently cleanses face and eyes. It removes water-resistant make-up.

The micelles contained in its formula effectively micro-emulsify impurities while maintaining the skin’s balance (soap-free, physiological pH).

The product

The Sensibio H2O claims to gently remove water-resistant make up whilst its soothing ingredients prevent any skin irritations. The formula is free of fragrance, alcohol and parabens therefore very suitable for those with sensitive skin.

Ingredients: WATER (AQUA), PEG-6 CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC GLYCERIDES, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, CUCUMIS SATIVUS (CUCUMBER) FRUIT EXTRACT, MANNITOL, XYLITOL, RHAMNOSE, FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES, DISODIUM EDTA, CETRIMONIUM BROMIDE.

To see whether the claims are true, I performed a small test removing various kinds of make up, including waterproof mascara and eyeliner.

From left to right: waterproof mascara, waterproof liquid eyeliner, waterproof pencil eyeliner & powder eyeshadow

Following the directions on the Bioderma website, I soaked two cotton pads and placed it on the swatches. Afterwards, I let the cotton pads sit for approximately 30 seconds before swiping.

After one swipe
As you can see in the photo above, the Sensibio H2O does quite a decent job at removing the eyeliners and eyeshadow. However, there is still a significant amount of mascara left on my skin. After repeatedly swiping the cotton pad for 3 to 4 times, the eyeliners and eyeshadow were completely removed whereas the mascara required quite a bit of rubbing before it completely came off.

From left to right: bb cream, cream blush, lip gloss, lipstick & powder blush

I repeated the same steps as with the eye make up and let two cotton pads soaked with the Sensibio H2O sit for 30 seconds before swiping the make up off. The round, nearly all make up came off effortlessly aside from the cream blush. The skin was completely rid of make up after three swipes!

The verdict

The gentle formula of the Sensibio H2O does not cause any irritation or dryness to the skin. The fact that it is free of fragrance, parabens and alcohol is a big plus for me. Unfortunately, I find that it does not remove products that have a waxy consistency as well. As seen in my experiment, it does not remove (waterproof) mascara and cream blushes as easily.

All in all, I find that this product is great for those who wear light make up. For heavy duty (eye) make up, I still prefer cleansing oils, but this is a great alternative for when your skin is experiencing sensitivity from for example, being sun burnt.

Rating:

Second Year Anniversary winners! (& Another announcement)

2011-08-17T22:47:00.004+02:00

As promised, the winner of our two year anniversary contest will be announced, but first we would like to thank all of the participants for sharing their personal stories with us.

Amongst the entries, there was one particular story that stood out. She shared a very meaningful and touching story with us, so we believe that she deserves winning this giveaway the most. Can you guess the winner? Drum rolls please!

Congratulations
Krystar!
We will be contacting you shortly after this post, so please reply to us as soon as possible!

WAIT. Don't stop reading just now, we got another announcement to make!

The contest has given us a chance to get to know our readers better, therefore we decided to create a Facebook page and a Twitter account so we can interact with you and share beauty finds, promo codes and updates!

There will be a surprise announced on both of them soon as well, so start following us on Twitter and like our Facebook page!

-Closed- Second Year Anniversary Giveaway!

2011-07-21T21:29:00.017+02:00

Milk & Cookiie turned two today, yaaaay !!! Looking back, we know we weren't as active as we used to in year 1. We failed to make any YouTube videos as well, which we promised to do at our last anniversary. We have a lot of reasons ~~and excuses~~ for that, but let's not bore you guys with that. We'll from now on refrain ourselves from making empty promises, and only announce things when we actually got things ready. Enough with all the blabbering, we know you're here for something completely different. On to the giveaway!

The prizes

A 'Sleek' Original Eyeshadow Palette and a 'Too Faced' Starry-Eyed Liquid Eyeliner in 'Mad Mad Love' bought during our London trip (Yes, we thought about you guys! ♥). A 'Lavshuca' Dramatic Memory Rouge in PK-1, a 'Majolica Majorca' Puff de Cheek in Apricot Macaron which are still in transit to Holland from Adambeauty.com. And of course the usual samples.

The Story Tag!

This year, we decided to do something different than the usual contests we do. After two years, we wanted to get to know our followers better; so what's a better way to do that than doing a tag? For this giveaway in particular, we made up The Story Tag!

It's very simple: pick an item you have in your posession that has an interesting story behind it. This can be funny/sad/whatever you want. Make a picture of that item and write down the story behind it. Easy right? Obviously, we wrote down our own stories as examples.

Milk*

Growing up as the only daughter in the family, I was never considered to be much of a ‘girly-girl’. My mother would always comment on how she had three sons, not two sons and a daughter! As I went into puberty, my mother started introducing me to skincare and taught me the importance of taking care of my skin- advice which I totally… IGNORED! I was really surprised when my mom bought me my first luxury brand skincare item at age 14 (lucky me!), a self-foaming cleanser by Lancôme!

I looooved it even though the cleanser was far too harsh for my skin but of course, at that time, I did not know better. :D I could not understand how on earth the liquid in the bottle would turn into foam once it came out of the pump dispenser, like magic! (Keep in mind that I was a very innocent little girl with a wild imagination...)

Now that many years have passed by, the roles have turned and I love giving beauty advice to my mother! She told me that she never imagined that I would become such a skincare fanatic and neither did I.

Cookiie*

Remember my Queen's Day post? There's a picture of me on that post where I'm wearing a pair of sunglasses, which is a barely $15 pair from the clothing brand Monki.
I'm not the kind of person that doesn't want to invest in a more expensive pair, because I don't think it's worth it. Well..maaaybe a little. I did want to find a good pair of Ray Bans that would fit me well, but for a long time I couldn't find the perfect pair. And since I was going to pay a lot of money for one, I didn't want to buy one that was just "okay". So until then, I was satisfied with my good ol' Monki sunnies.
Back to Queen's Day. As we were happily sipping our tequila cocktails, we tried moving forward slowly. It is always incredible crowded on Queen's Day, so there would be a certain rhythm you had to keep up if you didn't want to get trampled on. Fortunately it was a slow rhythm, allowing us to look around and enjoy the jolly environment.
And there it was. A pair of sunnies lying on the ground, all lonely and sad. I looked away.

...Wait a minute, wasn't that..?! I stopped and moved aside from the stream a bit. I stared at the pair of sunglasses, and looked more carefully. If there were days where you would be more than glad to have good eyes, then that day was one of them. That day, I found my perfect Ray Bans. Female sized, shaped just right for me. I know I know, I sound like a thief, but I looked around! I looked around if there was anyone trying to find something, but everyone just moved on happily. ~~Talk about guilty pleasure.~~ There are a lot of scratches on it, but who cares? I don't think I could've gotten a better souvenir to remember a wonderful day like that.

Rules & deadline

You have to be a follower of our blog.
All entries are to be submitted via comments on this post ONLY.
To keep it fair, please only submit one entry per person.
A photo is not obligatory, but it would be nice if we could see what it looks like! (It could also be an url or a link to the product.)
The best story will be personally picked by us. (Tip: You do not need to write an essay to win! It can be as short as you want, as long as the story is good.)
The deadline is set on August 11 at midnight GMT.
The winner will be announced in the following week.

*Cookiie; St. Clare Hyaluronic Acid Original Serum (review)

2011-05-30T18:34:00.006+02:00

Product description: Can't find it! I can't find anything about this company other than the website that is mentioned on the box.. but that's completely in Chinese.

How to use it: Nothing on this one either. I personally use it around my eyes as an eye moisturizer, but traditionally serums are used after toner and before moisturizer.

Retail price: $18 on Ebay.com It's not for sale anymore, but the seller I bought it from is Beautyshop2008.

UPDATE: Milk just found a website called Bobodave.com that's selling it for $14.33! Their navigation menu is kind of unorganized, but you'll be able to find it easily by using the search option.

Lovely lovely ingredients list! It's short but it has all the ingredients it needs.

The product

The first thing I noticed when I unpacked, was how friggin' awesome the packaging is. Unlike the packaging fail I've had with de herb's serum, this serum was rather securely packed. The bottle is sealed with an aluminium cap so that it is impossible to leak. It is very easy to twist it open and to pop the dropper on. Despite all the extra safety measures, I actually had no problems traveling with the serum just like that. Big thumbs up for the packaging!

The serum itself is super watery and colourless, so no pictures for that since you can't really tell what it is anyways. This is how I would do it if I want to use it on my whole face: Simply put 3-4 drops on your hand palm, spread it all over your hands then pat in onto your skin. The serum is slightly sticky at the beginning, but that will disappear once it is completely absorbed.

However, my skin is moisturized properly with just the creams I use during the warmer days; so right now I like to use this for my eye area only. My eye area tends to be very dry, prone to fine lines and pre-mature wrinkles. I haven't gotten any new eye moisturizers for a while as I'm saving up for a particular one, but this serum works well enough for now. I highly recommend a HA serum as an eye moisturizer, if you are still young but have a very dry eye area like me. This way it will still be plenty moisturized, without all the extra unneeded oils sitting on your skin that can cause milia.

The verdict

I quite like it. If you need a little extra moisture for your skin, this would definitely help you with that. This product is sadly not so easy to find, as I don't think the brand St. Clare has gone internationally yet. Fortunately, there are plenty of other HA serums out there; that's why I decided to review this anyways. I can't really recommend you this product particularly, but a good HA serum (or toner even) is definitely a worthy investment.

Rating: 4/5

*Milk; Clarins Extra-Firming Lip & Contour Care

2011-05-22T19:40:00.002+02:00

Extra-Firming Lip & Contour Gentle Exfoliator: A natural, plant-based exfoliator to help women achieve lips that are fuller, healthier-looking and more beautifully defined.

Retail price: $23 USD for 0.7 Oz. (20 ml)

Extra-Firming Lip & Contour Balm: A lip balm that replenishes, nourishes and softens lips with natural plant extracts while helping to smooth lines and wrinkles. Fuller and more beautifully defined.

Retail price: $37.50 USD for 0.45 Oz. (15 ml)

The exfoliator:

The exfoliator contains sugar granules which help rid of the dead skin. The sugar tends to melt and loses its effectiveness when applied with the fingers, therefore I use a cotton bud to gently massage the lips.

Unfortunately, the product itself contains more of the waxy substance that binds everything together rather than the sugar particples making it impossible to get a proper exfoliation. When I squeeze more product out of the tube in hopes of getting more sugar granules, I just get even more wax, leaving my lips feeling extremely greasy.

It will eventually get rid of all the dry flakes after massaging it in for at least 2~3 minutes (which is quite tiresome!), but for the price it truly underperforms. I bought this duo new and sealed off of eBay but it did not come with the boxes so I don't have the full ingredients list for you. Perhaps the exfoliator contains 'firming' properties, but I don't think it makes much of a difference since it stays on the lips for a few minutes before rinsing it off again.

The lip balm:

The lip balm on the other hand is extremely luxurious! It has a thicker consistency and leaves a protective film on the lips which I enjoy. I prefer thicker feeling lip balms over the light, watery kinds. The thicker consistency may be less desirable when you want to put any lipstick or lipgloss on top, but it is definitely a good nighttime lip treatment.

As far as the 'firming' claim, I have not seen any big improvements in terms of treating my lip lines, but then again I have not been using it every single night as I'm supposed to. (Can you tell I'm laaazy?)

Before (left) & after with the lip balm applied on top (right)

The verdict: There are many easy and cheap alternatives to lip exfoliators, such as using some Vaseline and an old toothbrush or simply using a damp face cloth. Lip exfoliators may be a bit more gentle than a toothbrush and a tad more effective than a face cloth, but the Clarins lip exfoliator was a disappointment considering the price.

The lip balm is worth investing in if you have extra money to spend or if your lips need some TLC, but not a must have. It moisturizes well and feels very soft and luxurious. The jar is surprisingly big and will last you for at least a year so it is definitely not bad for the price.

The exfoliator:
The lip balm:

*M&C Go Dutch - Queen's Day! + Another London trip

2011-05-02T19:31:00.008+02:00

Cookiie here! Each year on April 30th, we celebrate a national holiday called Queen's Day. It's craaazy busy each year, but it's a really fun day ~~if it doesn't get too out of hand~~. Here are some picture of this special day!

A "golden carriage". xD The guy who made it even offered a ride in it.

This is how crazy it can get. An actual public place that's supposedly "full".

This is what Queen's Day is about. Incredibly good Vietnamese "spring rolls" with incredibly good sauce.

My friend Iris got a lion balloon from a random girl. We also got some really nice margaritaa~

And now something beauty-related: My first NOTD! Apparantly Peachy and Orange Drops are best friends, because I'm still wearing it right now and so far it's completely chip-free. Which is very impressive for GOSH nail polishes, since they usually start to chip on me on day 1.

Milk and I are going to London this Wednesday; we're so excited to go shop there again! If you're from London and you have someplace to recommend us to, please do! We're especially curious about any hobby or craft stores. *hinthint*

*Cookiie; Etude House Milk Screws (review)

2011-04-26T19:00:00.009+02:00

A tiny bit late, but finally a real post!

Product description: “Lip damage cure & prevention”. Lip moisturizer. ..Yeah, that's the official website description

Retail price: ₩3500 (got it from a friend who was in Seoul for a trip, but it's around $8 on Ebay depending on who you're buying it from)

The product

There are five colours in total: Lime Milk, Apple Milk, Berry Milk, Coconut Milk and Mango Milk. I asked my friend to get me Lime Milk and Mango Milk, because they sounded the most interesting. I honestly don't get why they're called Milk Screws, because they don't smell like milk at all..ok maybe a liiitle bit. I believe that they do all have a different scent that suits their colour name, although it's very subtle ~~yes I did sniff them real long and it looked weird~~.

When it comes to lipbalms, I'm very picky about the moisturizing effects. My favourite HG lipbalm is the ever so known Labello Classic. I swear, nothing works just as well for me. Not even this one, but it's the closest a lipbalm has ever come so far. I could use it alone when my lips aren't so dry, but I prefer to use it on top of a layer of Labello goodness for perfectly moisturized lips.

The pigmentation

As they are tinted lipbalms, I'll also review the pigmentation of these babies. On my arm, there's a big difference between Lime and Mango. On the lips, the difference is a little bit less. I guess it'll just give your natural lip colour a little extra, making you look more alive. Mango Milk obviously shows up more, being a little more red than orange. Lime Milk turns out to be more orange than yellow (just like the packaging colour), so it shows up more sheer. The staying power is pretty good. The colour can actually still be apparant even after the moisturizing effects are gone and is in need of re-application, but it will get off if you rub it with a tissue.

Completely bare lips; can you see how the skin gets so dry that it actually tightens my lips? Definitely need to keep them moisturized all the time..

Only #5 Mango Milk applied. Lips look well moisturized!

Only #1 Lime Milk applied. A real my-lips-but-better-lipbalm.
The verdict

As a real Facebook addict now, I'll say: I like! Since I'm not a big fan of lipglosses, I'll definitely use these a lot for a subtle glossy effect. The moisturizing effects are a big extra, but I'll keep using my Labello baby for the real deal.

Rating: 4.5/5

*Cookiie; The Fresh Air Fund

2011-04-23T03:59:00.011+02:00

Hey guys! Just putting up a quick post before going to bed to say that I'm back. I'll be posting again shortly after this one, but for this one I have something completely different. We were asked if we could spread the word out about The Fresh Air Fund to maybe find some volunteers and host families.

I didn't want to put it here just because it's a fund, so I took some time to read what's on the website about it. And I have to say, it's truly inspiring. Sometimes you don't need a lot to be genuinely happy, and that's exactly what this fund is trying to do for a lot of children from low-income communities. I'm not going to write too much about it, as you can read it all on their website here. Hopefully, you're one of the families that can help them out?

*Cookiie; ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in 'Medium' (review)

2011-03-12T19:24:00.001+01:00

Product description: Create brows that are fuller, thicker, and more defined! The pigmented wax defines and shapes brows and the color complementing setting powder keeps them looking arched and perfected. The doubled sided taklon brush has one side to help arch your brows while the other side aids in filling them in. This duo provides lasting color definition for a naturally beautiful look.

How to use it: Use the pigmented brow gel to define and shape the brows with the angled brush for precise lines. Set the color in with the brow powder and fill in with the blending brush for a natural finished look.

Ingredients: Eyebrow gel - Paraffinium Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Ricinus Comunis (Castor) Seed Oil, Talc, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Ozokerite, Methylisothiazolinone, Caprylyl glycol. May contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77491 CI 77492 Cl 77499), Titanium Dioxide (Cl 77891).

Eyebrow powder - Talc, Mica, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sodium Dehydroacetate. May contain: Iron Oxide (Cl 77491 Cl 77492 Cl 77499).

Retail price: $3.00/£3.50 (ordered at EyesLipsFace.co.uk)

The product

The Eyebrow Kit comes with two colours: a dark gel and a lighter powder. There is a little brush included, but I lost it so I can't tell how the quality is. Both the gel and powder have a very dry formula, which makes the application incredibly long lasting. Each pan contains about 1g worth of product. You can use this kit on the go, as it also includes a little mirror on the back of the lid.

The pigmentation

The pigmentation isn't too bad, but using a brush will pick up the colour a lot better. One swatch is definitely not enough, so you do need to take a little more time to fill in your brows.

The application

To show you how it looks on actual eyebrows, here are three pictures where I applied it on myself. Yes, it's a little weird to look at eyebrow pictures, but please bare with me.

Before. You can see a little 'bald spot' on the right brow, which I'll cover up with the brow gel.

Left: Applied with only brow powder, Right: Applied with only brow gel.

Right: Applied brow powder on top.

There is obviously a big difference on how my eyebrows look like after application. The brow powder is too light to use on its own, but I wouldn't recommend this kit if you're looking for a brow powder only (Why buy a kit if you only need powder?) There's not much difference on the second and third picture if you look at the right eyebrow, but the powder does certainly help with getting the right colour on my eyebrows and to soften the look a bit.

The verdict

A product worth its value! Will definitely keep using this for when I have random 'bald spots' and need to cover it up with brow gel. For other days, I'd probably use a brow powder only that is closer to my colour.

Rating: 4/5

A bit too long overdue, but I hope this review was helpful. I probably won't be posting anything until after March because of preparations for intake interviews, but I'll be back before you know it! Until then~

*Milk; Dr. Ci:Labo Aqua-Collagen-Gel (review & comparison)

2011-02-15T19:59:00.003+01:00

Description: Aqua-Collagen-Gel contains no surfactants, mineral oils, artificial colorings or fragrances. The product is free of ingredients that can be harmful to the skin, so you can use it with confidence every single day - simple and natural. Unlike other skincare products, this versatile gel is all you need after cleansing to keep your skin moisturized 24 hours a day.

Enrich Lift

The 'Enrich Lift' version of the Aqua-Collagen-Gel is currently listed as best seller on the Dr. Ci:Labo website. It claims to help firm up the skin with help of their 'Lifting Complex'. It also contains skin firming ingredients such as alpha lipoic acid and coenzime Q10 as well as hyaluronic acid which is a potent hydrating ingredient.

The product

The product itself has a light texture, similar to that of a gel cream. It is slightly thicker than the Dr. Young 'Sprinkling Gel Cream' which I reviewed aaaages ago (link) including several other gel moisturizers I have tried in the past such as the Clinique 'Moisture Surge' and the ~H2O+ 'Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment'. It leaves no tacky residue on the skin after application.

As all Dr. Ci:Labo products do not contain artificial fragrance, the products tend to have a slight 'chemical' scent. In this case, the 'Enrich Lift' version has a faint scent reminiscent to paint or glue. The scent disappears after applying it to the skin so it does not bother me too much.

Super Moisture

The 'Super Moisture' version uses a 'Nanosphere System' which allows deep penetration of the active ingredients into the skin for better absorption. It also claims to protect the skin and to lock in moisture.

The consistency is lighter than the 'Enrich Lift' version and is similar to the gel moisturizers I mentioned earlier. It feels very soothing and relaxing. Whenever my skin gets irritated, I apply it to the affected area and I find that it helps calm down redness and is able to relieve itchiness.

The comparison

Left: Super Moisture Right: Enrich Lift
It may not be noticible in the photo above, but the 'Enrich Lift' has a light yellow color in contrast to the 'Super Moisture' which is entirely white. The Super Moisture' retails for $40 USD for a 50 gram jar while the 'Enrich Lift' retails for $45 USD for the same amount of product.

Now the question would be: 'Is it worth the 5 dollar price difference?' Personally I would say that the answer is 'No'. I do not feel that the 'Enrich Lift' version is superior to the 'Super Moisture' formula. It does not feel as moisturizing nor does it deliver visible anti-aging results. Perhaps it is the kind of product that you will notice the difference once you stop using it, but for me it was not the case. I did not notice any difference when I stopped using the 'Enrich Lift' formula.

Both products did not perform as well as I had hoped for. There are definitely better gel type moisturizers on the market for the same, or even a lower price. One thing that does set the Dr. Ci:Labo 'Aqua-Collagen-Gel' apart from the rest is that it does not contain any additives such as fragrance, colorants or perservatives.

Stylish blogger award

2011-02-05T22:42:00.001+01:00

Yay, we received another award! A big thanks to the pretty blogger Nani, because it sure feels nice to get one after so long.

1. Thank and link back to the person that awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about you.
3. Award 15 recently discovered bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award

Milk*

1. I like to walk around the house while brushing my teeth. For some reason I hate to stand still in the bathroom.
2. My mother never expected me to become such a skincare fanatic because I only started to take care of my skin properly at the age of 18. I rarely even used a moisturizer in my teen years, but now I'm obsessed!
3. Both my mom and I have freckles. They used to bother me a lot, but now I don't care for them as much. Now I try to protect my skin and prevent new freckles from appearing rather than trying to erase existing ones.
4. Feet kind of disgust me.
5. Even now, I am still a little bit afraid of the dark.
6. I feel burdened when having to talk about my feelings or any personal matters. I tend to keep things to myself, but it has improved over the years!
7. I am the queen of procrastination.

Cookiie*

1. During the winter, I joke that I feel like hibernating because of the cold..but I actually mean it.
2. If there was one thing I could choose to change of myself physically, I'd pick my skin. You can have an unique nose but that can still be a charm of you, bad skin is just bad skin. And mine's pretty bad. :(
3. I might be interested in make up and stuff, but I think like a man at most times. Has to be because I grew up with three brothers.. or am I actually a ~~gay~~ guy?!
4. I don't crush easily. However, once I do, it really gets to me good.
5. When I gain weight, most of it goes to my tummy but some of it also goes to my face. Thankfully, I have a long face so it doesn't get noticeably "round" fast.
6. For some reasons, people like pinching me. I even get pinched by strangers when I'm clubbing with full make up and dressed like any 19 year old would. It makes me feel like a 4 year old, and that's not a good thing..
7. I am the goddess(?) of procrastination.

We found it really hard to nominate 15 recently discovered bloggers, so we're going to cheat and just nominate 5 bloggers we want to get to know better. xD

Blair
Kei Kei (Miss Kei Kei)
Becky (♥♥La Maison de Poupée♥♥)
Cinnabunnie
Lisa (xMaterialGirlsx)

*Cookiie; Quick update

2011-01-27T00:32:00.002+01:00

Eep, it seems like we unknowingly went on a short hiatus. Ella is really busy with her internship, and I..well, I've just been lazy with the blog. I sincerely apologize. I sort of hung out a lot with friends and I'm also preparing for an intake interview, since I'm planning to switch school/study after summer.

However! Ella will be done with her internship in February, so updates from her will be coming soon. I'll try my best to update with another review this or next week, so stay tuned!

That's about it. And here's a little teaser for my next review to end this post:

PS: Check out the sweet blogger Coco's birthday giveaway, she's giving out some amazing Etude House (my FAV "drugstore" brand) products! ^^

*Cookiie; Koji Spring Heart Long Lasting Eyeliner (review)

2010-12-29T16:54:00.001+01:00

And as promised, here's part two!

Product description: Koji Spring Heart Long Lasting Eyeliner is waterproof and attached with sharpener. It is easy to draw fine lines by the soft lead of this eyeliner pencil.

How to use it: Turn out 2-3mm of the eyeliner pencil lead and sweep along the upper and bottom eyelash-line. The pink section of the eyeliner pencil is a specially-designed sharpener.

Retail price: $4.30 (ordered at Sasa.com)

The product

As you can see on the picture, this eyeliner pencil has a cleverly designed sharpener on top of the pencil. This makes the eyeliner pencil a great product to take with you wherever you go, as you can apply and sharpen it very easily anywhere.

After sharpening, it'll have its original shape back that allows you to make more precise lines. However, I find this eyeliner way too dry to make nice lines on my eyelids with, so I usually dont use this product for that purpose. I like to use this for making a line right above my bottom lashes, to make it seem naturally fuller. You can also use this to fill in your lash line, but I prefer using my Dolly Wink liquid eyeliner for that. It doesn't smudge or fade on me for the whole day, as it's fairly waterproof and super dry.

The pigmentation

The Spring Heart eyeliner's pigmentation isn't that great, but I like it that way for my use. The first swatches are from an unsharpened lead, the picture after is from when it's sharpened. You can tell that you have slightly more precision after sharpening it, but the intensity doesn't change.

The same picture, also showing how it makes it look like my bottom lashes are "fuller":

The verdict

It's a shame I can't use it for all lining purposes, but I do like the super dry and waterproof formula. The price is very affordable and the sharpener makes lining a lot easier.

Rating: 4/5

*Milk; Updated skincare routine & (very) short reviews

2010-12-25T15:19:00.006+01:00

Morning & evening routine

1. HABA — G-Lotion
2. SkinCeuticals — Hydrating B5 Gel
3. Dr. Wu — 'VC Skincare' Intensive Whitening Serum with AA2G
4. Origins — 'Youthtopia' Firming eyecream with Rhodiola
5. Ole Henriksen — 'Express the truth' Wrinkle resistance creme

Cleansing routine

1. Clinique — 'Take the day off' Makeup remover
2. Fancl — Mild Cleansing Oil
3. Korres - 'White Tea' Fluid cleanser

Extras

Sun protectant: Institut Esthederm Photo Reverse
Exfolliant: Origins Modern Friction
Spot treatment: The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil

1. HABA 'G-Lotion' ● A hydrating and skin refining lotion. Contains hyaluronic acid and Sasa Kurilensis Water; a natural mineral essence with anti-septic properties. Helps my pores looking tight and refined, but does not feel as hydrating as it claims to be.
2. SkinCeuticals 'Hydrating B5 Gel' ● Contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 to help moisturize and repair the skin. Great for dry, sensitive skin, but also for oily skin types because it gives great hydration without any greasy or oily feeling. Very comparible to the Peter Thomas Roth 'Viz-1000' serum.
3. Dr. Wu 'VC Skincare' Intensive Whitening Serum with AA2G ● Claims to regulate melanin production of the skin which in terms help to lighten existing sunspots and preventing the formation of new ones. Very light and quickly absorbed. Has significantly lightened my freckles, but effects are less drastic once used for a longer period of time.
4. Origins 'Youthtopia' Firming eyecream with Rhodiola ● Gives a temporary 'lifting' effect of the undereye area. Has a very creamy texture; great for night time, but does not make a good base for concealer.
5. Ole Henriksen — 'Express the truth' Wrinkle resistance creme ● Leaves the skin feeling soft and supple, but does not hydrate my skin very well during the winter time. Has an odd orange and babypowder scent which reminds me of the vitamin supplements I used to take as a child.

1. Institut Esthederm 'Photo Reverse' ● An anti-spot sunscreen which helps to reverse sun damage such as hyperpigmentation. It does not have your regular 'SPF', rather, it helps to strengthen the skin's natural defense against UV rays.
2. The Body Shop 'Tea Tree Oil' ● Great natural spot treatment. Tea tree oil has anti-septic and anti-bacterial properties which can help clear existing blemishes without drying out the skin.
3. Fancl 'Mild Cleansing Oil' ● Fantastic product for removing waterproof eyeliner and mascara. Melts everything off without vigorously rubbing the eye area.
4. Clinique 'Take the day off' ● A slightly cheaper alternative to the Lancome 'Bi-Facil eye makeup remover. Mostly used to correct mistakes and touch-ups.
5. Origins 'Modern Friction' ● The exfolliating particles are not entirely round. Contains rice starch to remove dead skin cells along with other skin illuminating ingredients such as lemon oil. Although it foams up quite nicely, I still prefer artificial exfoliating beads.
6. Korres 'White Tea' Fluid cleanser ● A gentle facial cleanser with a soothing scent of white tea. Smells fantastic, but isn't anything out of the ordinary. Does not cleanse very well, but is ok paired with the Fancl 'Mild Cleansing Oil'.

Hydration:
Texture:
Blemish control:
Overall rating:

*M&C Go Dutch - Sunday Market

2010-12-19T16:51:00.001+01:00

Sunday Market is a monthly fashion, art & design market held at the Westergasterrein in Amsterdam. The market is a platform for young designers to exhibit their talent - from fashion design & art to performing and even cooking! Think of it as Etsy.com at a physical location!

Sunday Market is held almost every first Sunday of the month.

For more information: Official website | Facebook page

Zen Zeep ('Zen Soap' in English) only sells all natural soaps and basically everything you need for a nice shower/bath. Their stand was one of the prettiest out there!

The nice lady at the stand noticed us snapping pictures and guessed they were for a blog. She told us she'd love to see the post about Sunday Market and asked us if we could notify her when we did it. As a thank you gift, she even gave us a little body soap sample!

For the interested Dutchies, check out their website at www.ZenZeep.nl.

'All these cakes are organic and made with love.'

That 'WC' sign is so awesome, we just had to take a picture of it. xD

Fire truck stand for your hot choco and coffee!