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Scared To Try Something New? Start With…Lipstick!

I’ve been wanting to be better at trying new things. But being “better” is a really vague statement so I thought I needed something specific that I could do regularly, that pushed me a little each day. I wanted to start with something small and simple…but not too small. If I wanted to be pushed, I needed something with impact. Lipstick, surprisingly, fit the bill perfectly. Trying new lipstick shades is not a huge wardrobe investment, dramatic full-face makeover, drastic new haircut, or a month-long course in something…but trying colors I would normally never use was definitely a push out of my comfort zone! I’m a creature of habit so I end up using the same few colors over and over again. I committed to trying a new lip shade every day for a month. And, a big step for me, to document each one with selfies. The results were subtle…but kind of extraordinary.
First, I discovered that I liked several shades I never thought I could wear. And believe it or not, that’s like adding a whole new closet to your wardrobe. The same outfit with a different lip color looked new — it felt new, too. Second, I got more comfortable with myself. Selfies can be daunting if you’re not used to them. Every day, photographing myself in a new lip color, felt like…play! Third, some shades really did a (good) number on my mood. Bronzerella, I discovered, makes me feel powerful…like I can face anything. I learned that, like the right dress and shoes, I can pick shades based on what mood I’m in or need to be in. I regularly got a confidence boost. Which is a really nice plus!
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Lip color-wise, prior to doing this, my favorite colors were from our Lip Glosses: Tango, Cherry Fizz and Cabaret. They’re all basically variations of a cherry red/pink lip. After my new-lip-a-day trial, the ones I was most surprised by were:

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1) Velvet Matte Lipstick in Bikini Machine

I would have NEVER picked this shade. Honestly, I thought would blend in too much with my coloring, make my lips too pale, and make me look a bit, well, corpse-like. I was so pleasantly wrong, and instead it became my perfect almost-lilac lilac. I get that this might sound weird, but the end result was a totally different daytime look for me. I felt refreshed. Almost like a mini makeover.

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2) Lip Glitter Gloss in Speakeasy

I never usually wear deep colors like this, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this dark, almost-burgundy red. I even liked how it looked with no makeup on — sort of an extreme contrast to a natural look. And a super quick trip to look put-together when I don’t have time for more makeup.

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3) Velvet Matte Lipstick in Flamingo

Another surprise, as I don’t normally gravitate towards matte lipsticks. But I really liked this pale (but bright!) pink — completely different (for me) in a matte as it has a lady-like finish.

Step out of your own comfort zone and try new lip shades for yourself: it’s a simple process with surprising results that can open up your options, change the way you see things, and even make you feel braver to take on bigger challenges!

Check out my new-lip-color-a-day journey on Instagram…and I’d love to hear (to try myself!)what lip color did you think you could never use that ended up surprising you?

– CC

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