Makeup Post - my first?

I think this may very well be my first makeup post.  I wear makeup minimally.  On regular days, it's eyeliner, mascara, tinted lip balm and powder.  For a night out, it's usually heavy on the eye makeup and a nude lip.  I'm not an expert on makeup and I like to try different brands.  There are some brands that I like and I usually stick with those brands, but once in a while I do like to venture out of my "comfort zone".

Latest makeup haul

Ok, since I'm not an expert on makeup, once in a while I consult with my friend JJ - who is not only a shoe guru but a makeup one as well.  Recently, I asked her about eyeliner.  My go-to eyeliner is the MAC Eye Pencil but these liners tend to run and by the end of the day, I look like a raccoon (not all the time but most).  I still love them and as you can see I bought a couple - Ebony and Coffee.

MAC Eye Pencil in Coffee and Ebony

I mean, what can I say...I'm a pretty stubborn gal.  But I did listen to her suggestion and added a new eyeliner to my arsenal.  After going back-and-forth with JJ about it (MUFE Acqua vs Urban Decay Glide-On), I decided to go with her suggestion.  Deciding on a color was another factor but I stuck to my trusty black.  Urban Decay has 3 different blacks so I picked one that's different from my other liners and picked Oil Slick - black with silver glitter.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil

Off to the next product, concealer.  When I was in LA, I was playing with my mom's makeup kit and I fell in love with her concealer.  Since I was at MAC, I decided to pick one up for myself.  This concealer is amazing - perfectly creamy and blends so nicely.  I used my fingers to blend but I'm sure someone could do better with a brush.  Also, in the pic below, the concealer looks darker than it actually is.

MAC Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer in NW30

This next product I picked up from MAC is one of my favorite mascaras - X.  I was introduced to this mascara in 1999 when I had my makeup done to go to the Hustler Christmas party.  I've been using this mascara ever since.  It makes my eyelashes so voluminous but not in the spider-leg kinda way.  I love it.

MAC X Mascara

After I left MAC, I headed to Sephora where I picked up the rest of my haul.  Since that particular Sephora (Flatiron District) didn't have the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette, I went ahead and picked up the original - Naked.  I've been hearing rave reviews and I absolutely love eyeshadow palettes so why the hell not, right?  I still had Christmas money left over.

Urban Decay Naked

While at Sephora, I also picked up a highlighter - not that I know how to use it but it looks so pretty on.  I decided on Makeup Forever's (MUFE) Uplight because this was the one I saw used by pixiwoo (my fave makeup peeps on youtube).  I tried the different colors on my skin and decided on #32.  I still need to figure out how to use it though.

MUFE Uplight in #32

I also bought blush.  Not that I use blush all that often but I like having the option.  Since the only blush I have is by Nars, I bought another one from them as well.  This time I picked a hue slightly darker than Orgasm.  I'm not sure I'll be able to tell the difference, but oh well.  The color I wanted originally is no longer produced (Gina).

NARS Blush in Torrid

The last product that I bought is more of an impulse buy.  It's a makeup setting spray.  You're supposed to spray it all over your face to make your makeup last up to 16 hours.  I bought the travel sized one since I'm not sure how often I'll use it.

Urban Decay All Nighter

As an aside, I do love shopping for makeup but the girls that work at Sephora in SoHo are such f*n bitches.  That's why I didn't buy anything there.  I ended up in Flatiron where the person I asked about the Naked 2 palette didn't look like she knew what I was talking about and proceeded to go to the corner of the store and text.  Nice customer service there.  This is why I'd rather shop online.  Although, I had a more pleasant encounter at MAC and the Sephoras in LA are so much friendlier.

No Shoes This Year

It's hard to walk around in heels in NYC.  The pavement is uneven and you walk miles and miles and miles.  I've realized the best solution to this problem is a pair of wedges - preferably ones with straps.  Now this year, I promised myself no new shoes (you know, tuition comes first) but these are seriously testing my resolve.  Sigh.

Pierre Hardy, $695

Bottega Veneta, $820

Missoni, $1,055

Images from NAP

Happy New Year!

Hope everyone has a great new year's celebration!  I am going to be spending New Year's with my family and will be cooking part of dinner - mainly prime rib and baked spaghetti. 

Some changes to this blog in the new year - as I have not been shopping as much owing to becoming a full-fledged student again, you won't see as much purchase-related posts as before.  I'll try to post some outfit ones when I can but that might be few and far between as well.  Some new posts you might see - I'm still dabbling but you might see some cooking/baking related ones, book and cookbook reviews, maybe some movie reviews.  I guess the new posts will depend on what I have going on and how busy I am going to be.

Here's to an amazing and prosperous 2012!  May we all achieve everything we are working towards and may our lives be filled with love and happiness!  Cheers!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Image

Shipped!

YAY!!

Mad for Plaid

I love plaid shirts (and I love guys in plaid shirts too).  I have quite a few and I'd love to have more.  I'm on my way to school today to meet friends for a pow-wow sesh.  The weather has been on the cool side lately so I decided to wear one of my never-worn plaid shirts (I have quite a few of those too). 

Top: Rebecca Taylor
Jeans: JBrand
Shoes: Chloe
Jacket: UO Renewal (not shown)

Oh, and yeah sorry about the hair.  

Trinkets

First off, I want to apologize for the quality of the pics on my blog.  I usually use my iPhone to take pics and occasionally, I bust out my digital camera.  The pics for this entry were taken with my digital camera and while natural light would have been the best, it's late and I had to make do with apartment lighting.

Ok, back to this post.  Like most girls, I have a fascination with costume jewelry or trinkets as my mom likes to call them.  She prefers that I buy actual jewelry but with said trinkets, I never have to worry about losing them or insuring them.  I have to say that I have a preference for rings but I do tend to buy a lot of earrings as well.  I'm working on the necklace and bracelet department but I have to admit that they do bother me when I'm wearing them.  Anyway, these are my most recent acquisitions:

1. These first two were from a street vendor outside of Eataly.  All her pieces were $10 and I had a tough time narrowing it down to these two.  I love the delicate nature of these pieces.  Now I'm not exactly a delicate flower but once in a while I like feminine pieces.

without flash

with flash

2.  I bought this next one when I was in LA in August.  I was gonna wear it to Val's wedding but it didn't really go with the outfit I ended up wearing.

 

3. I bought these next two pieces from my friend's Etsy store.  Again, I had difficulty narrowing it down to two pieces but I'm really happy with both.  I can't wait to wear them and I can't wait to buy more of her pieces.

4. Last week, I found myself on Times Square (don't ask).  I also just read about the opening of a massive Forever 21 there so I decided to take a gander (And no, Forever 21 opened earlier this year but I just recently read about it).  I actually haven't been inside a Forever 21 store in a long time.  It's always an overwhelming experience and the Times Square store makes overwhelming such an understatement (another post on that next time).  Of course I couldn't leave without a souvenir.

with flash

without flash

5.  This bracelet was an impulse buy.  I was paying for other stuff at All Saints and there it was all pretty just staring me in the face.  Of course, I had to have it too.Oh, and these come in different color charms.  I wish I bought the red one too.

on my wrist

close-up of charms

Ankle Boots

I've always like ankle boots but since I'm on the short side (5'4), it's hard to find the right ankle boots that won't make my legs look stumpy.  I think the trick is to find one that hits right at the ankle or lower for shorter-heeled or flat ones and just a hair above or at the ankle for those with higher heels.

The closest I've come to ankle boots/booties are these:

L-R: Burgundy Lapono, Taupe Mamimo, Black Patent Moulage (all by Christian Louboutin)

They're not exactly ankle boots/booties but like I said, they're the closest I have gotten to finding ones that actually work for me.  Also, these three pairs are in storage in Los Angeles and I have really been dying to wear a pair out since it's getting cooler here in NYC.  I have asked my mom to send me at least one of them but if they don't get here soon, I just might lose it and actually end up getting a new pair (not the best idea since I am without income right now).

The contenders:

Suede Wedge Booties, One by Elizabeth Brady

Wedges are great for NYC - they're not as bad on the ball of the foot since you have more support (or at least it feels like it).  Plus, I don't have anything gray BUT I'm not sure about the suede.  With the rain and snow, I don't think suede will survive a New York winter.

Leather Biker Boots, Burberry

This on the other had, is perfect for NYC - on the more comfortable side being that they are flat and totally my style (very rock and roll).  Problem is, they look sorta like two pairs of flat boots I already own.  Still didn't stop me from gawking at the window in the West Village.  I must've walked by the window to check these out more than 5 times, on the same day and in the rain.  Obsessed much?  A tad bit, yeah.  I still haven't tried them on for fear that I might actually walk out the store with them on.

Leather Wedge Ankle Boots, Pierre Hardy

This third pair is what you get if the first two pairs ever mated.  The perfect compromise - you get the toughness and the edge of the biker boots and I guess the wedge from the first pair.  Oh who am I kidding?  It's gonna be the second boot.  I just know it.



Images from Shopbop and Net-A-Porter.