Makeup Jackpot

If it were up to us, we'd have an elaborate collection of every MAC eyeshadow known to man. We would also have an endless stock of their mineral powders, professional brushes, and high-impact lip glosses. Once reality shattered this little fantasy, we realized we had to find an alternative refill of our makeup. That's where eyeslipsface.com saved our lives. Affectionately known as e.l.f., this jewel of a company offers eyeshadows, eyeliners, mascara, blush, lip gloss, bronzer, brushes, and more for just one dollar each. Not kidding. If you want to step it up a notch, they feature a “studio” collection, where items cost three dollars each — still an insane bargain. These pocket-size treasures are great for a girl on the go, or someone who feels that they need a touch-up throughout the day. They also usually offer a promotion with your order — right now, they are giving away a huge Valentine's Day themed make-up kit. The quality of the products we've tried is good; our favorite things from e.l.f. include the nail polish (in a huge variety of colors), concealer, bronzer, and the eyeshadows. Has anyone else ever ordered from this website?

photo courtesy of eyeslipsface.com

A Yummy New Year

We decided that 2010 will be the year of healthy eating and making more of an effort to keep in shape. Typically, the holiday season followed by the winter blues makes it even harder to stay focused when it comes to eating right and exercising. We are beginning to work really hard staying on track with being healthy. Some easy ideas? Add vegetables to your simple dinner dish to give you the vitamins you need, such as a rice and chicken dish with peppers, mushrooms, and onions! So good and so easy. Our other new obsession – blood oranges. They are the prettiest fruit we've seen, and they taste delicious without that crazy orange smell!

The Looking Glass

The season of better movies is finally starting. We haven't been to the movies in months because of all the cheesy holiday themed flicks that dominated the last season. However, there are a few upcoming films that we are absolutely dying to see. First and foremost, we have been waiting ages for Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland with Johnny Depp and Anne Hathaway. It's an understatement to say that we loved Disney movies as kids (more like we were obsessed) and this old favorite was definitely on the top of our list. This new version, though, is based off of the original book by Lewis Carroll and not the Disney cartoon. Other movies on our radar? Dear John with Channing Tatum, Shutter Island, and of course in May, Sex and the City 2. 

photo courtesy of postergeek.com

We're Baaaack...

Hello! Yes, we've been on quite a hiatus, which we do apologize for! Now we're back, with some new entries to post and we're really excited! Life has definitely gotten busier for the Uptown Girls lately (we are now both employed and full time graduate students) but we will try our best to bring you our latest ideas and tips as much as we can! Stay tuned...

Window Wonderland

It's that time of the year (almost)! Holiday season is upon us, and the mere idea of it probably makes you think of major spending on gifts. Instead of stressing about gift giving and spending all of your hard earned cash, why not channel your inner child and tour the holiday windows at the NYC department stores! It's totally free and is one of our favorite ways to start the holiday season. Uptown Girls have already checked out the windows at Macy's Herald Square - this year, it's truly a classic, displaying miniature scenes of Miracle on 34th Street. Our next stop is Bloomingdale's! Another way to enjoy this even more when the weather starts getting chillier is to grab a delicious wintery hot drink (we love Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks) and sip it as you take in the classic NYC holiday tradition.

Shop Sales and Save

It's the height of the fall shopping season, and it's so hard to walk past those windows that line New York City streets without feeling that yearning of wanting to make a purchase. The key is, you can buy higher priced items at a discount if you find out where the deals are. Many stores are still trying to lure in customers because of the economy, so chances are, a good deal of shops will be offering discounts prior to the holiday season. If there is no sign in the window of a store you want to browse in, ask a salesperson if they offer a new customer discount or a student reduction with an ID. Uptown Girls have been very successful in our venture with this method. We recently got classic black trousers at the Limited pop up store in SoHo at a 15% discount just for being a first time shopper! Cozying up to the salespeople doesn't hurt, either. Start talking about fashion and ask styling tips - they like to give advice, so don't be shy! As an Uptown Girl, the policy for deal hunting sometimes means no shame. So don't be embarrassed to inquire about saving money, they will still be getting your business. Of course, many stores won't budge, but smaller less crowded stores want repeat business! Good luck, city gals!

Step Up Your Game

With the NYC Marathon coming up this weekend, Uptown Girls are inspired! We're not saying we're going to train for a marathon anytime soon, but lately we have been motivated to push ourselves more during our work outs. Its important not only for health reasons, but also to know what you are capable of. Gym routines can get boring and played out pretty quickly and your body gets used to a certain level of exercising. Switching up the speed, intensity, and length of your workouts can save your muscles from boredom! So instead of slogging away on the elliptical while reading a magazine, crank up that resistance and get moving. You should feel somewhat out of breath (as in, unable to really maintain a conversation). Another great way to challenge yourself is to try a machine that you always avoid! Because your body is not used to working those muscles in that particular way, this can be a very beneficial workout. The key is to keep "surprising" your muscles so that they are constantly being worked in new ways. Download some new songs to get you motivated and you will see your hard work pay off.


photo courtesy of nyc.gov