august hauls

 

hey guys! so here's what i got this month. idk what's gotten into me recently, but i have suddenly purchased acquired a ton of blushes. ^^; ~Lindsay-chan ^.~

• hautelook*: be a bombshell blushes in sweet cheeks (not pictured, seen here) & love me
• unfortunately, the love me blush arrived shattered, so i pressed it back into the pan and i received a refund for it
• sephora: mufe mist & fix
• cvs: loreal infallible super slim liquid liner

cvs mua crease brush vs. UK mua e3 blending & shadow brush; bella bronze (swatched dry)

top: s1, s3, s4, s6, bottom: m1, m3, m4, m6 (swatched dry)

• ulta 20% off: smashbox mini full exposure palette, urban decay polish in mrs. mia wallace (see notd here), maybelline great lash doll mania mascara in blackest black, eos lip balm in vanilla mint
• i got the mini palette because $22 (minus 20%) is a pretty good deal, and i can live without those 4 shadows, mascara mini, and brush that were included with the full-size ($49)
• i super omg'd when i saw swatches of this nail polish. i am not a red person at all, and i had to have it.
• cvs: mua crease brush, milani bella eyeshadow in bella bronze

poetic, delicate, elegant, glamorous

coastal scents: forever blushes in poetic, delicate, elegant, & glamorous -- they were on sale for $4/ea and i got $3 off for making an account!

• the only quibble i have about the blushes is that they're powdery, but they're full color and last quite a while.
• they also sent me some stickers and a mini eyeshadow quad with ice ballet, peachy keen, bombay, raisin berry. i didn't swatch the quad because i think i'm going to give it away.

*Affiliate Link.

July - September Favorites

 

UGH! it's october already. what happened??!!!??? anyway, here's what i've been loving over the summer. ~Lin-chan ^.~

europe -- so most of you guys don't know, teh paul went to europe with his friend in june--part vacation, part nerdy-academic-people conference. while on his venture, he picked up some huge gummy bears, champagne truffles, and lindt chocolates for me, as well as this super cute salt and pepper shaker set. anyway back to the favorite. of these that he brought back, my favorite was the joghurt erdbeer-rhabarber (yogurt strawberry-rhubarb) bar from lindt. its soooo good. the only problem is that it's not readily available here yet and, as you can see, definitely way expensive to order right now (he paid €1.95 (~$2-3). TT_TT i luff it. as soon as it is reasonably priced (and hopefully nearby) i will buy all the lindt!!

 

new york city/chinatown? -- i'm not really sure where this is from, but this is beef jerky that my grandfather buys every time they go to new york. from what i understand, it's super expensive too (upwards of $20+/lb???). but it's soooo goooood. mmmmmm. it's super thinly cut and is freshly made, without preservatives. (package shown is ½ lb)

• covergirl ink it eyeliners -- i've been using black, charcoal, and cocoa the most lately. occasionally, i'll play with the crazier ones (silver, gold, aqua). i just love how long these stay put, i have no fading issues with them, they don't rub off easily once they're set. just awesome. i don't generally use dark eyeliners in my waterline--so i can't say anything about their staying power there.
• milani color statement lipstick in nude creme -- i love this lipstick. i'm more of a nude to brown lippy wearer but this is great! there's no shimmer and it's the perfect my lips but better shade, leaning a little pink. the color lasts quite a while after the balminess wears off as well (if you don't eat or drink), so it's nice to not have to reapply as often as other lipsticks.
• benefit cosmetics posie tint -- this is such a pretty pink stain. i've been primarily using it on my lips, i'm not adventurous enough to try it on my cheeks yet.
• wet n wild walking on eggshells trio -- this is a great trio to get. super natural looking, and it's only $3! you can't beat that. i've been using it a lot and i just love it. several people have told me that they really liked it when i've worn it. the brush that i've been loving lately to blend the crease shadow with is the MUA E3 brush.
• loreal infallible eyeshadow in bronzed taupe: a youtube made me buy it! emilynoel83/beauty broadcast mentioned it and after buying it and trying it, i'm in love.
• urban decay 24/7 eye liner in stray dog [not pictured below] -- this is such a pretty metallic taupe, it goes well with neutral and natural eye looks. loooove it. it's been discontinued, but mushroom is very close.
• see walking on eggshells, bronzed taupe, stray dog, and posietint on me here (swatches of stray dog and mushroom are on there as well).

 
silver, charcoal, aqua, cocoa, gold, black, nude creme, posie tint
walking on eggshells trio, bronzed taupe (swatched over milani eye primer)

• elf daily moisture stick -- a "youtube made me buy it" emilynoel83 recommended it. i don't know what's been going on lately, but my undereye area has been super dry and no matter what concealer i use, it's cakey looking. this, in conjunction with using eye moisturizers, has been helping reduce the cakiness. it can be used both under and over makeup without disrupting what you've already applied. apply it from the stick to your finger, rather than directly to your face. at $6, it's so worth a try.
• simple skincare 
• cleansing facial wipes -- i initially got my first pack to try, to see what the hype was all about. and omg i love them (worth the hype, guys!). i don't wear contacts, nor do i feel like my eyes are particularly sensitive, but these wipes don't irritate my eyes or my skin when i use them. i'm so sad that they're a lot more expensive than my equate wipes! they're about $5 for 25 wipes vs. equate at $7 for 120 wipes. buuuut they're soooo awesome... sadface!!!
• soothing eye balm -- it's a very light moisturizer, similar consistency to clinique's ddm gel. i've been using it morning and night and it's been helping with my recent dryness.
• eye makeup remover (liquid): this has been doing a pretty good job getting off my eye makeup (including waterproof mascara) without irritating my eyes. now, if i over-saturate the cotton ball, yes it kind of stings..but just use it in moderation! lol.
• the eye makeup remover wipes are only ok. you have to flip the package over each time you pull one out to extend their moisture retention (i do this with other wipes as well).
• lady gaga fame perfume -- to be honest, i went to sephora with a couple of friends and, while there, decided to give this a whiff. it's actually quite nice, i really enjoyed it. the scent, though it doesn't have vanilla in it, smells kind of like it to me. so i got a rollerball so that teh hubz could smell it as well as the fact that i haven't been huge into wearing perfume lately with my migraines, but anyway.... the most intriguing thing about this perfume is that the liquid is black. sooo interesting! i really like this scent. (also got the cute deluxe sample size for 100 sephora points at a later time.)

fotd: school edition

hi guys! i wanted to show you what i've been doing for school recently. enjoy! ~Lin-chan ^.~

top: bronzed taupe; bottom: walking on eggshells trio

photo 1: after skincare routine, with face primer all over face and lip balm
photo 2: [revlon colorstay] concealer
photo 3: after blending concealer and applying powder and blush
photo 4: finished! order of application: eye primer, posie tint, nude liner, stray dog liner, eyeshadow [bronzed taupe], de slick spray, liquid liner, mascara, 2nd coat of posie tint if needed)

list of products used:

• eyes
• milani eyeshadow primer
• eyeshadow (one or the other)
• loreal infallible eyeshadow in bronzed taupe: apply all over the lid up to about the crease, then blend away.
• wet n wild walking on eggshells trio: applied in locations as directed; i dab a bit of the crease shade onto the tip my blending brush then blend it into my outer V and crease.
• waterline: rimmel london scandalEyes waterproof khol eyeliner in nude
• lower lash line: urban decay 24/7 eyeliner in stray dog (discontinued, but mushroom is pretty close; see swatches at end of post)
• upper liquid liner: revlon colorstay liquid eye pen in blackest black
• i don't typically wing it out on school/work days because i'm usually in a rush! >.<
• i usually stamp and drag the pen along my lash line, like holding the pen nearly parallel with my face so the length of the pen tip can drag across my eye.
• be careful not to get it wet after it dries, it will remoisten and transfer to your lids before you realize it!
• loreal telescopic shocking extensions mascara in blackest black
• i generally apply a thin coat to the top side of my lashes, then apply a thick coat in a wiggling motion while turning the wand, dip and go to the next eye. repeat. dip, apply a second thin coat to the first eye, then the second. occasionally: use the remainder on the wand for lower lashes. i don't always apply mascara to my lower lashes.
• brushes: sigma E25 & E55, MUA E3, spoolie (if needed)
• face
• too faced primed and poreless (original/nude)
• revlon colorstay OR photoready concealer in light
• to set concealer: apply powder in a stippling motion, swiping your brush will move the concealer around.
• i usually use the sigma P86 (or F86) to blend in the concealer, or you can use your fingers.
• sephora mineral loose powder foundation in light (discontinued, i got it a few years ago and finally opened it)
• be a bombshell blush in sweet cheeks
• tip: if you apply too much blush, blend it away with your powder brush!
• urban decay deslick setting spray
• brushes: sigma P86 [or F86 (not pictured)], real techniques powder brush, MUA F6
• lips
• eos lip balm in vanilla (apply before makeup application)
• benefit posie tint (1-2 coats)
• after it stains/develops, if you missed anywhere, apply a second coat.
• it generally lasts 3-4 hours or so, but i don't always have time to reapply it. also, i apply a clear lip balm over the course of the day just to keep my lips moisturized.
• optional: invisible lip liner to keep it from bleeding -- i don't have one and again, i'm usually in a rush in the mornings.

posie tint, colorstay concealer, photoready concealer, sweet cheeks blush, eye primer, walking on eggshells trio,
bronzed taupe, nude pencil, stray dog pencil, mushroom pencil, colorstay eye pen

Jan - Mar Favorites

hi all! so not too many things, a few beauty items and snackssssss. >w< ~Lin-chan ^.~

1. beauty blender -- i love this thing! i thought the white one would be nice so i specifically asked for one for xmas, but it looks so gross after a while from foundations staining it, etc. so i got some pink ones too for when this one goes bye-bye! while i do still like using foundation brushes, i like how the beauty blender doesn't leave brush strokes behind.
2. covergirl 3-in-1 stay fabulous foundation in 825 -- this has been the foundation of choice lately, in combination with the beauty blender or real techniques expert face brush. i think this is a great replacement for my beloved stila one step that they discontinued (haven't tried the newer version yet). i still use powder to set it but you don't really need to..
3. mua f6 blusher/contouring brush: oh my god. this is such a dense brush, i'm going to have to say that, on my list, this pretty much beats sigma's f40 and posh contour blush brushes. i need more.
4. equate exfoliating cleansing towelettes -- these are great. they're like $6 for 2x 60 count packs at neighborhood walmart. these are awesome for major swatchfests, but at the same time they're pretty good at removing face and eye makeup, while exfoliating in the process. i do still wash my face afterward, but i still think these are great for the money. i don't like how they tape the packs together because i accidentally slit one open while trying to separate them... >.> also, i don't like how they're layered in the package, tissue-style. so as you pull one out, out comes the next.

1. southside produce vegetable chips -- this is actually pretty ridiculous. i just have to stop buying them because i like them so much. $3 is kinda steep for 6oz of fried bits of vegetables. granted, they do make it kinda healthy..., using only sea salt and canola oil. basically, i will sit and eat 3/4 of the bag before i realize it. that is such a bad habit! like it's not the best tasting thing ever, but they must put somethin in it! just like pringles and hi-chew..those have some addicting additive of sorts that makes you eat the whole package in one sitting! just kidding, but that's how it feels [see John Pinette's Around the World in 80 Buffets]. oh well. i'm going to have to limit myself to one package every so often instead of buying a few at a time and then wishing i had more.
2. zapp's regular potato chips -- i think it's just that i haven't had all these oils/potato chips, etc. in a while and i've been on a greasy junk food kick over the past couple months. thankfully it hasn't changed anything about my oily skin but yeah. >.<

comparison review: mua undress me too vs. urban decay naked2

i recently received my undress me too palette by mua! i'm really confused with this whole shipping-time-from-uk thing. i'm hoping between weather storms and christmas, that is why these past three orders came at different points in time.. this one arrived three weeks after ordering.

this post is an amendment/continuation of my previous mua comparison review post. i previously mentioned the following about the heaven and earth palette:

naked2 (top) vs. heaven and earth (bottom), over ud original eye primer

as you can see, pan by pan, they don't match up to the naked2 but some shades are similar..if you switch them around. this isn't as exact as the undressed palette and i don't think that was the intention. i do think that the shades in heaven and earth are a very natural selection and can be used for smokey looks. relatively, heaven and earth isn't exactly the same as naked2, but it's a very nice natural palette.

naked2 (top) vs. undress me too (bottom), over ud original eye primer

the shades in the undress me too palette are certainly modeled after those of the naked2 palette. going one by one, they are arranged in the same order and it's very close. seen far away, there is no noticeable difference. up close, it's hard to tell too, but there are some textural differences in some and the amount of glitter/shimmer is slightly different. i'm not particularly fond of the black in undress me too, it's chalky compared to ud blackout. carbon copy? it's pretty close.

the verdict: i definitely think that if you're interested in the naked2 palette--and don't want to shell out $50, go ahead and try out the undress me too palette--and while you're at it, get the undressed palette (naked1 dupe) too! i mean, what do you have to lose? £4+shipping is very affordable. these palettes come with a double-ended sponge-tip applicator "brush".

~Lin-chan ^.~

february haulage

 

hey guys! more shopping online and off! candles by victoria had a sale for the super bowl, 25% off because the teams' scores were 26 combined at halftime. i couldn't bring myself to buy more candles yet as i haven't been burning them as frequently lately. so i mainly got stuff from melissa instead.

i won a contest from lynn of lawless lacquer, and received a few polishes from her.

at sally's i've been searching for a cheaper alternative to macadamia natural oil hair masque and rene furterer's fortecia shampoo and picked up some [possible] dupes for way less. so i'll be trying these out, hopefully they'll be close enough and i like them! saving/spending less is always better! also while i was there, i got my hands on seche's collage overlay polish. so pretteh. it's pink and white hexagon glitter with holo bar glitter. >w< 

then, mua came out with their naked2 dupe! so while i was at it, i also ordered a few contour pens (eye liner pencils). and on the topic of urban decay, i got a few things from their friends and family sale.. then i wanted to try out some of the new maybelline color whisper lipsticks.

• candles by victoria's superbowl sale:
• leaves type soap/scent shot -- ordered this soap as a gift and i had to buy some for myself!
• jelly doughnut scent shot (freebie) -- smells kinda like raspberry sauce. mmm!
• tiffanyd lotion/sugar scrub -- melissa filled these to the brim! and they smell amazing!
• shamrock kiss soap -- there's a red pair of lips on top. had a sample of this a while back and loved it!

 

collage overlay (1 coat), constant caribbean (2 coats), blue frosting (2 coats), angel kiss (1 coat), i need a refresh-mint (2 coats)

• lawless lacquer giveaway win: 
• wet n wild i need a refresh-mint
• color club angel kiss
• sally hansen blue frosting
• neighborhood walmart:
• covergirl outlast stay fabulous foundation in buff beige
• covergirl outlast stay brilliant nail polish in constant caribbean
• rimmel stay matte pressed powder in transparent
• sally beauty supply: 
• seche collage overlay
• folicure shampoo ~$9 for 32oz (vs. rene furterer fortecia shampoo:  $30 for 8.45oz or $60 for 34oz)
• hair chemist macadamia oil deep repair masque ~$11 for 8oz (vs. macadamia natural oil deep repair masque, $33 for 8.5oz)

swatches: sage, gunmetal, black

• mua: undress me too palette [comparison review to naked2 soon!], and 3-in-1 contour pens in black, sage, and gunmetal
• the thing i don't like about the packaging for the contour pens is that they do not have color labels on the pens themselves..just the boxes >.>

top: ammo shadow box + ecstasy, bottom: mariposa palette + frigid; all over ud original eye primer

• urban decay friends and family sale
• mariposa palette
• ammo shadow box
• deluxe shadow in frigid
• vintage shadow in ecstasy
• lip junkie in heavy--forgot to swatch! sorry!

petal rebel, lust for blush, quad swatched dry from top to bottom

• cvs: maybelline color whispers in petal rebel & lust for blush, loreal color riche quad in because i'm worth it! and telescopic shocking extensions in blackest black--i love how it's shaped like a telescope. just sayin!