Happy New Year! && Bronzed Cheeks in the Winter?

Happy (almost) New Year! 

2010 is almost at an end and 2011 is fast approaching. Just wanted to wish everyone a happy New Year although you guys are probably celebrating already :) I have to go to a family party myself so this the following is a pre-written post.

If you read my blog often you should know I love to find dupes so when I heard that Wet n' Wild's Mineral Bronzer in Amber Glow was a dupe for Mac's Mineralized Skinfinish in Stereo Rose I just had to get it. This is regularly $4 but I picked it up during a 40% off weekly sale at Rite Aid so I only paid around $2.40 + tax. There is a lot of product in the tub, 5 grams to be exact, and with a mineralized product you don't need much. I suspect this will probably last me a lifetime.

After screwing off the top lid, a semi clear cover closes the sifter so that the product does not spill out. I do like this packaging as it makes the product accessible but not messy. The outer lid that is screwed on is not very tight though but it isn't a problem for me since there is a cap for the actual shifter anyway.

The powder is finely milled and blends easily into the skin. The pigment is there but it isn't super outrageously noticeable. I picked up some of the product with my finger and blended it out on the back of my hand and got a sheer layer of coral. Though this is a bronzer, it can easily be a blush for people with paler complexions.

The bronzer does give a nice sheen to the skin and I look forward to using this in the summer when my skin is more tan. I see myself using this as a summertime blush or all over face color to give my skin a sun-kissed bronze glow. I tried this on my cheeks the other day and the color was noticeable. I'm not too sure if I like this as blush for the winter but it definitely can be used as one.

Although the color is understated, that does not make Amber Glow a loser. I do like this product and for $4 it is a STEAL! Unfortunately I do not own Stereo Rose so I cannot tell you if this is a dupe for that. Nonetheless, I recommend this bronzer because it can be used as a blush or bronzer, it's affordable, and easy to find :) Do you own this yet? If you do, how do you use it and what are your thoughts on this?

CHOPPED! New Year, New Hair :D

I posted a while back asking for opinions on whether or not I should cut my hair. I've been wanting to cut my hair short since before the summer but I never got around to it. The past few days have been pretty stressful, filled with ups and downs... mostly downs. Despite the snow I just had to get out of the house today to do something, anything really. So I decided to get my hair chopped off!

See how damaged the ends of my hair were? I did like my long hair and it didn't always look damaged. That particular picture I took this morning made it look more damaged than it actually was. I really like short hair and I'm glad I did it. I wasn't really nervous or anything since it's just hair and it'll grow back soon enough. My hair is also pretty much one color now since I had dyed my hair in June and it was only visible in half of my hair.

I wore a super simple outfit today but it was comfortable and I actually really liked how it looked. I purchased the scarf last week when I was at Forever 21. The sweater was a Christmas gift from my boyfriend which is from Express. I actually picked out the sweater awhile back during Cyber Monday when the site glitched but my boyfriend paid for it and decided to make it part of my Christmas present because he didn't want me to pay him back. The black skinny jeans are from American Eagle and I wore Clarks knee high rain boots to trudge around the slush and snow.

Although I'm on my project 10 pan, I decided to go to The Face Shop because I've been wanting to try some new skincare. I have a lot of acne scars so I picked up the Post-Acne Nighttime Spot Treatment which I've heard good reviews on. I only have one Biore pore strip left so I also got the White Mud Nose Pack which I've also heard many good things about. I purchased a whitening mask and received a random mask for free. I asked about the membership card but you have to spend over $50 to receive it (I spent $25 in total) :( Maybe in a few months I'll go back and pick up $50 worth of stuff. I do have a few things I want to try like their cleansing oil but I'm trying to restrain myself from splurging too much on products I do not need as of now.

This isn't a huge haul.... I guess it's a mini one :) I will try out these products for awhile and update you guys on how I like them! I do have a lot of skincare items on my wishlist because I enjoy trying out new products and finding out what works best for me. I also know there's an Amore store nearby which I want to go to since I want to try out some Laneige products. But my poor wallet needs to recover first :( Any skincare products you guys have recently tried and enjoyed? Please share!! :D

Tutorial: New Year Party Eyes~

Celebrate the New Year with an eye-catching silver and blue look that will be perfect for any party! This look is relatively easy to do but it definitely is not something I would wear everyday. This is perfect for parties and fun nights out.

As usual, start off with applying your face makeup and eyelid primer to make sure your eyeshadows stay on throughout the night.

Using a flat shader brush, I picked up Ooh & Aah by Too Faced. You can use any pigmented silver color that you have. A very shimmery opaque white can also work.

Apply this color on the inner three fourths of your eyelid. Be careful not to spread the color too high into the crease. You want a pop of brightness on the lid only.

With the same flat shader brush, pick up a dark blue shade. I used Urban Decay's Jinx.

Apply the dark blue on the last fourth of the lid and sweep the color gently into the crease just slightly to blend the color out. Lightly pat the brush back and forth between the silver and blue to create a seamless transition.

Taking a small crease brush, take a dark gray color onto the tip of the brush. I used Urban Decay's Gunmetal.

Tap the gray shade over the outer edge of the blue and blend into the crease. Blend the blue and gray using circular motions on the outer corner and windshield wiper motions in the crease to blend the blue, silver and gray together.

Line half to three quarters of the outer lower lashline with the blue shade you used previously. Go over the blue with the gray on the outer fourth of the lower lashline to give a more blended look. You want to balance out the heavy intensity of the upper lid with some color on the lower lashline.

Apply a matte black shade to the outer corner for more emphasis and sweep down some of the color to the lower lashline if necessary. Use a shimmery white on the inner corner of the eyes to brighten up the area for a more "awake" look.

Line the eyes with an intense black liner and do a dramatic wing at the ends. I suggest using liquid or gel liner to do your liner for this look because you want a sharp, clean line. I used Loreal's Linear Intense in Carbon Black.

Wet an angled eyeliner brush and dip it into the silver once again. Make a tiny wing underneath your eyeliner wing to add a bit of sparkle on the outer edge of your eye. This part is optional but it really makes the look more interesting and suitable for a party.

Curl your lashes and apply generous coats of your favorite mascara to your upper and lower lashlines. This is definitely a look you will want to pair with dramatic false lashes. I am using Shisem lashes but I do not know what model they are :(

Hope you guys liked this tutorial! I wanted to do something with silver and blue since I very rarely reach for these colors and I thought it would be fun to do a party look. I know my pictures are all different shades and tones and it annoys me as well but I do not have the best camera and I have to hold it in all kinds of weird angles in the hopes that it will capture the colors. Thanks for reading and hope you guys have a lot of fun on New Years Eve :D

Snowed In *_* & Random Ramblings

Just a few days ago I remarked that it hadn't snowed much this season and to my surprise, it snowed the entire day yesterday. I woke up this morning to the sound of howling wind and some men bickering over a parking spot. New York City and the tri-state area is blanketed in more than a foot of snow.

Unfortuately, the snow came a day late for it to be a white Christmas but I'm not really complaining since the weather is making it impossible for going anywhere. There are delays on almost all the subway lines and many streets have not been shoveled at all yet, including mine. A poor taxi cab tried getting into my street but didn't realize it wasn't plowed yet. Then the plow swept snow from the main road into the smaller street, trapping the cab from both sides.

When I stepped onto the road, most of my boot sunk into the snow and I could still feel a thick layer of snow under my shoe. Not many people are outside right now aside from a few drivers trying to shovel out their cars. I had nothing planned for today anyway so I'm just going to relax at home, browse blogs, and eat Christmas leftovers.

On another note, the end of the year is the time to shop because stores are getting rid of their winter inventories to make room for spring collections. I have been hauling quite a bit of clothing and accessories lately. In fact, I'm supposed to go shopping tomorrow as well so I'm hoping the streets get cleared of snow.

I can see why New York City is such a popular place for tourists because it is a beautiful city. My friend and I wanted to check out the newest Forever 21 that opened up on Fifth Avenue so I did some damage to my wallet....

I did get a few things from Forever 21 including these earrings. It cost less than $5 for both pairs which I think is a great deal. Unfortunately, during the shopping process I actually lost one of the earrings I was wearing :( I bought a few other items including a poncho and circle scarf which I will show sooner or later in an OOTD.

Zara was right next door and they were having sales throughout the store. I picked up a sweater dress and suspender shorts. I really love both items and can't wait to wear them :) I'll be sure to post up pictures when I do!

H&M was also having store wide sales but I controlled myself and did not buy anymore clothing. Instead, I bought six pairs of tights.... I convinced myself that I needed them....

These were cookies my mom made for Christmas :) Aren't they adorable? Hope everyone is staying nice and warm~ Stay tuned for more posts!