Tuesday, January 31, 2012

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.

Monday, January 23, 2012

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