REVIEW: Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm - SHOWY

Hiya there. Today I shall talk a little bit about my love for makeup stuff, and a long time favorite brand of mine, Revlon.

Revlon has always been a first choice for me for all things that mean makeup to me, be it a compact powder,foundation cream, eyeliners, and needless to say, lipsticks. Though I have tried many other brands over the years, I have to say, this brand has a permanent place in my purse the entire time.
So, ColorBurst Matte Balm in SHOWY being my latest conquest is no exception. I mean it seriously.

True to her name, my oh my, is she showy or what. You get instant hot look sporting this lippie, ladies. It is a hot purplish sort of pink, which often reminds me of Nicki Minaj, and by wearing it, you know you oughta' rock every single moment of it.

What I love about this lippie ( apart from the instant attention I get from hubby) is that, not only it gives you a super- rockstar look, but also it's super creamy, and therefore, glides on like a dream on your gorgeous lip. But in case you're thinking, no, it does not melt because of the creaminess. I have carried them everywhere in my purse and so far, no complaints on the consistency and the packaging.
I also use it as a liner as well, so there, it's a multipurpose time- saver too.

It did take me a lil' bit of time to actually gather some courage and proceed purchasing this particular colour, but I'm glad I made the right decision. I love every moment of wearing it. It's a lovely and bold shade from Revlon.

Till then, stay beautiful.

Malaysian Kek Batik- my version

So I did my very own version of the famous Malaysian Kek Batik yesterday. Now, why did I call it as my own version? Well, when I looked up for the recipe online, there were literally hundreds,if not thousands of them, posted online by fellow bloggers and food lovers. So I went through them, and came up with my own version, with items suiting my taste,and readily available in my kitchen. But rest assured, nothing's that from Uranus , or digged up from a dead volcano site.  
Ok, let's move on to the actual recipe:

1 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 cup of MILO powder ( or any chocolate drink powder of your choice)
1/2 of sugar , please use more if you have sweet tooth. I don't.
1 cup of evaporated/ condensed milk..depending on how sweet you want your cake to be.
2 eggs, beaten
125g butter, cut/cubed/ you get the idea
20-30 pieces of Marie biscuits.
A dash of coffee powder

Now most recipes call for water instead of milk, and more of chocolate drink powder compared to pure cocoa powder. Also, rumor has it that more and more people are using salted/cheese crackers instead of  good old Marie biscuits; ideally to balance up the taste of whatever they are trying to make. I could neither imagine nor digest that. No offense.

Moving on ( again) to the recipe, break the biscuits and keep them aside. Using double boiler method (not sure if the term is correct, but it is what we do to cook chocolate without direct heat from the stove to avoid burning them), mix in the cocoa powder, MILO,coffee powder,sugar and milk, and stir them gently on low heat. Then add in the butter cubes, more stir. Finally, add the eggs slowly into the mixture and keep stirring, DO NOT STOP STIRRING AS YOU DONT WANT TO COOK THE EGG IN CHUNKS.
After about 30 seconds, you may remove the pot from heat and add in the cookies. Fold in gently, Marie biscuits are known to get soggy real fast. Transfer them to a baking tin or a casserole, press them to set evenly,if that sentence makes any sense. Place them in the fridge for about 3-5 hours, depending on how powerful your refrigerator is. Hehehe...

The verdict?
The taste was somewhat bittersweet, which I absolutely love. The coffee added cocoa flavor was simply amazing to my tastebud. My better half  was kind of bitter about the taste; he's got sweeter tooth than mine..My toddler loved it,I guess. He kept coming back to my plate with that chocolate smeared mouth. What a sight to behold!

So in all, I would say this particular recipe would appeal to those who are into dark chocolate, premium chocolate cakes and the likes, where you will taste the chocolate flavor instead of sugar,and appreciate it. Delicious.

Till then, bon appetite.

Tough job: Guarding the next generation

Children these days do go through a tough time in every aspect. 2 year olds are put in daycare centres. By the age of 5, they would have gone through countless times of important events like prom nights,concerts,educational trips and graduations.
Parents,on the other hand, expect the best and nothing else from the kids. Most of them live in a delusional world where money equals to the best of everything,and then the equation turns around and they say " with good marks comes good money ".
While the kids may excel and make proud parents happy, there is another party who obviously benefit from this booming business. From the deposit charges right up to graduation fees, thousands of dollars are paid to the proprietors of those kindergartens and childcare centres.
But,is the service provided worth the money paid?
We often hear news of children being abused in those childcare centres. Often,parents complain about kids falling sick too often in daycare centres.
The question is: how do we address this issue?
With the world moving so fast and people often caught in rat race in order to provide the best for their families,  basic needs are often neglected.
Every now and then, some terrifying news will catch our attention, and then we will analyse what went wrong, and where.
Be it a day care centre, kindergarten, your child's music school or the neighbourhood park, be strict. Be sure. After all, it's your child you are guarding. You can never be too careful.