Cake Beauty has a series of skin moisturizing/softening products. Made in Canada, this paraben-free duo is composed of a 4.9-ounce small, hard, dark brown, semi-opaque plastic jar of the Milk Made smoothing hand and cuticle buffer, a plastic spoon, and a 3.4 ounce tube of Milk Made velveteen hand cream.

Unfortunately, this does not come with any directions, but I assume anyone purchasing this has some experience with giving and receiving manicures. But, just to complete this section of the review, consider this "manicure 101" (and yes, there will be a quiz!):

The first step in the process is to find something sturdy, narrow and at least 6" long. I have some metal "crab pickers" that I use. A small plastic spoon comes attached to the jar, but mine was broken on arrival. I doubt it would be very helpful because this stuff is thick. Use your instrument to stir, stir, stir, and try to disperse the granules evenly in the oil in the smoothing hand and cuticle buffer.

Next, take a small amount and rub around each cuticle on one hand. Let it sit for a minute or two to soften the cuticles. Then take a cuticle pusher (I prefer plastic to metal) and gently push back each cuticle. I do not recommend cutting any cuticle. Repeat this on the other hand.

Once the cuticles are pushed back and your hands are looking fine, wash your hands with soap and water or other skin cleanser (do not use those hand sanitizers for this). Apply a clear coat of nail polish base or lightly buff (using a nail buffer) each nail. The clear nail polish can be found in a "matte" finish which works well for men as it is completely invisible when dry. You can stop here or continue on to finish with your favorite nail color and clear finish. Some of you may not want to apply any polish and that is fine. Skip this step and move on.

It is important to wash your hands between the cuticle buffer and the polish because the polish will adhere better to clean nails. After the polish is completely dry (and this can take up to an hour), you are ready to use the hand creme. I find that a slight squeeze that dispenses about 3/4" does the trick for me. It surprised me how much I like this stuff. I will use this as my go-to hand creme now.

You may not realize it, but your feet also need tending to. The same thing you do for a manicure can be done as a pedicure. The only difference is, if you are like me and most people, you have some callouses on the bottom and/or sides of your feet. Find a bucket or other basin large enough and deep enough to soak your feet for at least 15 minutes. We like to add some bath oil to both soften, moisturize and smell nice. Here on EF you can find some bath salts/oils in varieties to help you relax, invigorate or meditate. It is very relaxing. Caveat: be sure to keep a large towel under your basin to catch any splashes. Also, have a towel handy for when you take your feet out of the water.

Most people will take care of their cuticles once a week, but you will certainly use this hand creme several times a day. I need to wash my hands frequently and like to use this hand creme when I can. You can do a manicure/pedicure for yourself but it is much nicer if you have someone you can have a private spa with and you can do each other. Some ladies like to invite friends over and have a "spa night." That sounds like fun, but I never get invited by my girl and her BFFs.

The hand and cuticle buffer is designed to be abrasive and remove dead skin cells. It does this with a combination of sugar and ground grape seeds, combined with vitamins and oils so that as you exfoliate you are also moisturizing your skin. The contents settle very fast and you need to stir the very thick mixture to get the grits evenly distributed.

Like other hand cremes, the Milk Made is designed for application as needed to keep your hands soft and smooth. This velveteen hand creme is superior to most other hand cremes I have used in that it absorbs super quick and leaves absolutely no trace of product. My hands feel so much more natural AND softer with this creme than others I have used. Most creams leave a shiny, tacky or gummy trace behind but not so with this stuff. One of the main ingredients is glycerin, well known for its skin moisturizing and softening properties.

I did not taste this because the ingredients may or may not be edible. Why take a chance with your health I always say. Cake Beauty describes the scent as a blend of vanilla baked goods with a hint of raspberry. I don't know that I would come up with that description on my own, but with their hint I can faintly get that scent. It is really so light that you have to really work at it to get a whiff.

Once you are familiar with giving and/or receiving nail/hand/foot care, this process should take under an hour for your hands and feet. As you are doing your hands, have your feet soaking to save time.

For the hand creme, this is right up there with the best products I have tried. I have discovered, though, that I prefer cuticle softener that does not have granules in it. Most commercial cuticle removers are either a loose lotion or a slightly waxy substance. I just found that the end result is the same but it is just too hard to disperse the granules evenly in the oil and I have to do it often while using because it settles so fast.

For the feet, I tried using the buffer to remove some calloused skin. I rubbed it all over the bottom and heel of my feet (the heels tend to get very dry and cracked). I feel that while it did help the dry skin on the heel, it did nothing for the callous. This is no reflection on the performance of the hand smoother and cuticle buffer, because the company makes no claims for callous removal. I just thought it might work, so I tried it out.

To remove any calloused skin, you can purchase a pumice stone (I like the ones on a stick), or (if you have very thick callous) I have bought what looks like a 1" razor. Refill razor blades are available. Just be very, very, very careful because you can easily slice into non-calloused skin and you will bleed. You will bleed a lot. Just take my word for this! The pumice stone is effective, and all you need to do is rub it over the callous until you get the desired results. I prefer the pumice because you can do it a couple of times a day, each day for only a few minutes. I do it when I wake up and when I go to sleep. You do need to continue with callous care because they are not something you get rid of and BOOM you are done. They continue to build up so I just rub some away everyday. You will be different and will find a routine that works for you.

Both items in this kit are available separately from EdenFantasys. I will be reordering the hand cream, but will probably skip the hand smoothing and cuticle buffer.

Cake Beauty/Milk Made are quality products. They are on par with the Principessa Beauty line. Cake Beauty hand creme is absorbed quicker and has a more natural feeling. Principessa has a much stronger (and very pleasant) scent and their packaging has a more refined, mature, elegant look. Also, Principessa does not have a cuticle softener available. I hope this information helps you make an informed decision.