What I Do: Colleen's Splurge Shopping How-To

"I hate it when I spend all morning putting makeup on and by the time the day is over half of it has faded almost completely. MAC eyeshadow lasts all day, and the earth tones are great for everyday wear. I love that they come in a set of four, so you can switch up your look by shading your eye with different color combinations."

$36, MAC

"Living in New York, my feet are often my sole method of transportation. If I buy cheap shoes, by noon I’m hobbling around the office wishing I had brought my slippers to work. I don’t think we should all go out and stock our closet with Louboutins, but I do think it is important to have a few pairs of good quality shoes - both heels and flats - that you can rely on. My current obsession are these Stuart Weitzman red pumps, they give any outfit that little extra oomph and leave my feet blister-free and looking beautiful!"

$265, Nordstroms

"Walking around with clumps on your eyelashes is the beauty equivalent of having spinach in your teeth and not knowing it. This mascara plumps up my lashes, without giving me scary spider eyes."

$19 Sephora

"Accessories really make an outfit, and can make you feel glamorous. You can be wearing a simple black tee and with the addition of a fun necklace and some bangles, completely transform what you are wearing (and your confidence level!). I love chunky jewels that make a statement and can be worn with variety of colors, like this one. I usually wear a bold accessory like this on a bad hair day so the focus is on my neck, not my head."

$48, Urban Outfitters

"Bronzer is not something you want to be cheap about. I enjoy the color orange, just not on my face. To get a sunkissed look during the colder months, I use DuWop Bronzerush in their June shade. I sweep the bronzer across my T-zone and cheeks and dab the blush on the apples of my cheeks to get an all-over glow."

$35, DuWop