Review of Estee Lauder Crescent White Full Cycle Brightening Milky Emulsion

Introducing Crescent White Full Cycle Brightening Milky Emulsion

Who wants to have healthy, glowing skin?

I bet all of us want it.

Some might want it badly, like me!

I have been an avid lover of skin care products, particularly those which are safe, skin-friendly and show effective results. After series of treatment that I have to go through for my breast cancer, particularly  the chemotherapy, I have been suffering from super dry skin and hyperpigmentation, which resulted in dark spots on my face. As my oncologist informed me previously, this is part of the side effects of chemo as well as the medicine I took in order to make sure that cancer does not return to my system. It doesn't look that bad bad but it's still sad to see them spreading over my cheeks and forehead.

Aku memang pecinta skin care, apalagi semenjak menjalani kemoterapi di tahnu 2014 dan 2015. Meskipun aku tidak pernah memiliki kulit mulus sejak muda #emangudahtuamba tapi aku perhatikan kulitku benar-benar menderita sejak kemo. Kulit wajah terutama, yang bukan hanya kering dan terkelupas namun juga penuh dengan bintik hitam. Dokter oncologist aku memang sudah mengingatkan bahwa dampak dan efek samping dari kemoterapi memang banyak, termasuk hiperpegmentasi di kulit wajah. Ini yang sering membuatku sedih kalau melihat kulit wajah dari dekat. But, hey.. we can always find something to work on it.

So, with that in mind, I have tried to look for products that can help me address this issues.

It is not always that easy to find one though.

Some are too strong for me as it has alcohol in it or the active ingredients are simple unsuitable for my type of skin. Some are good but extremely expensive. Some are just simply a big No-No.

But then, of all the products I have tried, I fall in love with this one from Estee Lauder!
Introducing Estee Lauder Crescent White Full Cycle Brightening Milky Emulsion.

Estee Lauder has long been known as one of the leading companies with visionary ambition and believe that every woman is  beautiful. Established in 1946, the company continues to provide beauty products which help women across the globe express their beauty and confidence. Another thing I love about this brand is its commitment and endless support to the campaign of breast cancer, along with special attention on  sustainability, citizenship and employee well-being.

Well now, here's my review of Estee Lauder Crescent White Full Cycle Brightening Milky Emulsion.

Name of the product:
Estee Lauder Crescent White Full Cycle Brightening Milky Emulsion

Here's what it claims

Claims:

This milky emulsion claims to be 'a powerful brightening facial emulsion' , which help us get brighter and clearer face. The milky texture is absorbed fast and refreshing. It also contains natural elements which boosts the daily cycle of our skin. It also prevents and reduces dark spots and discolouration (just like what I need!) and thus makes skin smoother, clearer and have translucent complexion. Moreover, it protects skin from harmful damages which mostly take place during the day and maximise the power of the night cycle to revitalize the skin. It is also dermatologist and ophthalmologist - tested and most importantly, non - acnegenic and will not clog pores. 

One of the main reasons why I try this is because it focuses on the dark spots and discolouration. Those are two pressing  issues  I have with regards to my face. 

Besides, this product is created for and tested on Asian skin in Asia.

Seperti yang saya baca di kotak produk ini, bintik-bintik hitam di kilit wajah pada dasarnya diakibatkan oleh berbagai partikel jelek dan merusak yang terakumulasi di kilit wajah pada siang harı dan terbentuk menjadi bintik hitam saat malam harı. Karen itu, Estee Lauder, dengan teknologi terbarunya memanfaatkan siklus alami kulit untuk melakukan regenerasi dengan menggunakan formula yang lembut namun efektif dari bahan-bahan alami. Hasilnya, kulit akan lebih cerah, sehat dan translucent. Plus produk ini memang diciptakan untuk kulit Asia dan dites di kulit wajah Asia juga.

Price: USD 110,-

Aku belum tau persis berapa harganya untuk produk ini di Indonesia.

Packaging:

I love the simple, yet chic and elegant packaging. The color of the bottle is pearly white with touch of silver at the edge.  The logo of Crescent White is silvery circle. It has smooth triangle form with cap and Estée Lauder seal on the cap for new product.
What I have is the 3.4 oz or 100 ml so it's quite big.

The packaging

Where to buy:
You can definitely buy it directly at esteelauder.com or through leading stores such as Sephora and Macy's. I personally bought it Macy's New York City.
Saya sempet lihat produk ini ditawarkan di toko online Indonesia tapi lupa apakah ready stock or out of stock.

How to use:

Pour adequate amount of the emulsion, pump it as needed. 
Remember, it's tick and rich so 2 pumps are enough for me. 
Apply it over your face and smooth it using your fingers.
I love doing a little massage while applying it.

It is suggested to use it day and night.

Testimony:

In love with its milky texture

I have to say that as the name suggested, the product is milky and rich.
I feel the skin instantly moisturised once I apply it on my face.
It is fast absorbing but, depending on your skin type, it may take a while to be fully absorbed. In my case, I usually wait for 10 - 15 minutes to ensure that the whole emulsion is well absorbed before applying other products such as serum or moisturiser. 

I have been using this product for the last 3 months, using approximately using more than half of the 100ml bottle. Too bad I am not always that diligent to use it AM and PM but I always use it in the morning. And yes, I do notice the development! My skin is brighter and healthier, plus some of the dark spots are reduced, although not completely gone. Well, I am being realistic and as long as the skin is healthy, I will continue. 

No filter .. My healthier skin now, using only the milky emulsion...too bad I forgot to take the 'before' photo :). You still see the dark spots here and there but much better.

The only notes I have here is that the emulsion is quite thick and in the warm temperatures of Indonesia, even in the morning, it can be a bit sticky and hot. I make sure I do it in an air-conditioned room. Moreover, it's quite pricey, apalagi jika kita rajin menggunakan di pagi dan malam hari menjelang tidur, agar efektifitas full cycle yang ditawarkan produk ini. I use the whole bottle in around 3 months. 

Nevertheless, all in all, I love this product!
I am already repurchasing my 2nd bottle and will stick to it for a while before I try others.
So, that's my review on Estee Lauder Crescent White Full Cycle Brightening Milky Emulsion.

Will you try the same product as well?
Or you have similar product you have been using as well.
Tell me what you think.

Resources: 

www.esteelauder.com
www.ebates.com

Review Lipstick YSL Rouge Pur Couture Pink Rhapsody

Disclaimer: this review is purely made from the heart, without any sponsors whatsoever, as I love the product. All opinion expressed are genuine and kindly note that the result on color and durability of the product may vary. 

Review Lipstick YSL Rouge Pur Couture 

Pink Rhapsody no. 57

Hello, beautiful people!

It's been ages that I haven't submitted my review on my favorite lipstick!

So, here comes the question again....What's the color of your lipstick today?

As I have mentioned in so many postings before, for me lipstick IS NOT just a piece of cosmetics you keep in your bag or pouch with you all the time.

And I really mean it when I say all the time.

Lipstick is INDEED a statement.

So for me, my lipstick is A BOLD statement of who I am and how comfortable I am to be myself.

Then from the stack of boxes filled with my favorite beauty products, I would like to introduce you to Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Rouge Pur Couture Pink Rhapsody no 57.

Yes, this time it is pink.

Not purple :).

Some of you might wonder why not purple, as my previous parade of favorite lipstick of mine. Oh ya, feel free to read my previous review like Huda Beauty in Famous, Kat Von D in Wolvesmouth (dan warna ini sepertinya udah discontinued, hiks), Kylie in Kourt K and Chanel in La Rafinee. So I guess, with so many purple shades I have, I want to have something different and pink sounds like a great idea! Besides, I can always mix it with other colors.

Sudah ada yang pernah coba lipstick yang satu ini?

YSL beauty memang sudah mengeluarkan banyak seri lipstick dan hamper semuanya Aku suka pakai. Mamaku juga suka soalnya.
Kalau sudah, mungkin dengan warna lain, kalian suka ngga dengan lipstik ini?

If you ask me, my answer is aku sukaaaaa :). 

Hampir semua lipstick yang aku review di blog adalah lipstick favoritku.

I know it might be a bit confusing as I keep mentioning so many brands and mostly I love them all! Tapi rasanya sah-sah aja kan kalau kita suka dengan beraneka merk dan warna lipstick, soalnya aku juga punya lipstick banyak aja karena pakainya pun bergantian. Tergantung mood, baju yang dipakai, dan occasion.

Betul ngga sih? 

Temen-temen juga sama kan #mencariteman?

So, ready to hear more lipstick review from me?

Here's my take on  YSL Rouge Pur Couture Pink Rhapsody


THE YSL PURE COLOUR SATINY RADIANCE AND THE PRICE

This lipstick contains of 1 (one) pure colour satiny radiance Lipstick (approximately 3.8 ml or 3.8 g or 0.13 fl. oz) as mentioned in the box. It is made in France and we can use it up to 24 months after we open it.

Let's try YSL Rouge Pur Couture in Pink Rhapsody

The price for this lipstick is USD 38 (langsung dikalikan sendiri ajaaa ya dengan Rupiah), before taxes and shipping.

I buy it in my favorite shop, Sephora, and of course you can also get in many leading department stores. You can always check it on YSL website. www.yslbeauty.com. Aku sendiri suka juga beli di duty free shops yang ada di berbagai airport. Harganya sedikit lebih murah karena bebas bea dan pajak.

THE SHADE

YSL has long been known as a leading fashion brand and beauty products which dominates the world's runway. With their long standing reputation, no wonder if this collection comes in 23 different shades. From brilliant red, fuschia and purple, to gradation of soft pink and nude colors.

As for the lipstick department, YSL has launched several series, such as YSL Tatouage Couture; Rouge pur Couture (the best seller); Rouge pur Couture the Slim; Rough Volupte Shine; Rouge Volupte and Rouge Tint-in Balm.

The Rouge pur Couture serie

THE SWATCH

Here's how Pink Rhapsody looks on my complexion.

And this is how it looks when I put it on my lips

I don't really feel the need to use any lip liner, because the color is already bold and it has satiny finish. But if you want to have a more dramatic and bolder look, using lip liner will definitely give a better, bolder contour. 

THE PERKS

I love it because of it's fresh color and it's super comfortable on my lips.

I have to confess that I have been using too many matte liquid lipstick so having this satiny finish is a good change. And I love how it looks on me.

the carving of YSL initials is one of the signatures

Most of the time, we are tempted by its wonderful shades and long-lasting nature, but never forget that your lips will pay the price for it.

The shape of the lipstick helps us apply the lipstick steadily and neatly on our lips.

Once you try it you will agree with me, I suppose.

THE INGREDIENTS

As I can read in the box,- although it took a long time for me to do so because the letters are super small,- the lipstick is made of mixture of, among others, propylene glycol dibenzoate, octyldodecanol, stearyl/PPG-3 Myristye, Ether dimer dilinoleate, neopentyl glycol diheptanoate, Isododecane, Cyclopentasiloxana, calcium carbonate, magnesium silicate, calcium magnesium borosilicate and more :).

The lipstick is made in France.

Can you actually read these ingredients? :)

THE NO-NO

I do have sort of a list of the No-No.

First, it's quite expensive. 
With so many choices  of lipsticks out there ranging from USD 20 - 30, the price of this one is higher than that. But again, people, it' YSL. And Yves Saint Laurent stands for quality and top-notch products. So, I think it is still worth it.
Moreover, it doesn't stay more than 4 hours.

I mean, it is not a long wear or matte finish, so it is easily wiped out.

Of course you can apply it again but that means you have to bring it everywhere.

Then, the packaging is beautifully made of shiny metal. It's beautiful indeed but it becomes dirty easily. I usually have my finger prints and skin oil on it :). So make sure you clean it up after holding it.

And that's it. 

So all in all, I still love it and I give Lipstick YSL Rouge Pur Couture Pink Rhapsody the score 8 out of 10.Aku tetap suka dengan lipstick ini dan aku pasti akan beli lagi, walaupun mungkin dengan warna lain.

Do you like this lipstick as well?

Which one is your favorite so far?

Ditunggu postingan lipstik-lipstik tercinta berikutnya ya.
Tons of kisses and muuuaaah muaaah from me.

Ditunggu yaaa postingan lipstick berikutnya

Better Moisturized Skin with Coconut Cream Skin Softening Body Butter

Coconut Cream Skin Softening Body Butter

Having trouble with dry, horrible skin?

Me, too!

I have been facing some issues with my skin after the chemo.
Well, I did the chemo at the end of 2014 and the first four month of 2015 and up until now, I am still facing one of the impacts and consequences.
Horrible, dry skin.
There were times when my skin was so dry I didn't realize it started bleeding.
Well, chemotherapy caused all of those side effects but even after I was done with my treatment, I still bear the consequences.

I have been using several products to help addressing this issue.
As suggested by my oncologist, I started with something natural with less chemical.
It would go gentle on my skin and reduce the possible complication.

Another challenge that I have here is my fond of snorkeling and diving.
Going out to the middle of the ocean and spending the whole day under the sun and underwater is not that friendly to my skin either.
And lately, I have the opportunity to visit some Caribbean countries. 
Whenever I have the time and chances, I would definitely go snorkeling and diving in these beautiful spots.
But since I love doing it, I just to find a good product that will help me with my skin.

At some point, I also need extra moisturizing products during Ramadhan that we has just passed a couple week ago.

As I have mentioned before, during the holly month of Ramadhan we moslems fast from dawn till dusk for one month. With long days we have in this summer and restricted hydration during fasting month, my skin get drier and drier.

But now, I found one product that helps with my dry, dull skin.
Almost instantly.
Introducing Coconut Cream Skin Softening Body Butter.
This body butter is special because it has extra ingredients of shea butter, hokum and cocoa butter which help moisturizing our skin.
And I love how it feels on my skin!

You can just easily rub a small amount of the body butter to your skin and wait for a while to ensure the skin fully absorb it. It feels good and it's not sticky.
I also love the wonderful smell of coconut on my skin.
So natural and reminds me of the beach!

The ingredients of this lovely lotion include, among others, water, shea butter, cocoa butter, garcinia indica butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, and rose hip oil. Check out the complete ingredients in this photo.

So you can see that this body butter is good for your skin, enriched with so many natural products and has no dangerous ingredients on it. It's natural, paraben free and packed with vitamin A, B, C, and E to nourish skin. What's not to love about this body butter.

If you want to give it a try, you can get it from Maple Holistics or through Amazon as well as their Facebook page. Check out their lovely website and you can get free samples too!

Enjoy your beautiful, moisturised skin with Coconut Cream Skin Softening Body Butter.

Disclaimer: I received free product for this review but  all opinions expressed here are my own. 

Argan Maple Holistic Shampoo Review

Disclaimer: I received the free product for review but  all opinions expressed here are my own. 

Who has problem with dry scalp and dull hair?
I do!

I have been looking for the right products fro my hair and scalp for quite some times.
It has been a big issue for me since I lost all my hair due to the chemotherapy that I had to undergo since late 2014 to the first semester of 2015. Let alone the series of radiation therapies and follow-up medications and injections I have up until now. 

Needless to say, those treatment and medications I have to take mess up with my body, be it my hormones as well as my metabolism. One of the big issues for me here is the super dry scalp. I remember when I was bald, the itchy scalp is not cool at all! With no hair as the natural protector of our scalp, I keep scratching it and some flakes of dry skin were flying from my head. I have tried a few and some of them provided temporary solutions and the dry scalp 

And months after I finished my chemo, my hair started to grow back again.
Even when my hair starts growing back, I still have similar issues.
And that makes me cut it short again and again, at least 3 times up until now.

Being used to have long, super curly hair with Bob Marley look, I was super excited when my hair starts growing back. Although it takes years to have it grow back as it used to, I am planning to keep it healthy and beautiful. And for that, I have to find the right hair product.

This is where I come across Argan Maple Holistics, a special formula shampoo 
I saw this product first from my dear blog friend, Alissa Apel, and decided to try it.
I went to their Facebook page and contact the company for free sample and they sent me a bottle! 

taken from mapleholistics.com

I have tried it in the course of two week and I love the results!

The natural Argan oil works its wonder to me and for sure there are more benefits of having this precious ingredients on your shampoo, including nourishing the scalp, rejuvenating our hair and making it feels soft and much more manageable.

 
As stated on the bottle, the shampoo is composed of aqua, argan oil, botanical keratin, peach kernel oil, almond, oil, jojoba oil, camellia seed oil, natural vanilla, honey fragrance and avocado oil. It's 100% pure, sulfate free, good for all scalp type and made in the US.

For sure, the dry scalp is less annoying and I don't really scratch my scalp too much as the itchiness is no longer there. It tends to get itchy a bit after 3 days so I know when it's time to use the shampoo again.



cheers...this is how the hair looks, after shampooing with Argan Maple Holistic

Moreover, my hair looks properly fluffy, not too much, and neat.
Now you see why I love this product!

Neat!

The price of this 8 oz shampoo is USD 9.99 and the shampoo and hair conditioner set is USD 19.95. With the result that I have, I'm happy to get more of it.

You can order it right from the website, https://www.mapleholistics.com, or check out their Facebook page for further info and more reviews. 

Do you have problems with your scalp and hair as well?
Do you find the products you love so far?

Brighten Up My Office

Winter is surely coming!

NYC has been super cold this week, getting to subzero temperature and crazy, freezing wind. On et off with a bit of sunny days that keep our hopes up, although then it obviously gets colder again.
Well, time to stay cozy inside and that goes with my work as well.

We are already back to our full-year calendar meetings here at the UN  but I do have some times to stay at the office.
As always, whenever I got a chance, I try to brighten up my office.
Making it as cozy as I can.

The messy corner I called office :)

So, instead of being buried under those stacks of documents and reports, I decided to take out my vintage collection and some extra purple stuff.
You know I have been hoarding a lot of vintage items while visiting Pocono, Pennsylvania, right. Well, I guess I haven't shared my story on that LOL.

As I look at some of these collection that I have at the office, I know I can put them together with some of my eclectic stuff.

This time around, I put my old globe light next to the classic pill box I got from Moscow.
As I love colors so much, I have my ondel-ondel Jakarta from home and this cute colorful photo frame from Nicaragua plus NYC mini snow globe as well.

On the other side, I put my old radio side by side with the antique look table clock and my NYC landmarks postcard collection.
It's a bit full here as I got 2 pack of postcards, mini mirror from Nicaragua(I have a few apparently) and a vintage tine box from Sprûngli, Switzerland.

I really do love the radio. 
Although it's no longer working, but I reminds me of my childhood when I had my late grandpa turning on the radio every morning back home in Lampung, Indonesia, to hear BBC News relayed in Bahasa Indonesia.
Sweet memories! 

As for the pillow, I choose Obi's favorite owl design from Ikea that I got probably in 2015.
I need a good one as I sit a lot while working on my reports and draft statements.

Then I tidy up my sofa!
It's an old one indeed but I just throw some of my tenun fabrics from Indonesia, the one shown here are Tais and Tenun Roteng from East Nusa Tenggara, plus some embroidery from Mexico and  and it looks way much better.
I love the perfect size of this sofa in my room and although it's worn out, it still feels comfortable.

How do you like my sofa now?

But my favorite is indeed my purple bouquet!
I bought them fresh and I didn't throw them away because they got dried beautifully.
So, I keep them and try to rearrange them in one of my mugs.

 

purple power :)

I eventually have to throw them away after some times so I guess it will be better if I get those beautiful silk flowers for my room. 
Do you like silk flowers as well?

they look real :)

We use a lot of artificial trees and silk flowers in many parts of my office, particularly the banquet hall where we often host special occasions. They look pretty indeed.

one corner with that cute tree!

And I come across those silk plants from silkplantdirect and instantly in love!
They have huge collection that can cater your every need.
Artificial trees, silk flowers in so many color and various kinds, including topiary in different forms. They have various palms,  and different kinds of containers as well
You can put them on the wall, in the pots, on the table or hang them. 
Plenty of choices we have here!

So, with a little change here and there, I manage to brighten up my messy office :).
As colorful as can be, it feels much more like my favorite spot (but not for the never ending works though :))

Do you decorate your working space as well?
What's you favorite theme or accent?

Disclaimer: I have been facilitated to write this article. Nevertheless, all the opinion are strictly my own and I sincerely hope this post will be beneficial for my readers.