Winter Skincare Update

Since the advent of colder weather, I have had to reign in my skincare and keep it simple - and moisture focused. But before that, I had a trouble spot where it was a break-out cycle, non stop. No matter what I tried (medicated, deep cleansing, masks), I still had residents on my face. Then some research later, I realized I was probably not clearing out my pores as well as I could and that I needed to drink at LOT MORE WATER.

Fall Thrift Haul finds under $6: Steve Madden, Zara and more

It's no secret that I love wardrobe updates. And thrift shopping. So as bad a habit as it is, at least it isn't an expensive one.

Fall Goodwill Pieces

I went to Goodwill today to drop off some clothes and other knick-knacks that have no place in my shoebox home anymore, and I decided to browse around and look at the sweaters and coats to see if there was anything worthwhile for fall. I LOVE buying winter stuff from Goodwill because the pieces are so...different? In stores, at least the ones that are on the typical fashion cycle, have pretty similarly cut clothes. And I'm always on the lookout for something a little bit different. And that I don't have to spend pre-fall prices on because well, unemployed.

And I think I had a VERY good day.

I am completely aware that it is too hot to wear any of this except the last dress, but hey. Just getting ahead.

1. Eddie Bauer Sweater - $5.49

The first thing I found was a long sweater-hoodie hybrid. It is extremely cozy and has a detachable fur lining on the hood. I would wear this out or even around the house - it's the perfect sweater for when you want to look a little bit put together but not put in much effort. And I think it would fare well even as outerwear till the end of this year - till the snow comes in, that is. Factoring in Eddie Bauer as performance wear cold weather, I'm hoping that it does it's job.

2. ABG sweater dress - $5.49

This baby still had the original tag on. It's in an XL, but works so well as a slouchy sweater dress. It looks oversized on me but hangs nicely. I love the leather detail on the sagging pockets. I'm sure I'll get loads of wear out of this. I'm also on the hunt for a pair of thigh-high boots, so paired with this, I think it'd both keep me warm and look like I tried at life, too.

3. Giacca coat - $6.79

This bomber styled quilted jacket is EVERYTHING. I've been on the hunt for a khaki coat, but I had enough jackets last season, so this was a welcome change to that line-up. It is ridiculously warm, and the (faux) fur detail gives it a nice touch. It also keeps me warm without making me look like I'm in my third term and about to pop.

4. Diane Von Furstenburg slip dress - $4.99

Need I say more. This silk (yes!) slip dress feels amazing on the skin, and I've worn it NON STOP. As a dress both belted and without and as a top tucked into shorts. It's so versatile and I think I can even get away layering it for the fall.

Like I said, the Goodwill Gods were definitely on my side today and I think for the prices, I snagged some insanely good deals. Now for the next haul...

Goodwill 101

I've gotten quite a few questions over the past few months relating to one thing - Goodwill shopping.
It's something that I wanted to do as soon as I came here because I've heard SO much about it from US based blogs and vlogs. Back in the UK, there is a similar concept called Charity Shopping but the stores are smaller and more full of bric-a-brac than clothes.

I thought I'd do a series of posts that basically help you all (well, my US based friends) shop at Goodwill!

There are a few things you need to know straight off the bat.

1. Goodwills can be HUGE. Some of them have clothes organised by size, some don't. Some organise by color, some don't. Some don't even organise past men's/women's. But that is exactly what makes it exciting. It's like a treasure hunt.
2. There are tonnes of Goodwills in NYC. Don't just look at the ones in midtown. The best ones are the ones that are in Brooklyn or even uptown (cause that's where you can score some designer shi*).
3. You need patience. Go through all the racks. It takes a few visits to really know what is worth it, what's overpriced and what you need to buy RIGHT NOW or you'll spend the rest of your life regretting it.

Items are typically priced between $5-25 (this is mostly clothing) but when you figure out the half-off color (will talk more about this later), you can score for as little as $1.50-2. I've gotten skirts for $2. With the original label on.

So here's a step by step to get you started.

1. Before you go, set a budget. It's VERY easy to buy a bunch of crap you won't even wear. There is a 7 day return policy, but who has time for that. I can say with pride that I've probably made only 2-3 bad buys out of the 38749832 things I've bought in the past six months.
2. Check which color is half off this week. Each item is color-tagged (I think it's blue, purple, green, pink, orange, yellow and white) with a specific price - so if all the blue tags are 1/2 off that week, you're going to be paying half of the price 
3. Make sure you have a good 2-3 hours set aside for this. Hit up a couple of Goodwills, not just one. Get lost in the racks.
4. Try on stuff. The lines to the changing rooms can get a bit crazy - but with the assortment of clothing, you never know what will look good on you - sometimes the most unexpected things do!
5. This is just my personal rule of thumb - either get things that look new or if they don't, at least they should have some sort of aesthetic value. Like a worn denim jacket where the previous owner has stitched on buttons and studs. NOT a ratty sweater with holes in it which looks like it's falling apart at the seams. 
6. Check out the homeware section. You can get new Ikea plates and mugs for less than a dollar. And some really cute crockery.

Some of my favorite Goodwill stores are at:

• 217 W 79th St - UWS - Great for designer/contemporary stuff. The shit that rich people throw away...
• 157 West 72nd Street - Same. I found some amazing shoes for $4
• 258 Livingston St - This one is huge. Stock changes almost every three days. My favorite buy is my camel Armani coat. 

I hope this helps! I will do another post with my favorite Goodwill buys next - seriously, this has become something of an addiction.

Fall Drugstore Makeup Essentials

I cannot express to you how happy I am that I live in a place that has fall again. I remember loving this season as a kid, because of the leaves, the cold but not freezing weather, and the indoor heating. Now that I'm old(er), this is the perfect opportunity to dress like it's colder (Chennai, I love you, but I can never wear a jacket without burning up) and wear vampy lipstick all day every day. I know I've been away from the blog for so long, and I apologise (I didn't give up, I swear) but going back to school and taking exams after a year takes some getting used to.

Anyway, now that I have a Walgreens loyalty card, that gives me wonderful access to the best deals a s***load of excuses to buy things for my fall face.

So, let's get into it.

Base: Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in Honey Beige

I could do a whole other blog post, raving about how brilliant this is, but I think I will contain myself. For a girl who has never worn foundation, I was on the fence about even getting one. I wanted something with light-medium coverage as my skin has been behaving this year *hopes to God I don't jinx it*. I've heard brilliant things about this foundation, and decided to try it out. They have two formulas - A dewy smooth one and a matte finish one. I decided to go for the dewy one because I figured I could always set it with powder if I wanted to mattify it a bit. I started using this really carefully (I despise anything heavy feeling on my face) and a tiny bit goes a long way. I literally use a blob as big as half my pinky nail and sheer it out over my skin. And it does a brilliant job of giving me this even, glowy base which looks natural as hell. No brush required, it goes on well with your fingers.


Lips: Milani Matte Lipstick in Sangria

I own two families of lipsticks. Reds and wines. I have one pink one which only gets pulled out if I'm wearing this particular saree (no joke). On a student budget, I feel like spending $17 on a MAC lipstick is quite atrocious. I started looking at lipsticks that were just as good in the long wearing matte department and I was disappointed again, and again and again. It was like going on a string of terrible blind dates (as I said before, the US drugstore for some perfectly good reason that I'm sure they have, does not let you test products before you buy them). And then, this Milani lipstick happened. It is the most brilliant reddish wine ever. Such a good formula as well and very easy to apply. It lasts me through two 'eating sessions' without a single touch up. It's also very forgiving and doesn't cling to any dry patches. Although I would always advise a lip scrub before any dark lipstick. Will definitely be trying out more from this line.

Elf Studio Blush in Gotta Glow

So with the whole strobing trend going on, I realized I had to jump on  the bandwagon before I turned eighty. I walked into the Elf Studio here in the city and hand a browse around. I have never seen so much cheap makeup, so well organised, in one place. Mind = blown. I picked this up because it was a hefty $3, and it swatched beautifully. I use this on my cheekbones, my browbone and down the center of my nose if I'm going out somewhere special which is usually my 6:30 class. It's also a dupe for NARS Albatross which has a shameful $30. Yes, 10 times the cost. And this one does just as good a job as a highlighter, I'm sure. It really gives you that glow even if you're running on two hours of sleep and lots of coffee.

Elf Studio Long Lasting Eyeshadow in Gala

When I was having a browse in Sephora, looking wistfully at the $30 shampoos and the $40 tweezers, I came across this beautiful brown sparkly eyeshadow from the Sephora own line. It was around $14, and I realized that nothing I said or did would justify that purchase to my bank account or my soul. At the Elf Studio, there were these weird, cushiony, creamy shadow pigment hybrids on display. When I swatched Gala, it reminded me of that Sephora shadow and I put it in my basket without a second thought. It's a brilliant color, I use it as both a base and a wash of color by itself. There's a little bit of fallout but it stays in the eye area so it isn't so bad. I can see myself wearing this a lot in the holidays.

So there you have it, my fall face. I pop on a bit of liner and mascara, but these are the products I've been using pretty much every time I need to look adult and act adult.
Happy Weekend!