An apology about the hiatus~

Gomen nasai, minna san~

Our last post was on 11/11/11, and it's been four months since. If any of you is still checking this blog for updates, I feel I must offer up some sort of explanation (though a much belated one) for your persistence. (　ﾟдﾟ)

Off the bat, I don't think Chiharu is updating anytime soon. The full explanation I would leave to her to write out, should she return. 

I guess it might be simplistic to say that we've moved on from blogging, but I suppose that's the easiest way to explain. Domokie was started out of a desire to share the things we love, chiefly: make-up, food and pretty things. I don't think either of us would stop wanting to do that -- it's what makes humans humans -- but reality's a bitch sometimes.


Certain events happened, and I suppose Chiharu's feeling a bit down at the moment. 

As you can probably tell from the post count, Chiharu is a much more passionate blogger than I am. [壁]д・)ﾉ This is predominantly a beauty blog, I guess, and I'm not quite confident or adept enough to handle it on my own. I'm more a back-end sort of person, more comfortable with HTML codes and Photoshop, more comfortable out of the camera frame than in it.

So when Chiharu stopped blogging, inevitably this blog becomes a husk. I guess I'm shirking my responsibility a little here, but these days my world consists of drawing, work, and video games, and it seems a little odd to bring that world here.


On the other hand, it seems a bit of a pity to throw everything away, so this blog shall still be here, biding its time before it comes out of hibernation eventually. I might update a little sometimes, but a story cannot move on without its full cast.


---

What I've been up to thus far:
 

I like beautiful things. I think we all do. But let's all strive to be happy and good, ja?

A Ringo A Day: Eggs

Quick update!
Sorry I've been neglecting the blog a bit. > A <
The end of the year is always a busy time, no?

Currently working on:

Still some way to go before it's done. Working on my batman sculpture as well.
Will post up some movie reviews come next week!

But for now, *distracts with song recommendations*



Emma Louise hails from Brisbane, Queensland. Currently unsigned, I think, but I'm not too certain.



The song's title combined with the band name made this track almost impossible to find on YouTube search, until a while ago. Alpine is Phoebe, Lou, Phil, Christian, Ryan and Tim, from Melbourne, Australia. Their MVs are lovely.

Oh, the time, I gotta go to work, so ciao~ : 3

Love,
Ringo

Product Review : Smooth-E Nature Vita Cream

KILL ME, FOR I HAVE NOT UPDATED IN AGES. Okay no, don't do that or Domokie will be half gone!

I'm super back with a review today because I've been using it for awhile and its time...

Introducing...

The Smooth-E Nature Vita Cream! If you remember, Ringo reviewed its cousin, the Smooth E Extra Sensitive Cleansing Gel. Now we can has a cream from the Smooth E range!

Here's the description of the cream. Apologies for the tiny words! But it's still legible xD

There's even proven results on the box!!!

The only thing that managed to be HUGE, the ingredients list :D You can see the 3 key ingredients in the product from this picture. If you don't really know those 3 ingredients, scroll up a little and read the description.

COMES IN A SQUEEZE TUBE. Mad love squeeze tube kinda cream. I mean, my steam cream sure is cute but having to gouge my pudgy fingers in makes it a lil messy.

Squeeze tube gives u much more control over how much cream you want and it's more hygienic too!

Apparently, this isn't just a face cream. You can use it on your body, I'm guessing possibly stretch marks too. And dry / sun burnt skin! However, only my face is dry for now! Neither am I sun burnt or pregnant =O So I'll be reviewing it purely based on its performance on my face.

When I first squeezed it out, I was a little hesitant because it looked really creamy and rich! Like something that would cause my skin to "ooze" oil afterwards. Also, when I first opened the box, the smell hit me like a straight punch to the face. So I was kinda afraid that the smell will punch me harder after application to the face > o <

Here's my hand after application of the cream. Okay, I did use the cream on my face in the end because I had to review it. I was pleasantly surprised though, the cream, though of a thick texture, absorbed readily and easily into my skin. It left my skin with a matte finish and my skin felt really soft. It's not very spreadable so I recommend warming the cream between your fingers and then massaging it into your skin.

Also, there's no worry on the fragrance! It was actually super pleasant on the skin. It strangely reminded me of baby powder and watermelon? It sounds like a weird combo but it actually smells good on the skin. It sorta lingers quietly like how your skin smells after you shower.

This cream brightened my skin on the overall after usage. Also, it really is moisturizing enough to be used alone as I was being a lazy bum and I only used this in replacement of everything. It is important not to OD on this cream because it can possibly leave white streaks on your face.

This cream comes at a super affordable price of $14.90 at Guardian! I'd say it's worth a shot if you're not sensitive to fragrance and like something that's pretty mild and easy on the skin.

Scent : ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (How much you like the scent will really depend on your own preference)

Texture : ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (Slightly thicker than usual creams but absorbs surprisingly fast.)

Effectiveness : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (For a $14.90 cream, it actually works :D Brightening skin is extra bonus!)

Overall : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (3 and a half star to be precise, worth a shot.)

P.S. Remember to check out their FB page for any new product launches or promotions!

Cheers,

Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : This was sent to me for reviewing purposes by Confirm Trading. It does not affect the honesty of my review in any way. Do note that results may vary with individuals due to us being of different ages and having different skin types.

Product Review : Dentiste' Plus White Night-Time Toothpaste

Have been MIA-ing for pretty long! Like really MIA because even Ringo hardly sees me > o < Busy busy, I finally got a second shot at my dream job! I'll make it known once I succeed =/

Today, I'm going to review something that's not commonly reviewed on Domokie!

Yes omg, it's tooth paste!

This Dentiste' Plus White Night-Time Toothpaste is supposed to be quick, effective and safe in doing da stuff you see above.

That's the description.

So why is this night time toothpaste so special? Why can't we just stick to regular toothpaste we see all around us?

Well, it's just like how we have day cream vs night cream. Not the same way but a similar theory. If you realize, when you brush in the morning, you shouldn't have much of a bad breath problem at all throughout the day. However, even if we brush right before we sleep, we usually still wake up to BAD BREATH. I'm not sure if you guys do, but I do. And I don't like to say it out in public because I still brush in the day!

So having the opportunity to try this toothpaste, I was super excited to know that there's salvation for morning bad breath!

"What is Dentiste’?

• The only effective Night-Time Toothpaste
• Control oral bacteria effectively to give you a fresh morning breath. It also leads to a good oral and body health. Bad morning breath is a symptom of oral disease.
• Uses natural ingredients and effective packaging technology from Germany. Quality can sustain a longer period

Who should use Dentiste ?

Whilst Dentiste is suitable for people suffering from bad morning breath, it is also for people who want to get healthier since oral bacteria causing bad smell can easily induce other diseases.

• People with bad morning breath, insufficient sleep, and stressful working environment
• People who travel a lot and PREGNANT WOMEN
• Brain, oral, cardiovascular, lung, kidney, spinal cord, and diabetic patients"

Extracted from Confirm Trading's Website.

So erm, unlike your regular white and creamy toothpaste, this one's blue, gel-ish and still creamy! It also has glittery bits in it :D I find it a joy to use simply because I'm weirdly attracted to pretty blue with glitters.

Worry not however, for you will not get a glitter bomb smile or a blue one after using this toothpaste. In fact, you should be glad for this blue toothpaste. Similarly to how a blue eyeliner will make your eye whites look whiter, a blue toothpaste will whiten your teeth! Of course you'll have to brush at least twice a day for that to happen. I know of people who don't brush at least twice a day and I'm like ━━Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━━!!!

Also, I noted that with prolonged usage of this toothpaste, morning bad breath really is reduced. I wouldn't say it's completely gone but it's definitely reduced. This toothpaste also "taste fresher" than my regular toothpaste. It's very minty yet it doesn't give me the choking / stinging feeling. It's a pretty refreshing burst of mint in your mouth.

I can't really remember how much this cost but you can check it out at your nearest Watsons or ask Confirm Trading on their FB page. Also, I can't really rate this as per usual because this is a toothpaste. If I had to give it an overall, it'd prolly be a 4/5 stars. And really seriously, I'm going to repurchase this when mine runs out. Blue tooth paste is AWESOME.


Love,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : This product was sent to me for reviewing purposes by Confirm Trading. It does not affect the honesty of my review in any way.

A Ringo A Day: Practice Makes

Just some stuffs to keep my brush sharp. One of my favorite superheroes of all time is Batman, though granted, I'm not particularly familiar with all the comics as some of my friends are. I love antiheroes, and the fact that Bruce Wayne relies not on some mutant source of superhuman power, but on his quick wit and awesome gadgets endear me to him more so than most of the mainstream comic book heroes.

Speaking of which, Arkham City.



It's out on PS3 and Xbox in the Western hemisphere already, and scheduled to release on November 23 in Japan. I don't own a gaming console though (it would probably destroy my productivity totally if I did), so I'm awaiting the PC release, which is at the earliest, mid November.

Still debating with myself whether I should get it or not. I get pretty addicted to games easily. And from what I heard, the gameplay is rather lengthy. Lots of side quests and stuff. But. Oh. God. BATMAN.



The graphics is AWESOME. The cut-scenes especially, are of cinematic quality. I'm glad Mark Hamill is reprising his role as Joker. It wouldn't be the same without him. This time though, the main antagonist is Hugo Strange, mad-scientist extraordinaire, as voiced by Corey Burton.

On a irrelevant side note, the previous game was loosely based off the graphic novel Arkham Asylum, A Serious House On Serious Earth. If you haven't read it yet, and you're a fan of Batman as I am, do read it. In my opinion, it's one of the best graphic novels for Batman I've ever read (though I confess I haven't read that many).

 

It's a bit surreal in styling, I suppose. But it's fitting of the subject -- it's an asylum we're talking about, after all.

And of course, the art is awesome. And the best part? NLB haz it.

</fangirl rant>

Movie Review: Mural

Went to watch Mural with my mom and bro last saturday. Although it isn't the type of movie I would usually watch (my sort of genre being more of sci-fi, thriller, or action), it was still quite enjoyable.

Mural is directed by Hong Kong director Gordon Chan (陳嘉上) , who previously directed Painted Skin (畫皮). Mural's story comes from the sixth chapter of a book called Liao Zhai (聊斋), a collection of nearly five hundred (mostly) supernatural short stories written in the Qing Dynasty.

The story starts with scholar Zhu XiaoLian and his servant Hou Xia being accosted by swordsman Meng Longtan, who attempts to rob them. They all end up at a Taoist hillside temple where a monk named Budong calms them down. Zhu, intrigued by a painting of six beautiful women, finds one comes to life in front of his eyes, then disappearing into a doorway that previously wasn't there. The scholar, entranced, follows her through the tunnel that leads to the Land of Ten Thousand Blossoms, a beautiful place filled with fairy-like maidens, where males aren't allowed to trespass.

The environment and costumes are quite breathtaking, with Cyrus Ho's impressive sets, and Bobo Ng's filigree costuming. The attention to detail in the girls' clothing is apparent in the complex layering, though the hairstyles and glitter patterns on their arms are a little kitschy (and not in a good way).

The ensemble of actresses are fittingly beautiful, each according to the nature of their characters. The acting isn't too bad either, but the plot is quite contrived. The story goes off into tangents, with sub-plots that don't really add on to the story. Though a high-budget production, visual effects were a little lacking at times, reminiscent of old wuxia films (especially the part where the tortoise god ferries them on its back).

So while the visuals are mostly good, and the story sufficiently dramatic (essentially a tearjerker nearing the end of the movie), it falls short of being great. It feels like patchwork -- beautiful women, magical fireworks, cgi monsters, and lots of love triangles. It would probably be an epic if the effort was more focused on a single plot line, rather than that of multiple characters'.

All in all though, it's still quite an enjoyable movie, as long as you don't nitpick at the details and enjoy the eyecandy.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Product Review : ShiroMomo Hada Whitening Water

Hello hello people!!! Before I head off to my event later on today, I shall blog :D I have to admit, I've been a really slackish blogger these days. But I've been losing weight hardworking-ly. I'll share it with you guys next time so no one needs to get cheated again =3

Remember the ShiroMomo Hada Whitening Mist I reviewed awhile ago? I know that there're some of you out there don't really like mists, so here you go, a real toner!

So if you don't like mist, you'll be glad to know they have this ShiroMomo Hada Whitening Water for you to try!

This toner's a clear runny liquid that is almost similar to the Hada Labo one. Actually, I find this to be a cousin of the Hada Labo one... The texture is similar, the effect is similar, except that the Hada Labo one is unscented. However as mentioned previously, I'm a fan of peaches.

I'm not someone who's really sensitive or allergic to scents so to me, it's like a refreshing burst of peaches each time I use it. This toner absorbs quickly too.

Leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth, just like the mist, but slightly more moisturizing. Mist haters, get the toner instead! I use this like how I use Hada Labo. Three drops, then pat pat pat till it all absorbs. Alternatively, you can purchase compressed masks from SASA and use this toner like a mask!

Do note that if used that way, it takes a longer time to absorb fully into the skin. I've described more about the ShiroMomo Hada series before, so check the ShiroMomo Hada Whitening Mist review if you've forgotten! Also, remember that whitening =/= making you few shades fairer, it simply brightens your skin.

This ShiroMomo Hada Whitening Water is available for $16.90 at BHG outlets if I'm not wrong! Well if I am, you can always head over to their Facebook page to ask them about it~

Effectivenes: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (No whitening, brightening! Slightly less hydrating than Hada Labo but the scent...)

Scent: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (My cuppa tea!)

Texture: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (Slightly sticky, but still really easily absorbed)

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (It's pretty cheap, it works well and it smells good. One of my favorite toners now!)

Love,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : I bought this water for reviewing purposes and because I love peaches!