Maybe this is just me, but at least half of the reason I like New Year’s Eve is due to the extravagant fashion and beauty involved. I don’t have anymore homecoming dances coming my way, so New Year’s Eve is the day I get to spend extra time on my style in the name of creating memories.

Drinking and counting are definitely fun, don’t get me wrong, but my favorite part of New Year’s Eve is looking at all the beautiful, sparkly ladies and gentlemen. Dressing to the nines is so much fun, and New Year’s Eve is always black tie appropriate – if you want. I’ve had plenty of New Year’s Eve parties wherein I enter the new year in my favorite second-day pajamas.

This year, though, I’m going all out. I even spent a few days trying out extremely Extra beauty looks before settling on 2016’s New Year’s Eve getup.

Yep, that’s my usual completely messy bun, just pulled up higher and chunks of hair were selectively pulled out of the bun and wrapped around the base. Oh, and headband. I am not a hair person, what can I say? A headband person, on the other hand, I definitely am. These BANDED headbands are no-slip and just so happen to benefit a really awesome cause.

Shout-out to the best, most natural-looking-but-blingin’ highlighter I’ve ever used: Essence Pure Nude in Be My Highlight ($4.49).

My eyes, as a look, were completely inspired by a turquoise-gold eyeshadow sample I got from (now closed ?) AFK Cosmetics. The shade was called “This Little Masquerade” from AFK’s Adam Collection which was inspired by the gorgeous and brilliant video game, Bioshock.

It’s a mid-tone, green-tinted blue with an extreme, gold, shimmery reflect and some warm, copper sparks thrown in. It’s truly one of the most beautiful eyeshadows that I’ve ever seen, and it kills me that the company that made it has closed its doors.

Because there just isn’t enough high-velocity shimmer going on, I also patted on some “Angels Don’t Wait for Slow Pokes“, also by AFK Cosmetics.

It’s pretty sheer, but adds a beautiful white-gold reflection to just about anything. There is a slight tint of pink in ADWFSP (probably never going to use that acronym again) which kind of warms up an otherwise… temperately bipolar look. The warm gold and copper in This Little Masquerade warm up an otherwise cool blue. Combining warm & cool shades is one of my favorite things!

This swatch doesn’t do This Little Masquerade justice, but if you want to see what it looks like in the full-sized container, check out the review of AFK’s Adam Collection on Etherealize Me. She captured the beauty of that shadow perfectly.

Photo from Etherealize Me’s AFK Cosmetics Adam Collection Review

I’m not joking when I say that the swatches of this shadow look like royal turquoise & gold tie-dye. It’s one of the prettiest eyeshadows I have ever seen.

Which is why it is all over my eyes. Wearing one shade as your whole eye look really does something for me, aesthetically. I even shoved smudged it on my lower lids, where it’s rare to see a shimmer shadow (at least for me). It did not disappoint.

My lipstick got a little wily – I’m pretty sure that this will be the last time I try to over-line my lips. Watching too much YouTube will go to your lips! The color, though, is one of my new favorites, Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme in Honey. It’s my favorite liquid lipstick formula, and this is a really pretty, warm taupe that would be a perfect dark neutral for me if I wasn’t busy drawing clown lips on myself.

Also worth noting: this lip pencil from Ulta in the shade “Bare” ($8) matches Milani’s liquid lipstick in Honey ($9) almost perfectly!

My outfit is a gold top I got from Dorothy Perkins and some yet undecided pants. I only have about 3 hours to figure it out before it’s meaningless! The necklace was a gift that my Dad brought back from India for me, and I love the color! I wish you could see the back because there’s beautiful, gold thread-work and it’s almost as beautiful as the front.

So that’s what I’ll be looking like when I ring in the new year! A little homage and tribute to a legendary indie beauty brand (we’ll miss you, AFK!) and a lot of other nonsense.

Happy New Year, friends!! Can’t wait to party-shop with you some more in 2017.

Probably watching Netflix.