It may be far fetched to say I use to get nightmares about eyelash curlers and curling my lashes, but for the longest time, I always thought eyelash curlers looked more like a torture device than something that you would use for beauty. The same rule generally applies for anything that involves iron (curling, straightening, etc). I had a not-so-pleasant first experience trying to curl my hair. But that's a different story.

So back to eyelashes~ Now if you're blessed with full, long lashes that naturally curl, then gosh, you don't know how much I envy you. While I do have a lot of lashes in Asian standards, they suffer the same dilemma that most Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and Korean girls experience: (I say that because I have Indian and Filipino friends who have the most gorgeous fullest, darkest lashes ever. Their lashes hit their glasses for goodness' sake.) STICK STRAIGHT LASHES. They're the type that point straight down and usually won't hold a curl unless you put some effort into it. Not only that, most drugstore eyelash curlers do nothing to my lashes, partially because the curvature of the curler where you would rest your eye is much too curved for my flat eyes.

Therefore I spent the sophomore and junior years in college battling with a sub-par curler from e.l.f. And I'm not saying their curler isn't good because it was worth the price. I think they're about $3? And they came entirely by luck after having another girl's package sent to me by accident, while mine got thrown over to her. Anyways, they told me I could keep it and resent my package. They worked pretty well--as in they curled the middle and missed the front and ends. I also needed to do a lot of squeezing to make sure my lashes got curled and perhaps that contributed to the reason why I broke both of them towards the end of my third year of college.

So I was down an eyelash curler and having no eyelash curler pretty much makes my mascara obsolete because no matter how much mascara I put on, if I didn't curl them beforehand, they weren't going anywhere. I decided it was time to make an investment in a more high-end eyelash curler. So I scoured the internet, read up on plenty of reviews on what brand was good for efficiently curling those stubborn Asian lashes. And finally, after deliberating between the cult-favorite Shu Uemura and Shiseido, I went with the Shiseido.

Shiseido Eyelash Curler, sephora.com, $19

The Shiseido lash curler is by far my favorite eyelash curler, atm, but then again I never had many to compared with before. They do the job and they do the job right without much effort. They grab all my lashes and without applying too much strength I am able to get them curled and they last all day without mascara.

As for mascara, I'm currently using a combination of two. I first apply the Physicians' Formula: Organic Wear, which gives my lash a very natural look without weighing them down too much. Sadly, it's not waterproof, so it can be a problem whenever I apply eye drops. After that, I layer on my Fairy Drops Platinum. This mascara is one of those fiber mascaras that encircle your lashes almost in like a tube-like manner. It's fairly waterproof, but it comes off in warm water. I also use this on my lower lashes because the Organic Wear one tends to smudge on my bottom lashes.

This is what I use, but I know it won't work for everybody. But usually the trick in making sure your lashes won't fall is to use waterproof mascara. The waxier ingredients used to make waterproof mascara gives a better hold for stubborn curls. A fair warning about waterproof mascara: they tend to make your lashes very dry and possibly brittle. So I usually use them with caution, only on days or for events that I know needs extra holding power.

So for all the readers who feel as though nobody understands the pain behind those pesky lashes, know that I have experienced it myself and that you are not alone. The whole process of finding a good curler and a good mascara is all about trial and error. Don't give up hope because somewhere out there is the perfect one just for you.

Fairy Drops Platinum Mascara, japanla.com, $24.95

Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Jumbo Lash Mascara, physiciansformula.com, $9.95

Like many college students, I pull out all the stops in order to avoid taking an early morning class. Unfortunately sometimes those courses are simply unavoidable. Of course, at the beginning of the semester I resolve to go to bed earlier on the nights before said classes, so I can wake up earlier and presumably have enough time to get ready and pull my look together. But, predictably, my bedtime soon creeps back to a later hour, and I usually find myself scrambling to throw on an outfit that looks half decent. Most mornings, I simply skip the makeup all together because I assume it takes way too much time.

The main problem with my early morning, sans-makeup look is that I never really feel that great without makeup. By no means would I consider myself a girl who wears a lot of makeup, or who feels “naked” without it, but sometimes it’s nice to know that you’ve put in a bit of effort to look more beautified. So recently I have devised what I have deemed my “ready-in-a-rush” makeup routine that has really come in handy thus far.

Basically the key to my routine is simplicity. I am well aware that I tend to move much slower in the mornings compared to later in the day, so the trick has been to keep everything quick and simple. The first step of this “ready-in-a-rush” routine is tinted moisturizer (with SPF of course). Tinted moisturizer basically kills two birds with one stone by moisturizing my skin (which tends to get pretty flaky in the winter) and providing subtle coverage for those annoying blemishes.

Next in my routine is mascara. Personally, I prefer jet-black mascara because it provides the most impact in the shortest amount of time. I’m one of the lucky few ladies who was born with naturally long eyelashes, so I usually only need one coat. However, a second coat takes only a few seconds longer, so by all means, go for it.

The final, and in my opinion the most essential step of this “ready-in-a-rush” routine is the lip. I strongly believe that lip color can pull any look together, even if it is the only makeup you apply. Even sheer shades can really make you look more polished when you are running out the door. My favorite product is undoubtedly Stila Cherry Crush Lip & Cheek Stain. The color, described as a “sheer berry red,” looks good on pretty much anyone. In addition, it’s extremely versatile, so you can use one layer for a sheer look or layer on a few coats for a more dramatic look. And if you have those extra few minutes on a particular morning, you can even use it as a cheek stain. I rarely have the extra time, so I use it exclusively for my lips, but it never hurts to have a good two-in-one product.

Stila Cherry Crush Lip & Cheek Stain, Sephora, $24

So if you do tend to find yourself short on time in the mornings but still craving a bit of makeup, I highly suggest developing your own “ready-in-a-rush” morning makeup routine. Different people prefer different products, so by all means, devise our own routine with products that are totally different from the ones I use. But remember that simplicity really is the key when you have only 15 minutes to get dressed, ready, and out the door!

There are just some rules that I completely abide by and believe that every girl should follow, such as taking off your makeup before you go to bed, cleaning your makeup brushes once a week, wearing sunscreen, the 3-point principle for tweezing eyebrows. But over the years, there have been a collection of rules that, although with good intentions, are not necessary. Here are some rules that I have researched and personally experienced so that you can freely break them!

1. Never comb your hair when it is wet. While it is true that your hair follicles are weaker and more prone to breakage when it is wet, it is not necessarily damaging to comb it, so long as you use a wide tooth comb instead of an actual brush.

2. Use oil-free products for oily skin. As an oily skinned victim, for years I was strict in reading the labels of every sunscreen and foundation to make sure it says oil-free, but I really don’t find that using these products does anything for my oil production. Read the labels and see that sometimes the ingredients are exactly the same.  Sigh, companies gimmicks to sell products.  So feel free to use “normal skin” moisturizer, but watch out if it contains mineral oil. This is actually a byproduct of the distillation of gasoline from crude oil. Because it is so abundant, inexpensive, and never spoils, it is a common ingredient in moisturizers. It does not moisturize, but rather sits on top of the skin, is difficult to absorb and clogs pores. Avoid at all cost!

3. Do not pluck above the eyebrows. I could see the dangers in over-plucking above your eyebrows, leading to a deep-set menacing look. But tweezing the stray wispy hairs will give a cleaner, straight look. To avoid over-plucking, use a white eye pencil to draw an outline around your eyebrows, and only pluck above the white line.

4. Always match your lipliner to your lipstick. First of all, is that even possible?! I don’t think that every makeup company offers each lipstick with a coordinating lip liner. You can still define and plump your bold red lips with a nude colored liner. It still gets the job done, plus nude liner works with all other lips colors as well.

5. You shouldn’t wear bronzer if you are already tan. There is nothing wrong with wanted to amp up your sun-kissed glow! But unless you are going as Snookie to your next Halloween party, avoid dusting bronzer all over your face, and swipe only in contouring areas like under cheekbones, temples, and jawline.

6. Never pair dramatic eyes with dramatic lips. Okay I admit, I used to be a stickler for this rule. But after trying the smoky eye/red lip combo for some events, I have to admit that I actually like the look! It makes the face look complete. So the new, revised rule I make for this is--leave the cheeks free of makeup. Any blush or bronzer would compete with the red lips and introduce too much color to the face. And as for eyes, go easy on the shadows and keep the darkest color as thin as possible.

I’ve never been much of a winter gal. Sure, I love warm, cozy sweaters and steaming cups of hot chocolate, but my body was just not made for the cold. Each winter, my pale skin gets even whiter, and my light brown hair loses its highlights and progresses into a ruddy, mousy brown color that really can only be described as “blah.” Of course we all know that the color palettes for winter are darker and richer than summer palettes, and quite honestly these dark colors look pretty weird with my winter white complexion and blah factor hair. Nonetheless, until very recently, I simply conformed and wore the wintery dark colors.

But lately I’ve been taking a (small yet significant) stand and trying to break away from the winter darks. Basically, the nonconformist in me has decided to forego the dark nail polishes that are more on trend in the winter, and instead I have been rocking bright reds, pinks, and corals. There’s no denying that these colors simply look way better with my skin tone than inky shades that are characteristic of the winter months. And while at first I felt somewhat out of place with such bright and unseasonal colors on my nails, I really love the way that these summery shades pop against my darker clothing ensemble (one thing at a time).

Some of my favorite summer-now-winter colors for my nails are:

Essie in Peach Daiquiri, Nordstrom, $8

Essie in Lollipop, Nordstrom, $8

Zoya in Paz, zoya.com, $8

I am a firm believer in the idea that your nails can be one of your greatest accessories, so while my summery nails may not be extremely out of the box, it still feels like I’m making a small statement by using this “accessory” to embrace summer and shun the colors that have come to define the dreary winter. And not only are these colors way more fun and way more flattering on my skin tone, but they also serve to remind me that summer is only a few short months away.

As a girl who is cursed with fine, flat, fairly lifeless hair, I tend to be at a great risk for a bad case of the greasies. As a result, I have to be particularly careful when it comes to buying shampoo and other hair products in order to avoid the oil-slicked look. The two words that I always looks for when determining which products NOT to buy are “moisturizing” and “shine”—two big no-no’s when it comes to oil-prone locks (fortunately for me, my hair has never really lacked moisture, so even I can still get it to look pretty shiny without these types of prodz).

But when I am suddenly ambushed by a case of the greasies, I immediately reach for dry shampoo. Until recently, I didn’t really have a go-to brand for dry shampoo. However, just a few weeks ago I discovered a formula that I now swear by (what can I say, I fell hard and fast). The new object of my affection is Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo, seen here:

Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo, Sephora, $19/2.5oz. bottle

At $19 for a 2.5 oz. bottle, this product is a bit of an investment, but I promise, it will last you forever. My sister has been using the same bottle for more than a year, and she still has over an inch left in the bottle. The powder formula smells nice and fresh (but the scent is not too overpowering) and while the powder is white when it is dispensed, it rubs in easily so there is no awkward grayish residue at the roots. In addition, the formula is very light, so your hair remains touchable rather than hard and crunchy. Honestly, I can’t believe I waited so long to try this stuff despite my sister’s recommendations.