tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4982017200202552402024-03-06T06:17:01.816+01:00Make-up Monkey[monkey style at its best], a make-up, beauty, cooking, baking and lifestyle blogMake-up Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16845626493021718358noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-498201720020255240.post-74182087317919957582012-11-15T11:05:00.002+01:002012-11-15T16:31:45.706+01:00Essie Sand Tropez - A nude autumn colourOn my last visit to the Essie shelf, I was originally on the hunt for <a href="http://www.essie.com/shop/miss-fancy-pants-p-449.html" target="_blank">Essie's Miss Fancy Pants</a>, which is part of the autumn 2012 collection. I find the colour looks quite similar to Chanel's Frenzy, a light taupe or beige mixture with a hint of dusky rose. I love nude colours on my nails and the Chanel nail polishes may be truly beautiful, but they are rather pricy. Since Essie is mostly a good option in terms of quality and price (€7.95), I liked the idea of buying the Essie version of the colour.<br />
Unfortunately, <a href="http://www.essie.com/shop/miss-fancy-pants-p-449.html" target="_blank">Miss Fancy Pants</a> was already sold out. It seemed to be the most popular colour in the autumn collection, since all the other five colours were still available.<br />
Once there, I thought I might as well browse the rest of the <a href="http://www.essie.com/" target="_blank">Essie</a> shelf. And of course, I did not leave the drug store empty-handed. I opted for a colour that is quite similar to <a href="http://www.essie.com/shop/miss-fancy-pants-p-449.html" target="_blank">Miss Fancy Pants</a>, but a bit lighter - <a href="http://www.essie.com/shop/sand-tropez-p-366.html" target="_blank">Sand Tropez</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjti48Qj86_taUEyeCtDJydDxZiH3Cv4sQCi9jrEEFRtlFrHua_rtOVfa07sbFsjDqdvLj6AU_QT3PN1Jjjih_pId86ip7dwFeeymI3eZTkvKKizvgJi0obzg3EhFNRPA8zndmHaUQ11PQ/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjti48Qj86_taUEyeCtDJydDxZiH3Cv4sQCi9jrEEFRtlFrHua_rtOVfa07sbFsjDqdvLj6AU_QT3PN1Jjjih_pId86ip7dwFeeymI3eZTkvKKizvgJi0obzg3EhFNRPA8zndmHaUQ11PQ/s400/photo.jpg" title="Essie's Sand Tropez" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Essie's Sand Tropez</td></tr>
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The polish was easy to apply and not too liquid. The individual brush strokes did not create lines in the polish I had already applied to my nail. The polish spread evenly across my nail, forming an even surface. After applying one coat, the polish already looked quite opaque. So if you're in a rush, it is not absolutely necessary to apply a second coat. However, I went for a second coat, which intensified the colour on the nails. <br />
I also love Essie polishes, because they tend to dry quite fast. This is also the case for <a href="http://www.essie.com/shop/sand-tropez-p-366.html" target="_blank">Sand Tropez</a>. After around 15 minutes, I was ready to go.<br />
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I really love the classic and chique lool it gives to my nails. I think you could wear this colour all year round and it suits nearly every outfit. It is definitely work-appropriate, but at the same time, you can also wear it for a night out or even with a casual outfit - a true 'allrounder'.<br />
Although the name of the polish calls up associations of summer and beach, suggesting a 'summer nail polish', I would personally go for more pink or rosy-toned nude colours like Essie's <a href="http://www.essie.com/shop/ballet-slippers-p-44.html" target="_blank">Ballet Slippers </a>or <a href="http://www.essie.com/shop/sugar-daddy-p-57.html" target="_blank">Sugar Daddy</a> in spring or summer. Nevertheless, I think <a href="http://www.essie.com/shop/sand-tropez-p-366.html" target="_blank">Sand Tropez</a> would still be well wearable and look pretty during these seasons.<br />
However, for autumn and winter, <a href="http://www.essie.com/shop/sand-tropez-p-366.html" target="_blank">Sand Tropez</a> is just perfect for me.Make-up Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16845626493021718358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-498201720020255240.post-10404392956689172382012-11-13T19:38:00.001+01:002012-11-13T19:38:34.912+01:00Autumn time = Needlework timeWhen we returned from summery Australia about a month ago, we were confronted with the cool and fresh autumn weather back home. <br />
I didn't take me long to switch from Australian summer to German autumn/winter mode, because I simply love the cold season too much.<br />
Since the outside temperatures felt even colder than they actually were with my body still used to an average 25°C in Australia, I felt that I had to dig out my coat and scarf.<br />
While shopping, I stumbled across loop scarfs or 'snoods' in nearly every store. I've always wanted a snood, but unfortunately, the ones I found in the stores were made of 100% acrylic wool and cost around €30, which I found quite expensive, considering the fact that it is a cheap material.<br />
So the only option was to knit one myself. My last knitting project was quite some time ago, since I have been giving all my craft-related attention to my sewing machine for the past 2 years. I went to a local yarn shop where they sell all kinds of yarn as well as knitting and crocheting accessories.<br />
I went for a yarn in a warm red, brickwork colour, which is made of 85% new wool and 15% camel's wool ('Camello' by ggh GmbH) and perfectly matches the colour of my winter coat. I bought five 50g balls to make sure I would not run out of yarn half the way though my little project.<br />
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Before starting to cast on the stitches, I read up on some snood knitting projects on other people's knitting blogs for some inspiration. I originally had the idea of including cables in the pattern, but I decided against it, because I was not sure whether you could actually see the cable once the scarf is slung around the neck. I decided to keep the snood simple and alternated between two knit and two purl stitches (rather classic, I would say).<br />
I used a thick circular needle (8mm) and cast on 90 stitches. After knitting four rows, I started alternating between knitting and purling. When no more than half a ball out of the five was left, I knitted four rows again to make sure that the ending matched the beginning.<br />
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In the end, it only took me one or two hours each day to finish the snood, all in all probably five nights while watching the telly. I think it was worth the effort, because I love the result. The snood is warm and snug and is not as scratchy as scarfs made of pure or acrylic wool, thanks to the camel's wool.<br />
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After finishing the snood, I felt I had to go back to a sewing project, which had been lingering on my to-do list for quite some time. It's my cousin's birthday this week and she invited us for a birthday breakfast on Sunday. She likes handcrafted home decor and 'all things nice', so I was planning to sew her a Christmassy sofa cushion (I hope she won't read this blog post before Sunday). I bought a normal 50cm x 50cm cushion at Ikea to use as a filling and sewed the case around it.<br />
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The chequered fabric with the small Christmas trees and stars well as the plain beige fabric and border had been waiting to be processed for nearly two years now and I thought they would be perfect for the purpose.<br />
I used biscuit cutters to give the centre applications the right shape. I sewed them on the centre piece of fabric by using a very narrow zigzag stitch.<br />
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I hope she likes her present.Make-up Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16845626493021718358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-498201720020255240.post-8352336618238855762012-10-21T12:25:00.001+02:002012-11-13T17:15:39.533+01:00Sweet Chilli Sauce - the result of an abundant chilli harvestThis year, I was blessed with an abundant chilli harvest. I've been growing chillies in the garden for a couple of year now, sometimes with results that were not worth mentioning. This year, however, I discovered the 'Chinese Five Color' in the <a href="http://pflanzen.irinas-shop.de/" target="_blank">online shop</a> where I usually buy all sorts of seeds and seedlings to grow in the vegetable patch. I loved the idea of having five colours of chilli on one plant and I also find the plant itself really pretty.<br />
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The plant seems to have been a good choice, because the amount of chillies it grew was enormous. And with autumn being in full swing now, I had to pick the remaining chillies from the plant to prevent them from going bad. But what to do with a pile of chillies? After some web research, I came across this very easy recipe for sweet chilli sauce. It is really quick and the result is absolutely yummy.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
2-3 chillies<br />
1 tsp sea salt<br />
180ml water<br />
120g sugar (I used brown sugar)<br />
60ml vinegar (I used rice vinegar)<br />
3 cloves of garlic<br />
1 tbsp corn starch<br />
2 tbsp water<br />
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Put all ingredients, except for the corn starch and 2 tablespoons of water, into a high bowl and blend either with a hand blender or food processor. Bring mixture to the boil and let it simmer for around 5 minutes. In the meantime, mix the corn starch with the water and stir well. Slowly pour the starch mixture into the boiling chilli sauce and keep stirring to allow the sauce to thicken.<br />
Pour the hot sauce into twist-off glasses or bottles by using a small funnel and allow it to cool down.<br />
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The sauce tastes great with chicken, turkey or any Asian-style or inspired dish. It has a nice mixture hotness from the chillies, which is sweet and fruity at the same time.<br />
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<br />Make-up Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16845626493021718358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-498201720020255240.post-26629363283632506802012-08-29T13:06:00.000+02:002012-08-29T13:06:31.185+02:00Cookie Monster CupcakesLast week, I made some Cookie Monster Cupcakes for one of my colleagues, because it was his birthday. The idea of baking Cookie Monster Cupcakes for his birthday grew in my mind after he had told me about the Cookie Monster's version of Carly Rae Jepson's "Call me maybe", which was retitled "<a href="http://youtu.be/-qTIGg3I5y8" target="_blank">Share it maybe</a>". He thought it was absolutely hilarious and showed me the video on <a href="http://youtu.be/-qTIGg3I5y8" target="_blank">YouTube</a>. And I have to admit, it's really cute. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qKq1XKL_D_hE2JorrnQ3sLW74rj_xpY8P1krxj3dtoi-bfVPOgIJnR9-wnMViA8Vl3eZIdjo4tCDy7sn_efR_SE-zSdQHTzYWx1EsqWc70Ma_ZBB6YEaYSu6XsIpWnYGsHANVYRtcMg/s1600/390955_4343566664301_385916626_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Cookie Monster Muffins" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qKq1XKL_D_hE2JorrnQ3sLW74rj_xpY8P1krxj3dtoi-bfVPOgIJnR9-wnMViA8Vl3eZIdjo4tCDy7sn_efR_SE-zSdQHTzYWx1EsqWc70Ma_ZBB6YEaYSu6XsIpWnYGsHANVYRtcMg/s640/390955_4343566664301_385916626_n.jpg" title="Cookie Monster Cupcakes" width="477" /></a></div>
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So, here is how I made the cupcakes. You can use any type of cupcake or muffin as a base. Simply go for your favourite recipe. I decided to make some lemon cupcakes, because I like the combination of lemon and cococut.<br />
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<b>Ingredients for lemon cupcakes (makes 12):</b><br />
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300g plain flour<br />
175g sugar<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
2 eggs<br />
150g soft butter<br />
Lemon flavouring (as much as you like)<br />
175ml milk<br />
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<b>Instructions:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Preheat your oven to 180°C. Insert your cupcake cases into the muffin tin.</li>
<li>Mix flour, sugar, baking poweder and salt in a bowl.</li>
<li>Mix eggs, butter, milk and flavouring in a second bowl using an electric whisk.</li>
<li>Add the mixture of the dry ingredients to the egg-butter mixture and carefully mix the two together by using a spoon.</li>
<li>Spoon the dough into the muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes.</li>
<li>Let the cupcakes cool.</li>
</ul>
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<b>Cookie Monster decoration:</b><br />
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<u>What your need:</u><br />
125 g icing sugar<br />
3 tbsp lemon juice<br />
Desiccated coconut<br />
Blue food colouring<br />
100g marzipan paste<br />
25g chocolate <br />
12 biscuits (your favourite type)<br />
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<u>What to do:</u><br />
<ul>
<li>Mix the icing sugar and lemon joice. Add some more lemon juice if the icing is too thick.</li>
<li>Pour the desiccated coconut into a bowl and add some food colouring. Stir well and make sure that the flakes are evenly coloured. If you are not satisfied with the colouring result, add some more colouring.</li>
<li>Take a cupcake and dip the top into the icing mix. Let any excess drip off. Then dip the cupcake into the coconut flakes, carefully movng it around to ensure that all spots on the cupcake are covered with coconut flakes.</li>
<li>Remove the cupcake from the coconut flakes and place it on a tray to dry.</li>
<li>Repeat the procedure until all cupcakes are covered in blue coconut flakes. Let the topping dry.</li>
<li>In the meantime, devide the marzipan paste into 24 equal portions. Roll each portion between your hands to form a small ball. For each cupcake, take two balls and place them on the top of the cupcake. Carefully push them onto the surface of the cupcake to form the eyes of the Cookie Monster. They should stay in place without having to add extra icing sugar. </li>
<li>Melt the chocolate in the microwave (careful, do not overheat). Dip a toothpick into the chocolate to take up a very small amount on the tip of the toothpick.</li>
<li>Carefully dip the chocolate on the marzipan balls to form the pupil. Repeat for each eye.</li>
<li>Take a knife and insert the tip into the cupcake where you want to place Cookie Monster's mouth. Take a biscuit and insert it into the small hole you've cut.</li>
</ul>
You're done! Enjoy! Make-up Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16845626493021718358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-498201720020255240.post-74561711352364602162012-08-13T11:16:00.002+02:002012-08-13T12:02:38.240+02:00Mango Beautifying Oil by The Body ShopI first read about the new <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/new-beautifying-oils.aspx" target="_blank">Beautifying Oils</a> by <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/index.aspx" target="_blank">The Body Shop</a> in a blog post more than a month ago, but I can't remember which blog it was. However, the girl in the blog loved the oil - I think she got the <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/new-beautifying-oils/pink-grapefruit-beautifying-oil.aspx" target="_blank">Pink Grapefruit oil</a> - because it helped her get rid of the dry skin on her shinbones. She also loved the scent of the oil.<br />
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Since I also suffer from dry skin on my body, especially my elbows, I thought I could give it a try. I also liked the idea that the oils are completely natural and do not contain any silicone like most oil products that are currently available for skin and hair.<br />
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I decided to buy the <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/new-beautifying-oils/mango-beautifying-oil.aspx" target="_blank">mango-scented oil</a>, because I simply loved the smell. I also liked the other scents, but I loved mango the most.<br />
The other scents available are: coconut, moringa, shea, cocoa butter, sweet lemon, strawberry, satsuma, pink grapefruit, olive and chocomania.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TVIVRUDYD2qTgs1WeE4NqNbs88N3_rj2-ZpXAFber4gLtoRjOKDIToZ3bMu7KLmcMBCCn1bqwB1jdmMcUnS7IWpYmusaieNSZz32c4kSjgFhuHsoDXvwcOvMQifuy2wh3_KZjjlpp_A/s1600/photo(1).JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TVIVRUDYD2qTgs1WeE4NqNbs88N3_rj2-ZpXAFber4gLtoRjOKDIToZ3bMu7KLmcMBCCn1bqwB1jdmMcUnS7IWpYmusaieNSZz32c4kSjgFhuHsoDXvwcOvMQifuy2wh3_KZjjlpp_A/s320/photo(1).JPG" title="Mango Beautifying Oil by The Body Shop" width="213" /></a></div>
According to <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/index.aspx" target="_blank">The Body Shop</a>, the oils are "pure beauty in a bottle." They contain "a lightweight blend of nut oils including Community Fair Trade marula oil" and are to give "instant hydration and a shimmering finish."<br />
The label on the bottle says that the oil can be used to moisturise, smooth and illumnate body, face and hair.<br />
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I've been using the oil for several weeks now and I love it. I use three to four drops on my hand, rub both hands together and apply it on my elbows.<br />
I have also started using it on my face, because one day, after I had used a peeling mask, the skin on my face felt dry and tight even after having applied my moisturiser, which is currently <a href="http://www.clinique.com/product/1687/5089/Skincare/Moisturizers/Moisture-Surge-Extended-Thirst-Relief/index.tmpl" target="_blank">Clinique Moisture Surge</a>. I thought I'd accept the risk of my skin breaking out, which often happens when I use too oily products. But that didn't happen at all.<br />
The oil leaves a slightly oily feeling on the skin, but does not result in the skin looking greasy or oily. The oil seems to sink in quite quickly and the tight feeling goes away immediately. However, I would only use the oil on my face at night, because I think that in the morning or during the day, a foundation would not stay in place if applied on top of the oil.<br />
I will definitely continue using the oil as a relief on my face whenever the skin feels particularly dry or tight. I could image that the oil will come in handy in winter when it's colder. <br />
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The scent is not as intense as that of the <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/body-moisturisers.aspx" target="_blank">Body Butters</a> by <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/index.aspx" target="_blank">The Body Shop</a>. Of course, you can smell it after applying the oil, but it fades after a while. Thus, it is still possible to apply perfume when having used the oil, which I would not recommend in combination with the <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/body-moisturisers.aspx" target="_blank">Body Butters</a>. Their scent is definitely more dominant and their sweet fruity scent mixes with the fragrance of your perfume.<br />
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In general, I would highly recommend the <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/new-beautifying-oils.aspx" target="_blank">Beautifying Oil</a> by <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/index.aspx" target="_blank">The Body Shop</a> if you have dry skin or dry patches both on your body and face. I like the texture, the scent and the way it moisturises my skin without causing breakouts. I haven't used it on my hair so far because I do not tend to get dry hair, but I might give it a try on the ends of my hair only to see whether it makes my hair look greasy.<br />
Since a small amount goes a long way, the price is not too bad either. The bottle contains 100ml or 3.3 fl. oz and costs €10.00 in Germany and £9.00 in the UK. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!Make-up Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16845626493021718358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-498201720020255240.post-69820155325067739002012-08-05T14:47:00.000+02:002012-08-05T14:47:15.973+02:00Soap & Glory: Glow Job or all that 'glows' is not goldWhen I went shopping a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't resist browsing the <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/" target="_blank">Soap & Glory</a> section of <a href="http://www.douglas.de/douglas/Soap-Glory/index_b0696.html" target="_blank">Douglas</a>. <a href="http://www.douglas.de/douglas/Soap-Glory/index_b0696.html" target="_blank">Douglas</a> are the only shop in Germany to stock <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/" target="_blank">Soap & Glory</a> products. I had a look at various products and one of the shop assistants then recommended <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products/skincare/face-moisturizers-serums/glow-job" target="_blank">Glow Job</a> to me and told me that it was <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products/skincare/face-moisturizers-serums/glow-job" target="_blank">Soap & Glory</a>'s version of a BB cream. Allegedly, it was even better than all the other BB creams that are currently available on the market. Finally, she talked me into buying it and I gave it a try.<br />
Here, in Germany, it costs €14.00 for 75ml, while it is slightly cheaper in Britain at £9.00. <br />
I think the price is ok considering the amount you get.<br />
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The packaging matches the general <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products" target="_blank">Soap & Glory</a> design, which I like, because it is a little vintage. In the particular case of <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products/skincare/face-moisturizers-serums/glow-job" target="_blank">Glow Job</a>, the product name is a bit doubtful, but I usually quite like the way they name their products. The tube comes in a little carton, but I threw it away when I started using the cream. You can see it on the <a href="http://www.douglas.de/douglas/Pflege-Gesicht-Tagespflege-Soap-Glory-Gesichtspflege-Glow-Job_productbrand_3000034456.html" target="_blank">Douglas product website</a> if you are interested.<br />
According to the packaging and the website, <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products/skincare/face-moisturizers-serums/glow-job" target="_blank">Glow Job</a> is "a two-in-one moisturizing lotion and temporary self-tanner." It contains "micro Bronzeburst™ Beads that ‘pop’ when you massage them,
leaving you looking, healthy, refreshed, and just ever so slightly
sun-kissed."<br />
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The colour of the cream itself is white and the consistency is nice, neither too liquid nor too pasty. You only feel the beads when rubbing the cream between your fingers or on your face.<br />
I tend to use two pea-sized portions on my face, one for each half. I spread them on my chin, nose, forehead and both cheeks. Then I start massaging the cream in, which causes the beads to burst and release the bronzer.<br />
And here comes the first downside. Sometimes, especially if you use more than one finger to spread the cream and bronzer on the face and blend it in, the beads stick to your fingers and no bronzer is applied to your face, which is kind of annoying.<br />
When you are working with tiny amounts on your face, as I do on my nose, for example, you might end up with no bronzer beads in your cream at all and probably lighter patches on your face (if you have light skin, but I'll come to the bronzing effect later on). <br />
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<a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products/skincare/face-moisturizers-serums/glow-job" target="_blank">Glow Job</a> does not provide you with any coverage as other BB creams do. So if you have blemishes or acne, I would not recommend using it. I use it when I don't have any major spots or blemishes.<br />
It's moisturising effect is good, however, as my skin does not feel dry at the end of the day. However, it leaves a film on my skin that lingers on all day and which I am not too keen on. At night, after having worn the cream all day, I am dying to cleanse my skin to get rid of the feeling. It feels as if my skin is not able to breathe.<br />
The film is neither greasy nor oily, it is different. When I thought about what to write in this review, I also thought how I could describe the way the product feels on my skin and after a while 'silicone' crossed my mind. And that is exactly how it feels, like a thin layer of silicone, which is meant to make your skin feel soft. However, it never occurred to me that silicone could actually be an ingredient of <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products/skincare/face-moisturizers-serums/glow-job" target="_blank">Glow Job</a> - but it is. When I checked the list of ingredients, I found 'dimethicone', which is a silicone that is often found in shampoo, conditioner, creams or make-up products. It is considered a 'questionable' ingredient as I found out after doing some web research as it is said to unbalance your skin flora, for example.<br />
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You can also argue about the scent of the cream. It is supposed to smell of sweet orange peel oil and vanilla, but I find the latter to be more dominant. However, even if you do not like the scent, it fades rather fast, so you do not end up having it in your nose all day.<br />
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Now, the most important question: Does it have the promised effect of giving you a glowing complexion? I don't know. See for yourself on the before and after photos I took. I can hardly see a difference. This might be due to the fact that my natural skin tone is quite dark and that I am slightly tanned at the moment. But I cannot recognise any major effect, although I could imagine the product to have a different effect on lighter skin.<br />
I don't think that I will re-pruchase <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products/skincare/face-moisturizers-serums/glow-job" target="_blank">Glow Job</a> since it does not seem to have any major effect on my skin or
complexion, and considering the film is creates on my skin and the
'questionable' ingredient. Would I recommend it? - Probably not.<br />
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Before applying <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products/skincare/face-moisturizers-serums/glow-job" target="_blank">Glow Job</a>:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCC8NlooHkMNRnIgfkspPgdnZx_OZEEX_muNT1wRvAGMny3MNpzv5ITU69cbDcMW4ww_4gI8jMZcka-QIiiYrGevY3e0Vv__-4SW-R-d11FKXPFEaL5acPiKqcmif4kJ9rNf15DY4WeE/s1600/P1030242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCC8NlooHkMNRnIgfkspPgdnZx_OZEEX_muNT1wRvAGMny3MNpzv5ITU69cbDcMW4ww_4gI8jMZcka-QIiiYrGevY3e0Vv__-4SW-R-d11FKXPFEaL5acPiKqcmif4kJ9rNf15DY4WeE/s320/P1030242.JPG" title="Before applying Glow Job" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before applying Glow Job</td></tr>
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After applying <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products/skincare/face-moisturizers-serums/glow-job" target="_blank">Glow Job</a>:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6wu0XoBWGiW8uBNS1FHU7R0G2DtXLZmtoY0lWPuIl6NYY9YPREvPavHq-ClQjAwesGqTwnV439XMs1kj1cQtg3_5FZdSjmm7jDfbr6O_54NurcfF7OfEVsiReZ9iMZzGlseg53mLI04/s1600/P1030247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6wu0XoBWGiW8uBNS1FHU7R0G2DtXLZmtoY0lWPuIl6NYY9YPREvPavHq-ClQjAwesGqTwnV439XMs1kj1cQtg3_5FZdSjmm7jDfbr6O_54NurcfF7OfEVsiReZ9iMZzGlseg53mLI04/s320/P1030247.JPG" title="After applying Glow Job" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After applying Glow Job</td></tr>
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Have you tried <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/products/skincare/face-moisturizers-serums/glow-job" target="_blank">Glow Job</a> by <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/" target="_blank">Soap & Glory</a>? What is your experience? Do you like it?<br />
<br />Make-up Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16845626493021718358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-498201720020255240.post-52283447096961274222012-07-25T21:41:00.002+02:002012-07-25T21:41:58.145+02:00Caudalie Eau De Beauté - Magic water?Yes, I finally gave in and bought it, the product everyone is raving about, Caudalie's Eau de Beauté.<br />
I can't even remember where I read about it first or who I watched talking about it first, because everybody on either YouTube or in blogs seems to talk or write about it, and either love or hate it.<br />
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So I thought I might as well give it a try. Instead of ordering it online, I tried to find out which shops or pharmacies stock it. Turns out that it is mostly sold in selected pharmacies.<br />
What the hell, I thought, went and got it. I decided to give the small bottle (30ml) a try first to see what it does to my skin. At €9.90, it is not the cheapest product. The pharmacy also stocked the large 115ml bottle, which retails for €31.95.<br />
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And here it is:<br />
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It comes in a nice little glass bottle with a spray head. Unfortunately, when I opened the cover for the first time, the nozzle came off and I had to stick it back on. Up until now, I does not seem to have done any harm to the way the product is applied, but it seems to remain a weak spot.<br />
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Anyways, the writing on the bottle promises a "Smoothing, glowing complexion". So far, I can neither confirm it nor object to it. I have been using it for two weeks now and I cannot (yet) tell whether it does anything to my skin.<br />
I apply it in the morning and at night after cleansing and before moisturising my skin. It feels refreshing and nice. However, I struggle with the smell. The smell is hard to describe, but remind me of peppermint in combination with other herbs.<br />
It is quite strong when you apply it and shortly afterwards, but seems to fade after a while. That's definitely something I can live with.<br />
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However, I am quite surprised that I have not yet felt any dryness on my skin, since my skin tends to become dryer when I use stuff that contains alcohol, and this toner definitely contains alcohol. In the list of ingredients, it comes second after water.<br />
<br />But still I'm excited to see whether it helps with the occasional blemishes I get. Usually, I would expect it to prevent them as alcohol will get rid of any bad bacteria on my skin that may cause these blemishes.<br />
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I will definitely continue using it until the bottle is empty and then decide whether the toner is worth the money and whether to re-purchase it.<br />
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If you have tried the Caudalie Eau de Beauté, let me know whatyou think about it.<br />Make-up Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16845626493021718358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-498201720020255240.post-70660545965155816342012-07-22T21:05:00.001+02:002012-07-22T21:05:11.952+02:00The Famous First PostAlright, so this is the first post on my new blog. So what should I write?<br />
I should probably make it short and simple by saying how happy and, yes, proud I am that I finally managed to get my blog online. I've been struggling with the layout for quite a while, but at this stage, I'm quite satisfied with the look.<br />
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So what can you expect to read on this blog? Actually, I am planning to write about anything that catches my attention. However, I would like to place the focus on beauty and make-up-related topics and product reviews.<br />
Once in a while, you might also see posts about cakes I baked or photo impressions of my travelling.<br />
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I hope you enjoy reading my thoughts and feel free to leave a comment. <br />
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<br />Make-up Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16845626493021718358noreply@blogger.com0