august/september favorites

alrighty! so eternity and a half ago (aka. earlier this year), i made my first what i'm loving post..with basically everything i loved at the time. i still love a lot of those products, but we're going to venture off onto "favorites" now and hopefully make this a bi-monthly (edit: maybe quarterly?) thing, seeing as though i don't change up what i'm using very often. ~Lindsay-chan ^.~

benefit hervana (tl) & dandelion (tc) -- applied to apples; theBalm sexy mama (tr) -- used as a setting powder;
boi-ing shade 1 (br); too faced pink leopard (bl) -- used for contour.
i'm definitely buying a full sized dandelion when this runs out, i like the (very) light pinkness it adds to my cheeks

l'oreal voluminous full definition mascara, urban decay eyeliner in rockstar, sigma F40 & posh angled blush brushes
my only complaint about the voluminous full definition mascara is that it's very wet. rockstar is a slightly shimmery, dark eggplant
i like sigma brushes a lot, the only problem is the shipping cost. posh brushes are easier to find and buy, good alternative but are a lower quality than sigma's.
sigma's are from http://www.sigmabeauty.com/, and posh brushes can be found at kmart and bed bath & beyond

unii/z palettes (see haul/review post here)

tiffanyd soap & candle from candles by victoria & cbv bath and body (website has been moved to cbv)
these candles don't burn dirty as long as you trim the wicks regularly, and extinguish them normally rather than closing the lid (which is what we've been doing...)

sigma paris palette -- deboxed!

after great debate, i decided to depot..or debox..my paris palette (paris palette haul post here). the palette itself about the same size as the eyeshadow drawer in ud's book of shadows iv (seen here), and it's just as unreasonably bulky. i really like the packaging for this palette, it's super pretty, but i feel that they could have made the palette itself smaller, and bundled the brushes with it some other way (like bundled outside of the palette..). anyway; here's our finished product, after getting another z palette and rearranging my other custom palettes. ~L-c ^.~

the easiest way, in my opinion to debox this, is to slide a tool (box cutter, knife, etc) along the ridge inside the contour brush slot. then pop the corners of the brush slot upward, along the bottoms of rouge and lumiére. afterward, pull the top layer off to reach all the pans. this gets you very close to where the pans are glued and you won't make a complete mess in the process. before deboxing yours, please note that these pans are not magnetically attractive.

unii palette. that tiny square shadow was a free gift from sigma when i ordered the paris palette
everything in the paris palette doesn't fit into a small z palette; 6 shadows and two blushes fit.

diamond candles update/review!

 

hi! so a while back, i mentioned that i bought a diamond candles..candle with a groupon*. i've finally burned it down enough to take the ring out and show it to you guys! the ring indicator is actually a dot that is stuck to the glass and is not part of the foil that the ring is wrapped in. the rings are wrapped in plastic inside the foil. this ring isn't stamped with 14k or "Thailand", etc. so i'm assuming it's not worth much as it is very lightweight and the stones and the setting don't seem like anything special.. it's giant on me, too big for my thumb, so probably a size 9+. ~L-c ^.~

likes/dislikes: the wick is poorly made and leaves shredded bits in the candle as it burns away; it's not a wired wick. the scent is great, but isn't strong enough for a large room; i can maybe smell it within 4-5 feet.
repurchase?: maybe, maybe not: cool concept, but i'm certainly not repurchasing one at full price ($25ea+s/h--see shipping chart)

*Affiliate Link.

school update

so a-k just reminded me that i hadn't made my usual "first day of school" post. hello, 2/3 of september is over, midterms are coming up! anyway. here's my semester breakdown. ~Lin-chan ^.~

work 20 hours, class 15 hours

mwf:

• 8-1015: work
• 1030-1120; isds 2000: this class has been kinda boring. this is basically intro to statistics (exst 2201), which i already took. plus some tidbits of basically everything i learned related to experimental psychology. "this is a sample. this is a population. this is how you find mean, median, and mode. how to use a z-table." i think the most insulting part about this class is that for the first exam's formula sheet, she felt it necessary to include the formula to find range (if you don't remember: range = max - min). like really, range? you have to take calc 1/business calc before you're allowed to take this class, and you think we don't know what range is..from third grade?! aside from that though, it's difficult to pay attention. the nice break though, the tests are in the testing center and span over 2-3 days, is that one of the test days is a scheduled canceled class day. (location: allen)
• 10 minutes to hike.
• 1130-1220; blaw 3201: this class is extremely difficult to take notes for. the topics he lectures on are too intriguing to take notes and not fully listen. a lot of it is regarding court cases and applications, things that became of court cases, etc. nice break: he is still practicing, so we have some canceled days due to clients, court dates, etc. and he normally teaches this class at night (it's a 1hr class), so the exams will span two days and contain only ch's a&b on day 1, ch's c&d on day 2, etc. so that's kinda nice. (location: business complex)
• 1220-1: lunch break/go to work early
• 1-5: work (mw)

tth

• 8-1020: work
• 1030-1150; isds 1102: this is probably the easiest break of the semester. 90% of this class is "how to use ms office". the other 10% is "this is win7; these are it's features". cake. the other awesome thing about this class, 太很多的 canceled class days. we have a regular classroom that fits all of us, then there's a computer lab that only fits half of us. so on tuesday-test days, half of us go to the computer lab and then have thursdays off, and vice versa for the other half. alphabetically, i'm in the tuesday test group. additionally, on weeks that she lectures, she only lectures on tuesday and we collectively have thursday off. so essentially, i have thursday mornings off for the whole semester. so great! ^______^ (location: business complex)
• 12-120; acct 2001: so far, so good. a lot of new terminology that's a bit confusing but i feel like lectures are pretty good. it's my first..second (isds 2000)? "mathy" class since like exst 2201 (summer 2010). first test is next week, and this class also uses the testing center and does a scheduled canceled day for each testing window. (location: business complex)
• lunch break!
• 3-420; econ 2000: i don't really know what to really say about this one. he's really boring, and aside from drawing related diagrams, he basically reads off the slides, making it pretty hard to fully pay attention. i'm not entirely sure if i want to try taking him for macro, but if you have certain habits or appearance(s?), he basically indirectly mocks you in class. he'll say things like, "stupid people will go buy mc d's every day and become fat." "idk how these people can do this extreme couponing thing; they're hoarders and it's stupid to keep like f'n 1000 rolls of paper towels in your house." and other things similar to that, like swearing, but he does drive his point home, though sometimes unconventionally. (location: allen)

updated.

pseudo-review/rant: benefit boxed blushes

this post goes hand in hand with my custom palettes post; the following was originally attached to said post, but i decided to separate them. ~Lin-chan ^.~

my quibble about benefit's boxed blushes: somewhat recently, benefit did a packaging redesign for their boxed blushes. the original packaging had a lid that was completely separate from the bottom, the new packaging is shorter in height and has an attached lid. when unboxing/depoting, the original boxes had a thicker amount of cardboard between the pans and the bottoms of the boxes, compared to the new boxes. the only problem is that they also decided to make the pans thinner for the new packaging--and charge the same price.

see box height difference between thrrrob & 10

haul/review custom cosmetics palettes! unii & z palette (pic heavy) (updated)

 

hey guys! i'm super excited to share these awesome unii palettes i bought! (pronounced: unique) they're from http://uniicosmetics.com/ and, pending on how many you purchase, the price changes. the cost of 1 is $29+shipping, buying 2+ gets you free shipping (in the US), buying 3 is $27 each, and 4+ is $25 each. ships via usps, no tracking. i also got two pro z palettes from beauty.com; you can buy them through zpalette.com for other color options, but beauty.com has reward dollars, free shipping with tracking at $25, and ebates*--so why not?!

after watching this video, i bought and used this $2 tool from sally's to help depot/debox some of the following products. and i bought a pack of dots to label the pans. both brands of palettes come with magnetically attractive stickers to put onto your non-attractive pans; but, unlike the z palettes' stickers, you can write on the sheets that come with the unii's. (edit: and i got some 91% isopropyl alcohol.)

yes, the unii's are sparkly--you're not seeing things! i love both brands of palettes, and i ordered my first pro z palette after about a week with the unii's (the second z was purchased shortly after). i think the unii's will be traveling with me more than the z palettes due to their snap closure, which seems safer to travel with than z palettes. but i wanted the z palettes because they will let me keep my other depoted pans safely stowed in a more compact palette than their original packaging. other differences between the two: z palettes have a large window so that you can see into them (so, no mirror), and unii's come with a large mirror, a thumb grip, and very detailed instructions.

midnight, turquoise, crystal unii palettes

 
 
unii palette packaging, interior of palette with the movable thumb grip magnet (left) and "not a magnet" strip (right).
in the palette interior photo: the clear part under my thumb is the snap closure for the case.

pro z palette with pack of 20 round magnetically-attractive stickers (i ordered the palettes at different times, so i didn't get a picture of them together, empty)

 
size comparison of z pro to unii

   
↓

i depoted my urban decay book of shadows iv and midnight emergency kit. look at how much space i'm saving!!!

this palette is missing 2 of the above 20 shadows (see why below)

it fits about 18 square urban decay shadows (& 1 sample clinique shadow and a brush) with the thumb grip.
i tried turning them to diamond-orientation and only about 14 fit, without the thumb grip.

moved all of my eyeshadows around into a pro z palette; fits approx. 45 square urban decay eyeshadows + some skinny brushes

finished palettes, after some rearranging:
please forgive the appearance of some of these pans; there were a few casualties ^^; --i didn't use heat and i tried repairing some that broke..thus the weird bubbles and gashes. >.>

turquoise unii: everyday palette

midnight unii: clinique, etc. palette

 crystal unii: tokidoki palette

black pro z: eyeshadows & tarte palette

zebra pro z: benefit/too faced palette

see benefit boxed powders review/rant here

@lilactinggirl's birthday unii palette

~Lin-chan ^.~

edited.

the verdict: go for either palette. just know that the unii is smaller for the price, but it does have a hinged lock and a mirror. the only thing i don't like about it, after using them for a while is that the metal pieces that hold hinges to the palette come loose over time and need to be pushed back in. otherwise, it's a great palette. and i feel that, for the money, you may as well get the pro sized z palettes rather than the large ones. but that's just me.

updated photo from august-september favorites post

update for dome palette mini-review (haul post 4/29/14): as i hope you are able to see, the dome palette is about 1.25 times thicker or deeper than regular z palettes. the dimensions of this palette are otherwise the same as the pro palettes.


other related unii/z palette posts:

• makeup collection and-storage updated & updated unii/z palettes (12/22/12)
• updated unii & z palette comparison review (pic heavy) (7/11/13)

*Affiliate Link.

hauls! online and in-store!

 

[haul post a bit late due to hurricane isaac and postal carriers]

hey guys! so i'm super excited to share a few things that i've got. ~L-c ^.~

in august, they had a groupon* for diamond candles, $15 for $30 (exc. ship). these candles are $25 each, and shipping cost varies pending on how many you purchase (see chart). it sucked because i didn't read that it wouldn't cover the $5 shipping for one candle, so i actually paid $20 for this candle, bummer. the only reason why i got one was because the whole concept behind it was crazy to me and i wanted to try it out. i don't really plan on getting more of these because they're pretty expensive. but, like i said, interesting concept: they put a ring inside the candle that is worth anywhere from $10-1000, which is totally crazy. the weird, discolored thing in the second picture toward the top of the diamond picture is where my ring is. the scent of this one is amazing; it's as if i'm eating a fresh watermelon! when i burn the candle down enough to take the ring out, i'll update you guys!

 

target/cvs: got revlon's colorstay whipped foundation in natural beige (which is perfect match by the way!) (~$12) and a few of maybelline's colorshow nail polishes (~$4 ea). two are limited editions that came out with the new color tattoos, avante green & pink cosmo; and metallics: blue blowout & navy narcissist. i also stumbled upon some cute vaseline lip balms. these are totally awesome, i went and got another for my mother in-law and in the process, found that there's also a cocoa butter one. they're about $1.80 (at target in the cosmetics section) and i love it! please note that these are made by vaseline, the petroleum jelly company, and as such, these contain no spf and the petroleum amplifies the absorption of the sun's harmful rays! but otherwise, they feel very nice, long lasting, and the cocoa butter one has a nice scent to it.

 
no flash, flash

no flash; 2 coats with a topcoat
navy narcissist, blue blowout, avante green, pink cosmo

(color tattoo for size reference)

hautelook: urban decay sale!

skull & vegan (& sin primer) palettes, maui wowie vintage eyeshadow, de slick xl spray

skull palette: cherry, midnight cowboy rides again, grifter, vert, oil slick, shattered, blunt, chopper, twice baked; over ud original eye primer

 

maui wowie, vegan palette: minx, urb, gunmetal, twice baked, smog, half baked; over ud original eye primer

sephora.com/benefitcosmetics.com -- so benefit was having a sale a few weeks ago, so i ordered a thrrrob ($21 w/ tax & free ship), and tokidoki is leaving sephora and i wanted the luminosa powder, but i could only find it online. so i spent a bit more on sephora's site to get the free shipping; rather than $8+$6ship for one powder. 

tkdk: luminosa powder (kabuki) & inferno bronzer (diavolina) --$8 ea

 
benefit: dallas & 10; hervana & thrrrob -- $28 ea

10: i swatched both halves, then mixed them; hervana: is mixed

 
tokidoki sandy in the city & lion pappa palettes -- $4 ea

(swatched without primer)

candles by victoria: for august, victoria had a 20% off sale for one of her daughter's birthdays. i took the opportunity to order some candles for xmas presents and here's my portion of the order! >.< morning in madrid was my free tart, but all of these smell amazing. i love them! (the pretty box is from the candle crate; she ships her candles in these!)

too faced's vintage sale: on the prowl set - $13 (discontinued). includes peach/candy/pink leopard palette, a sample of primed & poreless, a flatbuki brush, and cougar lipstick. so you guys know how much i love pink leopard, and for less than half the price of a full-sized one, i got to try all three of these! candy leopard is not permanent, and from what i can tell, it's only in this set. cougar is a dusty rose, brown-bronze color. it looks a bit odd on my lips---like a vegas-looking shiny bronze, but the swatch is very pretty.

  
peach, candy, pink leopard; primed & poreless, cougar

*Affiliate Link.